4K Ultra HD Review – Scarface: Ultimate Collector’s Edition (1983)

      Scarface, 1983.

      Directed by Brian De Palma.

      Featuring Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio.

      SYNOPSIS:

      Are you interested in an Amazon-exclusive Ultimate Collector’s Edition of Scarface? Here it is! This 2019 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray edition comes in a stylish Steelbook case, packaged in a large box that includes a metal poster and a certificate of authenticity. It makes for the ideal holiday gift for any fan of Brian De Palma.

      As we enjoy the Golden Age of Home Video, where technology maximizes film resolution to deliver an almost impeccable home theater experience, what's the next step? Naturally, collector's editions!

      I can't fault the studios for pursuing this approach; if it’s what audiences desire, why not provide it? In the case of Brian De Palma’s iconic 1983 film Scarface, Universal Studios has launched an Amazon-exclusive Ultimate Collector's Edition just in time for the holidays.

      First, let's discuss the film itself, often regarded as the most meme-worthy and quotable among De Palma's works. Al Pacino plays the main character, the fictional Cuban immigrant Tony Montana, who arrives in Miami in the early '80s and quickly ascends to become one of America’s most notorious drug lords.

      This film is a remake of the 1932 movie of the same name, directed by Howard Hawks and starring Paul Muni as Italian immigrant Antonio “Tony” Camonte, who also climbs the ranks of organized crime in Chicago. De Palma wisely set the story in early '80s Miami, a true hotspot for drug trafficking at the time. (The 1932 version was included on a DVD in the 2011 release of Scarface, but it's absent from this set.)

      Upon arriving during the 1980 Mariel boatlift, Tony and his friends — Manny Ribera (Steven Bauer), Angel (Pepe Serna), and Chi-Chi (Angel Salazar) — receive green cards from the local drug lord, Frank Lopez, in return for killing one of Fidel Castro’s former associates. The group soon tires of their jobs as dishwashers and begins to infiltrate the local criminal underworld.

      Tony carves out his own path, which displeases Frank, who understandably becomes more furious when Tony takes an interest in Frank's wife, Elvira (Michelle Pfeiffer, who was relatively unknown before this role). Events unfold, leading to Tony introducing his enemies to his “little friend” amidst a barrage of gunfire. I doubt I’m revealing too much when I say the ending bears the weight of a Greek tragedy (and I mean that positively).

      This Ultimate Collector’s Edition arrives in an oversized box that houses a Steelbook with 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray discs, a digital copy code, a metal poster with a magnetic mount, and a numbered certificate of authenticity. The discs are identical to those in the 4K Ultra HD edition released in 2019, showcasing a stunning remaster of the film.

      The sole extra feature on the 4K disc is the 27-minute Scarface: 35th Anniversary Reunion, capturing a 2018 discussion with De Palma, Pacino, Pfeiffer, and Bauer at the Beacon Theater in New York City.

      The remaining bonus material is found on the Blu-ray disc, which I believe contains the same remaster as the 4K disc. The extras on the high-definition disc include:

      • The Scarface Phenomenon (39 minutes): While it overlaps with the reunion chat, this retrospective offers insights into the film's creation, which may seem tame today but was quite shocking in 1983.

      • The World of Tony Montana (12 minutes): An exploration of the intense cocaine trade in Miami during the early '80s.

      • The Creating (30 minutes): Focused on the film’s development process.

      • The Rebirth (10 minutes): A comparison of Hawks’ film with De Palma’s remake.

      • The Acting (15 minutes): Producer Martin Bregman joins De Palma and Pacino to discuss the performances of the cast.

      • Scarface: The TV Version (3 minutes): A humorous look at the film's sanitization for television broadcasts.

      • The Making of Scarface: The World Is Yours (12 minutes): An overview of the 2006 video game, which I haven’t played.

      More than 22 minutes of deleted scenes complete the collection.

      Flickering Myth Rating - Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

      Brad Cook