Cool News
THE CROW Will Move Forward!
Nordling here.
Remember last year when it was reported that Bradley Cooper would be playing the Crow under the direction of Juan Carlos Fresnadillo (28 WEEKS LATER)? Then suddenly the movie dropped off the radar, and Cooper moved on to other projects. That's because The Weinstein Company and Relativity Media began fighting in court over who had the rights to make the remake.
Well, the two parties settled out of court, according to a joint statement, and have agreed to remake THE CROW together. It's still uncertain who will star or direct - I like Bradley Cooper but he was completely wrong for that role, as fans would happily opine - but now that the lawsuit is settled, the two studios will move forward with the film.
I'd expect to hear very soon about prospects for the movie, so speculation will run rampant about who should direct and star. I admire the original film quite a bit and Brandon Lee had so much charisma that watching him in the role, one wonders what kind of actor Lee would have become if tragedy hadn't struck. It's a different world than when THE CROW originally opened in theaters in 1994. Color me very interested in how they update it - provided that The Weinstein Company and Relativity Media get the right people. Hopefully they'll do right by James O'Barr's book.
Readers Talkback
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Yay!
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Jan. 23, 2012, 6:44 p.m. CST
Really? Am I the only one on earth who thinks Hollywood needs to leave this the hell alone?
by jaysapathy
I mean Jesus Christ on a crutch, nothing's sacred anymore. Everything gets remade, and indie scripts are being ignored. Stop being so pathetically desperate hollywood, get your fucking game together, and do something besides bastardize some of the best pieces of art to ever come out of your industry. Just sayin'.
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Jan. 23, 2012, 6:44 p.m. CST
I was really interested when Nick Cave was doing the screenplay...
by ToxicFrog
...after they closed that down, my interest disappeared.
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When I think badass undead motherfucker I think "Bradley Cooper".
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Anyone know the last one with rave reviews from viewers? I'm trying to think and can't come up with one. So my hopes for this are extremely low.
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would have been terrific; Eddie Morra with a power ring, thrown into the trenches with other new Lanterns should have been the way the story went. Check out the terrific 2008 fan trailer of Green Lantern, and imagine Cooper instead. But I agree, leave the Crow alone; only the first one worked. The television show was an abomination.
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not remotely interested in seeing this. Unless of course it has Bai Ling showing off her tootsie role sized nipples
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Jan. 23, 2012, 6:55 p.m. CST
Am I the only one who thinks the original wasnt very good to begin with?
by avs72885
if it wasnt for Lee's death and smart editing, this film would have disappeared into obscurity. Lee acted about as good as his father... and lets face it, Bruce is a legend, but amazing actor he is not. I definately saw the same whimsical demeanor in Brandon that Bruce had.... I enjoyed The Crow but its not something sacred enough to prevent it from a remake. I definately think there is room for improvement.
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Sting's black and white look from WCW in the late 90s. Right? Right?!
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so i think it's above-average useless that this gets made.
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He would've played Neo in the Matrix, and when he said, "I know Kung Fu" the theatre wouldn't have burst out in laughter like they did at Keanu because they knew Lee could really kick their collective asses.
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Jan. 23, 2012, 7:13 p.m. CST
If Lee didn't get killed no one would give a shit about this movie
by BigTuna
Lee would be starring on some lame FOX sitcom.
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Actually, I think the original CROW was a hell of a lot better than it ever had a right to be, especially with all the horrific shit that happened during its production. I can attribute that to exactly two things: Alex Proyas and the fact that it was made in the early Nineties, which helped shape it into what it turned out to be. It was very much a product of its time (and because fifty other movies wound up looking and sounding just like it, it's easy to forget that it actually came first), much like SPIDER-MAN is very much a product of the early 2000's. I'd hoped that the fact that no one has successfully duplicated the formula in any of the absolutely horrible sequels would have dissuaded anyone from going one step further and remaking it, but I guess Hollywood just refuses to gamble on anything anymore and make original movies, not when there's so many successful films out there to mine for remakes/reboots/pre-makes/etc.
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I can totally see Brandon Lee playing Neo in the Matrix instead of Keanu. Brandon would've been great.
