Both the nickname and the chainsaw scene are based in truth. The "Scarface" nickname was inspired by notorious Prohibition-era gangster Al Capone, who was slashed in the face at 18 years old by the brother of a female bar patron Capone insulted. Years after, the press dubbed Capone "Scarface," which later inspired the title of Armitage Trail's novel, the 1932 film, and its subsequent remake 50 years later.
The chainsaw scene was — according to the book The Magic City Captured by Miami Vice, Scarface, Movies, and Burn Notice – also inspired by true events. The book says writer Oliver Stone "got the idea for the infamous and gruesome chainsaw motel scene from an actual police report that was very similar to the movie scene." Now that's truly terrifying.
Pacino's Scarface was not well received when it was first released. It took help from rap legends like Nas, Diddy, and Snoop Dogg to boost its popularity years later and secure it as one of the top crime films ever created, as it is properly remembered.
