A Boy and His Bird: The Crow News

Rochelle Davis confirmed for Scarefest08 and Croween 2K8 News

2008-07-24T07:32:00.000-07:00

Reminder that Croween2K8 ramps up the 1st of August. Go to the Crowfans website or MySpace site for details.

Rochelle Davis (Sarah from the first Crow film) will be part of a panel during Scarefest08 in Orlando (image above from last year's program). Check out the site later in the year for details as they are added. In the mean time, click here for list of known guests.

Thanks to Frank for the heads up on Rochelle. We are pulling together all the questions sent in for her and will get those forwarded on.

A "murder" of Crow related news

2008-07-22T06:13:00.000-07:00

Hey folks, hope your summer has been a good one so far. As you can tell by the lack of updates, I have been busy. But not too busy to catch THE best ever comic to film of all time, The Dark Knight. You gotta check out this movie, it is fantastic.

OK, on to Crow news. I mostly have fan-related stuff to report. Since the official creative forces have gone to sleep for The Crow, we, the fans, have carried forward creating some great stuff. David J. from over at Crowcoll has alerted me to some really cool fan-based stuff.

First off, A.J. has created another fantastic Crow-inspired video on his site. You need to check out the latest entitled "The Crow: Descent", way too cool!

Are you into Crow art? Here is a link to a site that is doing some crazy sick stuff with movie posters, to include The Crow.

Finally the folks over at Maximummetal.com have taken the 1994 movie "The Crow" and synched it with Queensryche's "Rage for Order" (1986). This is some wild stuff that you have got to read to believe.

Thanks again to David J. for heads up on all the above stuff. As I said, it is the fanbase which is keeping the flame going for The Crow. I still hold out hope that franchise we all love is brought back to life much like Batman and Halloween have over the last few years.

Our good friend Jamie Christopherson (composer of the score for The Crow: Wicked Prayer), has a lot of updates on his site. He has been a busy man, check out some of his latest work.

Finally, don't forget that Frank is gathering the troops and pulling together Croween 2k8. Start working on those ideas right now. I have been asked to be a judge once again and this year, I am going to really be looking for some originality. The thing I hear most from fellow fans about the official projects is "I can do better than that." Well prove it! Lets see how creative you can get this year.

I hope everyone is doing well. Take care & God bless.

View THE CROW: STAIRWAY to HEAVEN online!

2008-05-15T07:10:00.000-07:00

All of the episodes of THE CROW: STAIRWAY to HEAVEN are availabe on Hulu! Huge thanks to Kelley B. for getting these up. The quality is excellent. The episodes are easy to access, with episode synopsis and feedback area. Thanks to Frank for the alert on this. If you were not able to find the boxed set (it was never in Wal-Mart) this is a great opportunity to be able to revisit the series whenever you want.

The Wicked Prayer revisited

2008-03-27T12:56:00.001-07:00

This is what I said then (condensed as this was my longest review ever).............

Well, after much waiting and build up, the film delivered the goods for me. Having followed the film for so long, reading all the scripts, etc, I had built up this image of the film in my head which frankly, I thought couldn't be matched. That image was not only met, it was surpassed. This is a more than worthy addition to the Crow franchise and one I feel a majority of the fan base will embrace. My only regret about the film is that it will not see a much deserved full fledged theatrical release. It is high quality work and it is a shame that a film like this is not given its just due, especially in light of the films that HAVE been given a theatrical releases of late that absolutely tanked at the box office.

4 Crows

What I say now................

Boy was I wrong when I said that "one I feel a majority of the fan base will embrace". I should have said this was a Crow film that like-minded fans would embrace. This is the film that basically soured me on the franchise as a whole. Not the film itself, but the absolute mean-spirited nature of the reviews from print/net critics and, to me at the time, the absolute short sightedness of fans. Some time has passed since my bitterness toward the fan base boiled over. I have come to the realization that I was too close to this project. I had insight that many didn't and wouldn't ever have. There was a good amount of emotional context that didn't make it from the script to the film, but unlike the average fan, I had insight to so was able to put the pieces together easier. There is no way I can view this film without all of that context therefore have no way of being able to see it as someone who totally disdains it sees it. I do think the film proved that the fan base as a whole was stuck on one thing; the first movie. For better or worse everything from the first film is burned into fan's consciousness and can't be removed. I will go down with my guns blazing defending Wicked Prayer. It has a few hiccups, such as some of the worse dialog ever created for a character (El Nino, played by Dennis Hopper). But all in all, in my opinion, this film hit the core of what O'Barr's comic featured. Not only that, it featured a storyline I could all too identify with. I thought the blurring of lines between good and evil as well as having two righting of wrongs missions going on, parallel and in conflict, were a fantastic new element. I just watched this again recently and still feel it is the best film since the first one. I rated it 4 Crows originally and I stick by that rating.

