The opening sequence of Scarface uses nondiegetic music to set a mysterious tone and raise suspense. As the music plays, background information on screen helps viewers understand the upcoming movie. Footage of Fidel Castro gives context for why the main character Tony Montana is sent to another country. The music contrasts between depressing and joyful tones to reflect Tony's rushing life. Elements of gunshots in the music establish the film's genre. The agitated soundtrack suggests to viewers that the narrative will get crazier and injects excitement through hurried editing, interrogating the entire film in its opening sequence.

1. Soundtrack Analysis – Scarface (1983)
In the opening sequence of Scarface, the soundtrack is revealed to the audience. Nondiegetic music instigates the scene, and the stumpy bass and lateness of the rhythm aids the
portrayal of mystery to the audience using the Barthes – Enigma Code Theory prematurely.
The audience is led to anticipate certain things to happen and this is what gives the gangster
genre the realisation it has gained today. Despite this, from the opening sequence of
Scarface, you cannot simply identify that it is an American Gangster film. This adds to the
riddle and hands it over to the soundtrack to raise the suspense and trepidation.
As the soundtrack is still playing, there is a script-like effect showing background
information to help us understand the movie we’re about to watch. The scene then cuts
into archive black without delay, and this choice of colour compliments the melody in the
background as it touches upon its cheerless and menacing nature. Footage of Fidel Castro is
then exposed (in black and white) giving a speech about how he will not accept criminals
trying to hold back the revolution in his country; and we later find out that this is why the
main character (Tony Montana) gets shipped over to another country. The soundtrack
continues to play throughout the speech, and then suddenly fades out to hear crowds
cheering. This is an example of the Levi-Strauss – Binary Oppositions Theory coming into
play, as there is a total contrast between the melody which was playing and the cheers
(Depressing vs. Joyful). The soundtrack changes the vibe of the opening scene even though
it includes the equivalent beat but it is much more hurried. This could reflect on the life of
Tony Montana in the movie; symbolising that everything in his life seems like a rush. This is
a key convention of many gangster movies as the life of a gangster is very hectic and
enthralling, and the audience commonly use the Uses and Gratification Theory to deduce
this information as entertainment (especially younger people). Furthermore, every couple of
seconds the soundtrack includes an element of gunshot-like sounds and this is significant as
the genre is universally known through the use of gun crime.
Additionally, the soundtrack helps to enhance the narrative by offering a summary to the
audience of what to expect throughout the film. The agitated element within the
soundtrack injects the Hyperdermic Needle Theory into the heads of the viewers, which
clarifies that the linear narrative will only get crazier from this point forth. Also, as the music
continues, the editing becomes much more hurried to perceptibly build exhilaration and
excitement, which is emblematic to the gangster genre. The opening sequence of Scarface is
an interrogation of the entire film, and I will include this as part of my product seeing as it
has a transfixing effect on the audience.