Customer Reviews

The Crow (Miramax/Dimension Collector's Series)

5 star:		(155)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(8)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

This DVD has it all, and is well worth the extra price. First of all there is a great movie. The Crow is a cult classic, but I don't mean to demean it at all by calling it one. Based on the comic book of the same name, The Crow has a great premise (a man comes back from the dead to avenge the death of the woman he loves) and is made well. It's a dark film made in muted, dark colors, almost black and white. The action sequences are great (after all, Brandon Lee is Bruce Lee's son). This would have been Brandon's break-out role if he hadn't died. It also has one of my favorite fight scenes, the shoot out at Top Dollar's. And Ernie Hudson is surprisingly good in his role in the film. And a great soundtrack.

The DVD is loaded with extras. There is commentary by Jeff Most (producer and executive music producer of the Crow movies) and John Shirley (co-writer of The Crow). Their commentary is almost as good as the film. You get a lot of insight into the movie, how it was made, and why certain choices were made. This is what DVD commentaries should be like. (It is a shame that Brandon Lee was unable to do a commentary, it would have been very interesting to see what he had to say about the film). Most's commentary is very informative and very entertaining. My only fault with the commentary is that there wasn't much on Brandon's death. I really expected to hear more about it, since it is such a huge part of the mythos of the film. Also on disc one is the DVD-ROM extras. There is the script that you read the same time the film is playing. There is a trivia game (which really isn't that great and is about the entire Crow franchise and not just this movie). You can also watch the "enhanced playback track" which has trivia and other features as the film plays.

In addition to the usual production stills, posters, and (five) story boards (one of those is the story board for the Shoot Out at Top Dollar's and it is very interesting to see), Disc 2 contains a Behind the Scenes featurette that runs about 15 minutes. It is not a making of, rather those involved with the movie (including Brandon Lee) discuss the movie and concept. There is a 30 minute Portrait of James O'Barr (creator of The Crow comic book) which is O'Barr in his basement talking to someone holding a video camcorder. You get a lot of insight into his life, his work, the movie, Hollywood, and where many of his ideas for The Crow came from. There is something called the Deleted Footage Montage, but it really isn't deleted footage. There is some deleted footage in the montage, but most of it is outtakes, alternate takes, behind the scenes footage, and what looks like scenes that weren't deleted from the movie. It's a touching `tribute' to Brandon Lee, but not what it should have been. And finally there are three extended scenes (The Arcade Bombing; Fun Boy Fight; Shoot Out at Top Dollar's). What makes these so interesting is that you see what the original footage was and how they edited the scene to make it move so fast paced. You see the decision process in removing unessential footage to keep the movie from bogging down.

So you have a great movie and some really good extras on this DVD. Definitely one that should be in your library.

I never saw this originally in '94 because I dismissed it as A. a martial arts film (and I hate those) and B. adapted from a comic (and I just can't get into those) and C. aimed at a teen/goth/punk audience (and I am way too old for that). What a mistake! Finally almost ten years on, a friend heard me say I really liked Alex Proyas' DARK CITY -- a neat sci fi film with a very different story but the same kind of dark fantasy look -- and couldn't believe I had never seen THE CROW and made me watch it.

I have to say that I really think this is a fine, well made movie and none of my preconceptions were remotely correct. The art direction is brilliant, with a wonderful and creepy gothic fantasy look, almost but not quite black-and-white, set in a mysteriously surreal "Detroit" that is in some kind of alternate universe from the real Motown. Brandon Lee is really charismatic and haunting in the role of Eric Draven, and not merely because of the tragic incident surrounding the film. He was real star material and just totally inhabits this part.

After seeing the film, I did read the O'Barr comic, which is very sincere and heartfelt, but I think the filmakers -- in what is a pretty rare event -- IMPROVED the plot and characters while keeping all of the angst and atmosphere. They totally honored the character of Eric and the basic idea of the avenger, the memories of his beautiful girlfriend, and sense of overwhelming grief that inhabits the graphic novel. Where they impoved the storyline in cinematic terms is in the treatment of the minor characters and villians. They really fleshed them out, and it enriches the movie and balances the storyline well.

