Slam

USA 1998

Reviewed by Richard Kelly

Synopsis

Our synopses give away the plot in full, including surprise twists.

Washington DC. Raymond Joshua writes rhymes, and deals grass. His connection Big Mike is shot during a deal and Raymond, trying to flee, is arrested. Bail is set high, and Raymond's public defender warns him he will serve time, depending upon the extent of his "co-operation". In custody, Raymond encounters hostility, but consoles himself with poetry. Hopha, the top dog among the inmates, tells Raymond he is a target for homeboys who suspect he ratted on Big Mike. Raymond averts a fight by 'slamming' a rap-tirade against mindless violence. He meets Lauren, who runs a writing workshop for prisoners. She encourages his writing. Impressed by Raymond, Hopha puts up his bail money.

Raymond is reunited with Big Mike, who was blinded in the shooting. He convinces Big Mike and his crew that retaliation only prolongs the cycle of violence. Raymond meets Lauren at a party and they become lovers. She confesses a past of drug addiction and prostitution, and tells him he must take responsibility for his crime. They argue, but Raymond shows up later at a slam club where Lauren recites her verses. Raymond performs to great applause, is reconciled with Lauren, and prepares to meet his judgement.

Review

"They say slavery has been abolished," rapper Ice-T once opined, "except for the convicted felon." Words failed Ice thereafter and he could only add, "Y'all need to think about that." Clearly, Marc Levin has been thinking about it: his debut feature shows how incarceration looms dispiritingly large across the lives of impoverished US blacks. Bars, chains and shades of the prison house dominate Slam's visual scheme, a grim reminder of the vile manner in which Africans were dragged into the Americas. A stern-visaged prison guard warns our hero Raymond: "We're wiping out our race here in Washington DC." True, Slam's opening credits convey a sense that, if you're poor and black in the nation's capital, life in or out of prison is equally dismal: shooting dice, hitting the weight-pile, waiting for something to go down.

Later, as Raymond and Lauren make romance in the lull before he is sentenced for innocuous grass-peddling, they wander through a DC street market, and Lauren purchases a drawing of a slave ship. Formerly a crack-addicted prostitute, she chides Raymond for his exploitative profession, which reduced her to a slave-overseer relationship with her pimp and supplier. Raymond resists Lauren's condemnation; but as he confesses his fear of returning to prison, his description of the sensation of captivity ("I woke up on a fucking ship") carries an eerie resonance.

Such is the socio-political problem Slam describes. Does it suggest any solution? Alas, you have to wonder what Levin (an acclaimed documentarian) was thinking of when he hired the woefully disreputable mayor of DC, Marion Barry Jr, to play the judge at Raymond's arraignment. As Barry bemoans how "drugs are killing our communities" and how congress obstructs the mayor's reforming hand, his hypocrisy is so fulsome you might gag. But Barry, however unpalatably, has lived the American Dream of untrammelled opportunism. Lauren, the conscience of this film (played by poet and script-contributor Sonja Sohn), plies her own kind of self-help gibberish. Bidding a tearful farewell to her imprisoned pupils, she urges them to shape their own destinies. "We are capitalists," asserts one brother. And there's a general agreement: if only they had the resources, each could make his own way in the world. Alas, as Marion Barry could inform them, the US system offers a convicted felon not much in the way of a fresh start, not even 40 acres and a pack mule - but crime, if nothing else, pays.

Slamming is seen to provide its own form of release from this cage. When Raymond first overhears a cell-prisoner rhyming, and promptly bursts out with a rap of his own, it's an exciting moment. But Raymond's slams swiftly descend, like so much rap, into doggerel and needless profanity. Their advocacy of non-violence is at least heartening. In a hilariously thoughtful moment, gangster Hopha (Bonz Malone, who also had a hand in the script) compares Raymond's rhymes to his reading of Sun Tzu's Art of War. Finally, however, the film's chief moral lesson, imparted by Lauren, is that freedom is prison: Raymond must accept punishment, and be redeemed by it. (Has Levin been reading Dostoevsky, or watching Bresson's Pickpocket?) So Raymond readies himself for more porridge, but first he's rewarded with those standard-issue Hollywood sweeteners: an audience's adoring applause, and the unconditional love of a pretty woman.

