MovieChat Forums > Scarface (1983) Discussion > Why so much love for this pile of crap?

Why so much love for this pile of crap?

posted 11 years ago by eneman23
64 replies | jump to latest

I hate hate hate this movie with as much hate as I have for anything. People worship this movie as if it's a brilliant piece of film making. Two and a half hours of overacting and ridiculous scene after ridiculous scene. I saw it once and will never ever watch it again. And the idolization of Pacino's character is really stupid. Yeah let me get a tattoo of a murdering, lowlife drug dealer and addict because I'm inspired by his rise to the top. Please.A career low for everyone involved in this pile of crap. Thank You.

[–] leniese92 11 years ago

I used to not very much like this movie when I was a kid. But the older I got, the more I have grown to really like this film (and I'm not even a big fan of crime drama movies). The acting is actually a lot better than most of the *beep* that gets released nowadays and everything about this film is big. The cinematography is really nice, I love Al Pacino's facial expressions so much in most of the dramatic scenes, and I really do understand why people love it so much. On a side not, I just feel this movie really captures the culture of the 80s (at least the culture of crime and drugs).

As far as Al Pacino's role being idolized, I never looked at Tony as a man to idolize. Everything about this movie is tragic. His mother not respecting him and rightfully so, his tragic relationship between him and his sister, and of course the ending. I feel the audience is meant to take the movie as a cautionary tale. Now if someone idolizes Tony after this movie, that's on them.

I understand why someone wouldn't like this movie (I still don't get why so many people liked Avatar or Gladiator) but, calling it crap seems like an unfair judgment. Mostly because I feel like this movie is extremely influential in film making and every time I watch it, I am amazed with how much time people probably put into this movie.

[–] Tracey73 10 years ago

Leniese, great post. I completely agree. When this first came out in the early 80's, I didn't appreciate it (though I was pretty young then lol). Now that I'm 41, I realized how good it was. It captures that time period perfectly.

One more thing - Al's character was brutal. He was a good enough actor to make me actually pity him towards the end. Now that's excellent acting abilities IMO.

The beauty is I'm learning how to face my beast ~ Blue October

[–] PopperTheKungFu-Dragon 9 years ago

As far as Al Pacino's role being idolized, I never looked at Tony as a man to idolize. Everything about this movie is tragic. His mother not respecting him and rightfully so, his tragic relationship between him and his sister, and of course the ending. I feel the audience is meant to take the movie as a cautionary tale. Now if someone idolizes Tony after this movie, that's on them.

Totally agree with this. You can admire Tony's determination, but not the way his life plays out or the man he is.

Very good. But brick not hit back!

[–] Established1981 9 years ago

For me Scarface is a study into the ruthless nature of ALL mankind - which is encouraged and natured by the United States of America.

The "bad guy" scene illustates this implicitly - you want a Tony Montana, you need a Tony Montana to make our own pathetic pursuits of wealth and money seem better, safe and OK.

I think people who perhaps don't have a user account on IMDB might idolise Montana because he is closer to their reality than any of us will ever be.

[–] gd5150 11 years ago

I understand why losers of society have come to idolize the main character and the movie. But this is a really cheesy movie in the classic tradition of Brian De Palma. The cinematography is atrocious. It looks like I'm watching "chips" not a big budget motion picture. People who credit this movie with being well produced know nothing about motion picture production.

[–] eneman23 11 years ago

Amen.

[–] MultiSanity 11 years ago

I felt a similar way about the cinematography, but I'm not versed well enough to know if this is how movies looked during the early 80s so I tried taking it with a grain of salt.

I'm not sure personally how I feel about the movie, there were certainly a number of elements about it that were problematic and overly over dramatic however, as someone mentioned I honestly feel flaws and all it really did capture the culture and drug ordeal at that time, but it could have easily been a tighter film in regards to plot, action and even characters/actors.

[–] Mandingo609 11 years ago

I agree with the losers part. But, if you think they're bad, you should check out the sister banging white trash over on the Breaking Bad IMDB Page. They're having a virtual circle jerk over there.

[–] canada22 9 years ago

I loved the cinematography. The colors popped on screen. Miami Vice, a successful movie, was inspired by Scarface. The cinematography of this movie is a character of itself. We all have different tastes.

[–] glumberjack 9 years ago

I've seen people write negative things about Scarface and De Palma before and I can understand a lot of the criticisms even if I don't agree with them but... bad cinematography? Are you kidding? De Palma and his DPs (in this case John A. Alonzo) are absolute wizards when it comes to setting up and carrying out shots, blocking, general composition, etc. Scarface is a visual feast.

[–] StarWarsMoviesSuck 11 years ago

I hated it as a teenager but now I really like it.. the Moroder theme is amazing, the atmosphere's one of the few decent captures of 1980s miami, pacino's great, and the ending is badass

[–] leon123 11 years ago

It's a gangster movie. As we've moved away from the 1980s it is more and more a satirical commentary on the excesses of the 1980s. Personally, I think it would have been considered a bigger classic if Sidney Lumet had been allowed to direct his original vision which would have tied it into the CIA's drug dealing activities in South America and Miami to bring down communism. But Marty Bregman wouldn't have it, and so what remains is a shell of what could have been. I love Pacino and Bauer's acting though, over the top as it might be. But yes, it is no Godfather.

[–] residentevil6901 11 years ago

I remember hating it when I first saw it in the 80's and didn't watch it for about 15 to 20 years later, when I finally watched it again I took a bit more liking to it. If I had to say why it's was the simple fact that it's a story about a man's rise to power doing something illegal which comes to an end in a pretty insane way (scene) and I like to see him lose it all in the end. Watching it makes me glad I didn't choose to live some life of crime, even though it might be some fun to live that reckless and crazy it's never a good life in the end.

[–] bayardhiler 11 years ago

I can understand why some people wouldn't like this movie. I guess one reason why I like it is because I've always had a fasciation with crime, the underworld, outlaws, gangsters, etc. and this presented a real no holds barred look at that world and the price one pays upon entering it. As for Pacino overacting, yeah I can see your point about that. But in a way, it really suited the character because he was supposed to be a bigger than life, arrogant son of a bitch who wanted to be on top of the world only to lose it all in the end. Still everybody has their likes and dislikes and in the end, to each his own.

[–] alex239-545-53158 11 years ago

The visual style is a huge part of the appeal. Most gangster/crime films go down the noir route, all dark smoky visuals and low voices. Scarface goes all out with sunshine, bright colors, total excess. Has a very hedonistic quality which people like.

[–] LuxAeterna84 11 years ago

This has to be the most overrated movie of all time. The fact that ghetto low-lifes worship this waste of celluloid is beyond me. Shows how stupid they are. Everything about this movie was terrible- the writing, the horrid acting, the ridiculous scenes. If someone says to me that this was a great movie I instantly think they're an @55 hole

[–] TheCommenteer 9 years ago

Don't worry, I'm sure plenty of people are judging you similarly for such a stupid statement. Difference is their views are based on a valid reflection of your personality, whereas yours is absurd.