Scarface (1983 film)

"Say hello to my little friend!" redirects here. For other uses, see say hello to my little friend.

Scarface
Theatrical release poster
Directed byBrian De Palma
Screenplay byOliver Stone
Based onScarface
by Armitage Trail
Scarface[a]
by W.R. Burnett
Ben Hecht
John Lee Mahin
Seton I. Miller
Produced byMartin Bregman
StarringAl Pacino
CinematographyJohn A. Alonzo
Edited by
Music byGiorgio Moroder
Production
company
Distributed byUniversal Pictures[1]
Release dates
  • December 1, 1983 (1983-12-01) (New York City premiere)
  • December 9, 1983 (1983-12-09) (United States)
Running time
170 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$23.5–37 million[2][3][4]
Box office$66 million[5]

Scarface is a 1983 American crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma, written by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino.[6] It is a remake of the 1932 film,[7][8][9] in turn based on the novel first published in 1930 by Armitage Trail.[7][10][9] It tells the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Pacino), who arrives penniless in Miami during the Mariel boatlift and becomes a powerful drug lord. The film co-stars Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, Míriam Colón and F. Murray Abraham.[6]

Pacino became interested in a remake of the 1932 version after seeing it, and he and producer Martin Bregman began to develop the feature project. Sidney Lumet was initially hired to direct the film but was replaced by De Palma, who hired Stone to write the script. De Palma dedicated this version of Scarface to the memories of Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht, the director and screenwriter, respectively, of the original film.[11] Filming took place from November 1982 to May 1983, in Los Angeles and Miami. The film's soundtrack is composed by Giorgio Moroder.

Scarface premiered in New York City on December 1, 1983, and was released on December 9 by Universal Pictures. The film grossed $45 million at the domestic box office and $66 million worldwide. Initial critical response was negative due to its excessive violence, profanity and graphic drug usage. Some Cuban expatriates in Miami objected to the film's portrayal of Cubans as criminals and drug traffickers. In the years that followed, some critics have reappraised it, considering it to be one of the greatest gangster films ever made.[12] Screenwriters and directors such as Martin Scorsese have praised the film, and it has been referenced extensively in pop culture, especially in hip hop culture/gangsta rap,[13][14] as well as comic books, television programs and video games. The film is regarded as a cult classic.[15][16]


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

  1. ^ a b "Scarface (1983)". AFI Catalog of Feature Films. Archived from the original on July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  2. ^ Harmetz, Aljean (October 30, 1983). "MOVIE 'SCARFACE' RECEIVES X RATING". The New York Times. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved April 13, 2020.
  3. ^ "Inside 'Scarface's' Sometimes Rocky Road to Becoming a Classic". Variety. December 7, 2018. Archived from the original on December 7, 2018. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  4. ^ Bailey, Jason (April 20, 2018). "Revisiting the Controversy Surrounding Scarface". Vulture. Archived from the original on June 3, 2020. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
  5. ^ "Scarface (1983)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Archived from the original on May 18, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2019.
  6. ^ a b "Scarface (1983)". Turner Classic Movies. Atlanta: Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner). Archived from the original on January 18, 2017. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
  7. ^ a b "Scarface". Writers Guild of America West. September 1, 1983. Retrieved March 28, 2022.
  8. ^ Menta, Anna (May 14, 2020). "The Original 'Scarface' Isn't From 1983—It's From 1932, And You Can Watch It Online". Decider. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  9. ^ a b Knight, Rich (November 4, 2021). "5 Remakes That Are Arguably Superior To The Original, Including Scarface". Cinema Blend. Archived from the original on November 7, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  10. ^ Menta, Anna (May 14, 2020). "The Original 'Scarface' Isn't From 1983—It's From 1932, And You Can Watch It Online". Decider. Archived from the original on November 20, 2021. Retrieved November 20, 2021.
  11. ^ Martin 1985, p. xii.
  12. ^ Sharp, Nathan (May 29, 2021). "10 Best Gangster Movies, According to American Film Institute". screenrant.com. Retrieved August 16, 2021.
  13. ^ "Why the hip-hop community still worships 'Scarface'". August 26, 2011. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  14. ^ "Scarface's impact on hip-hop culture". April 26, 2017. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  15. ^ "Why Scarface is one of the top 10 cult movies". Entertainment Weekly. May 20, 2003. Archived from the original on October 13, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.
  16. ^ GROBEL, LAWRENCE (May 9, 2011). "Reflections On Scarface". Empire. Archived from the original on September 17, 2017. Retrieved October 13, 2017.