D.J. Haza presents the next entry in his series of films to watch before you die…
Scarface, 1983.
Directed by Brian De Palma.
Starring Al Pacino, Robert Loggia, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and F. Murray Abraham.
Scarface is the story of Cuban immigrant, Tony Montana (Pacino), who arrives in Miami after the Muriel Boatlift and decides that he wants to be someone. Montana becomes involved in some shady small time drug deals before becoming a key member of Frank Lopez’s outfit. But, Montana has bigger ambitions and soon takes over Frank’s empire as well as getting his girl, Elvira.
Montana soon builds his empire bigger and bigger as the money flows in and he runs things his own way. However, Montana’s greed and ego that have made him what he is also comes with problems and he makes enemies around him. When Montana finds himself on the wrong side of the Columbian drug cartels his world crumbles as they seek to put and end to him and his empire.
Scarface is an epic and brutal tale of greed, money and ambition that echoes the societal flaws of 1980’s America. The film’s flash and garish style is littered with the trappings of an exploitative and capitalist nation where those with the lowest morals seem to climb the highest. The film was not an instant success with many critics scorning the film’s extreme violence and bad language, but it has over the years been recognized as one of the most iconic films ever made and a huge cult classic.
The film has been referenced in many other films, songs written by a range of musicians and has been parodied over and over again. The film’s black and white poster is one of the most iconic in movie history and there are several movie quotes that have been used over and over again. “Say hello to little friend!” being just one of them.
As iconic as the film itself is Al Pacino’s performance as Tony Montana the sadistic and brutal cocaine kingpin. Pacino’s gestures, scowls, glances and every little idiosyncratic gives the impression of a man who will do anything to achieve his goals. On a TV screen Pacino is superb, but if watched on a cinema screen he is breathtaking and in my opinion possibly the best performance of an actor that I have ever seen.
Above are so many reasons to watch Scarface, but the reason you should see it before you die is that Oliver Stone wrote the film when he moved to France in order to get over his own cocaine addiction. What a way to kick a habit! Forget your own addiction by writing the most iconic and bombastic cocaine film ever made!
D.J. Haza
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Originally published November 23, 2011. Updated April 10, 2018.