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Oddly, and I know I will get flamed for this but i liked the Artur remake quite alot. No way near the originál.. or even the almost deranged genius, of Moore anyway, in the sequel.. but it had just enough new.. enough nods back.. and i set it third in line. The trek reboot wasn't awful.. just nothing special either. The same baffle formula Nex Gen. Went with, the cast and team behind just never felt big. A fault in the execution, then again the new trek had a pretty God sized budget eveb compared to the biggest TNG movie.
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Jan. 23, 2012, 7:26 p.m. CST
If Brandon Lee had lived--he probably would have sucked in even more movies
by proevad
Didn't like him in The Crow--sorry. A better performance could have made that film a masterpiece...instead it's just a good movie.
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Jan. 23, 2012, 7:47 p.m. CST
Brandon Lee only had 3 or 4 films under his belt before he died
by Professor_Bedlam
so people give him a break it is amazing they finished the film and they cut like 20 to 30 mins from the Original It was a good movie that could have been great if it was finished the way it was supposed to be! And Brandon had the acting chops he just needed a great script to show it!
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Jan. 23, 2012, 7:51 p.m. CST
I wanna make a Fat Goth version of The Crow. Like, instead of good-looking rockstar svelte dude, he'd be an obese goth from the burbs (or better, trailer park).
by NeonFrisbee
He'd be fighting to protect a fat goth chick too. All the enemies would be the rockstar svelte dudes. Seriously, wouldn't that wish fulfill the target demographic SO HARD?! I should work in Hollywood.
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For it to truly be obese goth from the trailer park wish fulfillment, the chick would have to be all hott and skinny too. Alright then, obese goth from the trailer park *empowerment*, then. Feel good about being an obese goth from the trailer park! YEAH! (Cue that awful generic "goth" emo rock sound. You know the one that is, like, one song? There's like the emotional part than the rarrrgh part then back to emotional then rarrgh then end.)
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Last fall picked the original up on Blu and watched it on Halloween Night and while I had always admired it, it really stands the test of time. Everything just fit perfectly the atmosphere, music, acting, and I know a lot of that is just nostalgia (saw it when it was originally released), but it just feels so raw and not to mention I am always fascinated by movies where the main or one of the main characters die during filming or just before release. Especially if the movie deals with undead characters like Brandon in The Crow, or Aaliah? in Queen of the Damned, or Vic Morrow in Twilight Zone. Any others I have forgotten???
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However, in this case, there is no need. The original film adaption was done well and still works. I can't say the same for the handful of crappy sequels though.
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The whole point was that Neo was just a regular guy who DIDN'T know kung fu until he got unplugged and trained. Having a martial artist in the role wouldn't have worked at all.
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The Joker? Not undead, but Ledger died before release.
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OMG can't believe I forgot that... thanks!
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Does a film adaptation surpass its inspiration, the Crow did that. I hardly see how a new film will be better, especially with Bradley Cooper in it.
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Fuck this remake! Short of bringing Brandon Lee back from the dead there is nothing they can do to improve upon the original film.
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Jan. 23, 2012, 8:28 p.m. CST
If they treat it like Robert Rodriguez treated Sin City it would work
by DOGSOUP
Anything less and it's not even worth doing.
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Jan. 23, 2012, 8:29 p.m. CST
Yeah, I'd like to see a hyper-stylized, hyper-violent, hyper-fetishy The Crow ala Sin City.
by NeonFrisbee
But only if it's good. Can it be that hard? Let Miike do it.
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FRIDAY THE 13TH NIGHTMARE ON ELM STREET THE KARATE KID WHAT THE FUCK???? and its not just great films from the 80s and 90s. they made THE SMURFS and ALVIN AND THE CHIPMUNKS into films. as a bicentennial year baby and who grew up loving the films and tv shows of the 80s and 90s, i say please FUCKING STOP!!!! granted BSG was a great improvement on the original show i remember but come on you can't remake everything from those decades
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I'm not sure I want another Crow film right now. I liked the original but I have a feeling somehow it will be more like Underworld or Ghost Rider or something today(or even worse, the sequels of The Crow). Obviously if it gets an awesome director then I might be interested. Like if the dude who directed Brick (Johnson) or maybe Brad Anderson got a hold of the property (although I didn't like Vanishing), I'd be game. Anyone else and I'd probably just pass. Starring-wise I'd rather have a no-name I think. I mention Gordon-Levitt because for some reason he looks the part and seems to be around the right age.
