Slam
Director: Marc Levin
99 minutes (15) Tartan retail
review by Ian Shutter

"Doing time and doing rhyme," said 'Sight & Sound' magazine. "Are you sure you want to review this one?" asked VideoVista's editor. "It's got rappers in it." Risky, but I'll give it a try. Could have been worse, I suppose, but not by much.
   A small-time pusher played by Saul Williams is sent to prison because he won't admit his guilt, and while there is inspired to write poetry, exploring the plight of blacks as general casualties of the American capitalism, and urban inmates of Washington DC in particular. There's no getting away from the fact that this is a downbeat, fairly bleak film. And, yes, there's jailhouse rap, jags of street poetry and endless swearing. It's hard to see what the director intended to accomplish here. Slam is not the least bit entertaining, as some blaxploitation is, nor is it illuminating in the way of social documentary. A sadly dull little film that strains credibility and feels like a one act stage play stretched out and forced into screen format. It only goes to prove the rule that, although stories and novels can be adapted successfully for the cinema, it's virtually impossible to turn poetry into film drama. Williams, reportedly a real-life poet, would have been better served by a small press chapbook of his best work. This film adopts a take-no-prisoners (excuse the pun) mode, and as such does no one any favours.

DOWSE Guide to the Movies is compiled by Tony Lee editor of Pigasus Press
You can order videos and DVD releases reviewed on these pages at Blackstar

Movies home
Dowse home - Web Gateway for Creative Minds

Related pages:

Antiques
Archaeology
Architecture
Art
Autos
Books
Computing & Internet
Cryptozoology
Dowsing
Dreams
Education
Entertainment
Fantasy art
Fiction
Free Stuff
Games
Gardening
Geography
Geology
History
Landscapes
Movies
Music
Mysteries
Myths & Legends
Paranormal
People
Philosophy
Photography
Poetry
Religions/Beliefs
Science Fiction
Sciences
Security online
Shamans
Theatre
Travel
TV
Web Makers Tools
Writing & Publishing

. How to make
  dowse
  your start page
. Your free email
you@dowse.com
. Message Bds
   & communities

. Suggest links
. Link to us
. About dowse
. Search the web