8MM (1999)

User Rating:

6.2/10   

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writer (WGA):

Andrew Kevin Walker (written by)

Release Date:

26 February 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

You can't prepare for where the truth will take you.

Plot:

A private investigator is hired to discover if a "snuff film" is authentic or not.

Plot Keywords:

Private Eye | Obsession | Hollywood | Surveillance | Snuff Film

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Nicolas Cage	...	Tom Welles
Joaquin Phoenix	...	Max California
James Gandolfini	...	Eddie Poole
Peter Stormare	...	Dino Velvet
Anthony Heald	...	Daniel Longdale
Chris Bauer	...	George Higgins / Machine
Catherine Keener	...	Amy Welles
Myra Carter	...	Mrs. Christian
Amy Morton	...	Janet Mathews
Jenny Powell	...	Mary Ann Mathews
Anne Gee Byrd	...	Senator Michaelson
Jack Betts	...	Butler
Luis Oropeza	...	Archive Director
Rachel Singer	...	Neighbor
Don Creech	...	Mr. Anderson

Also Known As:

8 Millimeter (USA) (working title)
8mm - Acht Millimeter (Germany)
Eight Millimeter (USA) (working title)
Sexy World (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong perverse sexuality and violence, and for strong language.

Runtime:

123 min

Country:

USA | Germany

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) | Canada:R (Alberta/Manitoba/Ontario) | USA:R (certificate #36153) | Singapore:PG (original rating) (heavily cut) | Singapore:R21 (re-rating) | Philippines:R-18 | Brazil:18 | Argentina:18 | Australia:R | Belgium:KNT | Chile:18 | Czech Republic:15 | Finland:K-15 (re-rating) | France:-16 | Germany:18 | Hong Kong:IIB | Italy:VM18 | Japan:PG-12 | Mexico:C | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:R18 | Norway:18 | Peru:18 | Portugal:M/18 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:18 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:18 (canton of Vaud) | UK:18 | Iceland:16 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-18 (original rating) | Canada:18+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Clevelander Hotel - 1020 Ocean Drive, Miami Beach, Florida, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

The film's production encountered concerns regarding the dark subject matter, and the studio asked Andrew Kevin Walker to lighten the film's tone. With Joel Schumacher as director, Walker felt a rewrite would no longer be needed. But as it turned out, Schumacher supported the studio and made changes of his own, leading to a much-publicized fallout between the two, with Walker virtually disowning the film and walking away from the set. He refused to even watch the film.

Goofs:

Factual errors: Hollywood has no red-light district.

Quotes:

[Tom hands Max an envelope]
Max California: What is this?
Tom Welles: Money. People use it to buy goods and services.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Manhunt (2003) (VG)

Soundtrack:

Sick With It

Beware Of Brutal Topic

Wow, this is a tough subject but not as sordid a film as I figured it would be, although be warned the last 30 minutes are really rough in spots. Speaking of spots, this is a bloody movie in spots, too and very profane after the first 40 minutes. Yet, despite the unpleasant nature of the story (making a "snuff film" - filming the killing of people) it's a riveting one, well-acted and doesn't overdo the violence. The characters in here are some of the most despicable you could find - killer and porn kings.

Even our hero here, played by Nicholas Cage, starts off as a clean-cut fairly straight dude, and changes for the worst, too. Joaquin Phoenix has a good line in here, with the prophetic statement, "The devil doesn't change; he changes you."

James Gandolfini and Peter Stormare play characters about as bad you'll ever find in a movie. This film is not, as they say, for all tastes. It will turn off a lot of people but it is interesting and good revenge story, if you like that sort of thing and know what you're in for before watching this.