By today’s musical standards it can be difficult sometimes, for me at least, to get past the stereotypical 80s music that scores movies like Scarface or Blade Runner, the same way it’s tough to get past laughtracks in sitcoms. It can take you out of the moment sometimes, or else make the whole thing seem quaint, which can be charming in its own way but obstructs how seriously you are able to take the movie or particular scene. Both of these traits applied to Scarface for me, but in the end I was grooving more than I was rolling my eyes. There’s a pulse to it, especially in the early sequences, that gives the movie’s score a real control over the rhythm of things. It also makes it somewhat unique, in how well this droning music is put to use. It’s also particularly well used at the conclusion, when it rings out in a big way and punctuates the downfall of Tony Montana in a manner that feels appropriately epic.
Continue reading on the next page…