The DVD release of Wicked Prayer was and is, for me, the best Crow DVD release of the 4 films. We have 4 commentary tracks from the director, producer, star and composer of the film. We have a comprehensive making of feature, deleted scenes, composer profile, etc. The film may have been a direct to video venture, but the quality of the images and sounds as well as extras gives the buyer their money's worth and then some. Unlike the previous 3 film's DVD's, I have no complaints here. My only complaint is that Jamie Christopherson's excellent score was never released. It is haunting and beautiful.

To see my full review of the film go here.

Rochelle Davis interview

2008-03-13T16:40:00.000-07:00

As you know, Frank has kept up contact with Rochelle Davis since we learned of all the legal issues she was going through last year. As we reported last week, she is on the road to getting her life back on track. Frank contacted Rochelle recently about doing an interview. She has agreed! We want to solicit questions from fellow fans to ask her (to be approved by her manager of course). So we need you to get those questions in to me at aboyandhisbird@gmail.com . We will use as many questions as we can. This is going to be a great opportunity for fans to catch up with one of the most beloved actors/actresses from the first film.

The Crow: Salvation revisited

2008-03-13T09:18:00.000-07:00

Here we are with our 3rd revisit, The Crow: Salvation

What I said then..........

We first see Alex in his cell, playing chess with his lawyer and awaiting the walk to the execution chamber. Eric Mabius does a great job conveying the emotions of his impending doom and his frustration in not apprehending the real killer of his girlfriend. His focus is more on this failure than his impending execution. This establishes his love for Erin Randall and shows us his motivation for coming back while creating a connection with the audience before his death. This is a new twist for "The Crow" movies. Previously, we were not introduced to the title character before his death. Eric Mabius neither looks nor acts like his predecessors. There is much irony and wry glee in what Eric's character is doing. Mabius' intense eyes add to the unsettling image of his Irony scared face smiling at his enemies (Alex's face is burned by the helmet he wears during his execution, giving him the famous "clown from hell" look). I found Kirsten Dunst believable and genuine. Fred Ward is his usual feisty self. One observation I had was that the characters in this film are more realistic than the cartoon figures of previous Crow movies. The characters in "Salvation" are more identifiable with people with which we have everyday contact. Even the title character is not decked out in the "gothic" attire of the past. All of the soundtrack songs are appropriately placed in the movie. A prime example of this is the song "Antihistamine" by Tricky. It perfectly enhances the tone of the scene it is in. The ending is a vast improvement over that of COA's and is very satisfying. The new director, Baharat Nalluri, brings some innovative visual elements to Salvation, such as a new Crow-vision style, as well as other personal touches. All of these changes, as well as the previously discussed story elements, helped to make Salvation a very enjoyable viewing experience for me.

Overall rating 3 1/2 Crows

What I say today...........

This film has kind of been an up and down enjoyment for me. We were pretty active in the promotion of the film back in 1999/2000. So there was a personal connection to the film. This film had an air of controversy in that Dimension strung Pressman and Most along making them think it would get a theatrical release. It received only one release, in Spokane, Washington. Hardly a true testing ground for the film especially given the very minimal promotion it was given. The star and producers had to literally walk the streets handing out posters since no real promotion was being done by the studio. In the end, there was no intent for this film to be released theatrical. It's sole purpose was to be shot so they would have a 3rd film for a boxed DVD set. The cast and crew, despite all of that, rose above that and gave us a worthy addition to the Crow franchise. I have gone through periods where my enjoyment of Salvation has waned. But today I can say it is definitely a fun movie to watch. It is different from the first two in that it has a "normal" element about it. They tried to get away from a lot of the otherworldly aspects of the first two and they do that successfully. The score is my least favorite of the 4 films, but it works for what it is intended to be. The soundtrack is packed with some very good songs, though at times it seems they are trying to get every single one of the songs into the movie and it hops from soundtrack or score and never seems to have any quiet moments. The movie brought in a new element of mystery to the franchise and that was a welcome change. I think the mystery is a bit deluded though in that every step is easy to figure out. Were it me, I would have gone a different route and pointed to the Capt as the main bad guy but then pulled a switch on the audience and revealed it was Alex's lawyer that was pulling the strings. Mabius put a lot into this film, especially post production. He made himself available for every possible promotional venture. The film was shown at the 2000 Dragon Con and received overall positive responses. It ended up going on to be the highest selling action direct to video title of 2000.

