Review of Scarface (1983) by Stuart K — 30 Apr 2014

Directed by Brian De Palma, then hot off making Dressed to Kill (1980) and Blow Out (1981), was offered this remake of Howard Hawks' 1932 film Scarface was updated to Miami in the 1980's by writer Oliver Stone.

It split people down the middle upon release, but time has been kind to this film, it's rags to riches story with the structure of a Shakespearian tragedy. It's still a powerful and gritty film even today.

In 1980, Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Al Pacino) comes to America with his best friend Manny (Steve Bauer), after being moved to a refugee camp, they get out and start working for drug dealer Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia), and he's impressed by Tony's tenacity and has Tony doing more work for him.

After Tony makes a deal with Bolivian cocaine kingpin Alejandro Sosa (Paul Shenar), much to Frank's anger. So Tony goes solo, marries Frank's Elvira Hancock (Michelle Pfeiffer). As Tony gets richer, he soon learns the hardships of this business.

It's a product of the 1980's and proud of it, and it's a film wallowing in excess, and it's a morality tale about the absolute corruption of absolute power, showing the downside of power and money, but putting De Palma and Pacino together was a winning combination, and it has an absolutely brilliant Giorgio Moroder soundtrack.