Synopsis
When framed for the murder of a sultry blonde, an underground cartoonist is drawn into a web of corruption, blackmail and deceit.
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Cast
- Tom HulceC.C. Drood
- Mary Elizabeth MastrantonioHelen Drood
- Virginia MadsenYolanda Caldwell
- Don Keith OpperBuddy
- Adam AntJim Campbell
- Harry Dean StantonDet. Benjamin Smiley
- John DoeDet. John Gilbert
- Lin ShayeLibrarian
- Millie PerkinsBobby Nye
- Judith BarsiBean
Recommendations
- 80
Time Out
Combining state-of-the-art stylishness with comedy and suspense, Wang turns an otherwise straightforward conspiracy thriller into a pacy, racy fable with distinctly oddball dimensions. - 75
The Globe and Mail (Toronto)
Stylistically, the sleek Slamdance, a beautiful yet ominous black lacquer box of a movie, is a U.S. approximation of Diva - every chic frame is aggressive and eye-catching. But it is also what Less Than Zero wanted to be, an expose of the emotional desert at the west end of the U.S. nation. [28 Dec 1987] - 63
Chicago Tribune
Mastrantonio, though capable throughout, is never provided with the spark that might ignite her subtle fire. Hulce is firmly the center of events, but, like the dancing habits he displays in flashback, he bounces around this movie like an pinball out of control. [6 Nov 1987, p.48] - 63
Miami Herald
Slamdance has an unusual problem: It's too creative. Director Wayne Wang throws in so many artsy shots and technical tricks that the drama, an intricate murder mystery, is muddled. After the lights come up, you're left wondering exactly what you witnessed. [6 Nov 1987, p.D7] - 60
Variety
Slam Dance is like junk food. It's brightly packaged, looks good and satisfies the hunger for entertainment, but it isn't terribly nourishing or well-made. - 60
Empire
A patchwork of a movie that ultimately knows where it's going, but doesn't really know how to get there. - 50
Chicago Sun-Times
There are some nice things in "Slamdance." Hulce has a certain dogged charm as the hero who draws cartoons in the spirit, if not the style, of Gary Larson, and who is extremely upset that there is a dead body in his apartment. Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio gives a sound, three-dimensional performance as the ex-wife who has to decide if this guy is worth the trust - and the trouble. And Harry Dean Stanton remains quintessentially himself. - 40
Los Angeles Times
It would be tempting to say that inside “Slamdance” is a remarkable movie struggling to free itself from conventional trappings. But the opposite is true. The trappings are what dazzle you; the interior of “Slamdance” is exactly what isn’t remarkable.
