Slam Dunk Ernest
| Slam Dunk Ernest | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | John R. Cherry III |
| Produced by |
George Horie Stacy Williams |
| Written by |
John R. Cherry III Daniel Butler |
| Starring |
Jim Varney Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jay Brazeau Louise Vallance Cylk Cozart Miguel A. Núñez, Jr. |
| Distributed by | Emshell Producers |
| Release dates |
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| Running time | 93 min. |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Slam Dunk Ernest is a 1995 comedy film, and the eighth full-length feature film starring Jim Varney as Ernest P. Worrell. It was released direct-to-video, and was directed by long-time Ernest collaborator John R. Cherry III. In the movie, Ernest joins his employer's basketball team and later becomes a star with the help of an angel (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar). It was third and final "Ernest" movie to be filmed in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The magic shoes concept was later used for the film Like Mike.[citation needed]
Plot
Ernest (Jim Varney) takes a job with a cleaning service, and he soon seeks to join his co-workers' basketball team, "Clean Sweep", as they compete in the city league tournament. He is reluctantly accepted by the team, but given only a minor role as their cheerleader and mascot. In his despair, he is visited by an angel, played by basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and given a pair of magic shoes, but is warned, "Don't misuse the shoes."
When an injury to a key player leaves the team desperate for a replacement, Ernest is given an opportunity to play. In the process, he discovers that the supernatural shoes have imbued him with super speed and the ability to fly. Armed with these extraordinary abilities, he leads the team to a series of victories leading ultimately to a showdown with the NBA's Charlotte Hornets. As the city league tournament champions, Clean Sweep earns the right to play an exhibition contest against the Hornets, but suffers turmoil as Ernest's teammates soon grow weary of his ball-hogging antics.
While Ernest is in the zone and the team does nothing but sit around, Ernest decides to let the team do the work and get rid of the shoes, but Ernest is needed again and scores (along with causing some mishaps) the game-winning point and the members of the team get drafted into the NBA.
Cast
- Jim Varney as Ernest P. Worrell
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as The Archangel of Basketball
- Jay Brazeau as Mr. Zamiel Moloch
- Louise Vallance as Miss Erma Terradiddle
- Cylk Cozart as Barry Worth
- Miguel A. Núñez, Jr. as T.J.
Reception
The film currently has a 20% "rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
External links
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