Thursday, January 9, 2020

Scarface


Director - Brian De Palma (The Wedding Party, The Untouchables)
Starring - Al Pacino (The Godfather, Dick Tracy), Steven Bauer (Breaking Bad, The Outer Limits), and Michelle Pfeiffer (Hairspray, Batman Returns)
Release Date - 1983
Genre - Action/Drama
Tagline - "He loved the American dream.  With a vengeance"
Format - 4K Ultra HD (Personal Collection) (Screener)

Rating (out of 5):

     When I was in high school a friend of mine got the me Scarface 2 disc DVD set for my birthday.  I was deep into my horror obsession at the time but I still loved so many movies from other genres.  He was a fan of crime and gangster movies and had owned the film on VHS for sometime.  He wanted to upgrade his copy to the DVD so he picked us both up a copy.  I fucking loved the film like many of you do.  Several years later a game that served as a sequel to the film was released and I became obsessed with it.  Scarface has been one of my favorite films for many years and when news of a 4K released came across my desk I knew I had to review it.  I reached out and I was lucky enough to get a review copy in and I'm thoroughly impressed by how amazing this set is.
     The film follows Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Pacino) who arrives at a detainment facility in Miami.  He is unable to leave until his friend strikes up a deal to get a green card if they take out a politician.  He agrees and kills the target while the camp is rioting.  He eventually gets out and starts working a dead end job with aspirations of becoming more in society.  He gets in with a drug king pin and when he sees an opening he takes it.  He moves up in the drug trade eventually becoming friends with the supplier but not without making enemies along the way.  Eventually burning bridges comes back to haunt him when his supplier becomes enraged when he fails to assassinate a man and his family.  He sends in a hit team to take out Montana.
     Scarface is one of those films that you can always count on others loving it.  There is not many movies out there that has the fanbase that this film has and I love the conversations I've had with movie fans centered around this film.  Several years ago I upgraded my DVD to blu and fucking loved the look of the film.  It wasn't amazing when compared to newer blus or the 4K release of the film but it was improved over the blu.  I was floored by how great the 4K looks in comparison and the set comes with some awesome bonus material.  The "The World is Yours" trophy is awesome and I love seeing it on my shelf in my collection.  The acting in this one is fucking iconic.  Al Pacino is Tony Montanta in a legendary performance.  Everyone, and I mean everyone, has quoted his iconic lines "say hello to my little friend."  His performance is now part of cinema history.  The supporting cast is just a phenomenal.  Every character holds the screen and delivers some amazing performances.  The story for this one is a more 80s version of the 1932 classic Scarface.  The original does follow an aspiring gangster wanting to take over an organized crime lord's turf, as well as, his lady.  This one does change it by adding the political climate of the time along with a more modern drug trade.  It works for what it is and is still relevant for, aside from style, 40 years later.  The movie is a bit on the long side but I absolutely loved every minute of it.  Finally, the film does have a fair bit of blood.  The practical effects are fucking fantastic and works for the film but those looking for gore will be surely disappointed.  Overall, Scarface is easily one of the better films from the last 50 years.  This 4K Ultra HD is an amazing release that is a must have for any movie collector.  Grab it now!

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