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youre right. Its in my all-time top-5 favorite movies list.
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Or the dude from RJ Berger?
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And I'm not against re-makes. I'm just against them when the original was near perfect to begin with. Hopefully this stays in development hell forever.
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Shoot it in B/W and have the soundtrack composed of Joy Division songs just like the comic, and you might actually have something...
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If someone would make it shot for shot from the comic, in black and white, with the music from the comic (that was weird to write) in the appropriate places....it could work.
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Jan. 23, 2012, 9:52 p.m. CST
I thought Juan Carlos Fresnadillo was doing a BioShock movie?
by Yelsaeb
Whatever happened to that? And why are they even doing another Crow movie? Why are they even doing a BioShock movie for that matter? Whatever happend to good old fashioned originality?
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Jan. 23, 2012, 10:09 p.m. CST
Come on, the Crow wasn't that good to begin with. I dare you to go back and rewatch.
by mistergreen
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because the first movie was terribad.
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The original hasn't aged well, but the "franchise" (such as it is) reeks of early 90s, and doesn't exactly have a fan base (comic or cinematic) large enough to justify a reboot. The Crow is simply not a cultural touchstone in the way Batman, Superman and Spider-Man are. There are many other stories that deserve to be told once before this is told a second time (or is that a fifth?)
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Jan. 23, 2012, 10:33 p.m. CST
The Stephen Norrington + Nick Cave Tandem reboot project...
by Roy.Batty
... looked pretty interesting for just the briefest moment, but then... puff!! Alas, it was not meant to be.
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It could be a Slam Dunc!......Ha! Sorry Couldn't help myself...
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He can really bring this franchise the life it needs
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ARE YOU KIDDING, ME???? THE CROW WAS ONE OF THE COOLEST FILMS OF THE 90S. ITS RIGHT UP THERE WITH THE MATRIX AND DARK CITY, WHICH INCIDENTALLY WAS DIRECTED BY ALEX PROYAS, A MASTERFUL DIRECTOR, WHO ALSO DIRECTED THE CROW. LOVE THE FILM!!!
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For me to poop on!!! Yeah, cast Cooper and that film gets a one way ticket to Suckville!!!
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I would have preferred a storyline that showcases the demise of Hal Jordan (Dennis Quaid) as he begins his spiral into insanity and a new Lantern Kyle Rayner is chosen to clash with him.
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Plus it has an amazing soundtrack.
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They'll never top it. Brandon Lee was perfect in the role, just exactly the right mix of bereaved lover and mad jester. The way he goes from sad gentleness to gleeful vengeance and back again--it's seriously a marvelous performance. Plus, it's a story and a film that only worked so well because of the age it was made in. You watch the first Crow film, and you are stepping straight into the early 90's. For the same reason, you couldn't possibly remake "The Lost Boys" today and have it be any good. That was a film of the 80's, pure and simple, and it worked because it lived and breathe authentically with the mood of that time. I am sure someone will remake The Crow. Will I go see it? Not unless the filmmakers show me that they dedicated themselves to making a movie of THIS time, and not some sad grab at recreating the feel of the original.
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The only possible way to improve on it is to make it EXACTLY like the O'Barr comic, in the style that Sin City was made. Black and white and shot by shot. Include the poems and music. Otherwise you will NEVER touch the original.
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It's stupid to criticize a film that was, what, maybe 70% complete. Brandon's performance, physically and emotionally, was great. And as others have said, he'd only made a handful of movies (2 in Hollywood). Find the behind the scenes camcorder clips on you tube, and watch what he's doing on set. The amount of energy and acrobatic talent he had is incredible. And like Harry says, he should've played Peter Parker for Cameron.
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Jan. 24, 2012, 2:52 a.m. CST
Brandon Lee's Crow was incredible... glad to see the hate here for the remake.
by uberfreak
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Jan. 24, 2012, 3:12 a.m. CST
Really liked THE CROW at the time, but don't think it's the classic some believe
by melonman
Having said that, somehow the idea of the remake just makes me shudder - there are just way too many elements that are likely to go horribly wrong.
