All credits are as performer. For each film there follows Slater's role in square brackets, aka titles, a very brief plot summary, one or two sentences on how the reviews treated the film, especially Slater's performance, and a few quotes, where applicable.

VIDEO AVAILIBILITY: To the best of my knowledge, all releases below, except Secrets, and of course, the current ones, are available on video.

1983 The Haunted Mansion Mystery (TV) [Billy Bleak]

A dramatization of "The Treasure Trap," a children's mystery-adventure by Virginia Masterman-Smith. Two boys (one of them played by Slater) get involved over their heads when they try to locate a miser who has disappeared.

1983 The Living Proof: The Hank Williams, Jr. Story (TV) [Walt Willey]

The story of the personal struggles of country singer Hank Williams Jr. (Richard Thomas), his efforts to escape from the shadow of his famous father and from alcoholism, and of the destructive effects this had on the lives of those around him.

1985 The Legend of Billie Jean [Binx]

The story of a Texas girl (Helen Slater, no relation) and her brother (Christian Slater) who try to get restitution when his motor bike is totalled by a bully. Instead, they get into trouble with the law, go on the run, and become heroes to their teenage peer group. Reviews of the movie were sharply divided. Christian Slater was 15 when he made this film, and it was his first role in a theatrical release. As the younger brother, his performance got attention from only a few critics.

Slater has "a goofy hell-raisin' steal-the-picture charm". (Paul Attanasio, Washington Post)

"Fine performances by the leading kids - the two Slaters as the fugutive siblings ..." (Rex Reed, New York Post)

A made-for-TV film about a real-life suburban family's difficulties in dealing with their teen age son (Slater), whose increasing drug use with his friends makes it difficult for him to cope with reality.

Slater's acting is "solid and heartfelt." (Ed Siegal, Boston Globe)

1986 The Name of the Rose [Adso of Melk]

The film version of Umberto Eco's best-selling mystery novel of the same name. Slater played the novice who accompanies monk-detective-scholar William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) as he tries to solve a series of bizarre murders in a medieval Italian monastery before the Inquisition can take over. Reviews: The film received considerable attention because of the novel on which it was based and for Connery's fine performance. Still, it was widely criticized for its austere direction, hard-to-follow script, and near carricature of the monks other than those played by Connery and Slater. Slater was credited with playing a key role, a young and innocent Watson to Connery's Holmes, and to have handled it well.

"Slater is a touching and ardent acolyte, struggling with his own discovery of sexual passion." (David Ansen, Newsweek)

"Christian Slater ... [is] a surprisingly accomplished 16-year-old actor." (Kirk Honeycutt, Los Angeles Daily News).

1986 Twisted [Mark Collins]

aka Twisted: A Step Beyond Insanity aka Cry Wolf

A well titled film in which Slater plays a very bright but deeply disturbed and homicidal teenager who terrorizes his family, baby sitter (Lois Smith) and a fellow teen who has given him trouble. It is based on the play "Children, Children" by Jack Horrigan. Although the film is slow at times, Slater's performance is certainly not. It is a fascinating predecessor to the one he gives in Heathers.

(Twisted was made in 1985, but not generally released until 1991.)

Slater is "properly creepy as a brilliant but evil teen." (Video Hound)

"Excellent performances by Lois Smith and a very young Christian Slater." (Motion Picture Guide Annual)

1988 Tucker: The Man and His Dream [Junior]

Tucker is the story of car-maker Prescott Tucker (Jeff Bridges), in the period after World War II, whose dream to build a better and safer car was thwarted by the "big three" Detroit auto makers. Slater plays Tucker's oldest son, who stays out of college to help his father. Like the title says, this is a movie dominated by Tucker's vision, and although Slater gives a competent performance, his role is not particularly extensive.

1989 Gleaming the Cube [Brian Kelly]

aka A Brother's Justice aka Skate or Die

In a film with a skateboard setting, Slater tries to bring to justice the killers of his Vietnamese adopted brother. Put down as a thrasher, Slater has not only to try to improve his image but also to move around within the unfamiliar circles of Orange County's Vietnamese community. This film had a negative reception, although a few critics saw the positives: absolutely terrific skateboarding sequences, a realistic depiction of the world of Orange County, and a sharp performance by Slater - a mix of cynicism, integrity, and a basic insecurity. This one is worth a second look. (Note: A number of stunt men did the skateboarding for Slater's role, which included going under a moving 18-wheeler and through a plate glass window: Mike McGill (his stand in), Mark `Gator' Rogowski, Rodney Mullen and others.)

