Walt Becker

Made films the shows talk about.

Counted as director. The films the hosts said they directed, which the two lists below run through too: Van Wilder (2002); Wild Hogs (2007); Old Dogs (2009); Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip (2015).

Draws on

What the speakers say they, or a film of theirs, drew on. Each is a speaker's account: “the maker said so” when they report the maker's own words, “the host's read” when the read is theirs.

Old Yeller (1957): 1 line

  1. theme (theme) · through Old Dogs (2009), which they directed: Old Yeller ⇒ Old Dogs (the host's read). Giving Charlie a new puppy after his old dog dies echoes the end of Old Yeller.
    “That's what happens at the end of Old Yeller, remember?”
    Blank Check — Patreon · OLD DOGS - Blank Check LIVE! at the Bell House (May 12, 2022) · 1:40:01 · unknown (0.35 sure it was them)

Wild Hogs (2007): 1 line, within their own work

  1. career (career) · through Old Dogs (2009), which they directed: Wild Hogs ⇒ Old Dogs (the host's read). Wild Hogs was a huge 2007 hit, which is how Becker came to have the freedom to make Old Dogs.
    “Becker has what you could perhaps call a blank check to make whatever crazy passion projects he wants.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · OLD DOGS - Blank Check LIVE! at the Bell House (May 12, 2022) · 0:10:28 · Griffin Newman (0.80 sure it was them)

Drawn on by

What the speakers say drew on them or a film of theirs, marked the same way.

Old Dogs (2009): 1 line, within their own work

  1. career (career) · through Wild Hogs (2007), which they directed: Wild Hogs ⇒ Old Dogs (the host's read). Wild Hogs was a huge 2007 hit, which is how Becker came to have the freedom to make Old Dogs.
    “Becker has what you could perhaps call a blank check to make whatever crazy passion projects he wants.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · OLD DOGS - Blank Check LIVE! at the Bell House (May 12, 2022) · 0:10:28 · Griffin Newman (0.80 sure it was them)

What the speakers said they did

Directing (4) everyone in directing

Other (1) everyone in other

What was said about them, by kind

career (1)

  1. career (career): Walt Becker → Van Wilder. Becker's pre-family-film background is Van Wilder (transcribed Vale Wilder), the basis of a rumor Old Dogs was shot R-rated.
    “because that's like Walt Becker's background from Vale Wilder before he became a family movie guy.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · OLD DOGS - Blank Check LIVE! at the Bell House (May 12, 2022) · 0:12:22 · Griffin Newman (0.70 sure it was them)

craft (1)

  1. craft (craft): Walt Becker → Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. Becker's cornerstone take: his Alvin film has a John Waters cameo, evidence of knowing transgression.
    “So this is the cornerstone of my Walt Becker take is there's a moment in Alvin the Chipmunks.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · OLD DOGS - Blank Check LIVE! at the Bell House (May 12, 2022) · 1:12:34 · Griffin Newman (0.50 sure it was them)

Fun items about them

  1. fun, about Walt Becker: His directing style, per Griffin: push every actor bigger on every take.
    “Waltbecker, his style is to tell every actor to just go bigger and bigger in every take.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · OLD DOGS - Blank Check LIVE! at the Bell House (May 12, 2022) · 0:31:15 · Griffin Newman (0.60 sure it was them)
  2. fun, about Walt Becker: Becker's commentary calls Travolta and Williams one of the great comedy duos, though they had never made a movie together.
    “He says, I think Travolta and Williams and this are one of the all time great onscreen comedy duos.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · OLD DOGS - Blank Check LIVE! at the Bell House (May 12, 2022) · 0:52:41 · Griffin Newman (0.70 sure it was them)
  3. fun, about Walt Becker: Alvin and the Chipmunks 4: Alvin sits next to John Waters on a plane, as Griffin's key Becker anecdote.
    “John Waters calls over a flight attendant, says, Excuse me.”
    Blank Check — Patreon · OLD DOGS - Blank Check LIVE! at the Bell House (May 12, 2022) · 1:13:24 · Griffin Newman (0.60 sure it was them)