The Crow has finally come full circle back to Paramount. The studio produced the film and understandably dropped it after the accident that killed Brandon Lee. Dimension released it and franchised it. After the dissolution of Weinstein assets it had a Lionsgate Blu ray but now is back in Paramount’s library after all.
The Blu-ray finally restored the Alex Proyas commentary but this 4K UHD has one by producer Jeff Most and John Shirley I’d never heard and can’t find where it’s been released before. It seems to have been recorded before Wicked Prayer because it only references the other three.
Most alludes to one character who was omitted because it added too many supernatural elements to an already supernatural tale. Of course, the Skull Cowboy was deleted because Lee had not completed the scenes with him. But Lee objected to a character named Lao, who was ultimately replaced by Top Dollar (Michael Wincott)’s mystic Myca (Bai Ling.
“I remember him holding the comic books against his check while we were still in development,” Most said. “He said, ‘This is certainly the most important movie I’ve ever done the most important character I’ve been able to get my arms around. My feeling is we remain faithful as can be to the comic. Certainly some things need to be changed for the big screen.”
Most said Lee felt Eric Draven should be the only supernatural element in an otherwise real world.
“He really felt that devising these more mystical aspects really were taking us in a direction that were losing sight of how one bizarre element can really affect those around,” Most said. “David Schow did a wonderful job by mitigating the problem and dealing with Brandon’s concern by coming up with Myca.”
Apparently, Lee was also a practical joker on the set. Most shared one story of Halloween night at the house Proyas was staying at while the producers, writers and Lee were doing script work.
“Brandon disappeared for about 5 minutes,” Most said. “He feigned ill, disappeared for a moment. Five minutes later comes back looking sick and ends up spewing shaving cream all over the table, all over the place. He would do those things as a practical joke.”
The Crow seems like a movie made for 4K and this edition delivers. All the dark alleys with gothic roofs looming, Draven’s first trip home from the cemetery and closeups of the crows show dark detail and deep shadow.
The Crow is remembered for its heightened comic book visuals and those looks great, but there are some stark shots of one light source as Lee straddles the dark too.
For such a music driven action movie, the surround sounds are minimal. Only a few explosions reach the rear speakers.