Genre: Thriller.
Studio:
Sony Pictures.
Production Company:
Columbia Pictures.
Project Phase: In the Can.
Who's In It:
Nicolas Cage (Tom Welles); Joaquin Phoenix; Catherine Keener; Peter Stormare; James Gandolfini;
Chris Bauer; Anthony Heald; Myra Carter; Jacklyn Lick.
Who's Making It:
Joel Shumacher (Director); Andrew Kevin Walker, Nicholas Kazan (Screenwriters); Judy
Hofflund, Gavin Polone (Producers); Jeff Levine (Associate Producer); Robert Elswit (Director of
Photography); Gary Wissner (Production Designer).
Premise: Private detective Tom Welles does the sort of work his clients wish he would fail in: finding out if there was someone with your spouse on last weekend's business trip. But when the widow of a wealthy businessman hires the detective, his life is forever changed. For she wants to know the truth behind a reel of eight millimeter film she discovered in her late husband's safe...and whether the images on that film are real. To do that, Welles must descend into the dark world of underground pornography, where the goods the clients buy and sell cannot be placed on the shelves in adult bookstores. And when he inquires about the tape...the ones who made it will come after him.
Release Date: February 26, 1999.
Comments: Walker's last produced script was David Fincher's disturbing Seven...and this script goes even further that that. It paints a shocking picture of the world of illegal pornography, where images of any sort of sexual act can be bought for the right price. And as the lead character progresses through the story, he will be forced to re-examine everything he holds of value to him. Just as Detective David Mills (the character Brad Pitt portrayed in Seven) was morally annihilated at the conclusion of Seven, so too will be P.I. Tom Welles. He must undertake a journey into a world of absolute horror and revulsion, where unspeakable acts happen to everyday individuals - and to learn the truth, he cannot look away. The world will never look the same again through his eyes.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
September 17, 1997... An anonymous email sender tells us that director Joel Schumacher is about to be announced by Columbia Pictures to direct this picture. [Scoop sent anonymously.]
October 7, 1997... Scoop sent in that an offer has been made to Mark Wahlberg to star in the picture. [Submitted by 'I Spy'.]
October 28, 1997... The 9/17 Joel Schumacher scoop is confirmed. Also considering the project is Nicolas Cage, who's considering playing PI Tom Welles. [Investigating by these freelancers: Christian, 'The Gline', 'Mysterio', 'cpa', 'lcuga', 'altoot' and 'cpa'.]
This person wrote us yesterday that Mark Walhberg has passed on the project; that information is followed up the next day by another scooper but has not been confirmed. [Thanks to 'I Spy' and 'cpa'.]
November 22, 1997... Schumaker and Cage are now definately doing the project. While casting choices for the remainde of the roles are still being mulled about, expect them to firm up next month. [Submitted anonymously.]
December 14, 1997... Joaquin Phoenix has nabbed the role once thought of for Mark Walhberg, who is Cage's young guide into the dark world of underground porn. [Anonymous.]
March 22, 1998... The film changed its title to the much-shorter 8 MM moniker.
May 26, 1998... According to this scooper's cousin who works for someone close to Joaquin Phoenix, this film will almost definately be rated NC-17 due to the many photos of perverse sex acts. Additionally, the scooper reports that there may be a explicit sex scene with Phoenix's character. Although a body double was used for the filming of this particular scene, the rumors are the act it depicits wasn't faked at the time. "Phoenix is extremely unhappy with this scene and is threatening a lawsuit if the studio does not cut it," the scooper concludes with. [Anonymous.]
June 7, 1998... We've been informed that adult film star Jacklyn Lick has a part in the film. ['SBryant'.]
September 1, 1998... Mychael Danna is serving as composer on this project. [Credit 'C'.]
September 29, 1998... Some comments from this scooper: Just saw the trailer to 8mm. After reading the first draft script a couple of weeks ago and what they had in the trailer it could be an o.k. flick. Visually they are leaning towards seven heavily but with no such luck. You can tell someone is trying really hard but... It will be interesting to see how the movie turned out since the first, very dark and disturbing draft. At least for Cage it's a welcome change from his stupid macho action hero characters in recent history. The few glimpses of Phoenix in the trailer are promising. [Scoop sent in Anonymously]
October 1, 1998... Some disturbing and spoiler filled report from this scooper. "First, Phoenix's character's name is Max California. [START SPOILER] Second, the titular film that starts the action here is apprently of rape/torture/murder sequence involving a very young woman and a machete. [END SPOILER] Now I can see where this film could get an NC-17, but they will probably make it an ultra-gory R, like SEVEN was." [Scoop sent in by 'Wax Ecstatic' and 'CPA']
October 2, 1998... A test screening review: "I saw 8 MM in August in Phoenix at a sneak. They hadn't finished the credits or the music, and the editing needed some help, too! Joaquin was definitely the best thing in the film; he did a great job and was a shining light in a film that was depressing, dark, and too reminiscent of Paul Schrader (Hardcore), or even Brian DePalma, but without the edge. I usually love Nicholas Cage, but I was bored. But the friends I was with liked it." [Scoop provided by 'Bella495'.]
October 7, 1998... Seems like controversy surronding this project has just begun: "I work with Andrew Walker's brother, and he (Andy) is not happy about the way 8MM is being handled. He seems to feel he lost 'creative control' and may even give up some of his money to have his name taken off the picture. Just thought you might like to know." [Scoop provided by 'bfree'.]
October 25, 1998... The trailer for 8mm is out there, playing in darkened theaters. Just read this scooper's email and picture yourself watching it on the silver screen...