"Slater, who sounds as if he is trying to imitate Jack Nicholson, is the only character who has a shading of personality." (Variety)

"Slater does a good job." (Motion Picture Guide Annual)

1989 Heathers [J.D. (Jason Dean)] aka Lethal Attraction

The film title refers to three high-school friends named Heather. With their companion Veronica (Winona Ryder), they are the school leaders and form their little club. Cool and clever, they can put down or humiliate any student who dares to cross them. Things change radically when Veronica meets up with newcomer J.D (Slater), who is utterly unintimidated: by the three Heathers, by his macho father, or by society in general. J.D. becomes the medium by which Veronica's feelings about her fellow students are turned into action, and the school suddenly experiences a rash of apparent suicides. J.D. is seductive and cool, and the interplay between him and Veronica is electric. With a great script, both Slater and Ryder give sharp performances. The film has become a cult classic.

"Oozing an insinuating sarcasm reminiscent of Jack Nicholson, Christian Slater has what it takes to make J.D. both alluring and dangerous." (Variety)

"Slater is effectively insinuating in a role that needn't have been so narrow." (Janet Maslin, New York Times)

1989 Beyond the Stars [Eric Michaels] aka Personal Choice

A high school student whose over-riding ambition is to be an astronaut is suspended after an experiment in rocketry, and is sent to live with his father. There he meets a former astronaut (Martin Sheen) whose experience in space has made him a recluse. The film central theme deals with the developing relationship between the young man and his less than heroic idol. It is less successful in dealing with the whole issue of the space program. Having juggled the questions throughout, the ending just drops them.

"Sheen, Slater, and Robert Foxworth (as the boy's estranged father) are wonderful, as is Sharon Stone." (John Stanley, Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again)

"Slater still displays those annoying Jack Nicholson inflections and mannerisms." (Variety)

1989 The Wizard [Nick Woods]

Three kids take to the road, one of them [Fred Savage] pursued by a bounty hunter as a result of a custody battle. They end up in a national video games championship. Slater is the older brother of the central character, and accompanies his dad in the search. Neither older bro' nor dad have central roles, however, and the movie overall is definitely unmemorable.

"Saddled with ridiculous dialog, Christian Slater and Beau Bridges are reduced to slapstick robots." (Motion Picture Guide Annual)

1989 Desperate for Love (TV) [Cliff Petrie] aka Dying for Love

Based on real life and set in a small southern town, this is the story of two adolescent friends (Slater and Brian Bloom) whose love for the same girl (Tammy Lauren) strains their realtionship and eventually leads to tradgedy. A somewhat uneven film, but it has a certain compelling realism.

Slater's performance "is steamy and noncondescending." (David Bianculli, Philadelphia Inquirer)

1990 Pump Up the Volume [Mark Hunter]

Here Slater again plays a bright but alienated, but this time shy, high school student in revolt against middle-class suburban values. At nights he comes alive as "Hard Harry", the outspoken operator of a pirate radio station, a teen Adrian Cronauer, as popular with his own generation as he is offensive to their parents and teachers. Michael Blowen of the Boston Globe called this film "a lot better

than it sounds."

"Slater delivers a bravura star turn." (Anne Thompson, Philadelphia Inquirer)

"Mr. Slater, who was so memorable in `Heathers' . . . brings the same intense animation . . .in a performance of surprising sweetness and depth." (Stephen Holden, New York Times)

1990 Tales From the Darkside: The Movie [Andy]

Three separate horror stories woven together with appropriate horror and gore. Slater's segment, the first one, also with Steve Buscemi, is set on a college campus. It is the story of a mummy brought back to life and put to use to get revenge on fellow students.

"Christian Slater and Steve Buscemi are properly bent as college students involved in a mummy's curse rampage." (Michael Wilmington, Los Angeles Times)

1990 Young Guns II [Arkansas Dave Rudabaugh] aka Young Guns II - Blaze of Glory

A sequel about Billy the Kid's Lincoln County gang and their being hunted down by lawmen led by Pat Garrett. Slater gives the movie some life with his part as an outlaw with an identity crisis, in that the newspapers all pay attention to Billy the Kid and ignore his own exploits. The cast also includes Emilio Estevez, Kiefer Sutherland, Lou Diamond Phillips and James Coburn.

