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STUDIO: Universal Studios
MSRP: $29.98
RATED: R
RUNNING TIME: 170 minutes
SPECIAL FEATURES:
• SCARFACE SCOREBOARD: Watch Scarface like never before…keep track of the number of times the "F" word is used and the number of bullets fired.
• DELETED SCENES: Over 20 minutes of deleted scenes
• MAKING OF SCARFACE: THE VIDEO GAME: Immerse yourself in the world of Scarface in this behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the video game.
• THE WORLD OF TONY MONTANA: Experience the decadent world of the ultimate gangster in this all-new feature. Revel in Tony’s luxurious and extravagant life in the underworld.
• SCARFACE: THE REBIRTH: Actor Al Pacino, director Brian De Palma, producer Martin Bregman, and screenwriter Oliver Stone examine the history of Scarface, from the original 1932 classic to shooting the script.
• SCARFACE: CREATING: A fascinating look at the controversial making of Scarface and the triumphs and struggles experienced by its filmmakers, including the filming of the unforgettable chainsaw scene, location changes, the producer’s battles to gain an "R" rating and more.
• SCARFACE: ACTING: Al Pacino and other cast members offer insider stories and revealing insights into how these legendary characters were created.
• SCARFACE: TV VERSION MONTAGE: A revealing and hilarious montage of film clips that compare and contrast the theatrical release to the network version of Scarface.
The Pitch
DVD Exec #1: “So what can we do to promote the new Scarface: The World Is Yours PS2 game?”
DVD Exec #2: “Let’s release the movie in a special edition”
DVD Exec #1: “Did that a couple of years ago.”
DVD Exec #2: “Yeah, and…?”
DVD Exec #1: “Oh, right…”
Got smack?
The Humans
Al Pacino, Steven Bauer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michelle Pfeiffer, Robert Loggia, F. Murray Abraham.
"Jou talkin’ to me? Jou talkin’ to me? Jou talkin’ to me? Then who the hell else are jou talking… jou talking to me? Well I’m the only one here. Who the fuck do jou think jou’re talking to?"
The Nutshell
Cuban refugee Antonio “Tony” Montana comes to Miami and quickly climbs the drug world to become its ruthless master. Living by the credo, “First you get the money, then you get the power, then you get the women,” Tony lives a life of lavish indulgence and brutal reality as he’s beset on all sides by both the law and other drug lords who want to take his criminal empire apart either for society or for themselves. Swirling deeper and deeper into a world of paranoia, decadence, murder and betrayal, Tony slips ever closer towards a fateful and bloody end in the style of a true gangster.
"Calgon, take me da fuck away, jou piece of shit, cockaroach…"
The Lowdown / The Package
This is going to be fairly brief. First of all, you certainly don’t need me to tell you that this is not only an iconic gangster film, but an iconic film period. People from all walks of life love this movie, from Italians to Hispanics to Joe Wonderbread and the Homies, especially rappers. Tony Montana is a mythical cinematic figure and possibly regarded as Pacino’s most memorable outside of Corleone. We know that Michelle Pfeiffer cut her acting teeth in this movie and if it’s not De Palma’s best film (my pick is Untouchables), it’s top two or three. This review isn’t about the film. It’s about the bullshit being shoveled to us by the studio, in this case, Universal.
"See, first jou get the money, then jou get the power, then jou get the royalties on the TV and video rights and the DVD double dip, then jou get the women…"
Scarface came out in 1983, so consequently, Universal rightfully put out a lavish 20th Anniversary Edition three years ago. If you check out Amazon, you’ll see that that particular version offered the following:
- Available Subtitles: English, Spanish, French
- Available Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (DTS 5.1 ES)
- The Rebirth of Scarface (10 mins.)
- Acting Scarface (15 mins.)
- Creating Scarface (30 mins.)
- Scarface: The TV Version – a look at the two versions (3 mins)
- Deleted scenes (22 mins.)
- Def Jam presents The Origins of a Gangsta’ (30 mins)
"This is how jou keep it gangsta, homies…"
Certainly a worthy addition to anyone’s DVD shelf. Now if you look at this Platinum Edition, it’s just as loaded:
- SCARFACE SCOREBOARD: Watch Scarface like never before…keep track of the number of times the "F" word is used and the number of bullets fired.
- DELETED SCENES: Over 20 minutes of deleted scenes
- MAKING OF SCARFACE: THE VIDEO GAME: Immerse yourself in the world of Scarface in this behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the video game.
THE WORLD OF TONY MONTANA: Experience the decadent world of the
ultimate gangster in this all-new feature. Revel in Tony’s luxurious
and extravagant life in the underworld.
"F., jou’re a Syrian-Italian, and I’m an Italian, yet we’re both here talkin’ with Cooban accents."
"Jeah, is dis a great country or what, chico?"
SCARFACE:
THE REBIRTH: Actor Al Pacino, director Brian De Palma, producer Martin
Bregman, and screenwriter Oliver Stone examine the history of Scarface,
from the original 1932 classic to shooting the script.
SCARFACE: CREATING: A fascinating look at the controversial making of Scarface
and the triumphs and struggles experienced by its filmmakers, including
the filming of the unforgettable chainsaw scene, location changes, the
producer’s battles to gain an "R" rating and more.- SCARFACE:
ACTING: Al Pacino and other cast members offer insider stories and
revealing insights into how these legendary characters were created. - SCARFACE:
TV VERSION MONTAGE: A revealing and hilarious montage of film clips
that compare and contrast the theatrical release to the network version
of Scarface.
Nice to see Dave Davis keeping busy since he retired from CHUD…
There’s definitely a lot of good shit here for even a casual movie fan. For true Scarface fans, this is a goldmine. But the problem is is that a lot of it is repeated material, including the Acting, Rebirth and Creating features. However, the film in this version is does have a new audio track available in both Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1. Now I don’t happen to have DTS capability, but I’ll take their word that the “bigger guns, bigger explosions and bigger sound (taken straight from the back of the slipcover box)” is going to pretty much knock you on your ass. There are other special features, but the ones that probably come to mind are The World of Tony Montana and Scarface Scorecard features, the first of which is a 12-minute short about how the drug situation in Miami in the early ‘80s spurred the making of the film and how that world worked; the second of which is a counter to check on the number of times the F-bomb is dropped during the flick.
"So I said to that fuckin’ puerco, Amadeus: ‘Jou think jou’re hot shit? I’ll show jou some hot shit!’ Then I pulled out my gat and ventilated that bendajo five times in his fuckin’ cabeza…"
Then of course, we come to the reason that this Platinum Edition has come into being in the first place: cross promotion for the Scarface: The World is Yours video game through the special: The Making of Scarface: The World Is Yours. This is a fairly good featurette. But it’s no replacement for a featurette left off this edition that was on the 20th Anniversary Edition, Def Jam presents The Origins of a Gangsta, which at 30 minutes, was a pretty good look into how Tony Montana has influenced the hip hop world and how you can’t be a real G without a Scarface poster in your crib and a copy of the movie for your $100,000 entertainment center. So in reality, if you don’t have a copy of Scarface, then pick this one up and enjoy it. But if you have the 20th Anniversary set, or any other good copy of it on disc, then don’t bother with this cross-promo bullshit edition. Send a message that you’re not a double dip retard and to paraphrase ole Tony, tell those cockroaches to keep their fuckin’ Platinum Edition, chico.
Don’t got Scarface: 8.7 out of 10