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Look, I loved the original Crow... loved it... but I could see it for what it was... a remake of Robocop... Even down to the "You're dead, there ain't no coming back"/"We killed you" lines... It was the definition of making the best of a bad situation... but a remake is definitely not a bad thing IF it's done correctly. Brandon Lee was perfect for the role, but at the time he was not a "oh wow" casting... It was a "really?" so who is to say Bradley Cooper couldn't have done it? Personally, I think the studios and the Twilight brigade will ruin it... I tell you who might be interesting casting.... Daniel Radcliffe... seriously... give him the long hair and grungy look, used to action already and would mean casual movie goers would go to see the movie to see Harry Potter go "dark".
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The movie has nice visuals and scenes, but as a whole it is mediocre at best.
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It would be helpful to call out these exec wankers who pitch these fucking remakes. I'd love to see a chart of these cunts to see what inflected on the public. Perhaps the only way to get quality back in is to investigate name and shame.
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i could see him pulling off the more androgynous qualities of eric from the comic.. i thought lee did well in the part, but his eric was a little too down to earth, like having heart to heart conversations with a cop in his living room.. eric in the comics seemed incapable of this. he was driven insane by the trauma and grief he experienced and the process of being brought back.. he speaks to his murderers in a calm, matter-of-fact tone that is almost friendly at times, as though he is just performing the duties of a grim reaper and restoring balance.. there was little of the cryptic, quietly volatile, poetry spouting eric in the proyas film, as much as a love it.
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Jan. 24, 2012, 7:52 a.m. CST
"Treat it like Sin City" means shooting the comic panel for panel
by DOGSOUP
Not 300 times the Spiritized. Remember Robert Rodriguez was so adamant of shooting the comic exactly he wouldn't even let Frank Miller change anything? THAT is what I mean. I thought you people would be smart enough to pick up on that.
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Jan. 24, 2012, 8:01 a.m. CST
I agree Aquanaut...I love the 94 film but it WOULD be great to see a faithful adaptation to the kind of quiet, mournful madness that the book has in it....let's not forget that
by Dogmatic
The Crow was written as an emotional catharsis for James O'Barr for having lost a woman in his life in a tragic way so it is much more a meditation on mourning and loss and the madness that can come with it than it is vengeance. Vengeance was just the vehicle that made it marketable. But, I doubt Hollywood has this in mind. I bet they look at this as a type of "Highlander reboot" just as an excuse to stage huge action setpieces around a wronged hero that can't be killed.
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If this has to be done then i say Guillermo Del Toro needs to do it. And since we obviously can't have Heath Ledger (who would have been perfect after his Joker performance) then I say Sam Witwer from Being Human. He plays tragic hero well.
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that song absolutely MADE the movie....the two are forever linked for me...
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Like an earlier poster said, the film was far from brilliant. Honestly, Lee was good, and it is sad that he died, but I will admit that his death is what got me in the theater on '94. Movies like this and Highlander to me could really use remakes. To me that is the real purpose of a remake, to take a film that had potential but just kinda missed the mark, and remake it into the film it could have been. Not really sure who I would cast though.
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That's actually pretty inspired. He pretty much played the crow in The Force Unleashed. Sorta anyway.
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Jan. 24, 2012, 9:24 a.m. CST
exador for me it's "Big Empty" since that's what played over the trailer so long ago
by DOGSOUP
Now whenever it comes on the radio I automatically think of Eric falling backwards out a window
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People forget that The Crow was essentially an unfinished movie. They cobbled together a classic from what they had in the can. Had Brandon lived, the final movie would've been much hokier and nowhere near as good. So I'm not totally against a remake, because it will more than likely be shit and then people may realise that trying to top a classic is a waste of time.
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Jan. 24, 2012, 10:15 a.m. CST
I can't believe it either. In what world is there an excuse for putting real bullets in a prop gun?
by UltraTron
Oh yeah.
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Jan. 24, 2012, 10:16 a.m. CST
Seriously. Who shot him? Does anyone know which gun or was it like a firing squad where nobody wants to know.
by UltraTron
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This is one of my favorite movies. I would hate to see it turned into another holllywood rehash. Probably be rated pg13 and have a hip hop soundtrack.