"I saw the trailer for 8mm today in front of Apt Pupil up in Fairfield, CA. The preview begins with Nicholas Cage talking to his wife. Tell her that there are things about his job she should never know. She seems to be put off by this. She shoots back, that's the way it always is. He mentions social connections and how this one will put him over the top. There's a shot of the house belonging to the widow. They talk about the safe that contained the 8mm film reel. Cage is shown watching the tape. There are quick flashes of a young girl; cutting to Cage's reaction to the film. It quickly cuts to show him talking with Joaquin Phoenix. He is apparently a dealer or distributor. He says something to the effect...you name the fetish, I'll get you the goods.
"There's a scene of Cage battling with the things he's seen; his wife offers help and he essentially tells her he's on his own. Cage's character seems to be tortured while dealing with this case. I'm not sure if this trailer is attached to Apt Pupil nationwide but it's a good one." [Thanks to 'pmokazaki'.]
January 3, 1999... 8 MM has shifted its release date from February 12th to the 5th. Speculation on our part: someone doesn't want it opening up on the same day as another gritty noir picture, Mel Gibson's Payback. [Anonymous helped too!]
The actress performing with Nicolas Cage in the scene where he is shown the snuff film is Myra Carter. Our scooper writes to tell us this little factoid because they saw her perform on a New Jersey stage in 1996. [Mike Harris.]
January 7, 1999... What's happened to 8MM? We've received two emails from different individuals that the show may be on the verge of shuffling its rapidly-approaching release date...
"I was one of several dozen journalists scheduled to attend the 8MM press junket on January 13-14 in L.A. We all received calls today informing us that the junket has been postponed, with no new date yet scheduled. Cancelling a junket this late is major -- it costs the studio a fortune in pre-paid airline tickets, hotel reservations, etc., which means one thing: something big has gone wrong with 8MM. The last junket cancelled in such a fashion was for Babe: Pig In The City, so you do the math." ['Crash' zooms in.]
January 12, 1999... 8MM has been rated R by the MPAA for strong perverse sexuality and violence, and for strong language. [Thanks anonymous.]
We've just been scooped that the release date for 8 MM is about to be officially changed by Sony. "Your scooper Crash was correct," our new scooper informs us. "There had been some editing troubles and the studio has moved the release sked from early Feb to Feb. 26." We just surfed the film's Official Site and on there the release date still reads February 5th. Keep your ears and eyes open for an announcement: it's going to happen. [Thank you to Ken DeLite; and thanks to Jason S. for also scooping us with the new date.]
Could this be the reason that tipped the scale for Sony to push back the film's release date? We've received a review of 8 MM from a person who attended a private screening on the Sony lot that was held last week. We're going to cover up what the reviewer said and leave it up to you to decide if you want to read his SPOILER FILLED comments. Swipe the space below to read what our scooper had to say:
"I got to see a sneak preview of 8mm on the Sony lot last Friday and it sucked. They crammed about 40-50 people into one of those little screening rooms and had us fill out questionaires afterwards. No one coming out of the movie seemed too excited about it afterwards. Nicolas Cage did a pretty lame job in the movie as a private investigator hired to track down the source of a snuff film handed to him by a wealthy client. The acting in the movie was almost all bad except Catherine Keener as Cage's wife. The script has some really boring dialogue and is really predictable. The movie ends with Cage flipping out and deciding to personally punish the men who made the snuff film. It's supposed to be dark and creepy (like Seven) but it end up being cheesy and unintentionally funny (like The Postman). The ads for this movie will make it seem like it's a really dark thriller, but it's really just another fomulaic movie that will never live up to its potential. "
[Submitted by Greg Saunders.]
Last item of note concerns a scooper who saw a bit of the filming for this picture and now recognizes the scenes in the trailer. Let's check back in with 'Doctor Sardonicus' and hear what he has to say:
"Don't know if this interests you now, but back in the first half of '98, I spotted a Lear jet on the grounds of Republic Airport, a small airport on the way to a local moviehouse (Farmingdale, NY, USA). Yes, they have nachos, but you have to get them early in the day or they're all crummy (sorry, I'm a bit peckish at the moment). I think I'm remembering correctly when I say that the plane had a bluebird painted on the rear fin. A relative who worked in the area told me the plane was involved either off-camera or on-camera with filming for 8MM in and around one of the hangars there. A colleague of hers told her he saw Nic Cage, but that's hearsay twice-removed, so who knows? Before I could complete my plan to tunnel under the fence to observe their activity, the filmmakers had packed up and left. While watching the trailer for 8MM the other day, I recognized the mansion exteriors from the opening as being an estate on the grounds of the Old Westbury Gardens, a well-kept expanse of greenery and flora that now hosts walking tours and serves as a paid-location for local photographers and the like. The mansion should be recognizable to filmgoers as it has been used for many films (due to its close proximity to NYC) such as Wolf (the home of Christopher Plummer's billionaire character) and The Age of Innocence (some kitchen scenes were shot inside, I'm told). This news bodes well for Long Islanders like myself, since feature film activity in these parts seems to be growing, due I'm sure to no small effort by the local film commissions." ['Doctor Sardonicus' is everywhere.]
January 14, 1999... Despite what the Official Web Site claims, 8 MM for sure won't open in early February. Our original scooper who broke the news about the aborted press junket has returned with further news: the junket screening will now take place in mid-February, which gives that February 26th date even more strength. Yo, Sony, change the date on your web page! [Thanks again to 'Crash' for the follow up report.]
Official Web Site: www.spe.sony.com/movies/8mm/index.html
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