Slam Dance

Wayne Wang, director of the independent films Chan Is Missing and Dim Sum: A Little Bit of Heart has been taken under Hollywood's wing. Fortunately, (though the helping hand of Tinseltown has been known to absolutely wrench every last vestige of talent out of an artist), Wang has made few concessions to popular culture. On the contrary, the film is a veritable who's who of punk luminaries, with Adam Ant and John Doe (of "X") in major roles. Tom Hulce (Amadeus) is Charles Drood: cartoonist, loving father, and wandering husband. When an old girlfriend winds up dead, he's hounded by thugs and the police; until he takes it upon himself to solve the mystery. What he discovers is a sordid political-sexual puzzle, whose pieces do not all quite fit. But, the film's style is so visually striking, Wang's directorial touches of humor (as well as screenwriter/star Don (Android) Opper's) are winning, and the performances of Hulce and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio (The Color of Money) are so likeable--that a few minor holes in the story seem irrelevant. This film got little theatrical exposure, and deserves a much wider audience. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)[Blu-ray/DVD Review—Oct. 20, 2015—Kino Lorber, 92 min., R, DVD: $19.95, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1987's Slam Dance features a fine transfer and a DTS-HD 2.0 soundtrack, but no extras. Bottom line: Wang's stylish thriller makes a welcome debut on Blu-ray.]