Close Analysis:
8 Mile (Last Rap Battle Scene)
Directed by Curtis Hanson
Daniel L
Colby B
Matt H
Mike M
Scene
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eW7walM
FotY
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