Slam prevails over its scant budget ($1 million), though certain repetitive stylistic quirks (erratic video inserts, moody montages of close-up and slo-mo) seem only to ratchet up the running time. We regularly revisit Raymond's attempted flight from the cops, as if in homage to Sweet Sweetback's Baad Asssss Song (1971). But there's some nicely arbitrary shot-making. At one pensive moment, Raymond stands by a river in dying sunlight, the water's surface ripples like molten gold, and his gangling frame becomes semi-translucent. In the final sequence, Raymond stalks up to the foot of the George Washington Monument, a 500-foot Masonic obelisk. The camera tilts alarmingly, until the monument's vertical becomes an illuminated walkway. Where to? Levin only knows, but it's a usefully oblique note on which to close.

Credits

Producers
Henri M. Kessler
Richard Stratton
Marc Levin
Screenplay
Sonja Sohn
Marc Levin
Bonz Malone
Saul Williams
Richard Stratton
Story
Marc Levin
Richard Stratton
Director of Photography
Mark Benjamin
Editor
Emir Lewis
Music
DJ Spooky
©Offline Entertainment Group
Production Companies
An Offline Entertainment Group and Slam Pictures presentation
Executive Producers
David Peipers
Henri M. Kessler
Associate Producer
Daphne Pinkerson
Production Co-ordinator
Eleni Tsokanos
Script Editor
Pam Widener
2nd Camera/Club Shoot
Alan S. Deutsch
Videographer
Daphne Pinkerson
Additional Editing
Brian Cotnoir
Editorial Consultants
Tim Squyres
Alison Ellwood
Make-up
Zeal Harris
Effects Make-up
Jeremy Saulnier
Title Concept
John Kirby
Titles Design
Du Art Digital
Marcus Janner
Holly Kempner
Jason Stoff
Optical Supervisor
Richard Skeete
Music Supervisors
Happy Walters
Julianne Kelley
Music Co-ordinators
Immortal Records
Manish Raval
Tom Wolfe
Music Consultants
Ricky Leigh Mensh
Mona Scott
Soundtrack
"Galactic Funk (Live from the Black Hole Mix)", "Phase Interlude", "Epilogue (Processed Digital Feedback)", "Hologrammic Dub", "Primary Inversion", "Nihilism Dub", "Anansi Abstrakt", "Prologue (The DuChamp Effect)", "The Terran of Alpha Centauri Year 2794", "High Density", "Juba" by Paul D. Miller, performed by DJ Spooky That Subliminal Kid; "What's Your Name" by Claude Johnson; "I Dare You" by R. Ross, H. Pierre, R. Frierson, performed by Black Rob, contains samples of "Under the Influence of Love" by B. White, D. Politi, performed by Love Unlimited; "I Can See" by R. Bean, T. Washington, D. Hill, performed by Tekitha & Cappadonna; "Hey" by Kamaal Ibn John Fareed, performed by Q-Tip of ATribe Called Quest; "Sellin' D.O.P.E. (Drugs Oppress People Everyday)" by C. Gavin, L. Alford, performed by dead prez; "Country Livin' (The World I Know)" by Esthero, Martin McKinney, performed by Esthero; "The Park" by J. Trugman, R. Jones, A. Ivey, performed by Ol' Dirty Bastard (Big Baby Jesus) & Coolio, contains samples from "Rock Creek Park" by J. Hall, S. Johnson, K. Killgo, K. Toney, O. Saunders, performed