Day 2 of this year’s Halloween Horrors series presents us with our first of many returning contributors, Trisha Pantazis. This marks Trisha’s third year of contributing to this series, having previously joined us in 2019 with a few thoughts on Friday the 13th Part III, and again last year to share her love for Wes Craven’s Scream. This year, Trisha joins us with a look at another film that is clearly one near and dear to her heart: 1994’s The Crow.

Now, I’m not going to spend any time talking about the legacy of this film, its misfire sequels, the short-lived Mark Dacascos-starring television series, or that recent ill-conceived remake that’s already available to watch on streaming outlets. Instead, much like today’s contributor, I’ll choose to focus on the original film. While I admit to eagerly awaiting this film’s initial release (especially after having repeatedly played the film’s soundtrack for weeks prior), what will always be dearer to me than the film itself is the memory of actually going to see the film on its opening night with my group of high-school friends. Although I’ve not spoken to many of them since before we even graduated, the memory of that night (and many others like it) still stands clear as it not only reminds me of a simpler, more carefree time in my life, but also serves as a bittersweet, yet constant reminder of not only just how much times have changed in the 30 years since the film’s release, but also just how much I’ve changed… and how much I’ve stayed the same.

Much like horror or Halloween, the things we attempt to celebrate each year with this series, The Crow resonates differently with each of its many dedicated fans. Each finds something special within, something that tends to stay with them for years after. The film presents the message that “true love never dies”, and when it comes to fans of The Crow and their devotion to the film and its legacy, that message has very much been proven true.

 

The Crow (1994)

Hi! My name is Trisha, and the movie that I chose to write about is 1994’s The Crow, starring the one and only Brandon Lee. It is a film that I love very much.

The Crow was released on May 10th, 1994. It stems from the comic book of the same name, which released in 1989. The Crow was more than just a movie to me. It was Cinematic Baptism: a dark and visceral experience that forever stuck into my psyche. I remember the first time that I watched it. I was 12 years old, sitting in my dimly lit room. The scene where Eric Draven (Lee) emerges from the shadows of his gravesite when he is set out to avenge his love for his fiancé, Shelly Webster. Before we go any further, let me explain…

The Crow opens up on October 30th in Detroit, Michigan, sirens wailing and police everywhere. “If two people are meant to be together, nothing can keep them apart”, says Sarah, a teenage girl that Shelly and Eric helped take care of. We then see a brutal murder scene; Eric is shot and pushed quite a few stories down from a window, and Shelly is also harassed and shot a few times. They were getting ready for their wedding on Halloween night (the next evening), but the door is kicked in and four men enter: T-Bird, Tin Tin, Funboy, and Skank. They have some business to “take care of” due to a complaint that Shelly made against the owner of the building, Top Dollar, who is also the head gangster in the city.

We then move ahead “a year later”. We are at Eric Draven’s gravesite. A crow is sitting on his tombstone. Slowly, we see the dirt move. Eric emerges from his grave and screams a mask of pain, like if he was reborn, but this time immortal and ready for vengeance. It sent shivers down my spine.

Eric and the crow proceed to the apartment. He opens the door and sees the ruckus created and the caution tape still up. He falls to his knees, reliving that night with flashbacks of Shelly and himself, sobbing and screaming.  The rawness of that scene made me tear up. You could feel the pain that he was feeling in that moment.

As he is having these brutal flashbacks of that night, Eric cuts his hand on a piece of glass, but it heals up all on its own. He then goes over to a mirror and starts to paint his face in white and black, and dress in leather, all while “Burn” by The Cure plays. (The soundtrack is amazing!) Determined to find the men who did this and avenge all for love, Eric walks over to the window that he was pushed out of and stands there as the crow lands on his shoulder. Lightning strikes, lighting up his face in this dark and gloomy place. He looks so bad ass! Powerful and ready to take matters into his own hands. 

He then finds his first victim, Tin Tin, in an alleyway. Eric emerges and they fight. He has Tin Tin up against a wall and says, “Victims, aren’t we all?” He stabs Tin Tin with his own knives, killing him. Eric then finds the pawn shop where Tin Tin pawned Shelly’s ring. He gets it back, saying “Is that gasoline I smell?” as he blows up the pawn shop.

Eric then finds victim #2, Funboy, shooting up drugs in his apartment with Darla. Eric comes through the window and scares Funboy. Funboy grabs a gun. Eric, sitting in a chair, puts his hand over the gun’s barrel and says, “Take your best shot, Funboy. You got me dead bang.” He does take the shot, and Eric starts freaking out. He then starts to laugh and shows Funboy that his hand is closing up, healing itself. Eric then shoots Funboy in the leg and drags him to the bathtub, where Funboy chokes on his own blood.

Eric proceeds to talk to Sgt. Albrecht, who was at the scene of his murder. We eventually get to T-Bird: Victim #3. As T-Bird is waiting in his car for Skank, Eric appears from the back seat in the rearview mirror. Holding a gun to T-Bird’s head, Eric tells him to drive. They wind up at a dock, where he ties T-Bird to the driver’s seat. Eric lights dynamite in the car and pushes his foot on the gas pedal, causing the car to crash and blow up. We then see Eric throw a lighter to the ground, lighting up a silhouette of a crow that he drew with gasoline. Like an “Eric Draven was here!” kind of thing. It was awesome!

Skank tells Top Dollar about Eric, and what he has been doing to all of their friends. We then see a table full of men in Top Dollar’s den. Skank is also there. The crow shows up. Eric walks in and says, “I just want him”, pointing at Skank, his final victim. Top Dollar replies, “You can’t have him.” Eric takes matters into his own hands and kills everyone in the room, except for Top Dollar and his sister/girlfriend. Eric gets hit during the shoot-out and notices that he is bleeding. His immortality is slowly fading.

Top Dollar kidnaps Sarah. He and Eric have a final battle at a church, where Eric kills Top Dollar and his sister. He then proceeds to Shelly’s tombstone and lays back in her presence. True love never dies. That’s what we take from this; not to mention Brandon Lee’s tragic and heartbreaking death during the filming of this movie, which only intensified the film’s impact.

The Crow is a bittersweet masterpiece, and it continues to be to this day. It’s a cult classic: a film that captured the essence of my teenage years, a dark and stormy reflection of a time when I was searching for meaning and purpose.

I want to say “thank you” for taking the time to read my essay. This is my 3rd year of doing this series, and this movie is the one that has my heart the most. “Thank you” to Dustin for this opportunity. Happy Halloween everyone!!