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Jan. 24, 2012, 10:30 a.m. CST
Is it just me or is this site just regurgitating stories?
by Tikidonkeypunch
We hear about the Crow remake, then no remake, then its on again. There will be a Star Wars show, no Star Wars show, it's written but waiting to be made again. We see the same old comments being said over and over again. Can't we get some news that's fresh. I say this isn't news until we have casting and a director in place and their finally starting so we can all bitch in piece. I fall in the middle as far as remakes go. I've seen beloved movies either impress me or make me want to gouge my fucking eyes out. Remember the studios are like greedy corporations who are looking to maximize profit not create or protect works of art. One of the most successful movies of all was Titanic, which was a remake. Thats the lightning in a bottle they want to cash in on. Not the super powered goth rocker super hero movie that we all know and love. I gurantee Cooper would have been a Nickelback/Creed rocker instead.
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Someone put a REAL BULLET in a gun that was supposed to be shooting blanks!! That's straight up MURDER
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If the film bombs at the box office, as this one is likely to, what the makers say to themselves. Probably the only time anyone ever looks back with regret on winning a court battle.
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Jan. 24, 2012, 11:53 a.m. CST
On to another argument. If Heath Ledger hadn't of died, no one would have give a shit about TDK. THat's the only reason it was overhyped.
by XxSoulFlyxX
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Jan. 24, 2012, 12:23 p.m. CST
Doesn't anyone else feel they owe us another good Crow movie?
by JackSlater4
Like if Brandon Lee wouldn't have died, he would've had an awesome franchise on his hands? But instead we get extremely shitty sequels and and a TV show with a good lead but still sub par and way off track. Reboot and expand this world.
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It was perfect at the time - fashion, music, the emerging goth subculture. There is nothing going on in the culture right now that provides context for this movie. All of the 'gothic' trappings have been McFashionized and marketed through Hot Topic stores. Hell, there isn't even a relevant musical culture to build a soundtrack around. Without a cultural context, and given that the contexts in which the original was made have become stereotyped jokes, this movie will go over like the Queen of the Damned.
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You've probably seen him. Apparently he won't ever touch a real or prop gun ever again.
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Because The Crow should be accessable to all ages. Thanks Chuck Norris.
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Who are saying that it would be great if they made it like the original comic are absolutely right. Unfortunately, there is NO WAY that Hollywood would ever do that, because film and comic nerds like us would be the only ones interested. I say let the flawed but charming '90s version be.
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I've always thopught that if Brandon Lee hadn't died, tragically, on the set of The Crow, that he would have been THE go to guy to play Neo in The Matrix. How different would that have been? Where would Keanu be without that movie? Why remake The Crow anyway? Has Hollywood run out of ideas so badly? That last one was rhetorical btw ;)
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but to say his career would've been nothing if he lived is pure speculation. Something we'll never know but he was an actor who was being considered a rising action star at the time. One of the reasons he wasn't a star earlier on is because he tried to resist the urge to follow his father's footsteps for years.
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Jan. 24, 2012, 5:46 p.m. CST
Nah, TDK was so popular because it was an AWESOME movie.
by NeonFrisbee
I'm sure Ledger's death gave it *some* morbid boon, but the reason why people kept seeing it over and over again is because it KICKED ASS and his performance was nothing sort of amazing.
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Or do it with any degree of accuracy or respect as to what it's about, I'd really just like for it to remain dormant at this point. There's a lot of great graphic novels out there that can be massacred.
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He's the only actor I can think of who'll throw himself headlong into corny, emotive bullshit and somehow make it ring true.
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But he never got the chance to be, so give it a rest. If he had lived, I know he wanted to do so many other types of movies and play so many different kinds of roles. The guy that played Skank wanted to do something else with him, and Brandon said, yeah, but something where people just...talk to each other for a change...no guns, no fights, no explosions, and definitely no kung-fu. I hesitate to say that he would've agreed to do The Matrix. But I guess it would've been a helluva great farewell to those kinds of roles.
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April 16, 2012, 2:36 p.m. CST
May a pack of rabbid pit bulls feast on the testicles of whoever is behind this
by wcolbert
I know I'm way late to the table. Just wanted to say that. To remake this is particularly annoying...because this film was great to begin with, and because it is the film Brandon Lee gave his life making. It stands as a testament to what he could have become, and what he had become, and as a tribute to his life. This was what he left behind for us. And now they want to ass-rape it for some quick cash. Because they're too fucking stupid to think of anything new. Remaking this...THIS...is tantamount to saying "Lee wasn't good enough, fuck him, let's do another one and make some money." Next they'll remake Enter the Dragon. Fucking cuntburgers.
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