Slam Dunk Ernest
Encyclopedia
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 shot in Vancouver
, British Columbia
.
) 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.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
, and the eighth full-length feature film starring Jim Varney
Jim Varney
James Albert "Jim" Varney, Jr. was an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, writer, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Ernest P...
as Ernest P. Worrell
Ernest P. Worrell
Ernest P. Worrell is a fictional character most principally portrayed by the late American actor Jim Varney in a series of television commercials, and later in a television series as well as a series of feature films. Ernest was created by the Nashville advertising agency Carden and Cherry and was...
. It was released direct-to-video
Direct-to-video
Direct-to-video is a term used to describe a film that has been released to the public on home video formats without being released in film theaters or broadcast on television...
, and was directed by long-time Ernest collaborator John R. Cherry III
John R. Cherry III
John R. Cherry III is an American film director and screenwriter, most notable for directing virtually every movie starring Jim Varney as Ernest P. Worrell. He based the character on a man who worked for his dad who thought that he knew everything but didn't know anything...
. In the movie, Ernest joins his employer's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team and later becomes a star with the help of an angel (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
). It was shot in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
.
Plot
Ernest (Jim VarneyJim Varney
James Albert "Jim" Varney, Jr. was an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, writer, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Ernest P...
) takes a job with a cleaning service, and he soon seeks to join his co-workers' basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
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
Mascot
The term mascot – defined as a term for any person, animal, or object thought to bring luck – colloquially includes anything used to represent a group with a common public identity, such as a school, professional sports team, society, military unit, or brand name...
. In his despair, he is visited by an angel
Angel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
, played by basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, 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
Flight
Flight is the process by which an object moves either through an atmosphere or beyond it by generating lift or propulsive thrust, or aerostatically using buoyancy, or by simple ballistic movement....
. 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
Exhibition game
An exhibition game is a sporting event in which there is no competitive value of any significant kind to any competitor regardless of the outcome of the competition...
contest against the Hornets, but suffers turmoil as Ernest's teammates soon grow weary of his ball-hogging
Ball hog
A ball hog is a derisive term in basketball for a player that handles the ball exclusively to the point of impairing the team. "Ball hogging" is generally considered unacceptable playing behavior at all levels of basketball competition. It is not a violation of the rules of basketball...
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 VarneyJim VarneyJames Albert "Jim" Varney, Jr. was an American stand-up comedian, actor, musician, writer, voice artist, and comedian, best known for his role as Ernest P...
as Ernest P. WorrellErnest P. WorrellErnest P. Worrell is a fictional character most principally portrayed by the late American actor Jim Varney in a series of television commercials, and later in a television series as well as a series of feature films. Ernest was created by the Nashville advertising agency Carden and Cherry and was... - Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
as The Archangel of Basketball - Jay Brazeau as Mr. Zamiel Moloch
- Louise VallanceLouise VallanceStevie Vallance, born Stephanie Louise Vallance on September 8, 1958 and also known as Louise Vallance, is a Canadian television actor, voice actor, stage performer, voice director and singer...
as Miss Erma Terradiddle - Cylk CozartCylk CozartCylk Cozart is an American actor who has appeared in over 30 films and 20 television shows.-Early life:Cozart was born in Knoxville, Tennessee. His father is of African ancestry and his mother is Native American. Prior to becoming an actor, Cozart was an established model working in Miami, FL...
as Barry Worth - Miguel A. Núñez, Jr. as T.J.