Bookending the film with quotes from Sarah (Rochelle Davis), the little girl who narrates and observes much of the story is an example of a good idea that doesn't really exist in the comic, where the little girl is called Sherri and only appears briefly. Even more so is the expansion of the character of Top Dollar, who again is a minor episode in the comic and more of a grubby hell's angel/drug dealer -- in the film he has been transformed into a complex and compelling crimelord. Michael Wincott is simply amazing in this part, playing Top Dollar as a kind of depraved, satanic, renaissance prince, and clearly having a great deal of fun with this role, especially some wonderful and very clever dialogue. The very, very sick but quite sincere love story between Top Dollar and his psychic half-sister is the reversed-mirror image of the pure and innocent love of Eric and his fiance, a clever idea.

Wonderful music, great visuals, terrific acting...The Crow should NOT be missed.

NOTE: I bought the "Collector's DVD". Don't bother. There is NOTHING worth looking at on the second DVD, some production sketches and posters, nothing special. The director's commentary (on the first disk) is interesting to listen to ONCE, but you can get that on the single disk DVD. There is a smattering of extra footage, but nothing you will miss. Save some bucks and just get the one disk wide screen version.

The Crow. Your link between the land of the living and the realm of the dead ... or in this case, your link between a really good movie and a couple mediocre sequels.

The Crow collector's series turns out to be a pretty good disc overall, with a couple unfortunate ommissions. The picture looks and sounds fantastic! The deleted scenes are great for anyone who has never seen them. The extended arcade games sequence shows us what truly "bad guys" these men are. I can't for the life of me figure out why they cut this scene down. The funboy extended scene was also great. It showed him going absolutely insane on drugs and you could see why he did the things he did. The shootout at Top Dollar's lair was the weakest of the three with just a few alternate takes and extended takes of the shootout, but it does have one great line delivered by Brandon that was not in the theatrical release. There is also a deleted scenes montage (similar to the one in Gladiator), which could have been great, but it looked like they put it together in about 5 minutes. Couple nice shots of Brandon though within.

The Jeff Most commentary is OK with some funny and interesting side stories, but he just talks and talks and talks. The point of a commentary is to tell little stories about what the viewer is watching at the time AND still be able to see and hear what is going on in the movie! Sheesh!

The most noticeable ommission from this dvd is NO DIRECTOR'S COMMENTARY. This is a real drag. According to David Schow, the main writer of the film, Alex Proyas had indeed completed a commentary for the film, which was to originally be included. There was some in-fighting between the producer, Miramax and Alex, which I won't go into, and ultimately Alex was pulled from the disc. VERY sad for the fans. Maybe in 2 years, for the Crow's 10 year anniversary, we will get a better disc with the Crow Chronicles and the Commentaries included this time. What do you say guys, can we put our feelings aside and do something for the fans for a change??

It would have also been nice to see the skull cowboy footage (shown very briefly in the deleted scenes montage) which is on the CD-Rom and also it would have been nice to see Brandon's "Complete" last interview. Even though this has been shown elsewhere, it's nice to have this stuff neatly packaged together. I hear that there is a moment where Brandon is talking about "safety" on movie sets and how no one should get hurt doing movies. Very eerie. No wonder Miramax won't give us this.

The featurette is not good. It's just a re-hash of interviews from 1993 with very little new material. This could of and should have been much better if the Crow Chronicles had been included, but it wasn't because of more Hollywood nonsense.

The James O'Barr interview is good and for the first time, James really opens up. He's just a little dry and uncomfortable in front of the camera, but if you can get past this, this is really pretty good.

Other extras: There are some alternate Crow poster concepts that were really cool to check out. I hope one of these shows up in auction sometime. The storyboards and conceptual art included was also neat to see, but ultimately a "one time" viewing in my opinion. It would have been nice to see some unpublished photos of Brandon and some behind the scenes stuff from on-set photographer Robert Zuckerman. I REALLY wish they would have included these. I don't have a dvd-rom so I was unable to check out the other goodies. I REALLY wish they would stop putting dvd-rom stuff on dvd's. Just put it on the disc so I can watch it all in ONE PLACE!!! Why do I have to watch most everything from my dvd player and then take the disc out and put it in my computer to see the rest? This has always been a stupid idea to me.

