Title: Scarface
Film Origin
Scarface was made in 1983 by Brian De Palma, but it was actually a remake of Scarface that was made in 1932. The movie started after the main actor, Al Pacino, saw the 1932 version of the film and saw potential in a remake. Both films were based on the novel Scarface, which was released in 1929. The novel was inspired by the life of Al Capone.
Summary of the film
The film tells the story of Tony Mo¬ntana, a Cuban refugee turned a top drug lord of Florida. When he first comes to America after fleeing Cuba, Montana works for Miami’s drug lord Robert Loggia. On his way to the top, Montana was fueled by money and power, eventually becoming the target for other drug lords to take him off his throne. As he continued
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Throughout the film, Montana does have a physical scar on his face, but it does not have significant value for the storyline. Scarface could also mean the physical hustle of a gangster, as shown with the actions of Montana. Historically, Scarface has been defined as a “gangster who terrorized” cities, thus matching with the actions of Montana and his takeover of leading Miami’s crime scene.
Character Development
The development of Tony Montana throughout the film is an interesting one, because it was the development of the character’s personality rather than his actual behavior. For example, in the opening scene Tony is interrogated by United States officials. His behavior and demeanor was cocky, relaxed, and confident. This scene and the way Tony acted showcased his personality trails right away, because they maintained that consistency throughout the film. The key development with Montana was how the addiction of power and the integrity of being the best affected this behavior. Due to that drive for success he was acting psychotic, which eventually lead to his
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Instead, he stayed simple and focused on his subjects throughout the film. The use of both regular and extreme close-ups as well as medium shots provided the viewer with the authenticity of feeling the character’s emotions. By using these techniques, it was tough to pay attention to the background of the film because of the focus for the subjects. This worked because De Parma was able to capture the feeling of the background and setting through lighting. In the final scene, De Palma uses a bird’s eye view after Tony is killed to emphasized on the actions that just took place. This use of the bird’s eye technique not only provided more emotion in Tony dying, but also it took a step back to understand the wealth Tony had achieved in order for his death to be so extravagant.
Signatures of the Director
Director Brian De Palma is no stranger to violence and chaos, as he also directed films such as Mission: Impossible, The Untouchables, and Carlito’s Way. De Palma is best known for making the viewer feel like they are actually in the shot, especially in his films that involve high crime and drama Besides violence, De Palma is also known for the use of slow-motion and split-screen in his films.
Possible cultural effects of the