Al Pacino Has Some Interesting Thoughts About the ‘Scarface’ Remake
It’s official, nearly 40 years after Al Pacino stepped into the iconic role in Brian DePalma’s Scarface, the legendary story of the ex-convict turned gangster is getting a 21st-century remake.
DePalma’s 1983 film written by Oliver Stone has become cult classic over the years. Pacino starred as Tony Montana, a Cuban immigrant who becomes a powerful drug lord and slowly loses his mind in the process. Michelle Pfeiffer is also known for her iconic role as Tony’s wife, Elvira.
Now that the film is being reimagined for a new audience, fans are curious about Pacino’s thoughts on someone else stepping into the role.
‘Scarface’ is still a classic film
The 1983 film depicted Tony Montana as a vicious murderer who earned his green card in the United States after murdering a Cuban official. Determined to rise to the top of the drug game, Tony murders everyone who stands his way.
However, as he rises up through the ranks, his own ego and drug-fueled paranoia cause him to spiral out of control. Though the film is revered now, and it even made $66 million worldwide, critics had a lot to say about it when it first debuted in theaters.
People were not pleased about Pacino, an Italian American depicting a Cuban. There were also major concerns about the film’s excessive violence, profanity, and graphic drug usage. With the remake, we’re sure we’re going to get a different perspective of Tony Montana.
Inside the ‘Scarface’ remake
For the new film, Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino will be stepping behind the camera. “The new pic is a reimagining of the core immigrant story told in both the 1932 and 1983 films and will be set in Los Angeles,” Variety is reporting.
In the previous films, DePalma’s 1983 film and in the 1932 film, Tony took over Miami and Chicago respectively. LA in the 21st century will give the film a totally new viewpoint.
There is no word on casting just yet, but we do know that Guadagnino will be using a version of the script written by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen, so it will certainly be eclectic.
Al Pacino supports the ‘Scarface’ remake
Since Pacino’s 1983 film was a remake in and of itself, The Godfather actor has no problem with this new take on the story. Back in 2015, when whispers about a new version of Scarface were first being entertained, Pacino called it “interesting.”
“It’s part of what we do,” he told The Hollywood Reporter. “We remake things. I may remake a movie I saw recently. I can’t say what it is. It’s about 50 years old.”
The original Scarface was made in 1932 and it was directed by Howard Hawks and Richard Rosson. At its core, the film is about the American Dream and if it is or isn’t achievable for immigrants.
Considering our current political climate and the evolution of the drug trade, we think this new Scarface film will add something very special to the history of American cinema. Either way, this third remake has certainly been a long time coming.