I would say 3 1/2 Crows is still a spot on opinion today.

The Collector's DVD release of the film gave us a very good commentary track with the director, star, composer, producer and production design lead chiming in. It was the most complete commentary of the first 3 films. The other extras are short, but informative (the "making of" is disappointingly very short). As with the other two films that are part of the boxed set, there is a script DVD rom feature that is very nice. Would be great to see this on Blu Ray when/if that happens. You can read my full review of the DVD here.

The Crow: City of Angels revisted

2008-03-10T08:41:00.001-07:00

Here is another review from the past, The Crow: City of Angels (or COA as most fans refer to it as).

What I said then...........

I make no apologies for saying that I enjoyed this movie. However, I feel that production was rushed and important elements were not examined thoroughly enough. The theater run-time of only 84 minutes speaks loudly to this. The filmmakers never explored the Sarah/Ashe relationship in detail. Expansion of that element would have set COA apart from the first movie and given it more emotion. A better use of the flashback scenes between Ashe and his son Danny would also have improved the film. The majority of flashbacks concentrated on their murder, not their love. I thought Vincent Perez did an excellent job in his portrayal of Ashe, as did Mia Kirshner who played Sarah. In my opinion, fans that could not distinguish between the fact that Perez's Ashe Corvin was a totally different character from Brandon's Eric Draven, judged Perez too harshly. There is so much about COA that is very good. The yellow/green tint, used throughout the movie, was both original and effective. It gave the feeling of a barren, dry, dream-like Los Angeles. The premise of an avatar falling in love, after coming back, was very intriguing. The attempt to make a different movie was there, but somewhere along the way, originality was compromised for the sake of staying with a known successful formula. The following quote is from Frieda Noone who does reviews for Cinescape. I saw this quote on the site "A Dead Man Visits You", and I think it sums up COA perfectly: "If you accept that the CROW: City of Angels is not really a movie, then it's quite possible to enjoy it. More a visually intense tone poem than a film, City of Angels resembles a lavish picture book - which is the medium from which the CROW films sprang." Very well said indeed.

Rating - 3 Crows

What I say now...............

Again, like the first film, this one has not lost any luster with me over the years. If anything, I have grown to appreciate it even more for what was attempted, but ultimately damaged by too many fingers in the post production cookie jar. Looking back, I think they should have made the Sarah character a person who had a connection to the dead, not a connection to the Crow or the previous film. COA, more so than any of the other sequels, has grown in legend for what was NOT featured on screen. Fans have long pined for the deleted footage to be put back in and the film assembled in the original form and context that Pope had intended. Would this change the minds of those that to this day have to reach for the Pepto at the mere mention of COA? Personally, no. I think if you hated the film then you would hate it with the deleted footage restored and the context Pope intended. I think it would win over some fans that didn't necessarily hate it, but all in all, if you hated it in 1996, you would hate it today even restored to what it was intended to be. I have personally seen 4 or 5 cuts of this film and I just don't think there is enough that would bring the masses of haters over to our side. I think all in all this film came out too soon after the original and the concept was lost on many fans and for that matter, lost on the suits in the production offices. Tim Pope had a vision of a truly tragic and Gothic romance and unfortunately the ghosts from the previous film had not been laid to rest and many fans saw it as an inferior clone of the first film, no doubt helped along by post production tinkering by producers that all but ripped the guts out of the film and laid it out in the sun to rot. The one thing I think the deleted footage would help fans appreciate more is the excellent performance from Vincent Perez. There was some absolutely great stuff deleted, such as his self-destructive moment with Spider Monkey and the original intended tragic ending. To this day I cringe when I see the pseudo happy/sad ending that made it to the final cut. I will say that one required re-shoot was a wise decision and that was the original Kali/Ashe fight which in it's original form was very week. The re-shoot is one of my favorite scenes from the film, though the deleted confrontation on the street after the fight between the mortally wounded Kali and Ashe is deeply missed. I have found that with the passing of time, more and more people are coming to appreciate COA more than they did back when it first came out.