Overall this disc is worth it, but avoid the Crow box set. Crow: City of Angels has very little extras with no deleted scenes, so if you own it already, don't bother. Salvation is a good "rental" but ultimately not a very good movie.

ENJOY!

I just finished viewing the 2 DVD set of The Crow Collectors Edition. Everything about this set is better from the versions that were previously available to fans. The sound and picture are phenomenal, and the extras, like the extended footage feature, the behind-the-scene featurette, and the deleted scene montage is extra icing on this cake. However, the sad thing about this set, one that we have been waiting 7 years for already, is that the last interview given by Brandon Lee before his death WAS NOT included. I was quite saddened when I realized that this had not been included. Often imitated, never duplicated ... Brandon Lee was The Crow.

Two more things that were left out that could only have made this set better is a directors commentary, and most of the Skull Cowboy scenes that were deleted from the movie.

Who knows why movie companies do things the way they do. I guess we will have to wait for the next bigger and better release of The Crow on DVD to find out if they finally get it right. But for now, the Collectors Edition will do just fine.

I'll be the first to admit that when this movie was released, I wasn't in a rush to see it. Needless to say, I ate my words.
I absolutely love this film!

"The Crow" tells the story of Eric Draven, a young rock star who's life is devoted to his art and his fiancee, Shelly Webster. When hoodlums brutally murder them both in their apartment on Halloween, Eric is resurrected and returns to avenge his and Shelly's murderers one by one. The Crow is born.
Yes, the movie is dark, gloomy and violent, but that doesn't take away from its substance. This movie has heart. It tells everyone that true love survives even in death.

Brandon Lee, forever remembered now for is accidental and ill-timed death while this film was in production, has never looked so beautiful. He plays this tortured soul so effortlessly but still adds a little humor to the somber mood. The action is great, the dialogue is great. In a nutshell, everything about this movie is great. You'd be missing out if you refused to see this.

As Eric Draven said..."It's not a good day to be a bad guy."

Based on characters originally presented in the popular comic strip and comic book series created by James O'Barr, The Crow (1994) was directed by Alex Proyas (Dark City, I, Robot) and featured Brandon Lee (Showdown in Little Tokyo, Rapid Fire), in what was supposed to be his breakout role, but instead was his last due to his shocking and untimely demise after suffering a critical injury near the end of filming. Also appearing is Rochelle Davis, Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters II), Michael Wincott (Along Came a Spider), Sofia Shinas (Terminal Velocity), David Patrick Kelly (Dreamscape), Jon Polito (Miller's Crossing), Ling Bai (Wild Wild West), Laurence Mason (Behind Enemy Lines), Michael Massee (Catwoman), Angel David (G.I. Jane), and Tony Todd (Final Destination), probably best known for his memorable role in the horror/fantasy film Candyman (1992) along with its numerous follow ups.

As the film begins we learn it's October 30th, Devil's Night, and we see a cityscape riddled with fire. We also learn, through a helpful voice over, that crows act as guides for the recently departed, showing them the way to the hereafter, that is unless the deceased died in such a heinous and miserable way to where they might return to set things right (or something like that), as is the case with Eric Draven (Lee), who, along with his fiancée Shelley (Shinas), were brutally murdered by a depraved gang of no goodniks led by a greasy character named T-Bird (Kelly). Anyway, a year later we see Eric's grave. Shortly after the arrival of a crow, from the rain soaked earth (it rains continuously throughout the film) rises a human form, that of Eric, who's actually looking pretty fit for being dead and buried and all. Eric returns to the scene of the crime (the lofty apartment he and Shelley shared), which results in a flood of traumatic images and memories, all of which leads up to his smearing make-up on his mug, giving him the appearance of nightmarish mime. From here Eric begins seeking out those responsible for what happened a year earlier, specifically T-Bird and his jolly, good time boys, as their day of reckoning has arrived...I should probably mention in Eric's avenging spirit form, he's nigh invulnerable, has increased strength and agility, and can see through the eyes of his ever present feathered companion (heck, I was impressed with that whole rising from the dead trick). Anyway, as Eric works his way up the sleaze food chain he soon finds himself up against a criminal boss named Top Dollar (Wincott), a seemingly suave and sophisticated type who enjoys swords, chaos, and the occasional incestuous coupling with his creepy half sister Myca (Bai), who has a thing for peoples eyes (so much so she tends to remove them).

