The Crow was released over 30 years ago. The iconic film is remembered for its story, visuals and the tragedy that surrounded it. Learn more about The Crow below.
Graphic Novel
The film, which was released in 1994, was inspired by the graphic novel by James O’Barr. It was a dark and brooding tale. The Crow follows Eric Draven, who is murdered, along with his fiancé, on Devils Night, the night before Halloween. Draven is then summoned by a mysterious crow back from the dead with supernatural powers to exact justice.
Lee
Brandon Lee was chosen to play Draven for 1994’s The Crow. Lee was a young and talented actor. He had charisma and a strong screen presence.
Brandon is the son of martial arts legend, Bruce Lee.
Brandon Lee was only 8 when his famous father died. He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps at a young age. Bruce Lee is one of the biggest actors and performers of all time.
Tragedy
Brandon Lee starred in the films Showdown in Little Tokyo and Rapid Fire before landing the starring role in The Crow. He was poised to become a leading man in Hollywood after the comic adaptation debuted.
Tragedy would step in, however. While filming one of the final scenes, a prop gun was fired at Lee from close range.
The gun was supposed to fire a blank. However, a piece of a dummy bullet was accidentally left in the barrel from a previous scene. Lee would die hours later in the hospital.
His death would shock the world. Lee was only 28 when he died. Much like his father, Brandon would die suddenly and long before his time.
Legacy
The Crow still holds up to this day. It is one of the first comic book films to be for adults and it had a darkness and somberness that would inspire future comic book adaptations. The legacy lives on in a new film based on the comic, called The Crow. This 2024 modern reimagining of the original graphic novel by James O’Barr stars Bill Skarsgård in the title role.
The original Crow film is a classic, and it will be tough for the new one to top it in the minds of its many hardcore fans. Even harder, will be replacing Lee as The Crow. His performance, and the haunting story that surrounds it, will live on forever.
- Adam C. Better
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