Still a solid "3 Crow" rating in my book, maybe even 3 1/2 Crows.

The Collectors DVD release of this film is good, but like the first film, lacks some important features. The "making of" is VERY informative. The commentary track is frank and open. Alex McDowell (production designer for the first two Crow films) all but spells out the butchering that the producers did to the film, commenting many times about how their vision and Tim Pope's vision were worlds apart and ultimately the film lost its soul in the editing. The DVD-rom features a rare find for many fans, the full Chet Williamson novelization of the film, which is very hard to find in any stores. Of course the omitting of deleted scenes as well as none of the music videos featured on the VHS release make this DVD, like the film, a great concept but in the end lacking everything to make it a full viewing experience. Hopefully when this makes it to Blu Ray these omissions can be taken care of and maybe even some righting of wrongs and allowing Tim Pope to put together a TRUE director's cut, not the supposed Director's Cut that the DVD box claims it is today.

Cast updates

2008-03-07T04:48:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Frank for this update on Bai Ling. Here is the latest. Let's hope this is the last we see of her in trouble.

Also an update from Frank on the latest with Rochelle Davis (Sarah from the first film). She is doing well with plans to marry. She has gone through a lot of stuff over the last year but it appears things are on the right track. I spoke with Robert Zuckerman and let him know about the issues Rochelle was having last year. He was able to make contact and I know he reached out with a lot of love to her. Our personal wishes and prayers are with Rochelle and hope for nothing but the best for her and her son and the new life they are about to have.

Let the reviews begin!

2008-03-05T06:10:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone. As I mentioned the other day, while things are slow on the news front, we thought it would be interesting to revisit our reviews from years back and see how opinions may have changed (good or bad) or not even at all, over the years. One thing you will notice about these reviews, they are pretentious free! I am absolutely tired of these 3 and 4 page reviews that spend the majority of the review giving you the background of why the reviewer has the opinion they have, explaining their love or admiration for the source material or for like-movies or just simply go on some rant about this and that and finally by page 3 you get the review and by then could care less. We setup the reviews in a very basic format with a quick synopsis of the story and then my review. I am not posting the original synopsis, because, well, you more than likely wouldn't be here if you didn't already know about what I am talking about :)

Below is an explanation of the rating system I use. It isn’t high-tech by no means, but works for me:

1 Crow: Bad, can't recommend it.
2 Crows: Not the worst, but boarding on a total waste of time
3 Crows: Average, check it out but don’t pay full price
4 Crows: Excellent, highly recommend you check it out
5 Crows: Outstanding, perfection personified!

If you see something that has a ½ added to it that means it is a notch above the whole number rating, but not quit the next higher number. So if something is rated 3 ½ crows, that means I rate it higher than a "good" project, but not quit excellent.

So let’s get to it. The first film we will look at is what started the franchise in the first place, the original film from 1994, “The Crow”.

What I said then:

This is one of the best movies based on a comic I have seen. The performances, across the board, were excellent. Alex Proyas, acting as director and visionary, was able to recreate the look of O'Barr's alternative and gothic Detroit. Brandon Lee was elevated to God-like status for his portrayal of Eric Draven, but even more so because of his real-life death while making the film. The film was not shown until a year after his death. I remember being hesitant about watching the movie. I felt that it would be an almost sick voyeuristic peek at the life and death of Brandon Lee. I was finally able to overcome my initial reluctance to see the film. The story, which calls upon the basic premise of setting the wrong things right, touched a chord within me. I have long enjoyed movies that played on the revenge theme. However, I did not expect to ever see a movie filled with violence to be so poetic and beautiful. What sets this movie apart from other movies of this genre is the concentration on love and the extremes it takes us to. It is what continues to bring new fans to it even after 7 years. 4-Crows

My thoughts today:

Nothing much has changed about my feelings for the film 14 years later. I would say it probably isn’t the best comic to film adaptation I have seen, especially given films like Spiderman 2 and Sin City, but all in all, the film has held up for me. I don’t watch it as much anymore as I used to, but when I do, it still has a great affect on me. There are some films that you look back on and wonder how you ever thought you enjoyed it as much as you thought you did. There are many films I remember from when I was a teenager that I thought were just absolutely great and now, MANY years later, I watch them and go “meh, it is OK”. Not this one. It still remains one of my top 10 favorite films of all time and probably will stay that way. 4-Crows all the way.