I really enjoyed this dark and moody film as I thought it was extremely faithful to the original material, along with being an exceptionally well-produced feature in general. Also, there's just something so satisfying about onscreen vigilante justice, i.e. seeing sadistic, criminal slime receiving their comeuppance, especially when the retribution is delivered in a provocative and befitting manner (each suffered a unique penalty for their indiscretions), as was the case here. All the characters presented have specific and defined roles within the context of the story, and none seemed extraneous. I suppose I could have done without some of the sappier bits, those involving the little skateboarding street urchin Sarah played by Rochelle Davis, but the other strengths of the feature far outweigh any minor, relatively insignificant issues I may have come across. I thought all the performers did a great job, the standouts, in my opinion, being Lee, Michael Wincott, and David Patrick Kelly. Lee really seemed a perfect fit for the role not only in terms of his appearance or athletic abilities, but also in a sense he seemed to really understand and expand on the part. I remember the bittersweet feeling I felt after seeing this film in the theaters as Lee's appearance here seemed to put forth a real sense of potential, potential that would never be realized due to his untimely death, which was brought about by a prop failure (the incident involved a gun, loaded with blanks, that was fired at Lee during shooting). The accident occurred near the end of the shooting schedule, so in order to finish the film, computer graphics were used to modify Lee's stand in to look like Lee himself. There's a lot of action in this film, and it's spread evenly enough to keep things moving at a respectable pace. My favorite sequence comes near the end, as Eric crashes a rather large assemblage of criminal types, all armed to the teeth, as the ensuing melee is balls out. The story is solid, the script believable (with some great, comedic touches), and the production values excellent. There's an abundant selection of appropriate tunes present throughout the film, including some by The Cure, Stone Temple Pilots, My Life with the Thrill Kill Cult, Helmut, Pantera, Rollins Band, Violent Femmes, Nine Inch Nails, and more.

This two DVD set features a sharp looking, anamorphic, widescreen (1.85:1) picture, along with audio available in DTS 5.1 Digital Surround Sound and Dolby Digital Surround Sound. Extras include a commentary track with producer Jeff Most and screenwriter John Shirley, a behind the scenes featurette, a profile of James O'Barr, extended scenes, a deleted scenes montage, original poster concepts, production design stills, storyboards, a French language track, subtitles in English and Spanish, and sneak peeks at other Miramax/Dimension DVD release like Phantoms (1998), The Faculty (1998), Break Up (1998), along with advertising for the Scream and From Dusk Till Dawn DVD box sets. There are also DVD-ROM features including a Devil's Night Retribution trivia game, an enhanced playback track, a screenplay viewer, and weblinks.

Cookeiman108

By the way, in case you're interested, there's been a number of follow ups to the original including (so far, and in order) The Crow: City of Angels (1996), The Crow: Salvation (2000), and The Crow: Wicked Prayer (2005). I haven't seen any of the sequels, so caveat emptor...

Although this movie has a few moments where I always close my eyes because of the senseless mayhem and violence, I still rate this one with five stars. Why? O'Barr's brutal and romantic story has been put to life with lots of respect and imagination. The characters are as real as they can be in a comic-to-film.

How many of you remember "The Crow" when it first came out on DVD. If you do, chances are that you were very disappointed with it, like I was. It didn't have any extra features, but that's not what upset me so much. What really got to me was how horrible the picture looked. The quality was terrible. It was as if they just copied over the VHS and just put it on DVD. It was bright when it was supposed to be dark. Talk about a let down. But now, everything has changed.

