8MM [DVD] [1999]

Though disliked by most critics, Joel Schumacher's dark thriller was at the very least provocative, and 8MM may yet build up a cult following thanks to its unflinching portrayal of the seedy world of illegal pornography. Columbia TriStar's DVD edition is, like the film, flawed but not without value. An anamorphic widescreen transfer of the print is very sharp -- and an interesting contrast to the ragged, amateurish movies depicted in 8MM's story. The Dolby Digital 5.1 audio track is also excellent, although it can make only a marginal difference to a film with deliberately mumbled dialogue and restrained use of music.There are a number of reasonable additional features on the disc. These include the original theatrical trailer and comprehensive filmographies for Schumacher, Nicolas Cage, and the other main protagonists. The five-minute featurette is disappointing, being little more than an inflated trailer punctuated with sound bites from the main players. The best addition is Schumacher's feature commentary. Although he has little of interest to say about the action onscreen, he is very willing to respond to the criticism that has been directed at 8MM, and also to address the many complex and uncomfortable issues the film raises. This is not an exceptional DVD in any way, but those who did find merit in 8MM should be fairly satisfied with the work put into this disc.