8 Mile [WS] [Uncensored Bonus Materials] [DVD] [2002]

Curtis Hanson is such a talented filmmaker, it's really too bad that more content isn't added to his movies on DVD. As with L.A. Confidential, this disc doesn't go far enough. An extensive documentary on the making of this film would have been a real plus, but sadly all that is offered is a nine-minute featurette. As much cast and crew interviews and behind the scenes, as shots from the film, it just doesn't go much further than standard studio PR material. More important, and far longer at around 24 minutes, are actual rap battles put together by the filmmakers to keep the mass of extras actors content during filming. Beyond that is a music tie-in for the soundtracks that takes you to the specific place in the movie for each song, an extremely racy music video for "Superman" from Eminem, the theatrical trailer, and the standard slew of production notes and filmographies. As for the film itself, the sound is a real highlight. Present in 5.1 Dolby Digital and DTS tracks (as well as a 5.1 track in French) the audio on this disc is very powerful. Since so much of the film is made up of rap music segments, the bass really takes control. The low frequencies are deep and rich, but dialogue is never indistinguishable. The image, framed at 2.35:1 and anamorphic (there is a separate pan-and-scan version, and both also come in censored and uncensored editions) is a faithful representation of the theatrical print. The transfer is nearly perfect, at least as it's intended to be. Grain is evident, and purposeful, while colors stand out against the dreary backgrounds of Detroit. Whether you are fan of Eminem or not, this film is the Rocky of rap films, and while lacking in significant supplements, the DVD is a knock-out punch.