Dancehall Queen (1997)

A single street vendor disguises herself for a dance contest, and pits her enemies against each other.

Directors:

Rick Elgood, Don Letts

Writers:

Suzanne Fenn, Don Letts

Stars:

Audrey Reid, Carl Davis, Paul Campbell

Cast

Credited cast:
Audrey Reid	...	Marcia
Paul Campbell	...	Priest
Carl Davis	...	Larry
Mark Danvers	...	Junior
Cherine Anderson	...	Tanya
Pauline Stone Myrie	...	Ms. Gordon
Patrice Harrison	...	Olivine
Anika Grason	...	Tasha
Donald Thompson	...	Sonny
Henry Brown
Carl Bradshaw	...	Police officer #1
Michael London	...	Police officer #2
Beenie Man	...	Self
Lady Saw	...	Self
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Nahtasha Budhi	...	Dorothy

Storyline

Street vendor Marcia (Reid) is scraping together a living in the ghetto section of Kingston, Jamaica. Her young daughter is being hounded by a rich sugar daddy who has been supporting the family; her brother's life is being threatened by a local thug. So, when the licentious patron threatens to abandon the family, and her brother breaks down under pressure, Marcia seeks refuge in the beats of the very dance hall outside of which she normally vends.

---

Plot Keywords:

caribbean island | street vendor | dance contest | dancehall | high school dropout | 

---

Genres:

Drama

---

Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Quotes

[in Jamaican accent]
[after killing Sonny]
Priest: Walk and live. Talk and bumbaclaat dead.

---

Connections

Referenced in The Adam and Joe Show: Episode #2.2 (1997)

User Reviews

Caribbean Cinderella

Dancehall Queen is one of the best movies to come out of the Caribbean region that has become an underground classic; confirming that there are wonderful stories outside of the United States and Europe that are entertaining and have a universal appeal. Marcia is an ordinary street vendor who has ambitions and the hope to improve her life and that of her family. It is Cinderella with an island twist.

The nondescript woman goes through her daily existence scraping out a living in the ghetto. She is presented with the chance to earn a considerable amount of money on her own. She must transform into one of the dancehall queens, the colorful extroverted entertainers whose sensual moves are the pulse of the dancehall reggae scene. It appears that the garish outfits and wigs enable Marcia to hide behind her insecurities and she transforms into a seductress.

The film boasts a vicious character, Priest, that can rival any of the villains seen in the big budget Hollywood movies. The actor's portrayal of the rude boy is classic. The Jamaican dialect does not prevent you from enjoying a funny, entertaining film that that captures a slice of life not often seen. It embraces the cutting edge world of dancehall reggae sharing it with the entire world.

Details

Official Sites:

Islandlife

Country:

Jamaica

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 October 1997 (USA)

Also Known As:

Dancehall Queen

Filming Locations:

Kingston, Jamaica

Box Office

Budget:

JMD35,390,673 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hawk's Nest Productions

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1