Scarface
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Synopsis
Blazing across the screen in a spray of bullets, the gangster-film sensation Scarface helped set the standard for the genre for decades to come. Swaggering, scary, and unexpectedly charming, Paul Muni gives an iconic portrayal of criminal sociopathy as Tony Camonte, the ruthless, machine-gun-toting mobster who rises through the ranks of a bootlegging empire atop an ever-increasing body count, but whose possessive relationship with his wild-child sister (Ann Dvorak) threatens to be his undoing. With rat-a-tat command of editing and dialogue, and his trademark panache, director Howard Hawks creates an unstoppable sense of dynamism while pushing on-screen violence to new heights of brutality.
Picture 7/10
Howard Hawks’ Scarface arrives on 4K UHD from The Criterion Collection, presented in the aspect ratio of 1.35:1 on a triple-layer disc with a 10-bit SDR 2160p/24hz ultra high-definition encode. The release also includes a standard dual-layer Blu-ray featuring a 1080p presentation of the film alongside all of the special features.
The 4K results are ultimately solid but are hindered by the limitations of the source materials. The restoration is derived from a scan of the 35mm duplicate negative, as the original negative appears to no longer exist. While the grayscale and contrast are impressively handled, the image is inherently soft, with a slightly fuzzy quality around the edges. This softness restricts finer details and textures from fully coming through. Despite these drawbacks, the restoration itself has been meticulous, with only minor marks and scratches remaining.
The digital encode performs admirably, rendering film grain sharply and naturally, even if the softness beneath still dulls the final image. Black levels and grayscale are especially well-managed, showcasing a wide range of tones and smooth blending that enhance the film’s overall depth.
Though the 4K presentation is a minor step up from the included Blu-ray, the differences are subtle. The 4K offers a cleaner encode and slightly smoother grayscale rendering, but the inherent softness of the source material means the gap between the two formats is narrower than one might expect.
Audio 6/10
The lossless PCM single-channel monaural soundtrack is serviceable, though understandably limited by its age. While it has a slightly tinny quality and a fairly restricted range, it ensures the film's rapid-fire dialogue remains clear and easy to follow. Additionally, the track is free of significant damage, with only minor background noise occasionally noticeable, making it a solid representation of the film’s original audio.
Extras 6/10
Criterion only includes a couple of new supplements, though both prove enjoyable and worthwhile. The standout is a lively 38-minute conversation between Megan Abbott and Bill Hader. The two recount how they first encountered the film before diving into its strengths and influential qualities. Topics include its bold pre-Code elements, such as the unsettling suggestions of incest between Tony and his sister, as well as the unapologetically nasty characters. They also discuss Hawks’ innovative visuals and editing. Scorsese’s nods to the film in his work are acknowledged, along with Hader’s unintentional homages in Barry. Impressively, the conversation avoids heavy comparisons to De Palma’s remake (Hader noting he wanted to avoid it), except in a couple of instances where Hawks’ approach is noted as superior. The two have a great energy with one another and I found it a very insightful and funny conversation.
The second feature is an engaging17-minute analysis by Lea Jacobs, focusing on Hawks’ use of sound. She explores how the director avoided the static, stilted pacing that plagued many early “talkies” by ensuring that dialogue and sound served the story rather than slowing it down. Jacobs breaks down key sequences, showing how Hawks maintained momentum through editing, camera movement, and minimal—but rapid-fire—dialogue.
The disc also includes the film’s alternate ending, which Abbott and Hader touch on in their discussion. Created without Hawks’ or Paul Muni’s involvement, the revised ending alters Tony’s fate, tacking on a preachy courtroom scene where a judge delivers a moralizing lecture about Tony’s character straight into the camera (though I assume he's talking directly to the offscreen Tony). The feature runs 13 minutes, showcasing the film’s entire original finale before transitioning to the additional two minutes of new footage. This inclusion highlights how the alternate ending completely disrupts the rhythm and intensity of the original climax.
While Imogen Sara Smith is sadly absent from the supplements, she does contribute an excellent essay included in the release’s insert (and, as always, Criterion should really consider commissioning her for a commentary). The material here is strong, but there’s room for more, leaving this edition solid but not definitive.
Closing
Open to improvement, Criterion’s edition of Scarface still delivers a solid 4K presentation despite the limitations of the source, complemented by a couple of excellent supplements.
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