The Crow

“A seamless, pulsating, dazzlingly visual revenge fantasy that stands as one of the most effective live-actioners ever derived from a comic strip”

Todd McCarthy, VARIETY

“Dark, moody, and seductively overwrought… an amazingly pure expression of morbid adolescent romanticism”

Terrence Rafferty, NEW YORKER

Every October 30, the city burns. And during a particularly gruesome “Devil’s Night,” rocker Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) and his fiancée are brutally murdered. A year later to the day, a mysterious crow brings Eric back to life so he can seek revenge. Between two guitar solos, the resurrected, now invincible vigilante executes all of the bastards that took everything from him. Young Sarah (Rochelle Davis) and a shrewd cop (Ernie Hudson) are the only ones who realize that he is the one settling scores from beyond the grave. Draven’s bloody quest will go all the way to the terrible trio that has long been terrorizing the city (Michael Wincott, Bai Ling, Tony Todd).

Presented as part of Fantasia’s tribute to legendary American producer Edward R. Pressman, THE CROW caught the imagination of anyone who was a teenager or a young adult in the ’90s. Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, this cult film was already infamous before its release because of the tragic death of Brandon Lee, who was accidentally shot while shooting a scene. Already dark and haunted by death, this adaptation of James O’Barr’s comic book had an even greater effect on audiences in these circumstances and became one of the sleeper hits of 1994. Several sequels and a TV series followed, but the original remains the most memorable version of this supernatural tale of revenge, thanks to the intense performance and iconic look of Lee (often recreated by cosplayers, and on Halloween); the stylish direction by Alex Proyas (DARK CITY), who created a superhero universe even more gothic than Tim Burton’s BATMAN; and the phenomenal soundtrack featuring The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Stone Temple Pilots, The Jesus and Mary Chain, and Pantera. – Kevin Laforest