Slater "steals every scene in which he has any dialogue whatsoever." (Baseline's Motion Picture Guide)

"Mr. Slater has done himself a huge favor by abandoning the Jack Nicholson mimicry that was his early trademark and developing a very strong stellar presence of his own." (Janet Maslin, New York Times)

1991 Mobsters [Charlie "Lucky" Luciano]

aka The Evil Empire aka Mobsters: The Evil Empire

Four young mobsters (based on the real characters Lucky Luciano, Frank Costello, Meyer Lansky and Bugsy Siegal), coming from Italian and Jewish backgrounds, get their start in crime, and then take on the old-time dons. The critics called Mobsters confused and confusing. This one was panned by pretty well everybody. Reactions to Slater's performanced varied, but no one was enthused about the part.

"Christian Slater is the star of this film ... and he does the best he can, but he is not Luciano, nor is he strong enough to carry a film of this size." (Jeff Laftel, Films in Review)

1991 Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves [Will Scarlett]

The modern comic, politically-correct, version of the old Robin Hood legend, with Kevin Costner as Robin, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio as Marion, and Morgan Freeman as Azeez. Slater has third billing and plays Will Scarlett. Unfortunately his role has little character development, and he appears to be under-utilized here.

"The script gives Christian Slater's Will Scarlett short shrift." (Kathy Huffhines, Detroit Free Press)

1991 Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country [Excelsior Communications Officer]

The Undiscovered Country is the Glasnost film of the Star Trek series. It tells an absorbing story of Klingon peace talks with the Federation, and how conspirators murder the Klingon leader and seek to put the blame on the Enterprise and its commander, thus scuttling the peace process. Slater's performance is a brief cameo as a crew member aboard the Excelsior. [Mary Jo Slater, Christian's mother, was casting director for this film, as she was also for Where the Day Takes You and Murder in the First. This and the fact that Slater is a Star Trek fan may answer Variety's rhetorical musing below.]

"Why Christian Slater turns up in an uncredited cameo is anybody's guess." (Variety)

1992 FernGully: The Last Rainforest [voice only - Pips]

A feature-length animated musical about the saving of the tropical rain forest from the loggers. Pips is the friend of Crysta, the wood nymph who must save the forest. With voices that include Robin Williams, Chech and Chong, Tim Curry and Tone Loc, and music by Elton John and Sheena Easton, FernGully goes beyond appeal to children. It received generally favorable reviews.

1992 Shelly Duvall's Bedtime Stories, Vol. 4 [voice only - narrator]

Christian Slater is one of three actors who tell stories from children's books by Mercer Mayer. He narrates "There's an Alligator under my Bed." The other stories are told by Michael J. Fox and Sissy Spacek.

1992 Kuffs [George Kuffs]

A high school dropout and general layabout, George Kuffs deserts his pregnant girl friend (Milla Jovovich), and goes to San Francisco to borrow money from his brother. Instead his brother is murdered, and Slater inherits the police Patrol Special business his brother ran. As he attempts to run the business and to track down his brother's killers, Slater is forced to assume responsibilities, but refuses to be bound by the rules. The film as a whole is uneven, but Slater's is a witty role with some great dialogue, and he plays it well. It is notable for its attempt to break the "fourth dimension," by having the actor directly address the camera.

"Christian Slater's energy fails to carry Kuffs ...." (Variety)

"One of his best roles to date ...." (Baseline's Motion Picture Guide)

1992 Where the Day Takes You [Rocky (uncredited)]

A bleak portrayal of the reality of the life of Hollywood Boulevard street kids. The movie got credit for having some fine performances from a generally young cast. Slater does another brief cameo, this time as a social worker who tries to help one of the kids.

1993 Untamed Heart [Adam] aka Baboon Heart

An orphan whose heart disease kept him apart from people since early childhood, Adam has grown up introverted and withdrawn. He now works as a busboy in a diner, where Caroline and Cindy (Marisa Tomei and Rosie Perez) are waitresses. A complete extrovert, but one who has been unable to establish any satisfactory relationship, Caroline first befriends, then falls in love with Adam. Not

the greatest film ever, but in three good performances, it is Tomei who is vivacious, Perez who is witty and cynical, and, for a change, Slater who is subdued and tender.

