So I went to HMV to buy the latest Dream Theater album, and I see this Scarface package. Turns out that it’s the full screen anniversary edition package that includes extra documentaries, eight lobby cards, DefJam’s “Origins of a Hip-Hop Classic”, and other assorted material. The only problem with the box set is the ENTIRE FUCKING BOXSET ITSELF.
The box says that one of the bonuses of the anniversary edition is that it includes the original 1932 Scarface that “inspired” the 1983 version. However, in an interview with Oliver Stone about his writing of the script, he actually states that he even though he’ll probably lose respect as a director for saying such a thing, he didn’t like the original.
Aside from this, there’s a DefJam documentary about how Scarface has influenced and inspired so many hip-hop artists. Yet what DePalma and Bregman were going for was a movie with an anti-crime message, made rather obvious by the EVENTUAL DEATH OF SCARFACE. The message was misunderstood when the movie was first released, when they had to go to court over the rating, and the message is still being misunderstood, as shown through the lyrics of rap musicians. After the producers of Scarface brought psychology reports as evidence that the movie wasn’t glorifying crime, the idiot censors had to shut up and give it a simple R rating. And now there are tons of rappers using all these Scarface quotes samples in their songs (Big Pun — Leatherface, DJ Clue — Cops and Robbers, etc.), TOTALLY MISSING THE POINT, and box markets this as a feature.
And what else comes with the box set? A money clip that’s probably as cheap as George Costanza, with Tony’s initials engraved on them. My god, how cool would someone look if they’re at a poker game with their friends and they pull out a money clip that doesn’t even have their own fucking initials on it. I’m sure everyone would look up to someone trying to imitate a greedy, confused, drug-addicted, friend-murdering, coke-head who eventually goes batshit insane and kills himself. Maybe some people just identify with Tony Montana, a peasant who fails to learn any class on his way to the top and self-professed gutter trash.
This box set should never have been released. The original DVD was fine. I can understand people trying to make more money out of things, but not staying true to the what the director and producers were trying to do is just too sleazy.
<3 Dreamtheater and Scarface…
I’d totally rock the money clip.
Are you saying that inspiration shouldn’t be subject to interpretation?
Good point.
For something with an equivocal message, such as Tool’s Stinkfist, or Lennon’s Farewell Angelina, I can understand that inspiration be subject to interpretation. With something much more concrete, which is what I perceive Scarface to be, I think it’s a little silly to be taking the message in the opposite direction. It’s like reading Frost’s The Tuft of Flowers with the line “Men work together…whether they work together or apart” and interpreting it as men being born as competitors.