Scarface

Upon the release of Scarface’s 1932 predecessor, a gangster film based loosely around Al Capone, a sub-title was slapped on it by hesitant producers: ‘The Shame of a Nation’. However, no such censoring was evident when a remake was concocted, with the bombastic combination of director Brian De Palma and writer Oliver Stone. Moving the action from jazz-age Chicago to contemporary Florida, the Scarface of the title is Tony Montana - a Cuban refugee whose rise through the echelons of 1980s drug mobs is tracked in detail to its claustrophobic conclusion. Al Pacino is still remembered as Montana, for his mannerisms and over-the-top machine gun wielding, and the film is grand enough to support this performance.

Max King

Scarface is no film for the faint hearted but for any fan of gangster films it is an absolute must-see. Al Pacino stars in one of his most famous roles as the eponymous hero, a Cuban refugee who arrives in Miami to be picked up by drug lord Frank Lopez (Robert Loggia). Lopez offers Tony (Pacino) and his friends a green card in exchange for an assassination. However, the deal falls through at the last minute leading to one of the deaths of Tony’s friends. Tony and his best friend Manny take matters into their own hands and deliver the drugs and money back to Lopez who then decides to hire them as part of his gang. However, tensions continue to run high as Tony opens pursues Lopez’s wife (played by Michelle Pfeiffer) whilst his best friend Manny pursues Tony’s younger sister Gina. Drug infused violence soon ensues as Lopez betrays Tony and his friends; a betrayal which costs him his life. Tony takes over the drug business, sinking heavily into the world of drugs, women and violence and becoming increasingly paranoid and aggressive. Yet more conflict arises between Tony and the people around him causing more blood to be spilt, bullets to be fired and lives to be lost. So get ready to hear those famous words “say hello to my little friend” and watch the brilliance of the movie legend that is Scarface.

Lauren Howard