8 Mile DVD
Directed by Curtis Hanson
Written by Scott Silver
Starring Eminem, Kim Basinger, Brittany Murphy, Mekhi Phifer, Eugene Byrd
BY BENJAMEN STANDING
"All this terror, America demands action
Next thing you know, you've got Uncle Sam's ass askin'
to join the Army or what you'll do for their Navy
You just a baby, gettin' recruited at 18
You're on a plane now, eatin' their food and their baked beans
I'm twenty-eight, they
gon take you 'fore they take me
Crazy insane, or insane crazy?" Eminem
These words were rapped by Eminem on his latest album. It seems strange that an artist so willing to attack Washington's War on Terror would be so demonised by the left. But few people could see past his use of sexist and homophobic words like "bitch" and "faggot", so obviously a product of his environment.
So when Eminem became a cultural icon, the liberal left jostled for position as to who could be seen as the biggest feminist/gay rights activist, and screamed, "Pick me! I'm more offended!"
Laughably, this even came from members of the Bush administration, as though Eminem saying "bitch" is going to hurt women more then their attacks on abortion access.
This narrow-mindedness appears to have been applied to Eminem's movies, as a lot of people seem to have missed the point of 8 Mile.
In 8 Mile, Eminem plays Rabbit, a young rapper trying to get a record deal by entering local rap competitions. His dream is to leave the poverty-stricken conditions in which he lives.
Many people tried to brush this film off as more sexist and homophobic rubbish that doesn't address the real problems in society. But just because someone uses sexist language doesn't mean they can't make a coherent political statement. 8 Mile is a competent and entertaining look at the life of the urban poor in Detroit.
The release of the DVD provides an opportunity to revisit the discussion.
The film's radicalism begins when one of Rabbit's friends makes a comment about the condition of the buildings in the area in which they live, and how the council ignores them. This inspires Rabbit and his friends to burn down an abandoned house, in which a recent rape had been committed.
Rabbit openly defends a gay co-worker who is being verbally attacked by another worker. He responds with, "Paul may be gay, but you're a faggot". The comment seems less hypocritical when viewed in context. "Faggot" is a word many people use as an insult, without actually meaning anything homophobic by it.
It's not that Eminem's use of sexist and homophobic language should not be addressed, but I think that there's far more to him than his choice of vocabulary.
Another criticism of the film was that it implied that Rabbit was held back by the colour of his skin (white), and not his class. I'm dumbfounded at this assessment.
(Warning: The following gives away the end of the film.)
Throughout the film, Rabbit enters competitions at a local club in an effort to become known as a rapper. The competitions consist of two rappers taking turns in spontaneously thinking up insults against each other and using them in a rap. Whoever the crowd cheers loudest for, wins.
The main insult the other rappers use against Rabbit is that he's white. The climax of the film is when Rabbit wins the grand final of these competitions, defusing his opponent's anti-white insults; by relating to the audience because he is poor and alienating his opponent (although he is black) because he is rich.
It struck me as strange that anyone could miss this point when it seemed apparent to me that this was the crux of the whole film.
The film's acting varied in consistency. You can tell Eminem, whose legal name is Marshall Mathers, is not an actor, but it is worth ignoring it to hear him rap. The best performance goes to Evan Jones, whose portrayal of Cheddar Bob, Rabbit's slow-witted friend, is endearing.
The DVD's extra features are solid. They include an interesting mini-film about a real rap competition, some music videos and a few trailers to upcoming movies.
One problem I found with the film was that the sound was muddled. I found it helped to turn on subtitles for a second viewing.
8 Mile is by no means Das Kapital: The Movie. I think a blind reaction by the left against anything Eminem does is flawed, particularly when he is capable of some sharp political analysis.
[For a different perspective on the film, check out Kathy Newnam's review in GLW #524, available at <http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2003/524/524p21.htm>.]