[7][10][9] It tells the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Pacino), who arrives penniless in Miami during the Mariel boatlift and becomes a powerful drug lord.

The film co-stars Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia, Míriam Colón and F. Murray Abraham.

De Palma dedicated this version of Scarface to the memories of Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht, the director and screenwriter, respectively, of the original film.

[12] Screenwriters and directors such as Martin Scorsese have praised the film, and it has been referenced extensively in pop culture, especially in hip hop culture/gangsta rap,[13][14] as well as comic books, television programs and video games.

[15][16] In 1980, ex-convict Cuban refugee Tony Montana arrives in Miami as part of the Mariel boatlift with his friend Manny Ribera and their companions, Angel and Chi-Chi.

Dissatisfied with their jobs as restaurant dishwashers, Tony and Manny meet with Frank's right-hand man, Omar Suarez, who sends the four to purchase cocaine from Colombian dealers.

De Palma regulars Charles Durning and Dennis Franz provided uncredited voiceover dubbing of the Immigration and Naturalization Service officers who interrogate Montana in the opening scene,[22] played on-screen by Garnett Smith, Tony Perez and John Brandon.

Lumet had wanted to make a more political story that focused on blaming the current presidential administration for the influx of cocaine into the United States, but Bregman disagreed.

[26] Pfeiffer was an unknown actress at the time, known primarily for her role in Grease 2; both Pacino and De Palma had argued against her casting, but Bregman fought for her inclusion.

[25] Glenn Close was the original choice for the role, while others were also considered, including Geena Davis, Carrie Fisher, Kelly McGillis, Rosanna Arquette, Melanie Griffith, Kim Basinger, Brooke Shields, Sharon Stone and Sigourney Weaver.

During the audition process, casting director Alixe Gordin saw Bauer and instantly noted that he was right for the role of Manny, a judgment with which both De Palma and Bregman agreed.

[4] On November 8, an appeal board composed of 20 theater owners, studio executives and independent distributors overturned the decision 17 to 3 in favor of an R rating—more than the two-thirds required.

The film's two stars, Al Pacino and Steven Bauer, were joined in attendance by Burt and Diane Lane, Melanie Griffith, Raquel Welch, Joan Collins, her boyfriend Peter Holm and Eddie Murphy, among others.

Scarface was initially released by MCA Home Video on VHS, CED Videodisc, LaserDisc and Beta in summer 1984—a two-tape set in 1.33:1 pan and scan ratio—and quickly became a bestseller, becoming the first to sell 100,000 copies at a retail price of $79.95.

[52] 32 minutes of violence, profanity and sex were removed, as well as much of the dialogue, including the constant use of the word "fuck", which was muted after the beginning of "f-" or replaced with less offensive alternatives.

"[77] In his review for The Washington Post, Gary Arnold wrote, "A movie that appeared intent on revealing an alarmingly contemporary criminal subculture gradually reverts to underworld cliche, covering its derivative tracks with outrageous decor and an apocalyptic, production number finale, ingeniously choreographed to leave the antihero floating face down in a literal bloodbath.

Maltin included an addendum to his review in later editions of his annual movie guide, stating his surprise with the film's newfound popularity as a cult classic.

The website's consensus reads: "Director Brian De Palma and star Al Pacino take it to the limit in this stylized, ultra-violent and eminently quotable gangster epic that walks a thin white line between moral drama and celebratory excess.

The film features a disclaimer following its credits, stating in red, all-cap lettering, "Scarface is a fictional account of the activities of a small group of ruthless criminals.

[85] According to a 1985 Sun Sentinel magazine article, it was rumored that, of the approximate 125,000 refugees that entered the United States on the boatlift, around 16,000 to 20,000 were estimated to be criminals, and around 350 to 400 Mariel Cubans were reported to inhabit Dade County jails on a typical day.

[30] During a 2012 police raid of Italian Mafia gangster Carlo Padovani's Naples home, a life-sized porcelain bust of Tony Montana was found.

Leading figures in the Italian Mafia were said to admire the Scarface movie and Tony Montana, further confirming that the film depicts the life of real drug lords.

South-Korean rapper and member of group BTS, Agust D also compared himself to Tony Montana and made multiple references to the movie in his track "Tony Montana" from his debut album, Agust D. In The Lonely Island parody hip hop 2011 song "Jack Sparrow", a rap song intended to be about clubbing is ruined by Michael Bolton singing about various films, including Scarface.

[109] Scarface is among the films that served as inspiration for the 2002 video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City, which took place in a representation of 1980s' Miami and featured a recreation of Montana's mansion.

In 1992, professional wrestler Scott Hall joined the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE) as Razor Ramon, a shady and stylish Cuban American bully from Miami.

[117] A 3D recreation of Tony's mansion was featured in the November 9, 2006 episode of MTV Cribs as a marketing piece by Vivendi (before being acquired by Activision) for the release of the video game of the same name.

The episode features 3D model of Tony (voiced by André Sogliuzzo) leading a cameraman throughout his mansion, giving an in-depth tour of each room in a 3D environment.

[120] The plans drew both praise and criticism and, after several years, Cuban Link indicated that he may no longer be involved with the project as the result of film rights issues and creative control.

The studio stated that the new film is neither a sequel nor a remake, but will take elements from both this version and its 1932 predecessor, including the basic premise: a man who becomes a kingpin in his quest for the American Dream.

The film's update was going to be an original story set in modern-day Los Angeles that follows a Mexican immigrant's rise in the criminal underworld as he strives for the American Dream.