Alex Proyas’s best known movie is celebrating a pearl anniversary and Paramount Pictures is rewarding fans with a special edition! The steelbook edition is beautiful to look at and ultimately, the ony significant difference between this and the regular edtion are the postcards that are included. Although some comic book movie viewers may consider The Crow as a simple bleak revenge fantasy, there’s more to it than just that.
Some information needs to be said, though. Not everyone is familiar with this film’s origins: creator James O’Barr, came up with the idea as a way to cope. His fiancée died because of a reckless individual, who happened to be drunk that night happened. She was the love of his life, and to channel his angst into a medium in the narrative he created must have been tough. To adapt it to film, however, must mean understanding what he went through. After creating a character Batman might be afraid of, to keep ongoing is tough. Although Tim Burton’s take was released in 1989, both works influenced later comic book films still to come.
Although I haven’t read all the comic books, I suspect the indigenous folklore that inspired this series gets delved into a lot more, and what’s revealed here still looks good. This aspect is gently explored in the bonus material, and I thought I might learn something more. Unfortunately, it’s not too different from what I already knew.
This release isn’t too different from previous, but to watch it all in glorious 4K is something! I adjusted my television settings to check out how much better colour range looks, and the sound design hasn’t changed between releases. The big reason to own this edition over the other is for the new bonus features, namely “Shadows & Pain: Designing The Crow.”
This three-part piece has production designer Alex McDowell recall all the work put into crafting this film thirty years later. Not only does he reflect upon working with Alex Proyas but also shares fond memories. This piece doesn’t dwell too much regarding the accident that took this actor’s life, but it’s there.
This segment is broken down into:
Angels All Fire: Birth of a Legend—This comes in at 7-minutes and focuses on the noir aspects of the film, the music, and the stylization and production design.
On Halloween Ground: The Outer Realm—This segment clocks in at just over 8-minutes and is the best of the group. It compares this film to others which would later come to fruition, and as for who did it better, that wouldn’t be fair to say.
Twisted Wreckage: The Inside Spaces—The focus here is that we know about what it’s like working with Lee. Through archival footage, we get to hear from him too. Although the material doesn’t get too deep, I can’t help but wonder what he could have been had he lived. Brendon wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, and it’s sad someone screwed up in setting up the props that fateful day. I’m not sure when this segment was filmed and edited, but had it said more concerning the fatal Rust fatality, it would’ve been a lot more powerful.
Also included is Sideshow Collectibles: An Interview with Edward R. Pressman. This is an excellent piece which profiles all the various statues that’ve been made in the years following. While I don’t need one in my collection, it’s amazing to see the effort put in to make Brandon Lee’s The Crow truly immortal.
Also includes are all the familiar pieces from prior releases.
- Audio Commentary with Director Alex Proyas
- Audio Commentary by Producer Jeff Most and Screenwriter John Shirley
- Behind the Scenes Featurette
- A Profile on James O’Barr
- Extended Scenes:
The Arcade Bombing
The Funboy Fight
The Shootout at Top Dollar’s - Deleted Footage Montage
- Trailer
Although there will be a theatrical re-release prior to the reboot, to watch this classic again in either the home entertainment system or at the theatre will continue to be a treat! While I don’t have any expectations regarding the new work, all I can hope for is that it’ll live up to the legacy that creator James O’Barr fashioned.
The Crow Movie Trailer
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