Scarface (1983) Special Edition DVD – Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2004)
Special Features
- · The Rebirth Of Scarface development featurette
- · Acting Scarface featurette
- · Creating Scarface 'making of' documentary
- · Scarface: The TV Version comparison featurette
- · Deleted scenes (22 mins)
- · Origins Of A Hip-Hop Classic documentary
- · Theatrical and teaser trailers
If ever there was a film that had the kind of cult following that consisted of ever youthful admirers who always wanted to know more about its inception and legacy, and its cast and its creators then Scarface surely is that film. Brian De Palma’s classic film, a successfully remake of an old-time gangster classic, splurges a big fat ink stain in all the suitable boxes and portrays the scurrilous pursuit of the American dream with such a gritty bludgeon like no other film ever has, before or since. Cart-wheeling through hoop after hoop to impress the male psyche we are treated to a melange of guns, breasts and violence, drugs, chainsaws and tigers.
Tony Montana arrives in Miami, Florida, USA from Cuba pronouncing himself as “a political refugee”. He climbs through the cocaine fuelled gangster underworld claiming he wants everything that he’s got coming to him; “the world chico, and everything in it”. It’s a masterfully theatrical performance from Al Pacino who asserts his credence and trustworthiness succinctly, becoming the envy of alpha male and living out a few man’s dreams when he says “I’ve only got two things in this world: my word and my balls, and I don’t break ‘em for nobody” in the face of a South American drug baron. It’s definitely Oliver Stone’s script and Pacino’s portrayal of Montana, both with deftly touched with a subtle hint of humour that endears us to the lead character and the expected demise of Montana leads us to the unexpected sombre ending of his bloodied carcass lying face down in his overblown entrance hall fountain. Were we expected to be sad at the death of our new favourite caricature?
The sets are lavish and the colours are unflinchingly coarse (I’m sure this movie has inspired more than a few ghastly makeovers in those with the taste and mindsets of Delboy Trotter). Producer Martin Bregman had clearly spent greatly to realise the dreams of the Cuban gangster as he reaches the top of the cocaine pyramid; that is symbolised quite literally by a mound of cocaine in one of the closing scenes looks like a snow capped mountain top before Montana throws his face into it.
The soundtrack is a mix of electro 80s chart fodder and Giorgio Moroder’s synth noodlings that run the risk of being overbearing at certain intervals. This can be enjoyed; or not, in Dolby 5.1 surround on the Special Edition DVD. Which brings us nicely the double disc sets special features.
An excellent extra is a short piece on how Universal managed to edit the original film to be suitable for network TV in America. Just how they managed to cope with all the nudity and violence is one thing, but the 160 f-words and the other language is another. There’s also a short from pioneering black record label Def Jam Recordings chronicling the link to rap/hip-hop culture and the 80s movie. There’s the revelation that P Diddy has seen the film 63 times, and it’s probably more since the recording of the interview. We receive a real insight into the funding, production of the film and the method acting style of Al Pacino.
Plus, there’s the usual DVD fodder such as trailers and deleted scenes (that you can’t help but always think “they must have been deleted for a reason, so why show them now?”). But, what is a real treat is the set of shorts that document the making of the film – The Rebirth of Scarface, Acting Scarface and Creating Scrface.
But what this film is really crying out for is a commentary from one or more, or all of the main players. They’re all here on the DVD; sit them in a room together for a few hours and maybe even record their conversation as the film plays. I don’t know?! Even if it takes a few bags of white powder I think it should be done and I’m sure it’s what every die-hard fan would love to hear accompanying their favourite film. No doubt the imminent release of the Blu-Ray edition of the film will be gobbled up with the usual whether this is featured or not. Whatever the case may be, this is a highly entertaining film, and the DVD set includes some highly entertaining extra material.
