Tense stuff. Just don't show it to the kids."The things I do--I do them because I like them. Because I want to.''
-- 'Machine' (Chris Bauer)
8mm exhibits bad taste and may be shocking to most people, but to me it felt like a movie with serious intent, especially seen as though it tracks the descent of Tom Welles (Nicolas Cage), as the ordinary guy, into the nasty, immoral world of underground pornography. The character, understandably, is tormented, mentally, as he simply cannot accept why all the evil surrounding him exists.
Notoriously panned by critics upon its release, this was by no means a milestone in the career of Cage, even though I believe it to contain ones of his most powerful performances. He plays a man dedicated, slightly obsessed, and deeply sickened by the events that unfold throughout his investigation into the disappearance of Mary-Ann Matthews. Hired by the rich widow Mrs Christian (Myra Carter), Welles is handed an 8mm recording of the young girl being murdered- dubbed a "snuff film"- and has to uncover whether the film is real or not.
Joel Schumacher brings the typical suspense and twisted horror that made Se7en so popular in its time, though, in a sickening kind of judgement, I must admit that I enjoyed 8mm a lot more. The atmosphere is one of the main features that I judge this film as being a success. The dark, surprisingly calm, underground sex trades are served as a strong contrast to family man Welles. It is because of such that we, the audience, sympathise for the character in his most isolated moments; he is pressed by various disturbing confrontations and suffers from psychological torture. Then, while not necessarily agreeing with his actions, we understand when he is driven to kill someone, which is done as an act of justice for the things he's seen. ("I'm gonna kill you, Eddie. I'm gonna kill you, and I'm gonna leave you here just like you left her.")
That brings me to my next point about 8mm: the supporting cast. Eddie is the sleazy, porn talent scout, played by James Gandolfini (The Mexican), and is such a believable character that we come to despise him. The same can be said of movie director Dino Velvet, (Peter Stormare, Bad Boys II) who really comes across as very disturbed, and really quite frightening; thus, contributing to the tension of the story.
Then there's Joaquin Phoenix (Gladiator) as Max California, a local porn store worker. He's such a weird character- purple hair, wearing women's clothes, attempting to read "real literature" behind the cover of "Anal Secretary"- but he's so likeable. When he teams up with Cage, 8mm almost becomes a mismatched buddy movie (though, no where near as cheesy).
The bottom line: I'd hardly call 8mm "feel-good entertainment", but it's definitely intriguing enough to warrant a watch. It's not a film for everyone, but, truth be told, the subject of the film is a reality in our world. Understandably, most people will not want to be exposed to this, if they can so help it. However, call me sick, and slightly disturbed, if you must, but sometimes, I like my movies quite depressing; and I was quite moved by 8mm. Tense stuff. Just don't show it to the kids.
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Production Year: 1993 - Drama - Director: Steven Spielberg - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Caroline Goodall, Embeth Davidtz, Ben Kingsley, Jonathan Sagalle
Production Year: 2004 - Drama - Director: Nick Cassavetes - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over, 12 years and over - Starring: Rachel McAdams, Ryan Gosling, Gena Rowlands
This thoroughly unpleasant thriller from the hands of Joel Schumacher (Batman and Robin) ... more
offers very little in its lurid tour of snuff films and the seedy pornographic underworld. A wooden Nicolas Cage stars as a private detective hired by a tycoon's w...
Postage & Packaging: £1.21 Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days...
This thoroughly unpleasant thriller from the hands of Joel Schumacher (Batman and Robin) ... more
offers very little in its lurid tour of snuff films and the seedy pornographic underworld. A wooden Nicolas Cage stars as a private detective hired by a tycoon's w...
Postage & Packaging: Free! Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours...
Nicholas Cage is Tom Welles a surveillance specialist with a modest home-based business. ... more
Respected but still waiting for the big break that will improve his professional status Welles spends most of his time on routine cases. Nothing too dangerous ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Academy Award Winner Nicolas Cage is Tom Welles, a surveillance specialist with a modest, ... more
home-based business. Respected, but still waiting for the big break that will improve his professional status, Welles spends most of his time on routine cases. No...
Advantages: There is quality acting through-out. Disadvantages: Dark on purpose. Whiny, unsupportive wives annoy me - and the somewhat cliched concept of the same annoys me just as much.
Manx 05.12.2000 ·
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Review of 8MM (DVD)
![8MM [DVD] [1999]](http://picnica.ciao.com/uk/78034626.jpg "8MM [DVD] [1999]")
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