About:
Say Hello to My Little Friend: A Century of Scarface by Nat Segaloff is a history of the 1983 film. Mr. Segaloff is a writer, journalist, and producer.
- 272 pages
- Publisher : Citadel
- Language : English
- ISBN-10 : 0806542969
My rating for Say Hello to My Little Friend — 4
Buy Say Hello to My Little Friend from Amazon.com*
More Books by Nat Segaloff*
Thoughts:
I liked Scarface ever since I saw it in the movie theaters when it first came out. I was in the minority, even Siskel and Ebert didn’t like it. I didn’t love the movie but didn’t think it deserved the harsh criticism, nevertheless, I was surprised when the movie’s renaissance happened.
Say Hello to My Little Friend by Nat Segaloff tells of the production of the 1983 film and its legacy. Much of the book is also about the 1932 Scarface which was the inspiration.
The infatuation with the mafia is not new, D.W. Griffith’s version (starting Paul Muni) was certainly tame compared to Brian DePalma’s bloodfest due to 1930s censorship, but the movie was still a hit. I am still a sucker for movies about antiheroes, exposing America’s dark side.
The book goes through the storyline of both movies, as well as behind-the-scenes anecdotes. How Steven Bauer (who also wrote the forward) helped Al Pacino with his Cuban accent, Michelle Pfeiffer and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio get into their respective roles and the great Robert Loggia’s contributions. I got a kick out of how screenwriter Oliver Stone chose the name of Tony Montana.
Every time I read a book about movies, it seems to me to be a miracle that a final product was actually put out, double that if the movie is actually good. I know there has to be a lot of planning, but it seems to me that a great amount of pure luck is always involved.
I enjoyed reading this book and learned a few things as well. It reminded me of a movie I’ve enjoyed since seeing it in 1983, and made me want to see it one more time.
Buy Say Hello to My Little Friend from Amazon.com*
More Books by Nat Segaloff*
Zohar — Man of la Book
Disclaimer:I got this book for free.
*Amazon links point to an affiliate account, the money is usually spent on books
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