30 Years Of The Crow: A Retrospective
From the gloomy and desolate streets of Detroit, where crime and havoc ravage day or night, The Crow surfaced as a mysterious phenomenon. Directed by Alex Proyas, the film brought James O’Barr’s 1989 comic book series to life with a haunting methodicalness. Released on May 13th 1994, The Crow stands the test of time. Not only a cinematic prodigy but also a tragic farewell to the charismatic Brandon Lee.
Lee’s performance as Eric Draven is a cherished one. A broken-hearted spirit, resurrected to avenge not only his murder but that of his fiancés, Shelly. During filming Brandon Lee’s life was tragically cut short due to an improperly checked prop on set. However, they remained committed to completing the movie through a combination of rewrites, a dedicated stunt double and well-crafted digital effects.
The premise of The Crow unravels with themes of unwavering love, grief and an unyielding fight for justice. Guided by a peculiar crow, Eric Draven plunges into the darkened shadows with an unrelenting pursuit of retribution. As we confront each of the gang members responsible for his and Shelly’s unfortunate fates we’re hit with an immersive intensity, elevated by Lee’s absorbing presence.
Additionally, we can see a lot of similarities connecting the films protagonist and the crew themselves blurring the lines between reality and fiction almost. Eric Draven is living a life, blissful and smitten until thugs decide to drastically change that. Against all odds and logic, he is brought back to right the wrongs and obtain a sense of justice which they were wrongfully declined. As for the crew, they were dealt the same misfortune. What should be a regular day on set turned out to be a horrific nightmare, but they managed to finish the now adored cult classic with incredible due diligence.
Beyond its captivating storyline The Crow resonated deep in audiences all over the world with its unique style, hypnotizing score and bold setting. Not to mention its incredible dialogue brimming with many unforgettable quotes. Every aspect of this film contributed to its everlasting effect, years later it is still a direct hit and consistently discussed within the film community. Peak cinematic history. The Crow’s production designer Alex McDowell created a world that was equally enthralling as it was extreme. Praised for its bold approach and accomplishing a finished product despite the challenges left in their wake, including Lee’s tragic passing.
Opening at no.1 in the US and Miramax’s biggest opening recorded of all time, The Crow has since become a worldwide cult classic. Sitting at 84% on Rotten Tomatoes based on 61 reviews: an average rating of 7/10 and with its success sparked multiple instalments although none have managed to maintain the same essence as the original let’s talk a little about them:
- The first sequel titled The Crow: City of Angels was released in 1996. Vincent Perez plays Ashe Corven in the lead role with returning character Sarah Mohr although this time played by Mia Kirshner, someone entirely different. It follows a mother and son who are killed by criminals, then resurrected to exact revenge.
- The third installment titled The Crow: Salvation released in 2000, directed by Bharat Nalluri and starred Eric Mabius, Kirsten Dunst, Fred Ward and Jodi Lyn O’Keefe. This adaption was loosely based off The Lazarus Heart, a novel written by Poppy Z. Brite and headed straight to home video having received a lot of negative reviews.
- The fourth installment titled The Crow: The Wicked Prayer released in 2000 and directed by Lance Mungai. It stars Edward Furlong, David Boreanaz, Tara Reid, Tito Ortiz, Dennis Hopper, Emmanulle Chriqui and Danny Trejo. Having only a one-week theatrical released it was dubbed poor and headed straight to home video.
There were talks about a 5th instalment, this time instead of a sequel it was meant as a whole reboot. Titled The Crow: 2034 talks were had and scripts ready to film but it was unfortunately never made. The director at this time was Rob Zombie. Fast forward to April 2022, another attempt at a remake was announced with Bill Skarsgard set to star as the lead and FKA Twigs as his supporting lead. With Rupert Saunders directing and release is set for August 2024.
As we mark the 30th anniversary of The Crow, we celebrate not only a cinematic masterpiece but the overall durable legacy of the beautiful Brandon Lee. His performance as Eric Draven is poetic and evidence to his commitment and talent as an actor. Immortalizing him forevermore in the hearts of all his fans across, near and far. Even though we lost his light, the darkness he exuded will live on in the ethereal world of The Crow where unshakable vengeance and justice prevail.