Now, a new and improved version is out, and it is outstanding. It was like seeing the movie for the first time. The picture quality was more than satisfactory. When it was supposed to be dark, it was dark, and when it was supposed to be bright, it was bright. The sound quality was also a big improvement, now that you can watch it in DTS if you have it. There were even some scenes that I could've sworn that I had never seen before. That goes to show you how much better this version is.

Although Amazon doesn't go into detail about the special features, believe they are there. Tons of them, I should say. There's two disks in this collection, so that pretty much lets you know that there are plenty of extras lurking about. A very big improvement on that front.

Here's the story for those who haven't seen "The Crow": Eric Dravin and his girlfriend, Shelly, are brutally murdered on Devil's Night. Eric was shot and thrown out of the window, while Shelly was horribly beaten and raped to death. A year later, a hypnotic crow comes about and starts pecking on the tombstone of Eric Dravin. He digs out of his grave and is back from the world of the dead, and he wants vengeance for the murder of him and his girlfriend. He plans to make everyone who was responsible for the crimes pay with their lives. Dressed in black, with white makeup on his face, he begins his quest for vengeance and justice in this dark adventure.

This still reamains a favorite to me. It is a masterpiece, or at least that's how I feel about it. The movie has everything. Action, drama, suspense, and much much more. The acting is great, the script is outstanding, and the look and feel is better than ever in this new transfer. Believe me, I know it's a pain to rebuy DVDs, but if you are a true fan of the movie and still only have the older version on DVD, get this one as soon as possible. You will not regret it.

This movie has made millions at the Box Office, and won over many viewers' hearts. You can actually feel all the emotion. Brandon Lee did great. His performance is memorable. Still today, he is the perfect Crow. No one can potray this role better. He will be remembered forever. And with the songs and the action? This film is a LEGEND. Even today, with all the fast-paced Action/Thrillers being made, nothing surpasses The Crow. Yes, not even the Matrix films. If anyday, you are tired of watching all the cheesy crap around tv, then shove the Crow dvd in your dvd player, sit back and enjoy the action.

This film was made to give Brandon Lee's last work a chance to breathe, and I'm VERY glad they completed it.

Goodbye, Brandon. We all miss you.

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"People Once Believed That When Someone Dies, A Crow Carries Their Soul To The Land Of The Dead. But Sometimes, Something SO Bad Happens, That A Terrible Sadness Is Carried With It, And That Soul Can't Rest. Then, Sometimes.. Just Somethings, The Crow Can Bring That Soul Back, To Put The Wrong Things Right..."

...BELIEVE IN ANGELS...

The Crow is my favorite movie ever, there is just no questioning it. It is the ultimate revenge story, life after death story, and yes a breathtaking love story. The timeless themes of this movie have turned it into a cult classic.

On Devil's Night, or the night before Halloween, Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his fiance Shelly (Sofia Shinas) are brutally murdered at the hands of a gang of thugs working for Top Dollar, the ruthless king of the city's underground. One year after their deaths, Draven is resurrected, watched over by a strange crow. After recollecting what happened to him and his fiance, he begins to take revenge on the people that took away not only his life, but his love.

Lee's character Draven is supported by great, gritty and raw actors Ernie Hudson, Michael Wincott, Rochelle Davis, Angel David, Michael Massee, and Jon Polito. The bad guys are extra bad, and the good guys are extra good. This amazingly talented supporting cast propel the story even further.

As for the disc itself, the presentation of the movie on DVD couldn't get better, and the extras on the second disc like footage of deleted scenes, including some outtakes, poster concepts, and of course, the famed final interview with the film's star, the late Brandon Lee.

On the subject of Lee, I think that he is the reason this movie is what it is today. The passion that he had for the role of Eric Draven gave an entirely different dimension to the character. This has turned Draven into the ideal white knight, and has turned Brandon Lee himself into a legend. I'm sure that Lee would have moved on to better things had a cruel accident hadn't taken his life.

If you have seen The Crow, you have the highest regards of it, from me at least, and I hope that that is enough to persuade you to see what is perhaps the perfect movie.