Scarface (1983)

This pic played in a few theaters for a little while this fall, and has just been reissued in a souped-up 20th anniversary double-DVD set. My complaint about this film is that even though it's a fairly engrossing drama, it's also a model of excess. Excessive length (almost three hours), excessive violence (it almost got an "X" rating for it), and excessive use of language (this film had the record of using the "F" word in a single film-206 times.) Also, brutally excessive overacting by Al Pacino as Tony Montana, which began his long trek of similar excesses in his acting (excuse my excessive use of the word "excess.") (The film's signature line, "Say Hello To My Little Friend," says it all) This pic was adored by some of the characters in The Sopranos, and now I heard that it is a model for hip-hop culture.

Director Brian De Palma, who has directed actors in Oscar winning perfs before (Carrie) and after (The Untouchables) his work on this pic, apparently didn't have a clue as to just how to reign Pacino in, so he just let him run riot. Or, maybe that was the whole idea.

In the early scene where Montana is being interviewed, just after arriving in the U.S., the voice (but not the face) of the interviewer is that of actor Charles Durning.

Spoilers, of course.

Was Tony wearing a bullet-proof vest at the end? I couldn't tell, but that would appear to be the only way he could take several shots to front, but a blast to the back would kill him.

Was the signifigence behind the tatoo Tony has on his hand ever explained? Did I miss something?

I was under the impression that he didn't feel any pain from the shots because he was so wired on cocaine. The shotgun blast would've killed him, though (and it did).

Did anybody else find this movie somewhat disturbing?

In the opening scene, when Tony is being questioned by Immigration, they ask him about it, an he claims it's for his sweetheart. They doubt it, and talk about how tattoos on the hand are a code used by Cuban inmates, that a dagger indicates a killer. Nothing is said about what his having a heart means.

Here's my thoughts on this film, from the "Nit For All Seasons 2" page:

This pic played in a few theaters for a little while in the fall of 2003, and was reissued in a souped-up 20th anniversary double-DVD set not long afterward. My complaint about this film is that even though it's a fairly engrossing drama, it's also a model of excess. Excessive length (almost three hours), excessive violence (it almost got an "X" rating for it), and excessive use of language (this film held the record of using the "F" word in a single film - 206 times.) Also, IMHO, brutally excessive overacting by Al Pacino as Tony Montana, which began his long trek of similar excesses in his acting (excuse my excessive use of the word "excess.") (The film's signature line, "Say Hello To My Little Friend," says it all) This pic is adored by some of the characters in The Sopranos, and now I understand that it is a model for hip-hop culture. (I wonder if there are any references to this pic in 50-Cent's film debut, Get Rich or Die Trying.)

Director Brian De Palma, who has directed actors in Oscar winning perfs before (Carrie) and after (The Untouchables) his work on this pic, apparently didn't have a clue as to just how to reign Pacino in, so he just let him run riot. Or, maybe that was the whole idea.

In the early scene where Montana is being interviewed, just after arriving in the U.S., the voice (but not the face) of the interviewer is that of actor Charles Durning.

You know that when Oliver stone wrote this pic he was strongly addicted to Cocaine at the time. Possibly a patial explination for the excess.

I think it's disgusting that Montana is seen as some type of hero figure by some. The guy was a drug dealer and murderer.

You know that when Oliver Stone wrote this pic he was strongly addicted to Cocaine at the time. Possibly a partial explination for the excess.
No, I didn't. But, it fits the mold. By the way, what drug was Stone taking when he wrote and directed The Hand? Cocaine can't explain away that one.

I think it's disgusting that Montana is seen as some type of hero figure by some. The guy was a drug dealer and murderer.
Wasn't Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson a crack dealer before he became a rapper? A lot of young people look up to him.

Same thing.

Not meaning to excuse it but try and explain it. Some people see these kind of people as a hero because they are the example of the american dream (albeit a perverted versin of it) Coming from absolutely nothing and having everything. It is an example of the hopelessness many people feel that the system has let them down and the only way to advance themselves is through methods like that. Or at least that is the way it has been explained to me.

I think it's hypocritical that Clear Channel removes Howard Stern from its corporate owned radio stations, yet sponsors billboards promoting Get Rich or Die Trying. (21 billboards in Philly advertising the movie were just taken down.) Howard, where are you?

Clear Channel only had like a half dozen radio stations that syndicated Stern and they just did it because

A: He's a big target and they would generate a lot of publicity by doing it

B: He's very critical of President Bush and they are very tight with his administration, and have been since he was governer Bush

C: They can put on shock jocks who work for Clear Channel in his place and get all of the profits rather than haveing to give a cut to Infinity broadcasting

But you are right it is very hypocritical to can Stern at the same time their own shock jocks were running things like "Obscinity Weekend" gimiks.