Episode #800: 8MM - OUR 800TH EPISODE SPECTACULAR!
Added 2025-05-13 04:00:05 +0000 UTC“Both [Cage] and George C. Scott [in Hardcore] share the same forehead sweat…” - Andrew
On this week’s very special episode, we’re celebrating EPISODE 800 with a very sleaze-tastic conversation on Joel Schumacher’s 8MM! How funny is it the screenwriter got upset that the content was toned down from his more hardcore vision? Was Cage’s Tom Welles in over his head with this case or was he just the man for the job? How funny is that scene with Gandolfini trying to skip town carrying several boxes of pornography? How great is Joaquin in this performance as Max California? And how terrifying is that final showdown at Casa de Machine? PLUS: “Marc Maron” asks Machine who his guys are!
8MM stars Nicolas Cage, Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Peter Stormare, Anthony Heald, Catherine Keener, Myra Carter, Amy Morton, and Chris Bauer as Machine; directed by Joel Schumacher.
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Original cover art by Felipe Sobreiro.
Comments
Imagine if Shumaker directed his Batman movies in this style? The Machine was like fucking Bane, Gandolfini a great Penguin or Falcone, Stormare the Joker, Joaquin Phoenix as Jason Todd
RJ Cunningham
2025-05-19 22:37:55 +0000 UTCOr Abraham Zapruder
Eren Keskin
2025-05-16 12:20:24 +0000 UTCPeter Stormare has always been great but my dream casting for a snuff director would be Udo Kier.
Eren Keskin
2025-05-16 12:19:40 +0000 UTCCage Against the Machine?
MarkNM
2025-05-16 11:58:35 +0000 UTCwatched this for the episode. Cage & Joaquin's characters... I ship it???
Convincing John
2025-05-16 08:23:33 +0000 UTCKinda, sorta, right in the middle! We're 50/50 on it amongst us 4. - Andrew
We Hate Movies
2025-05-15 17:11:50 +0000 UTCIs this a whm or wlm?
Jan
2025-05-15 17:03:55 +0000 UTC2nd time cage and the machine have fought.
Matthew Lloyd
2025-05-15 15:16:25 +0000 UTCEps 400 was bang 🍆 tastic
Jan
2025-05-15 05:18:41 +0000 UTCDarn. I was really hoping for Arnold Schwarzenegger under that mask.
Brandon
2025-05-15 03:34:29 +0000 UTCHappy 800, fellas! I hope we get 800 more.
Kemper
2025-05-15 02:40:16 +0000 UTCI'm 40 minutes into this movie and absolutely shocked its not called "Check In." Lord, the phone calls....
Brandon
2025-05-15 01:55:01 +0000 UTCLove the Back to the Future reference!!
Jaime Lee Ezell
2025-05-15 01:25:13 +0000 UTCGreat episode, guys. Congratulations on 800 episodes!
Matthew Lazorwitz
2025-05-14 23:06:43 +0000 UTCI was laughing all episode but when Eric was saying Cabin wanted more sexual violence in this movie, that really solidified this one as an all-timer
Robert
2025-05-14 20:04:06 +0000 UTCI have to be honest: until you guys started logging this on Letterboxd I was conflating this and Super 8
TJ Guiney
2025-05-14 15:24:05 +0000 UTCActually they replaced Chris with a different Ultimate Warrior.
HockeenightsCT
2025-05-14 12:56:03 +0000 UTCYou guys are really off the hook for this one - great 800th episode! It was possibly the funniest VHS Trailer Game yet to boot. I always confuse this movie with Cage in Snake Eyes, which came out around the same time and for some reason has a near-identical poster.
Craig
2025-05-14 12:28:28 +0000 UTCI had a feeling they’d done this movie before - must have been due to that AD ep
Craig
2025-05-14 12:23:40 +0000 UTCAn amazing 800th episode. The bits about Tom Waits' safe word and the old lady thinking Citizen Kane was a snuff movie destroyed me.
Pete Lawson
2025-05-14 02:15:44 +0000 UTCGreat episode! Very funny and love the energy on this one
Tim O'
2025-05-14 02:08:03 +0000 UTCCongrats on 800!! 🥳 I spotted an egregious cameo from a special friend of the show in 8mm -- see comment in Ad-Free WHM chat, as I can't add pics here.
Rose Esposito
2025-05-14 00:14:56 +0000 UTCThe AD on Gummi Bears is one of my favorite episodes, they do a lot of 8MM talk on that one lmao, including Andrew's story about that scumbag iirc
struggleman
2025-05-13 23:27:21 +0000 UTCPlease keep the old lady as a recurring character. Awesome episode congrats on 800 episodes!
Jack DeLuca
2025-05-13 23:02:50 +0000 UTCCongrats on 800! Eric referring to The Whole Nine Yards as "Nine Dentists" had me on the floor
JK
2025-05-13 22:40:03 +0000 UTCS/o Chris for referencing the exceptional Outrageous Conduct. Incredible book.
Vincent Mollica
2025-05-13 22:25:34 +0000 UTCI knew Velocity of Gary and yes, it was because I worked at a small Mom and Pop video store around the time it came out.
Boombox Cowboy
2025-05-13 22:04:40 +0000 UTCCongratulations on 800 episodes! Man, I was just a teenager in the '50s cruising the Miracle Mile when I first started listening to the podcast.
