Scarface40 years later
40 years have passed since then Scarface was released in French theaters on March 7, 1984. Yet, the film (currently available on Netflix) hasn’t aged at all today. Better yet, years have passed since the masterpiece of Brian DePalma it is considered a cult film, despite disastrously returns to its original version. It must be said that the filmmaker has often seen his works be misinterpreted and poorly received, only to be subsequently rehabilitated. Scarface was no exception and also earned the director a Razzie Award nomination for Worst Director. It could have been worse for the film, which still narrowly escaped an X rating in the United Stateswhich would have buried it even further at the box office.
Alright, Scarface he got away with the ban on children under 17. Its success did not reach theaters, nor with part of the press of the time who were outraged by the violence of the feature film. As a reminder, in this remake of the Howard Hawks film, we follow Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who arrives in Miami. No longer wanting to settle for low-paying odd jobs, he will first do the dirty work of criminals before climbing the ladder and becoming the head of an entire empire built on drug trafficking.
An audience shocked and then admired
With a topic like that, and Brian De Palma at the helm, Scarface obviously he is not stingy with violent scenes. For example, there is the chainsaw sequence which shocked more than one, just like the countless Fuck you what a coward Al Pacino during the film. The most memorable remains that of the final shootout, directed by Steven Spielberg, and at the end of which Tony goes wild: If you want to fuck with me, fuck with the best!
Scarface it has however gained popularity over the years. Becoming a work of popular culture, the film is a reference in rap and hip hop. And Tony Montana even became a sort of emblem for certain small-time gangsters who saw him as a model to follow. Brian De Palma also mentioned this phenomenon during his interviews with Samuel Blumenfeld and Laurent Vachaud:
Every time I go to Florida I can measure the impact of the film on mentalities. (…) Today it’s full of Hispanics in flowered shirts, drugs are everywhere, just like in Scarface. Once I returned to Miami and was taken to a nightclub. It looked like the Babylon Club. There were bowls full of cocaine, gangsters on every corner. I’m these kids’ idol, you know.
Worship at all levels
However, Brian De Palma does not praise this criminal in any way. On the contrary, the director constantly emphasizes this Tony makes the wrong choices which will lead him to ruin. Like going to seduce Elvira (Michelle Pfeiffer), despite her having a relationship with a bandit older than him. And after that, it will be a descent into hell for Tony who will hurt his loved ones and lose his loved ones before collapsing together with his empire. However, for some with an immigrant background, seeing this Cuban refugee grow up like this was like a glimmer of hope. We find this population in the character’s symbolism and initial feeling of rejection.
Scarface: Michelle Pfeiffer got the role after injuring Al Pacino
Finally, keep in mind that for Scarface, the VF and Sylvain Joubert’s dubbing of Al Pacino they were much appreciated. A version that contributed to making the film memorable in France too. The feature film left its mark with its images and dialogues, without forgetting its original soundtrack which mixes pop songs and the instrumental compositions of Giorgio Moroder.
Source: Cine Serie
Ray Ortiz is a journalist at Gossipify, known for his coverage of trending news and current events. He is committed to providing readers with accurate and unbiased reporting, and is respected for his ability to keep readers informed on the latest news and issues.
