8MM (1999)

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

Director:

Joel Schumacher

Writer:

Andrew Kevin Walker

Stars:

Nicolas Cage, Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

Private investigator Tom Welles is hired by the recently widowed Mrs. Christian who has found a startling pornographic film in her late husband's possessions. In the film a teenage girl is apparently killed and Welles is pretty sure it's a genuine snuff film. He takes the case, first going through records of runaways finally identifying the girl and learning that she may have run off to California. There he enters the seedy underworld of pornography with the help of Max California, a porn store clerk. His principal clue is the masked man who killed the girl as he has a unique tattoo on his hand. He soon finds the culprits but there is little satisfaction in resolving the mystery.

---

Plot Keywords:

obsession | private eye | snuff film | hollywood | investigation | 

---

Taglines:

You are never prepared for the truth

---

Genres:

Crime | Mystery | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

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

Details

Country:

USA Germany

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 February 1999 (USA)

Also Known As:

8 Millimeter

Filming Locations:

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

Box Office

Budget:

$40,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£733,535 (UK) (23 April 1999)

Gross:

£2,391,380 (UK) (21 May 1999)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Corporation, Hofflund/Polone, Global Entertainment Productions GmbH & Company Medien KG

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The car belonging to Eddie Poole is a Stutz Blackhawk, a very rare high-status car of the 70's and 80's, owned by such luminaries as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra. (Elvis scooped Sinatra by offering almost double what Sinatra had deposited on a Stutz.)

---

Goofs

Tom Welles begins by examining the 8mm film on a PC with Windows but it changes to a Mac.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Airport Announcer: Welcome to Miami. While in the airport, please observe Florida and local laws which prohibit any smoking in the terminal. Thank you for not smoking.

---

Connections

References Persona (1966)

---

Soundtracks

"Come To Daddy"
Written by Richard James
Performed by Aphex Twin
Courtesy of Sire Records Group/Warp Records Ltd.
By Arrangement with Warner Special Products

User Reviews

Fantastic!!

8MM was a very dark and powerful film featuring the seedy underground world of pornography and snuff movies. It was, to be frank, fantastic. Nic Cage, rapidly becoming one of my favourite actors, walks through with a disgusted air and even Joaquin Phoenix, who I've never been that impressed with, hit the nail as a porn shop manager

Deeply disturbing, yes. Highly compelling, yes. A good buy... you bet!