by The Blackbyrds; "Sex, Money & Drugs" by Big Punisher, R.L. Haggar, Keir Gist, Darren Lighty, performed by Big Punisher featuring Next, contains samples from "Sunshine" by Phillip Bailey, Maurice White, Al McKay, performed by Earth Wind & Fire; "Thug Poetry" by V. Santiago, A. Brown, E. Almonte, M. Allen, performed by Noreaga featuring Brown & Maze, contains samples from "Rainbow Ride" by J. Crain, C. Daniels, W. DiGregorio, F. Edwards, C. Hayward, J. Marshall, performed by The Charlie Daniels Band; "Paid in Full" by Eric Barrier, William Griffin; "Take a Walk in My Shoes" by T. Smith, R. McNair, W. Lewis, L. Jones, R. Fisher, performed by Flipmode Squad featuring Busta Rhymes, Rampage, Spliffstar, Babysham & Rab-Diggs; "Feel My Gat Blow" by A. Johnson, K. Muchita, performed by Mobb Deep; "Time Is Running Out" by/performed by Brand Nubian; "Ain't No Stoppin'" by Pras Michel, AJ-Baseer Holly, Goel Witherspoon, Nasis Hurst, Marvin Moore-Hough, David Mcrae, performed by Most Wanted featuring Pras & The Product, contains samples from "One to One" by Randolph Muller, performed by Brass Construction
Sound Design
Ray Palagy
Philippe DesLoovere
Sound
David Hocs
Re-recording Mixers
Digital Cinema ? Rick Dior
Sync Sound ? David Jaunai
Dialogue Editors
Neil Cedar
Tony Slocum
Creative Consultant
Bonz Malone
Technical Consultant
Rhozier T. Brown
Cast
Saul Williams
Raymond 'Ray' Joshua
Sonja Sohn
Lauren Bell
Beau Sia
Jimmy Huang
Bonz Malone
Hopha
Lawrence Wilson
Big Mike
Rhozier Brown
Public Defender
Mayor Marion Barry Jr
judge
Andre Taylor
China
Momolu Stewart
Bay, jail rapper
Ron Jones
Reamer Shedrick
Doo Wop cops
Allan E. Lucas
chief c.o.
Dominic Chianese Jr
Officer Dom
Jerome Goldman
jail class poet 'Why'
DJ Renegade
party poet 'Diminuendo in Blue'
Liza Jessie Peterson
slam poet 'Ice Cream'
Taylor Mali
slam poet 'Like'
Bob Holman
slam M.C.
Richard Stratton
prosecutor
Dodge City
Weusi Baraka
weed buyer
Eddie Black
Harry Campbell
Robert Philson
crew
Jail
Daniel M. Favors
Johnny Foye
c.o.'s
Jesse Hicks
command centre c.o.
Carolyn Morris
hallway c.o.
Leonard A. Thompson Jr
Todd Baker
bullpen inmates
Joseph Wilson
poetry class
Talib Watson
thug life crew
Kevin Kennedy
Donnell Robinson
van inmates
Dodge City extras
Ronald Armstrong
Zachary Banks
Karkesha Best
Kenneth Blackson
Joseph Bragg
Kecia Braxton
Clara Britt
Paul C. Brown
LaRoy Bryant
Dameka Carpenter
Nakell Carpenter
Channelle Carter
Harry Cashwell
Lorenzo Charlene
Charmaine Chase
Carlos Cole
Tyrone Connor
Ebony Copeland
Bijón Davis
Charles Davis
Karen Davis
Arlisha Doctor
Caprice Donaldson
David Donaldson
Milton Evans
Josh Felsen
Terence Fenwick
Michelle Flowers
Carinia Fowlkes
David Green
Marc Green
Marquise Green
Matthew Green
Ikea Haight
Nyikeva Haight
Linda Haynes
William D. Haynes Jr.
Denise Helon
Harry Herbert Jr.
Kevin Hudgens
Brittney Jackson
Jeanette Jackson
Orlando Jackson
Johany Jacobs