We did a full-length review of the Collector's Series DVD release for this film back in 2000/2001, you can read it here. All in all, I was pleased with the release, but the politics that led to the release missing many items and contributors, mainly Proyas, still remains a sore spot with many fans. However, for all of its faults, you can not get a better edition of the film. They did a great job restoring the sound and images. I can not wait to see this film on Blu Ray. The O'Barr feature is still the definitive interview done with O'Barr. Some items missed by most fans on the DVD, such as the text commentary and script/view option only available via DVD-Rom, with the new technology could be made available via the player rather than having to be a DVD-Rom feature. Like I said back when my original review was posted, I hope that we can get a release of the film on Blu Ray that has all the players involved contributing. I'm not one of those that is clamouring for a director's cut, I would just like to have the fantastic making of "Crow Chronicles" finally seen by everyone, all the deleted footage brought together and for us to get a director's commentary. Not a lot to wish for :) I can not even imagine what this film will look and sound like in High-def, it will be great! As of today, no word on when that day will come.
--
Take Care.....Come what may

Greetings!

2008-02-29T14:34:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone. Sorry for the absence. Over the last 7 months I have been helping my wife take care of her parents who have suffered a variety of illnesses. The sad ending to all this, both have passed on; father in-law on Christmas day and mother in-law just last Thursday. They were both in their early sixties, way too young, but they are in a much better place, free of the pain that they were suffering.

Now that things are getting back to "normal" (if there ever will be such a thing) I am getting back into the update game. There has not been a lot happening, though seems our girl Bai Ling got into a little trouble at an airport recently when she fancied something other than the "pretty lights" and failed to pay. You guys of course saw the update on Statham talking a possible Crow remake (please oh please say it isn't so!!).

I will be reposting reviews of previous Crow works with a current spin on them. I think it is high time we take a look back and see what all has transpired in the Crow world. I am still working on that mega Crow article I promised that speaks to where it all started and where things ended up.

Take care & God bless

Re-Make of The Crow?

2008-01-24T00:31:00.000-08:00

Looks like Jeff Most needs a new extension on his house - there are rumours of a Crow remake! And we thought that's what the 3 sequels were (how many times can they milk the same concept? Try something new!).

Via Moviehole, Jason Statham told IESB:

"You know, there’s talk of them redoing The Crow. That was a good movie with Brandon Lee, although that was years ago. So if that one comes my way, bang!"

What do you think, Crow Fans? Can you see Jason Statham as Eric Draven? No? Us either.

If anyone has heard any rumblings about a remake, please let us know. Add some comments and feel free to vent your thoughts...

The Crow: Final

2007-10-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

3 NIGHTS, 5 BUCKS, 1 BADASS SHOW

Detroit, October 2012.

Six years ago, at the age of 19, Rachel Storm was brutally murdered on a bus en route from Mentor-on-the-Lake, Ohio to Somewhere Not Here, USA. Guided by her predecessor, Eric Draven, and the mysterious Skull Cowboy, Rachel returned to the world of the living to avenge her death and the deaths of her fellow passengers. Rachel has killed three out of the four men responsible for the murders. For unknown reasons, Rachel has let the Fourth Man, Edmund Wiley, live.

Rachel Storm, The Skull Cowboy and Eric Draven will soon learn the dark consequences of this act of mercy, this defying of the rules and traditions of the legend, the myth, and the story of
The Crow...

THE CROW: FINAL

Written and Directed by Bryan Enk
Inspired by the work of James O'Barr
Fight Choreography by Qui Nguyen

Monday, 10/29 @8PM
Tuesday, 10/30 @8PM
Wednesday, 10/31 @8PM

with:

Jessica Savage, Adam Swiderski, Britton Lafield,
Jessi Gotta, Dan Maccarone, Marguerite French,
Robert Pinnock, Sarah Jane Bunker, Carrie Johnson,
Roger Nasser, Fred Backus, and Jeff Lewonczyk

Suggested Donation: $5
100 minutes. No intermission.

The Brick Theater
575 Metropolitan Ave
Williamsburg, Brooklyn
L to Lorimer / G to Metropolitan

Click here to visit their site.

