Mystery thriller

Slam Dance (1987): Cast, Ratings, Box Office & Plot

Name: Slam Dance
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Released: 1987-10-02
Duration: 1 h 32 min
Cast: Tom Hulce, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Judith Barsi, Adam Ant, Virginia Madsen

Slam Dance is a 1987 mystery thriller directed by Wayne Wang, starring Tom Hulce, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Judith Barsi. It runs 1 hour 32 minutes and earned $406,881 worldwide. It earned 1 award nomination, including Best Cinematography at the Spirit Awards 1988. Critics gave it 48 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.2/10.

IMDb rating: 5.2/10
worldwide gross: $406.9K
award nomination: 1
Metascore: 48

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Watch the trailer Read the plot summary

Released: October 2, 1987
Runtime: 1h 32m (92 min)
Director: Wayne Wang
Genres: Mystery , Thriller
Original language: English
Studio: Island Pictures
After the credits: No No extra scene

The story

What Is Slam Dance About?

The premise of Slam Dance without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

While struggling with a failing marriage, cartoonist C.C. Drood finds himself drawn into a dangerous situation when his lover, a high-stakes call girl named Yolanda Caldwell, is murdered. He becomes entangled in a web of suspicion and corruption as he investigates her death. C.C.'s relentless search for the truth puts him at risk and threatens to unravel his life and expose dark secrets.

Slam Dance Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags

neo noir
murder of a nude woman
ex husband ex wife relationship
scandalous photograph
suspect
prime suspect
police
detective
sex scandal
scapegoat
buddy
underground artist

+38 more

bare chested male
briefs
erotica
school visit
punched in the groin
trashed apartment
punched in the face
crime scene photograph
magnifying glass
doing shots
gun held to head
kicked while down
fighting in the rain
zeta temporary office services
sex toy collection
clothed male naked female scene
discovering a dead body
caught naked
home aquarium
microfilm reader
newspaper article
hollywood sign
water fountain
binoculars
champagne
gun in mouth
breaking a mirror
close up of eye
car fire
exploding car
man wears underwear
man wears a tuxedo
man wears briefs
woman wears a bikini
kidnapping
guilt
elderly neighbor
female rear nudity

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Cast & crew

Slam Dance Cast

Tom Hulce leads the cast, with Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Judith Barsi. Directed by Wayne Wang; 10 actors are credited in all.

Director Wayne Wang

Also Starring in Slam Dance

· 6 more

From the director

More from Wayne Wang

More films directed by Wayne Wang, best-rated first: The Joy Luck Club, Chan Is Missing, Coming Home Again and Smoke.

Full filmography

Ratings

Slam Dance Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Slam Dance 48 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 5.2/10.

IMDb

5.2 /10
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Metacritic

48 Metascore
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TMDB

49% User score
See on TMDB

Plot

Slam Dance Plot Summary

What happens in Slam Dance from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 3-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

In the heart of Hollywood, where aspirations collide with reality, we meet Charles C. “Drood” Drood (Tom Hulce), a cartoonist hustling to make ends meet. Exhausted from a long night of work, he falls asleep only to be woken by a furious call from his ex-wife, Helen (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), who reminds him he’s forgotten to pick up their young daughter, Elizabeth “Bean” Brood (Judith Barsi). Meanwhile, he faces pressure from his boss, who threatens him with termination if he doesn’t complete his tasks soon. Just as his troubles heighten, his friend Jim Campbell (Adam Ant), excitedly informs him that he sold one of the pieces he created and has earned a cool $500 in commission.