10 Best Gangster Movies (Not Made By Martin Scorsese)
6. Scarface
As is the case with many films that are today considered classics, Scarface was received with mixed critical responses when it was originally released in 1983. Citing excessive violence and unnecessary, expletive-laden dialogue as negatives for Brian De Palma's film, there's no denying that the film was certainly guilty of featuring both in abundance. But in the years since its release, the words excessive and unnecessary seem to have vanished from more modern amendments to the film's reviews. Al Pacino's performance as Tony Montana, the Cuban refugee that rises up to become an infamous drugs kingpin, certainly was violent and graphic, but why shouldn't it have been? This was a film about the most despicable members of society: ruthless, cold-hearted and ambitious individuals that would stop at nothing to secure themselves in positions of power. When the subject matter is about such sordid crimes, sugar-coating the content would do nothing but disservice to an attempt at realistically representing the darker side of illegal business. Why bother trying to make something controversial if you're not willing to portray the subject matter in question in all of its ugliness? Fortunately, Brian De Palma didn't shy away from such things.
Joe is a freelance games journalist who, while not spending every waking minute selling himself to websites around the world, spends his free time writing. Most of it makes no sense, but when it does, he treats each article as if it were his Magnum Opus - with varying results.
