A standout cut from what proved to be the last studio album
Johnny Cash released in his lifetime, "Hurt" was a song originally written and performed by
Trent Reznor of
Nine Inch Nails, but
Cash's striking interpretation gave the song's tale of chemically induced woe a greater and more haunting resonance than it ever had before. Filmmaker
Mark Romanek worked with
Cash to create a music video for the song that combined clips of the singer at the peak of his fame and his strength contrasted with the frail but determined artist near the end of his life; the result was a striking short film which paid a sincere if painful homage to one of America's most influential musicians. The video received such high praise that it was released on DVD;
Johnny Cash: Hurt features a high-bit transfer of the film, which was also included as a bonus disc with a special edition of
Cash's album
American IV: The Man Comes Around. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide