Walker (film)

This article is about the 1987 film. For the 2007 film, see The Walker. For other uses, see Walker.
Walker
Video release poster
Directed byAlex Cox
Written byRudy Wurlitzer
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyDavid Bridges
Edited by
  • Alex Cox
  • Carlos Puente
Music byJoe Strummer
Production
companies
  • In-Cine Compañía Industrial Cinematográfica
  • Northern
  • Walker Films Limited
Distributed byUniversal Pictures
Release date
  • December 4, 1987 (1987-12-04)
Running time
94 minutes
Countries
  • United States
  • Mexico
LanguagesEnglish
Spanish
Budget$6,000,000
Box office$257,043 (US)

Walker is a 1987 American-Mexican historical, hybrid/weird western film directed by Alex Cox and starring Ed Harris, Richard Masur, René Auberjonois, Peter Boyle, Miguel Sandoval and Marlee Matlin. The film is based on the life story of William Walker, the American filibuster who invaded and made himself president of Nicaragua. It was written by Rudy Wurlitzer and scored by Joe Strummer, who has a small role as a member of Walker's army.

The film is intentionally full of postmodern anachronisms, such as: helicopters, Zippo lighters, automatic rifles, Diet Coke, magazines and cars. It was filmed in Nicaragua, during the Contra War (1979-1990).[1][2][3]

The film was released by Universal Pictures on December 4, 1987 to generally polarized reviews and grossed nearly $300 thousand against a production budget of $6 million, becoming a box-office bomb.

  1. ^ Walker - Harvard Film Archive
  2. ^ Free Alex Cox event in Arberdeen|Den of Geek
  3. ^ Historical Dictionary of Postmodernist Literature and Theater - Google Books (pg.346)