One of the finest gangster movies of the past 30-odd years gets a 21st century reissue.
The fact is that everyone who has seenScarfacealready has an opinion of it which is unlikely to change.
Yet despite this, it cannot be said that the films messages are delivered with nuance and subtlety.
De Palmas direction is equally schizophrenic.
Stones script also lacks the self-aggrandising controversy and stylistic excesses he can sometimes be synonymous with.
The films imperfections aside,Scarfaceis still something of a tour-de-force even now.
Despite his actions, Pacinos Montana is endlessly watchable.
Scarfaces fans and detractors are already firmly entrenched in their respective camps.
For this reviewer, the latter applies.Scarfaceis fantastically and ebulliently acted, irresistibly scripted and beautifully shot.
Sometimes films are not as good as history remembers them out to be.
Sometime, however, they actually are.
These features benefit from talking heads including Pacino, who is noticeably absent from the Blu-ray-exclusive documentary.
No commentary is included, however, which is quite disappointing.
Film:Disc:
you might rent or buyScarfaceatBlockbuster.co.uk.
Rating:
2 out of 5
