For this assignment, I chose to analyze none other than the film 8 Mile. This film depicts the struggles that Eminem went through to become what he is today.

8 Mile is a drama set in Detroit, Michigan. It is categorized as a drama because there is a sense of tension during the whole movie, starting at the beginning. Rabbit, the character played by Eminem, is seen in the bathroom getting into the zone for his upcoming rap battle. Washing his face and hands, and mouthing words to himself, he is clearly nervous. Someone yells at him that it’s time for him to get on stage so he looks and with one final look at himself in the mirror he is on his way. Now remember, this movie is set in Detroit so when he gets up on stage to rap against a black guy, the audience is filled with black men and women. Also remember that these are underground rap battles so there isn’t stadium seating, everyone is standing in their jeans, beanies, and big puffy jackets. Rabbit is the only white person to be found. Next, a coin is flipped to see who goes first and Rabbit gets to go second. His opponent starts his rap with “Imma murder this man.” He goes on to diss Rabbit and the crowd is cheering and yelling. It is finally his turn, the MC tells the DJ to start the beat and Rabbit holds the mic to his mouth. No words come out. The crowd begins to chant “CHOKE! CHOKE! CHOKE!” and Rabbit gives up the mic and leaves the stage. Rabbit’s friends ask him what happened and why he couldn’t rap because they know he is an amazing rapper but Rabbit still has nothing to say, he just couldn’t do it. This starts the movie out with Rabbit in a low position and gives the audience a sense of empathy for the main character. We all know what it is like to be in front of a large audience and choke. The opening scene I just described also uses Ebert’s notion about brightness. The place where the battle is held, the shelter, is dark. There are few overhead lights and it is a long room. There are some bright lights pointed at the stage but the darkness of the audience adds tension and gives a sense that the audience itself is the enemy. The audience is what Rabbit is afraid of, he knows he can rap.

Here is the opening rap battle:

Two of Ebert’s keys are that the foreground is stronger than the background and that high angle shots depict people as pawns. In every rap battle scene in the movie, they go back and forth from the point of view of the audience and an overhead shot from above the stage that shows the rappers and the audience. In both shots, the rappers are the foreground which centers the attention on them. Also, in the overhead shot it depicts the audience as being small pawns and the rappers as larger, more important beings.

Lastly, Ebert says persons on the right are more “positive” than those on the left. In the final scene of the movie, Rabbit must battle Papa Doc. Papa Doc is a pretty big deal and everyone thinks he is the best rapper in Detroit. No one thinks Rabbit has a chance to win. That said, during the battle Papa Doc is on the right. This shows his dominance over Rabbit and makes Rabbit look small in comparison. Papa Doc being on the right gives the audience the sense that he is better. Ebert’s last sentence in that article is, “It can be as effective to go against intrinsic weightings as to follow them.” Interestingly enough the director goes against the “right is positive” notion and Rabbit… Actually I’ll just let you watch! Here is the final rap battle!

The film is clearly a drama because of the tension throughout the movie. Rabbit is a struggling artist but he isn’t just struggling with music. His family is in tatters, he is about to have a step dad who he actually went to high school with. He hates his mom and he feels bad for his sister who has to live with her. He car doesn’t work all of the time and he has a monotonous job. He works in a car part manufacturing plant. The troupe that this movie belongs in, I believe, is Underestimating Badassery. This is exemplified by the final scene. Everyone underestimates Rabbit and he ends up winning the battle. He has come full circle, in the first battle he choked but at the end of the movie his opponent chokes. He is outnumbered because all of the black men and women there want him to lose and actually towards the end of his rap, they are waving their hands in the air and screaming for him to win. Never underestimate Eminem.

If you haven’t seen it, 8 mile is a fantastic movie that will make you respect Eminem for the trials and tribulations he has been through.

PT