Damon LeCornu
2025-05-13 22:02:05 +0000 UTCCongrats on 800! First episode was Daredevil which was apparantly 236! That's 564 episodes ago! What even IS time?!
Matt
2025-05-13 20:40:39 +0000 UTC8mm has popped up in several episodes, gremlins comes to mind. But this is the first time they have covered the actual movie
Nicholas Knecht
2025-05-13 20:24:05 +0000 UTCI made time for 8MM before the episode, I will not be doing so for Revenge of the Sith lol
StylinGreymon
2025-05-13 19:58:39 +0000 UTCI know Eric normally says that "it's okay to not like a movie" but I refuse to accept his Stranger Than Fiction slander and I will be suing him
Terence Wiggins
2025-05-13 18:02:15 +0000 UTCPlease help: I haven't started the episode yet but have very strong memories of these guys already having covered 8mm on the show before, joking about Machine and all kinds of sleaze. Was there a commentary? Am I tapped into the future? Or just strongly hallucinating bonus content...
Evan
2025-05-13 17:57:40 +0000 UTCCongrats on 800 episodes! LOVED this episode, y'all were really at your best.
Kero
2025-05-13 17:48:51 +0000 UTCI've never seen 8MM but I always get the title mixed up with 8 1/2
Rhea
2025-05-13 17:04:49 +0000 UTC"You watched HALF of Arlington Road?" "It was on!"
MarkNM
2025-05-13 16:22:41 +0000 UTCYou guys have been together longer than the Beatles, and you did it without becoming openly contemptuous of each other. Also no one died 2 years ago and was replaced by an imposter. Congratulations on a pod well done.
MarkNM
2025-05-13 16:06:36 +0000 UTCBarely made it past the VHS trailer game, died laughing at Szyszka "Tango Down!" & Jupin "Clarissa explains these nuts" 😂 Congrats on 800 Boys, you've made a big difference in our lives, we thank you. Cheers 🍻
Watch_N_Rewatch
2025-05-13 14:45:05 +0000 UTCCongrats on 800! I hope Lady Who's Confused About Movie Realities is a recurring character. I always enjoy when MST3K gets a mention on the show!
Smaug
2025-05-13 14:40:00 +0000 UTCCongrats on 800! Been a Patron supporter since 2018 and you guys are my absolute favorite podcast. No one comes close.
John Locke
2025-05-13 13:42:19 +0000 UTCJesus. I'd have severe PTSD if I saw this with my Dad. And this is coming from someone who grew up in the 80's who watched tons of R rated films with Dad. But this is something you only watch by yourself.
John Locke
2025-05-13 13:36:55 +0000 UTCAnother hilarious episode. Happy 800!
James
2025-05-13 12:43:07 +0000 UTCI too have a Schumacher tale. He came to speak at my graduate school for a symposium. During the discussion he was blanking on Corey Haim's breakout film. I said out loud, "Are you thinking of Lucas?" His response,"LUCAS! Good for you!" Back handed as sin, but I'll cherish it forever. RIPD
Gino Volpe
2025-05-13 12:36:37 +0000 UTCHappy 800th! This is why you guys are so great - I'm ashamed I haven't heard of this movie, but the cast listing alone has me eager to listen. Cage AND Phoenix? A full order of sleaze, and a side of ham, please and thank you.
Dominic Kovell
2025-05-13 12:00:47 +0000 UTCI taken to this movie with my Dad as a teen , who snuck his normal flask into the theatre. Lots of strong, unsaid "don't tell Mom about this" energy after the screening was over.
Jason
2025-05-13 11:54:28 +0000 UTCWe're no longer partaking in a Side Order of Sleaze, we're getting a Full Blown Main Course of Sleaze! Happy 800 episodes!!!
Busiris
2025-05-13 07:22:33 +0000 UTCMINGO!!!
Purple Roundy
2025-05-13 07:08:23 +0000 UTCI can't do long division, but I knew Velocity of Gary and I don't know what that says about me. Congrats on 800, fellas.
esebastian
2025-05-13 06:59:46 +0000 UTCWatching Nicolas Cage watch hardcore porn: the movie
Ray
2025-05-13 06:41:34 +0000 UTCHappy birthday 👍
David
2025-05-13 06:34:52 +0000 UTCHoly cow! Seems like just yesterday we were at 666. Here’s to many more!
Lar
2025-05-13 06:16:56 +0000 UTC800! It seems like only yesterday in my younger and more vulnerable years I discovered this pod at Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter is Dead.
Dan Craftwerk
2025-05-13 04:51:18 +0000 UTCHappy 800 episodes guys! Here's to many more!
Tony King
2025-05-13 04:48:47 +0000 UTCWho's playing the scumbag role better here, Gandolfini or Stormare? They're both giving real high end 'ick' vibes here.
johnny stocker
2025-05-13 04:36:56 +0000 UTCHell yeah! There's maybe 15 episodes I haven't listened to. You guys rock and y'all deserve to know it!
Ray
2025-05-13 04:22:11 +0000 UTCHere's to 800 more! Maybe... If you guys are up for it and the world hasn't burned down that is. This is one of those ones I've seen in pieces but never all the way through.
Voror
2025-05-13 04:02:09 +0000 UTC
