Scarface opening titles
Friz Quadrata is a popular choice for film titles: ten years after it featured as supporting typeface in The Exorcist and two years after appearing in the end titles of the first Indiana Jones movie, the majestic roman by Ernst Friz made it to the lead in 1983. Used exclusively in red caps, center-aligned, Friz Quadrata introduces Scarface, the crime drama film directed by Brian De Palma and written by Oliver Stone.
From Wikipedia:
Loosely based on the 1929 novel of the same name and serving as a loose remake of the 1932 film, it tells the story of Cuban refugee Tony Montana (Al Pacino), who arrives penniless in Miami during the Mariel boatlift and becomes a powerful drug lord. The film co-stars Steven Bauer, Michelle Pfeiffer, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Robert Loggia. De Palma dedicated this version of Scarface to the memories of Howard Hawks and Ben Hecht, the writers of the original film.
IMDb credits the title sequence design to David H. Dreyfuss.
In 1990, Friz Quadrata would become the typographic call sign of Law & Order.
2 Comments on “Scarface opening titles”
According to the end credits, these titles were done by a company named Computer Opticals. There’s also a bit of ITC Avant Garde Gothic Condensed during the song list near the end of the credits.
Thank you, August! Credit and secondary typeface added.