Synopsis
Raymond Joshua, a young black performance poet, is arrested and imprisoned for a petty marijuana charge in a Washington, D.C. jail. Although the confining prison walls do little to shield him from danger, it is within those walls that Raymond establishes his identity, strength, and voice and meets a prison gang leader and a prison writing teacher, Lauren Bell. Bell inspires Raymond to use the power of creative expression to free himself from the struggles and demise of the Black male as another victim of the judicial system.
Key facts
Crew
Québec / French
Trailer
Stills
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Festival History
- Independent Spirit Awards 1999 generic
- Cannes Film Festival 1998 generic
- Sundance Film Festival 1998 generic
- Toronto International Film Festival 1998 generic
Soundtracks
| Vinyl LP | Slam (The Soundtrack) (1998) | 3 releases, 1998-2020: Immortal Records, Music On Vinyl |
| CD | Slam (The Soundtrack) (1998) | 7 releases, 1998: Epic, Immortal Records |
| Cassette | Slam (The Soundtrack) (1998) | 1 release, 1998: Immortal Records |
Releases & classifications
| Theatrical | United States | October 7, 1998 |
| Classification | United States | R |
Full credits
| Director | Marc Levin |
| Cast | Saul Williams (Ray Joshua), Sonja Sohn (Lauren Bell), Bonz Malone (Hopha), Lawrence Wilson (Big Mike), Beau Sia (Jimmy Huang), Andre Taylor (China), Momolu Stewart (Bay (Jail Rapper)), Ron Jones (Do Wop Cop), Reamer Shedrick (Do Wop Cop), 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 MC), Rhozier T. Brown (Public Defender), Richard Stratton (Prosecutor), Marion Barry (Judge), Weusi Baraka (Weed Buyer), Eddie Black (Dodge City Crew), Harry Campbell (Dodge City Crew), Robert Philson (Dodge City Crew), Daniel M. Favors (Jail C.O.), Johnny Foye (Jail C.O.), Jesse Hicks (Command Center C.O.), Carolyn Morris (Hallway C.O.), Leonard A. Thompson Jr. (Bullpen Inmate), Todd Baker (Bullpen Inmate), Joseph A. Wilson (Poetry Class), Talib Watson (Thug Life Crew), Kevin Kennedy (Van Inmate), Donnell Robinson (Van Inmate) |
| Screenplay | Bonz Malone, Marc Levin, Richard Stratton, Saul Williams, Sonja Sohn |
| Story | Marc Levin, Richard Stratton |
| Producer | Henri M. Kessler, Marc Levin, Richard Stratton |
| Executive producer | David Peipers |
| Cinematography | Mark Benjamin |
| Editing | Emir Lewis |
| Music | DJ Spooky |
| Special makeup effects | Jeremy Saulnier |
Additional data: TMDB.
Source: Wikidata (CC0-1.0)
Source: Ministère de la Culture et des Communications du Québec (CC0-1.0)
Source: Cinémathèque québécoise, linked catalogue data (CC BY 4.0)
