** “Scarface” the classic? **

It all starts with the movie itself. Tony Montana (Pacino) is a ruthless Cuban immigrant who commits murder in exchange for a United States Green Card. He works his way up in the crime world, becoming the dominating drug presence in Miami, specializing in the cocaine.
“ Scarface” is essentially a glorified story of morals and decency gone askew, shown through Montana’s exhilarating rise to and fall from power. In his brutal quest for wealth, he is willing to turn his back on absolutely anyone. Time and time again, he is shown as an isolated man whose desire to conquer the world strips him of his soul.

While I contend it is a bit too self-indulgent and occasionally unfocused to be considered a classic, I agree with almost everyone that it is engaging. The shocking violence in the film, which is all perfectly appropriate given Montana’s motivations and environment, and the intensity of his arrogance make “Scarface” memorable.

And at some level, it is a work of individual brilliance. Pacino delivers one of the most daring and audacious performances in movie history, and in the process makes Montana’s inexplicably insane lifestyle plausible. In Montana, Pacino creates a character who is deplorable, but always riveting.

** The story behind the surprising classic **

While this special DVD package may seem short on quantity, it is packed with features of tremendous quality.

The second disc is comprised of two menus, the first featuring three vignettes titled “The Rebirth,” “Acting” and “Directing.” Each of these are invaluable compliments to the digitally-enhanced film. In “The Rebirth,” producer Martin Bregman, De Palma and writer Oliver Stone discuss the 1932 “Scarface,” which motivated each of them to pursue this project, and how exactly the 1983 team came together. Stone discusses his visits to Miami and his experiences with the city’s drug and crime element – pivotal contributions to the depictions of drugs and violence in the film itself.

In “Acting,” much time is spent on Al Pacino and how he created the egomaniacal and explosive Tony Montana. The short explores how he mimicked Cuban language and gestures, and how he prepared himself for the climactic gunfight that finds Montana high on cocaine. Montana is revealed as one of cinema’s most distinguished characters, with an influence equal to that of Marlon Brando’s early work.

In “Creating,” the film’s lush cinematography, elaborate sets and creative beginning and ending sequences are explored, as well as the battle over ratings and how this extraordinarily violent film won a major release.

Another feature, “Def Jam Presents: Origins of a Hip-Hop Classic,” details the influence this movie had with modern hip-hop artists, and chronicles the impact of this 1983 film in creating the popular images and dialogue of 2003 America.

The second disc also features twenty-two minutes in deleted scenes, a brief note concerning the version of “Scarface” that aired on network TV and biographies of the filmmakers involved.

It is the first three vignettes, however, that stand apart on these discs. So many features on DVDs only broadly outline what a movie is and how it came to be – serving more as summary than any sort of analysis. Here, the filmmakers themselves delve deeply into the origins of “Scarface,” discussing the important decisions that shaped the film, the hardships they faced, the uncertainties they overcame and their pride surrounding a work that, after all these years, is receiving the acclaim they always felt it deserved.

The DVD:
The Movie: