8 Mile: going too far? (Cable).(Baudy flick about rapper)(Brief Article)

Broadcasting & Cable, November, 2002 by Romano, Allison

Eminem is a bona fide box-office hit, but his semiautobiographical flick 8 Mile could be a tough sell on basic cable. Universal Studios is glowing over the opening, which grossed $54 million the first weekend. But, when Universal looks to sell 8 Mile to basic cable, much less broadcast, the movie's endless string of profanities and graphic sex and violence could be problematic. Not a problem on pay cable, of course. HBO does as much in its own originals.

Universal Studios chief Ron Meyer says it can be done--with some editing help. "No question, they are going to have to figure out how to make it work. But it's been done before," he said. "The language is the hardest part." Still, it takes 31 months for new releases to migrate to cable, and 8 Mile may not...

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