Blu-ray Movie Reviews

Universal Movie ••••½ Picture •••½ Sound ••• Extras ••

Howard Hawks's masterpiece remains the ultimate gangster classic, far outshining such now-dated efforts as Little Caesar and Public Enemy. This ultra-violent epic unfolds cinematically in near-operatic proportions, as the ape-like sociopath (Paul Muni in a bravura performance) cuts a swath of gunplay, torture, and murder through Chicago's underworld.

Scarface was previously made available on DVD as a supplement to an expensive Deluxe Edition of Brian De Palma's coked-up 1983 remake, and this new budget-priced release is made from the same well-preserved 35mm film elements. The black-and-white imagery is crisp with excellent contrast, rendering deep blacks for the many moody, shadowy set pieces and satiny whites for the high-gloss nightclub scenes. The tradeoff is that some key-lighted segments and optical effects are washed-out and grainy. And while the digital technology of DVD greatly enhances detail, it also exaggerates 75-year-old imperfections and 21st-century artifacts.

The sound, though strong and dynamic, contains a slight hiss and a tendency to lean toward the bass. Slim extras include a brief intro and an alternate ending forced upon Hawks by the censors. [PG] English, Dolby Digital 2-channel mono; full frame (1.33:1); single layer.

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