By Doug Stevens
Assistant Opinons Editor
If you liked the movie, you’ll love the DVD bonus footage.
The box office smash “8 Mile” hits stores March 18 loaded with nearly an hour of never-before-seen extras. Features include the making of “8 Mile,” with insightful commentary from director Brian Grazer; five freestyle battle outtakes between Eminem and extras from “8 Mile;” and an exclusive version of the music video “Superman” from “The Eminem Show,” No. 1 album of 2002. These bonus features supplement the film beautifully, providing added entertainment for Eminem fans, “8 Mile” fans and hip-hop fans alike.
Behind the scenes, Academy Award winning producer Brian Grazer (“A Beautiful Mind,” “Apollo 13”) explains the creative process behind Eminem’s semi-autobiographical performance in “8 Mile.” “He didn’t want to be in an Eminem movie,” he said. “He wanted to be an actor.” Most singers/rappers who make that move to the silver screen forget that acting involves being someone other than yourself between the time the director says “action” and “cut.” Not Eminem. He wanted to do more than simply tell his own story; Eminem says that would have limited his performance in “8 Mile.” Grazer points out Eminem’s focus and dedication while on the set, writing songs for the soundtrack and score between takes.
Everyone knows the Eminem story: from inner-city Detroit to the top of hip-hop and pop charts; a true rags to riches fairy tale that has inspired as much controversy as it has admiration. Like Eminem, his character Jimmy “Rabbit” Smith, Jr. grew up on 8 Mile Road, a street that embodies the struggle of real life Eminem and fictional Rabbit. That street served as a dividing line between urban and suburban, as well as the black and white communities. This physical border symbolizes the boundaries from which Rabbit must break free in order to pursue his dreams.
Extras (though Grazer hated to call them that) on the set of “8 Mile” said working with Eminem was like a free concert, making the 12 to 14-hour workday seem short. Eminem’s character, Rabbit, battles other amateur rappers in an arena where “words are fists” and the winner delivers the most creative and potent verbal jabs. The dramatic climax of the movie is Rabbit’s freestyle battle against Poppa Doc, a rival rapper who is convinced Rabbit lacks the skills and confidence to be a true MC. Noticing the raw talent among the Detroit natives working as extras on the set, Grazer set up an American Idolesque competition to find four emcees worthy of battling Eminem in an unscripted scene. With forceful wit and calculated cadence, 134 extras took the stage for 15 seconds hoping to earn the chance to challenge Rabbit on camera.
The four winners took turns spitting darts at the hip-hop superstar, holding nothing back. Eminem was losing his voice that particular day and Grazer asked him to mime his lines and do a voice over later, and at first that plan worked fine. One MC, however, gave an exceptionally cunning performance, provoking the hoarse Eminem to speech. He turned his microphone over, flipped the switch, and let the rookie have it.
This particular bonus feature makes the DVD complete. It draws an in-depth connection between the lively underground hip-hop scene in Detroit and Rabbit’s struggle to break out. Making a mainstream movie that depicts a not-so-mainstream art form is part of what makes “8 Mile” worth your while. Freestyling, spontaneous composition and recitation of coherent poetry, is an amazing talent that is worthy of big screen attention. “8 Mile” showcases this talent and the bonus features give the audience an additional serving of hip-hop flava.
If director commentary and freestyle battles aren’t enough, the “8 Mile” DVD also features an intense rendering of Eminem’s video “Superman.” Unlike the live version shown on MTV, Eminem’s performance is riveting and the cinematography is guaranteed to draw you in.
“8 Mile” was a good film. Not excellent, but not poor by any means. A fictional tale drawn from non-fictional events, it effectively tells a ‘hip-hop story’ without seeming like a documentary. The finale, however, was sorely lacking. The audience is definitely left wanting more. The DVD bonus features fill the void left by the movie’s inconclusive ending, and satisfy the urge to see Eminem rip up the mic one more time.
March 13, 2003