Slamdunk

Slamdunk is a unique, one-of-a-kind pinball machine created in 1988 specifically for use as a movie prop in the Paramount Pictures film "The Accused," where it appears in a pivotal scene. Rather than being an original production model, Slamdunk is a re-themed conversion of Bally's 1980 widebody title "Space Invaders," redressed with basketball artwork and theming. With only a single confirmed unit in existence, it stands as one of the rarest machines in pinball history -- not because of low production numbers from a manufacturer, but because it was purpose-built as a film prop and never sold commercially.

Mechanically, the machine retains the solid-state widebody hardware of its Space Invaders donor: four flippers, three pop bumpers, four passive bumpers, four standup targets, a 3-bank drop target, a solitary drop target, a roll-under spinner, and a horseshoe lane, supporting up to four players under its basketball re-theme.

The machine resurfaced in 2008, when it was purchased at auction in Southern California from the film's editor, who had kept it for two decades. It retains matching serial numbers on its cabinet and backbox, though the backbox suffered water damage over the years. Modifications made for filming remain visible today, including a thinner-than-normal translite mounted over clear plastic in place of glass, extra lights added behind the translite, and clear plastic playfield overlays with paper decals used in place of conventional artwork -- practical, if unglamorous, choices made to keep the game safe and photogenic on a film set.