Coressa Johnson
James Johnson
Lavar Kearney
Eric Kitttrell Jr. [sic]
Reggie Lassiter
Thomas Lay
James Linder
Keyonna McDuffe
Kevin Metts
Thomas (Tony) Matthes
Laressa Merritt
Chuck Miller
Diamond Miller
Stephen Miller
Danielle Mitchell
Dawn Mitchell
Fernando Moore
Howard Morgan
Davonte Parker
Denard Parker
Arvaje Prather
Carla Pinkney
Eric Prather
Lionell Pugh
John Richardson
Michelle Robinson
Shaqonda Samuels
Brian Scott
Sharon Sharon
Wayne Smith
Edward Stephens
Reginald Sullivan
Carlton Talley
Sabrina Tate
Stephan Tate
Jehrel Thurston
Matthew Upshaw
Franklin Upshaw
Derrick Walker
Sharon Washington
Osborne West
Christopher Williams
Darnell Williams
Eric J. Williams
Tyrone Williams
Velitha Williams
Alden Wilson
Alexis Woodland
Aveon Young
Jason Young
DC courtroom
Maurice Alexander
Tariq Amir
Anthony Brown
Gregory J. Ferrell
Latanya Michelle Graham
Albert L. Hewley Jr
Dwayne Roberts
Chris Robinson
Amos M. Sirleaf
Bertrand Thomas
Ruth Yohannes
Department of Corrections
Deborah Bardes
Darryl Butler
Anderson E. Carter
Wilfred Cooper
Gerry Dyson
Donald Edwards
John L. Gentry
Yvette C. Gordon
Jay Hawkins
Levi Ibeawuchi
Agnes Johnson
Edward L. Joyner
Hazel Lee
Stephen Murphy
Edwin Onyetwu
Marc Parris
Howard Perry
Lt Samuel Richardson
Tony A. Robinson
Gwen Robinson-El
Quiah Saydee
Janie Scruggs
Christopher Simmons
Denise Thomas
Karl White
Louis J. White
poetry party
Sean Briggs
Tz-Nehisi Coates
Mignonette E. Dooley
Assata Efuru Ma'at
Jonathan Gray
Brandon D. Johnson
Alan C. Page
Victor V. Soto
Jennifer Thomas
Imani Tolliver
Maurice Wave
Yolanda Wilson
Rachel Zellars
poetry slam
Beans 'Father'
Jessica Care Moore 'Sweetest Revolutionary'
John Sinclair 'Spiritual'
Khari Akinsheye
Songul Akturk
Garvier Antony
Herve Auguste
Melissa Battazar
Linda Belkebir
Libby Black
Jamila Brewton
H. Bruno
Sherile Cargill
Adonna Carr
Kimberli Carter-Harrington
Jelani Cobb
Shely Davidou
Lehima Davis
Paul Devlin
Kathy Ebel
Fidelis Feeley
Robert Flores
Giorgio Gomelsky
Karen Glass
Lydia Goldstein
Helene Gralnick
Marvin Gralnick
Leon Greenbaum
Steve Hager
Wood Harris
Deborah Hill
Steve Hodgkins
Sophia Holman
Brian Kelly
Klini Ibura Salaam
Mirlande Jean-Gilles
Mary L. Johnson
Dirk Joseph
Ilyana Kadushin
Rhonda Keyser
Jungwon Kim
Jamaki Knight
Michael Ladd
Ashley Louis
J.C. Louis
Anne Linsmayer
M. Little
Bruce Mack
Ray Martin
Reggie Mason
Steven McLaughlin
Norman McPherson
Stewart Meyer
Oliver Mallah
Mario Moorhead
Nasir Naqvi
Gretchen Nelson
Carmen O'Connor
Eric Quiroga
Charley Ray
Daisy Reinhardt
Susan Rogers
Judith Rahilly
Stefanie Scarborough
Marvin J. Sewell
Robyn Schultz
Shariff Simmons
Chris Simuneh
Mark Smith
Steven Starr
Mariahadessa Tallie
Edwin Torres
Alistair Towers
Freedome Traine
S. Umar
Imani Uzuri
E.K. Webb
Zeynep Wichmann
Afriqya Wilson
Mel-Christopher Young
Certificate
15
Distributor
Metro Tartan Distributors
9,272 feet
103 minutes 1 second
Dolby digital
In Colour
Last Updated: 20 Dec 2011