Scarface arrived in 1983 through Universal Pictures, directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone, reimagining the 1932 gangster classic for a cocaine-fueled Miami. Al Pacino's performance as Tony Montana became iconic despite mixed reviews and an X rating battle at release, and the film's reputation only grew over the following decades through home video and cultural adoption in music and fashion. It stands now as a touchstone of excess, ambition, and downfall, one of the defining crime films of its generation.
This cell preserves a moment from the trailer reel pairing Tony Montana with Alejandro Sosa, the Bolivian drug lord whose partnership with Montana drives the film's second half toward betrayal and ruin. Sosa represents the ceiling Montana reaches for and ultimately shatters against, making any frame linking the two men significant to the arc collectors trace through the story. Trailer cells like this one circulated as promotional material ahead of release, offering audiences an early glimpse of the alliance that would define the film's descent.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm colour positive trailer print of Scarface Movie Trailer (1983), though identifying marks are limited.
Gauge
Perforations on both edges suggest 35mm; three picture frames are visible in the strip, each spanning roughly four perforations, though the strip is cropped at both ends.
Perforations
About four perforations per frame along both edges, rectangular with rounded corners, evenly spaced and cleanly punched, with no torn or missing holes seen.
Soundtrack
Not visible in this capture
Edge print
Not visible in this capture
Base & colour
Base looks mostly neutral with a slight warm cream cast along the lower edge; the dye image shows no obvious fading, though dark areas look deep blue-black.
Projection history
Three thin light horizontal lines run along one margin outside the picture area, and a few tiny specks appear in the dark background; no splices or cue marks seen.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames repeat essentially the same shot, so they run consecutively. Nothing in the frames contradicts the film on record, but they cannot confirm it either.
Era check
The 35mm gauge and colour positive dye image are consistent with a 1983 release print, but with no soundtrack or edge print visible, the era cannot be confirmed.
Read from the original intake capture shown below. Observations only — film is authenticated, not graded.
This original motion picture film element has been examined and authenticated by Crown Grading in partnership with National Film Vault, and encapsulated for archival preservation.
Why so little survivesRelease prints were leased to theaters, not sold. When the run ended they went back to the distributor to be destroyed, and most were. What collectors hold today came from the prints that escaped that order, and no new 35mm prints of these films are being struck.
CROWN SERIAL 000070187
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
