Scarface (Brian De Palma, 1983, USA)

Scarface is one of the defining American films of the 1980s and the film that Brian De Palma is best known for. At the time, however, the film was not received so kindly. The film was a mild box office success but generated a significant amount of controversy for its extreme violence and portrayals of Cuban-Americans (not unlike Howard Hawks' original film and its portrayal of Italian-Americans). Since the film's release, however, it has become a cult favorite - influencing not only a generation of rap artists but also the Grand Theft Auto video game franchise.

While Scarface is perhaps not a perfect film as a whole, certain set pieces in the film are difficult to forget. Most people remember the chainsaw scene and the over-the-top finale, but these are only two of perhaps a dozen or more scenes that are some of the defining moments in gangster film history. Pacino as Tony Montana is in top form. While some have ridiculed his accent, Pacino's performance has at this point transcended the accent - it has just become the Tony Montana accent. The ensemble is also memorable, particularly the great Robert Loggia as Frank Lopez.

Credit should go also to the behind-the-scenes talent, including the great art direction by Ed Richardson, which not only defined the Miami of the film but the Miami in America and the world's cultural imagination for years to come. The soundtrack by the legendary Giorgio Moroder is one of the most iconic of all time, and has often been spoofed - particularly the great montage track "Push it to the Limit." Scarface is perhaps not De Palma's best film, but it is his most enduring from a cultural perspective, and for that reason, it deserves respect and reevaluation. The film is iconic in more ways than one.

9/10