Monday, May 4, 2009

Scarface (the Pacino one)

I'll keep this one kinda short.

For those of you unfamiliar with the story, Scarface is about Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant that rises through the ranks of Miami's cocaine cartel. You've assuredly seen spoofs of the famous "say hello to my little friend" scene, as it still pops up in movies today. Before I watched this film, that scene was all I knew about it. I think maybe I should've kept it that way.

Some parts of Scarface I enjoyed, such as Brian De Palma's frequent references to false paradise in his direction. Montana and his friend came to America to live what they considered to be the good life, filled with money, power, and women. Yet even as Tony gains all of these things, De Palma would show a completely contradictory image. As Tony sits in a giant bubble bath surrounded by luxury, the camera pulls out to make him seem lonely and still completely devoid of what he is looking for. There is one scene where we are shown a beautiful tropical paradise: sand, sun, palm trees, the works. Then, the camera begins to move and we discover it was a billboard we were looking at, and we are now being shown Tony and his friend in a cramped kitchen at a dirty food stand. Another case of this false paradise is a scene where Tony kills a certain character (I won't say who because I don't want to spoil anything) in that character's office. As the character begs for his life, he walks over to Tony and gets on his hands and knees in front of Tony. Right behind the two characters is a wallpaper that once again shows that tropical getaway, this time at sunset. This sunset could also mean that the character being killed is losing his own paradise, but I believe the entire thing is applying to Tony's fake one.

I was also very down the middle with Al Pacino's performance. There were moments when I thought Pacino was spot on, but there were many other moments when I was cringing at his over-acting. I could see why his performance has been iconic because it certainly is memorable. I just don't know if I am going to remember it for the right reasons. I mostly just recall him shouting and cursing in a thick accent that was pretty hard to decipher sometimes. I'm just not seeing the "icon" in him.

So overall I'd give Scarface a "meh" rating. I don't feel worse having seen it, but I also don't feel better. It's almost like it never happened.

4 comments:

  1. I seem to have a very different opinion about this movie than you do. I think Pacino when you look at him in the Godfather and when you look at him in Scarface, the difference is just unrecognizable. This shows his diversity as an actor. (Not such a fan of most of his many other works, but thats not the point) Tony Montana was supposed to be everything Pacino played him as. The point of the movie was that the rise to the top can be quick but your reign will be just as short. You can't be a cowboy and be in charge, they don't last in the business, and Montana was certainly a hot-head.

    The "icon" in him came from his personality, by out of sheer force of will he was able to force himself from the bottom to the very top. He by no means is a graceful character, but he wouldn't have been able to accomplish what he did if he was a more timid guy like Manny. His greatest strength was also his greatest weakness.

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  2. You make good points, but I'm still reluctant to agree. I just found that more often than not, I was irked by what I considered to be over-acting. The fact that Tony Montana is an iconic character is a bit unsettling, given the fact that he is apparently a ruthless, power-hungry animal. The performance itself could be considered iconic, but I just found it to be loud and vulgar.

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  3. "I cringed at his over-acting." Well said, Mayor Nick, as always, or, to quote the monstrosity that Pacino has become in his last 10 films, "Hooo-Haaaa!"

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  4. Since I always tell the truth even when I lie, I can proclaim this movie is masterpiece without fear of contradiction.
    On a more serious note I am an excessive guy. I enjoy the excessive violence and language teeming in Scarface. Although this ending was also a letdown I still enjoy watching it. Say good night to the bad guy.

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