After years of diplomatic silence between the United States and Cuba, Castro opens the port of Mariel Harbor, Cuba, to thousands emmigrating to the United States in search of the American dream. Shrewdly, Castro also unlocks the overpacked prisons, allowing hordes of criminals to join the refugees. Tony Montana, a small time hood, is one of them. In Florida, Montana connects with gangster Frank Lopez, and guns his way through the sun washed streets of Miami where he finds power, wealth and passion. He kills Lopez and marries his mistress, Elvira. Montana, better known as “Scarface,” soon becomes the leader of a bloody cocaine-smuggling empire but at a terrible cost to his sister, Gina and his loyal friend, Manny. However, like that of others before him, Montana’s reign is brief and a violent end is guaranteed as rival gangster compete to become the next drug lord. –AFI
Brian De Palma is one of the well-known directors who spear-headed the new movement in Hollywood during the 1970s. He is known for his many films that go from violent pictures, to Hitchcock-like thrillers.
Born on the 11th of September in 1940, De Palma was born in New Jersey in an American-Italian family. Originally entering university as a physics student, de Palma became attracted to films after seeing such classics as Citizen Kane (1941). Enrolling in Sarah Lawrence College, he found lasting influences from such varied teachers as Alfred Hitchcock and Andy Warhol.
At first, his films comprised of such black-and-white films as Bridge That Gap (1965). He then discovered a young actor whose fame would influence Hollywood forever. In 1968, de Palma made the comedic film Greetings (1968) starring Robert de Niro in his first ever credited film role. The two followed up immediately with the film The Wedding Party (1969) and Hi, Mom… read more
A quintessential '80s work for its intact zeitgeist, capturing the debauchery and excess - the suits, the neon, the synth, the bling - all stylishly shot too. But once the characters open their mouths, well, there goes the ball game. Stone’s script is just corny in both its dialogue and delivery - even featuring a classic cheesy montage at one point - that the whole thing might as well be a cartoon. Some timbre is accumulated in its final act once things start falling to pieces for everyone, but it’s not enough to raise this beyond a diversion at best.
Stone's screenwriting was on-point and this story that he tells of a gangster was enticing and interesting; there's a desire to see whether he succeeds. But in the end, this film shows that crime pays but not for long, especially when one gets overly cocky(?). Montana played by Pacino: accent was horrid; I prefer his other roles.
Happy birthday, Al Pacino. He's 70 today, an occasion for a 60 Minutes sit-down with Katie Couric — and a few clips here. The Observer
Véritable phénomène de mode à toute une époque et inspirant encore pas mal de petites “frappes”, le personnage de Tony Montana s’est inscrit dans la mémoire collective pour de nombreux individus. A… read review
What can you say about Scarface that hasn’t already been said? It’s an amazing movie with a great sense of humor, as always, from Brian De Palma. It’s a gangster movie like you’ve never seen before… read review
I’ve thought about reviewing the acting, directing and production for this film, however, others would do a better job than I. I cannot be objective because this film touches my imagination and takes… read review
This is what happens when directors try to cater to the lowest common denominator. Scarface is the culmination of bad acting, poor direction, excess of the highest order and arrogance to all reality… read review