"I liked Tomei and Slater here; I'd bet they'd be dynamite in these roles in 20 years." (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times)

"The discomfitting edginess with which [Slater] imbues Adam is at least admirable and at most surprisingly bold." (David Kronke, Los Angeles Daily News)

1993 True Romance [Clarence Worley]

A mixture of violence and black comedy a la Quentin Tarantino, who did the script. Slater plays a guy who accidentally lifts a suitcase full of cocaine and goes on the run with his former-hooker wife, Alabama (coyly played by Patricia Arquette), only to be chased by both the Mob and the cops. At the time, the movie drew mixed reactions (Time said it "takes the low road, but with high

craft"), but the performers (including also Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Brad Pitt, Val Kilmer, Samuel L. Jackson and Christopher Walken) got exceptional reviews. Generally underrated, this is a gem of a film, with the added bonus of a super sound track.

"With ... this role ... the most electrifying of his career, Slater solidifies his reputation of being hot by seeming cool." (Jay Carr, Boston Globe)

"Christian Slater has the kind of cocky recklessness the movie needs." (Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times)

1993 Last Party, The [himself]

A documentary satire by Robert Downey Jr. about the his forray into the world of presidential politics, centering on the1992 Democratic and Republican national conventions. Famous figures,including Slater, are used to provide color, but his role is minimal. This is Robert Downey Jr.'s film.

1994 Jimmy Hollywood [William]

Joe Pesci plays an always-out-of-work Hollywood actor who talks of stardom; Slater is his burned out, not-too-bright but sometimes sharp, sidekick. The two get attention when they start a videotape vigilante campaign against Hollywood crime. The police spend more effort tracking down the vigilantes than the bad guys. Its a different role for Slater, ultra low-key, but he manages to give

it a wry humour. The film's "reach exceeds its grasp," said Robert Denerstein in Denver's Rocky Mountain News. He pretty well summed up everybody else.

"Slater's thick-headed second banana role reps the farthest thing from a glamorous star turn as one could imagine." (Todd McCarthy, Variety)

"Christian Slater . . . sleepwalks through the role -- a valid approach." (Jay Carr, Boston Globe)

1994 Interview With the Vampire [Daniel Malloy (sic)]

Slater plays the interviewer, young newspaper reporter Daniel Molloy (Malloy in the credits), in the film version of Anne Rice's novel. He's the one chosen to record the life story of the vampire Louis (Brad Pitt). Slater's is a small but central role, which had been given originally to River Phoenix before his death.

"Slater brings welcome energy and humor to the inquisitor role that River Phoenix was going to play." (Todd McCarthy, Variety)

1995 Murder in the First [James Stamphill]

In this 40s prison drama, Slater is cast as a lawyer who bucks the prison system for creating the barbaric conditions that exist at Alcatraz. He is the defender of the convict Henri Young (Kevin Bacon), who has suffered three years of solitary confinement in a hole and repeated beatings as a result of an escape attempt, and is charged with the murder of a fellow inmate. Reviews: A few

reviewer's were critical of Murder's sometimes fast-paced direction, but they generally recognized three super performances by Slater, Bacon, and Gary Oldman as the assistant warden.

"The best performance yet by Christian Slater." (Bob Strauss, Los Angeles Daily News)

"Kevin Bacon is very good as the convict, and Christian Slater, who's usually too brash, is surprisingly effective as his lawyer." (Bob Stephens, San Francisco Examiner)

1996 Bed of Roses [Lewis Farrell] aka Amelia and the King of Plants

Once again in a romantic lead, Slater plays the part of a sensitive florist opposite Mary Stuart Masterson, who has the role of a dedicated career woman from a troubled background. Seeing her cry, he sends flowers anonymously, and she tries to discover his identity. Reviews found the plot from there predictable, but they generally praised the two stars for their warm and earnest performances.

Slater "does a creditably understated job portraying a man quietly dealing with pain." (Brian Lowry, Variety)

1996 Broken Arrow [Riley Hale]

Christian Slater is featured here alongside John Travolta. Set in the desert, this is a suspense drama around Travolta's effort to steal nuclear warheads ("broken arrows"), and the attempt by Slater, his co-pilot and former friend, to get them back. Samantha Mathis, who co-starred with Slater in Pump Up the Volume (and, as a voice, in FernGully the Last Rainforest), has the female lead as a park ranger. Directed by John Woo, Broken Arrow has non-stop action and spectacular sound effects. Reviewers seemed to think that any lack of credibility in the plot was more than compensated for by the action scenes.

"Slater rises to the occasion." (Barry Walters, San Francisco Examiner)

"Slater, finally, is believable as a grownup . . . . He throws himself into the role with cocky certainty." (Stephen Rea, Philidelphia Inquirer)