Released in December 1983 through Universal Pictures, Brian De Palma's Scarface arrived as a sprawling, operatic reimagining of the 1932 Howard Hawks original, relocated to Miami and steeped in the cocaine trade of the era. Written by Oliver Stone and starring Al Pacino, the film drew mixed reviews and a contentious X rating on its initial run, but its reputation grew steadily through home video and cultural reappropriation, especially in hip hop and streetwear, until it became one of the defining gangster films of its generation. Universal's marketing push around the release leaned on trailers to sell the scale of its ambition well before the film earned its lasting following.
This 35mm cell comes from the trailer materials for the film, built around Tony Montana, the Cuban refugee turned Miami drug kingpin played by Pacino and the character around whom the entire picture, and much of its afterlife, revolves. Trailer cells like this one circulate among collectors because they capture a film's first public introduction, the footage chosen to define Montana's presence before audiences ever reached the full story. For a character this central to the film's identity, a trailer cell represents an early, promotional glimpse rather than a scene from the finished narrative proper.
Authentication Findings8 checks
Consistent with a 35mm colour release print of the Scarface (1983) trailer, with limited evidence.
Gauge
Perforation layout reads as 35mm: four perforations per frame along both edges, and the strip holds three frames.
Perforations
Four per frame on both edges, evenly spaced, rounded-rectangle holes, cleanly punched with no tears or missing perforations visible.
Soundtrack
Not visible in this capture
Edge print
'SAFETY FILM' is printed along one edge and reads backwards, with no key numbers or other codes visible.
Base & colour
Clear base looks neutral to slightly warm, and the dye image shows a yellow-green cast, which may be partly backlight and exposure.
Projection history
Two thin white horizontal lines run along the strip beside the lower perforations; no splices or cue marks seen at this size.
Picture
Positive colour image; the three frames repeat essentially the same shot consecutively, and nothing in them contradicts Scarface, though no title card is visible.
Era check
Safety-base edge print and a positive colour image are consistent with an 1980s release print, but the missing soundtrack area limits what can be said.
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 000070192
Original Film CaptureAs received
Photographed on the light panel at intake, before encapsulation — tap to open full size
Tap to enlarge
