Nicolas Cage’s Heavy 90s Thriller Is So Controversial Not Available For Streaming
Written by Robert Scucci | Published
Growing up with unlimited access to the internet in the late 90s and early aughts, my friends and I were no strangers to the kind of leaked videos and photos you’d see on sites like Rotten, and video series like it. The Face of Death that tormented us until we grew up. There in 1999 8 mm was making its rounds on movie channels, it wasn’t nearly as shocking as it should have been with so many young people being exposed to the worst corners of the internet. I don’t say this as a joke, but to state why adults pay to see it 8 mm In theaters they were probably left with bad breath in their mouths given the title of the film. They didn’t grow up with the same access to disturbing content that alienated an early generation.
One of the reasons it took me so long to revisit 8 mm as an adult it’s because it’s not readily available on streaming, and the list of Nicolas Cage films I haven’t seen keeps growing. The man is a filmmaking machine. You won’t be able to watch everything all the time, and on-demand shopping is a strong enough barrier that many people avoid throwing money at a rental when they can just turn on Netflix or Max instead.
Telling a story about a detective investigating a snuff film that may or may not be true, 8 mm it’s one of those movies that Roger Ebert gave three out of four stars for its determination to go full steam ahead with its premise. He also said that it might have received an NC-17 rating for its content if it hadn’t been released by a major studio like Sony Pictures Releasing. Although it’s a really uncomfortable film that explores the exploitation of the underworld in graphic detail, 8 mm it’s also a masterclass in suspense and tension thanks to Nicolas Cage’s stellar performance and Joel Schumacher’s direction.
If you’re the type to take or leave Nicolas Cage for some of his questionable roles, 8 mm it is one of those movies that will make you rethink your situation. You get in here, and it’s a joy to watch, even when the subject matter feels heavy.
Fact or Fiction? Tom Welles is on the side
8 mm centers on Nicolas Cage’s Tom Welles, a private detective hired by a wealthy widow Mrs. Christian (Myra Carter) and her lawyer Daniel Longdale (Anthony Heald). While reviewing the legacy of her late husband, Mrs. Christian finds what appears to be snuff film hidden in a secret place and tasks Tom with determining if it’s real. She can live with the possibility that her husband had a disturbing ancestor he hid, but what really worries her is whether the tape proves the actual murder.
Unsatisfied with what he sees and offering life-changing money to track down the tape’s origins, Tom says goodbye to his wife Amy (Catherine Keener) and infant daughter Cindy before embarking on a journey that will change him forever. Once he begins to dig into the case, Tom’s investigation leads him to a missing person’s report involving 16-year-old Mary Ann Mathews (Jenny Powell), who he believes may be an actress or a film victim. The trail leads him to Mary Ann’s mother Janet (Amy Morton), who isn’t sure she wants answers if the truth is as bad as Tom suspects.
Taking a classic noir approach, 8 mm sends Tom Welles to Los Angeles to scout the seedy underground porn scene for any tangible connection to the tape. Along the way, he meets video store clerk Max California (Joaquin Phoenix), who serves as a guide and moral sounding board as Tom sinks into depravity. Together they navigate back-alley intersections and shady dealings filled with the most disturbing people Tom has ever met.
Hoping to finally break the case and give both Janet and Mrs. Christian some kind of closure, Tom meets talent scout Eddie Poole (James Gandolfini) and notorious underground filmmaker Dino Velvet (Peter Stormare). Both men point him to a stranger known only as the Machine, a name whispered with enough fear to suggest that Tom may be approaching something he can’t get away from.
A Fantastic Neo-Noir Crime Thriller Regardless of the Subject Matter
As a father with my children, 8 mm It was an unpleasant watch for me as an adult, but it’s still an incredibly solid film for any fan of crime thrillers, and a tough story nonetheless. At its core, it’s a classic eye-opening story that drags its protagonist into an increasingly depraved state of disempowerment for reasons that feel completely justified. As an unguarded millennial in the 90s who hunts down shocking images on the Internet, Tom faces things he desperately wants to forget, but he keeps pushing forward because it’s his job to find the truth.
While Tom becomes discouraged in his pursuit, he is driven by a moral obligation to see this case through, even as it strains his marriage at home. He has a daughter of his own, and that personal connection only strengthens his determination to stop the next people from harming anyone else. I agree with Roger Ebert’s stance on this film. If it had been released by a small arthouse studio, 8 mm it probably wouldn’t reach a mainstream audience.
Potential licensing issues, it makes sense 8 mm it remains hidden behind a paywall. It’s a horror film that doesn’t want to soften the depravity it criticizes, instead choosing to confront the audience with it.
However, 8 mm it’s a cinematic masterpiece that only Nicolas Cage could pull off convincingly, supported by a cast that doesn’t take the material for granted. If you want something interesting that will stick with you for days, you owe it to yourself to rent it or buy it digitally through Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Apple TV+, or Fandango Home.
