Close Analysis:8 Mile (Last Rap Battle Scene)

Directed by Curtis Hanson

Daniel LColby BMatt HMike M

Scene

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW7walMFotY

Purpose• This presents Eminem facing Papa Doc in another freestyle rap

battle. They faced off once before and Eminem choked in front of the crowd and was booed off stage

• This portrays Eminem’s anger from all the adversity and challenges he has faced, and he takes all of his anger and energy out at Papa Doc in his lyrics

• It also portrays Papa Doc, who gives himself a rough and gangster image but Eminem reveals that he went to Cranbrook, a private school, for high school and is actually wealthy and not all that tough

• This battle separates Papa Doc and Eminem even further and makes their rivalry even stronger

• This scene is meant to provoke extreme intensity and excitement in the spectators. It does so by the beat of the music, the flow of Eminem’s rapping, and the crowds reaction to his lyrics

Mise En Scene• The scene takes place in Detroit in what looks to be a shady club for

underground rap battles• The set decoration is a stage setting, in a room filled with smoke

and a crowd of people cheering and shouting. The lighting is set up to mimic a concert, where all the light is put directly on who is on stage.

• There are no exteriors used• There are very few casted characters in this film, so casting has not

been used to construct characters• Most of the characters wear cheap clothes, portraying Detroit in a

trashy, run-down fashion• Some of the important props consist of the microphone and turn

table, and cigarette smoke. They create meaning by giving a feel for the environment around them and the environment they live in.

Cinematography• No unusual shots, shot very normal and conventionally• The most close ups are on Eminem and Papa Doc. One close up on Eminem’s

friend and MC, ‘Future’• There is one close up on the record table, and one on the microphone close

to Eminem’s mouth• Long shots are used to show the crowds reaction to certain lyrics and lines

Eminem uses. Sometimes the crowd yells or boo’s• There is a high angle shot for the DJ, and one of the last shots of Eminem

before handing the mike off• No special camerawork, all filmed normally without tilts, there are pans of

the crowd, no tracks or dollies or cranes.• No handheld camerawork• Not much energy is made because of the camerawork, the energy is made

through the lighting, setting, and lyrics• The color creates the dark and intense mood of a Detroit, underground rap

battle• Nothing special about the framing, some close ups of the faces but normal

filming and editing

Editing

• This scene uses normal/traditional continuity editing• There are no distinct or unusual cuts or edits in this, just

some close ups of the faces of the rappers and the crowd• No slowing down or speeding up• There are many distinct shots that are used for this scene.

One from the back (camera facing crowd from behind the stage), one from Papa Doc’s crew behind him facing Eminem, another from Papa Doc’s angle and other from Eminem’s angle. The main angle/master angle is from the back facing the crowd.

• There are more cuts at the beginning of this scene than in the middle or end

Sound• The main source of sound is from the DJ’s music, and from Eminem’s

voice while he rap’s• This is all diegetic, meaning the sounds is all coming from the movie, not

from adding in music in the background• There is no non-diegetic noise• The noise is all synchronous, meaning that the sounds the audience hears

matches with what we see• There is music but it is diegetic, and comes from the movie not from

adding it in. This music makes the audience want you to get involved in the movie and make you feel like you’re listening to Eminem from the crowd

• The dialogue is the rap, and his rap is very powerful in terms of him finally facing the audience and putting on a show that effectively show he is a stronger rapper and human being than his competitor

Special Effects

• There are no special effects