Product Details

• Actors: Brandon Lee, Michael Wincott, Rochelle Davis, Ernie Hudson, Ling Bai
• Directors: Alex Proyas
• Writers: David J. Schow, James O'Barr, John Shirley
• Producers: Caldecot Chubb, Edward R. Pressman, Grant Hill, Gregory A. Gale
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Walt Disney Video
• VHS Release Date: June 2, 1995
• Run Time: 102 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (309 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303187064
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #14,326 in Video (See Bestsellers in Video)

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  #11 in	Video > Action & Adventure > Cult Classics
  #31 in	Video > Cult Movies > Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential video

The Crow set the standard for dark and violent comic-book movies (like Spawn or director Alex Proyas's superior follow-up, Dark City), but it will forever be remembered as the film during which star Brandon Lee (son of martial arts legend Bruce Lee) was accidentally killed on the set by a loaded gun. The filmmakers were able to digitally sample what they'd captured of Lee's performance and piece together enough footage to make the movie releasable. Indeed, it is probably more fascinating for that post-production story than for the tale on the screen. The Crow is appropriately cloaked in ominous expressionistic shadows, oozing urban dread and occult menace from every dank concrete crack, but it really adds up to a simple and perfunctory tale of ritual revenge. Guided by a portentous crow (standing in for Poe's raven), Lee plays a deceased rock musician who returns from the grave to systematically torture and kill the outlandishly violent gang of hoodlums who murdered him and his fiancée the year before. The film is worth watching for its compelling visuals and genuinely nightmarish, otherworldly ambience. --Jim Emerson

Product Description

Catch the explosive, action-packed hit that thrilled moviegoers and dazzled critics everywhere! Brandon Lee (RAPID FIRE) plays Eric Draven, a young rock guitarist who, along with his fiancee, is brutally killed by a ruthless gang of criminals. Exactly one year after his death, Eric returns -- watched over by a hypnotic crow -- to seek revenge, battling the evil crime lord and his band of urban thugs, who must answer for their crimes. Loaded with intense, nonstop action and a hot #1 hit soundtrack, THE CROW delivers exhilarating, fast-paced entertainment!

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

116 of 118 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This has it all, April 14, 2002

By	[e-mail] "[e-mail]" (Beaumont, tx USA) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: The Crow (Miramax/Dimension Collector's Series) (DVD)

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.

64 of 68 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic is an understatement., June 7, 2000

By	E. D. Garcia "Biggie-E" (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: The Crow (DVD)

For those of you don't know this movie is Brandon Lee's last. Tragically, he died during the last days of filming. This film would have catapulted Brandon Lee into major-stardom.

Knowing this only makes the movie darker, sadder, and more heart-wrenching.

Based on the comic book series of the same name by James O'Barr, the movie stays close to its comic book roots. Dark imagery, up-close shots, and stark contrasts add to the comic book feel and gothic look of the movie. The music in the film, both soundtrack and songs, convey thoughts and imagery.

The Crow is a story of love and revenge, loss and retribution. It is a portrait of the struggle between the pain of seeing the past, and the peace of gaining closure. Director Alex Proyas did a wonderful job of capturing this struggle on film.

While the bulk of the supporting cast is at the very least believable, Michael Wincott is disturbingly creepy as the main antagonist "Top Dollar." Ernie Hudson, here playing a cop who thinks he's seeing a ghost, delivers an even performance.
But the movie is ALL Brandon Lee. He brought his martial arts background and talent to this film and gave 200%. He was also the movie's fight choreographer. This means: sit up and watch!

This movie is 80% action, 5% comedy, and 15% heart-wrenching, tear-jerking tragedy. Be prepared to sit on the edge of your seat, and use up a box of kleenex.

23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very stylish and enjoyable goth/graphic novel adaptation, October 24, 2003

By	Laurel962 (Cleveland, Ohio) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Crow (Miramax/Dimension Collector's Series) (DVD)

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.