The Sopranos, the legendary HBO mob drama laced in the world of pulp fiction yet containing some of the greatest television literature ever penned, celebrates its 20th anniversary this month. The program was a cultural phenomenon during its peak, with a finale that remains controversial, but it was just part and parcel for an entire series that was controversial throughout its original run from 1999 to 2007, usually in the best possible of ways.

8MM
Blu-ray
Director: Joel Schumacher
Screenwriter: Andrew Kevin Walker
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Joaquin Phoenix, James Gandolfini, Peter Stormare, Anthony Heald
Distributor: Scream Factory
Rated R | 123 Minutes
Release Date: January 8, 2019

“The things I do “” I do them because I like them. Because I want to.”

Directed by Joel Schumacher (of The Lost Boys, Batman Forever, and The Phantom of the Opera) and written by Andrew Kevin Walker (of Se7en, Sleepy Hollow, and The Wolfman), 1999’s 8MM is a crime thriller about one man’s obsessive search for the truth about a young woman’s disappearance.

Nicolas Cage (Leaving Las Vegas, Mandy) stars as Tom Welles, a private investigator contacted by an attorney (Anthony Heald of The Silence of the Lambs) for a wealthy widow, Mrs. Christian (Myra Carter). While clearing out her late husband’s safe, Mrs. Christian discovered an 8mm home movie “” one that appears to depict a real murder, but she needs to know for certain.

The Sopranos, one of the flagship programs of not only HBO but the entire contemporary “Golden Age of Television,” has been off the air for nine years now, but still remains a powerful catalyst and force in influencing the historic jagged shift the medium has taken on in the last 15 years or so. The mob drama, which ended its run in 2007 with a finale that is still read, dissected, and poured over for much heated debate and discussion a la the Torah, has influenced programs as rich as itself such as Breaking Bad, Boardwalk Empire, Mad Men and the latest, greatest show currently running on television, Better Call Saul.

Now, David Chase, the program’s creator, writer, and overall presence and lord of the trials and tribulations of the fictitious families in New Jersey, some of whose fates were left unknown when the final episode aired, has broken down that finale (a series finale that sent people in either exultation, uproar, or both).

The Gold Box spotlight deal of the day is over at Amazon today is up to 65% off The Sopranos: The Complete Series box sets: DVD for $98.99 (down from $279.99) and Blu-ray for $109.99 (down from $279.98).

The 30-disc box sets contain all six seasons of the hit HBO series The Sopranos, which starred James Gandolfini as mob boss Tony Soprano. The set includes over 3.5 hours never-before-seen bonus features like secrets from the writers’ room; props stolen from the set; auditions of some of the cast; the music selected and the meaning behind it; and lost scenes saved from the editing room. There’s also a featurette on series creator David Chase‘s reaction to fan outcry over the series finale. The DVD set comes with a detailed 16-page episode guide.

This week’s edition of The Digital Wire has so much Blu-ray and DVD release info coming out of its news-hole only a dam constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers could contain the flood. Soak it all up folks because I’m taking next week off to cover the home video department of Geeks of Doom’s annual Holiday Geek Gift Guide.

Below you’ll find info on several future home video releases complete with technical specs, release dates, and links to pre-order at Amazon. We would greatly appreciate it if you use those links to order because a small percentage of each order helps keep this website running at max power. The cover art for certain titles has yet to be finalized.