Latest photo and muse from Robert Zuckerman

2007-10-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

If you haven't picked up Robert's "Kindsight" book, get your tail off the couch and do so! It is a wonderful book. It has managed to move beyond the shelf and become a living example of how to live and view life.

Here is the latest photo and muse from Robert. Click on the image to read the story behind the photo. Fantastic stuff......enjoy

Back in the saddle

2007-10-15T21:16:00.000-07:00

Hey folks, long time no post! Been an absolutely crazy time the last few months. Would like to say it was crazy as in crazy fun, but alas, it hasn't been. Suffice to say the "really real world" has been kicking my arse. But enough of that, on to a cool update.

There is a new Crow project about to be released by some fans that looks to be pretty cool. It is called "The Crow: Devil's Night". Give it a look come October 30th. Here is their MySpace with all the details and a sneak preview. Thanks to Deaderman for the heads up on this.

I am working on a multi-part piece that chronicles the franchise. Where it started, where it has been and where it is going. Look for it very soon.

Finally, don't forget to get registered for the Crowfans STH contest. Click here to register. Some really great prizes for the STH fans.

Take care.....

A review of THE CROW: STAIRWAY to HEAVEN set

2007-07-27T08:32:00.000-07:00

With great pleasure I sat down and took in on DVD one of my favorite TV series of all time, THE CROW: STAIRWAY to HEAVEN. Released on region 1 DVD, Tuesday, July 24th, for the first time, THE CROW: STAIRWAY to HEAVEN (or STH as we fans like to call it), brought back a flood of memories for me.

I will start off with a technical look at the set and then go into my personal thoughts on the series as a whole and extras.

Packaging & Menus

Each of the 5 disks is housed in a thin plastic DVD case, which all slip into a protective outer cover that has Mark on the cover, with an overall series synopsis on the back along with special features listing. Each of the individual cases has a different picture from the series on the front with an episode listing, synopsis and air date on the back. The spine contains an easily readable title and disk number. When you open the individual cases the left-side contains a listing of each episode accompanied with a screenshot from the episode as well as the original air date. The disk is housed on the right-side of the case. Each disk has the cover art from their individual cases emblazoned on them.

The main menu for each disk is nicely done with an active background playing. The extras menu on disk 5 is easily navigated.

My overall thoughts on the packaging and menus is; “job well done”. There was a reservation by many, to include me, about the large TV Guide logo on the cover art. But after you get used to it being there, it really is not that distracting. The cover art keeps with the overall image theme that the series presented, which is appreciated. Too many times the cover art for these sets utilize images and a style that is in contrast to what the series itself represented. Not here, they kept the image themes that many of the promotional art for the series had.

Video Quality

I was surprised how well the show looks. Given that the series was not shot in HD and this is a standard transfer, the colors and overall clarity are a pleasant surprise. The day time scenes are especially sharp, though the night scenes are a little grainy at times, however there is hardly any aging that can be detected. Very nice transfer; a whole lot better than the VHS copy I have of the episodes that I taped when they originally aired 98-99.

Sound Quality

The sound is Dolby 2.0, it is good. Better than a mono track for sure, but if there is any aspect of the release that I wish more time and money could have been spent on it is the sound. Being an action series and one that music played a large part in, a Dolby 5.1 mix would have really been a welcomed addition. I hate to appear greedy in that respect, as I said the overall sound is good, but man how this could have really flourished with a Dolby 5.1 mix.

Episodes

It is no secret to the fan base that knows me, I loved the series when it was on and watching the episodes again I was reminded why. The entire regularly featured cast did an excellent job and the guest stars from Donnie Most (Ralph Malph for you Happy Days fans) to Anthony Michael Hall, were a welcome addition. I can't say enough about Mark Dacascos. He had some hefty boots to fill and he did it with class, respect and furthered the character of Eric Draven. Each episode is presented in its entirety with all of the original score and soundtrack music in tact as well as the segments at the end which identified the groups who had songs featured in the episode (not all the episodes had this at the end, but those that originally did have that ported over here). This was a worry of mine that we wouldn’t get the original music and the synopsis for those bands. The series featured some really good music and it is great that the music was not replaced as can happen sometimes when rights are an issue.

In my opinion, the action in this series was some of the best on TV at the time. Mark Dacascos’ skill was put to tremendous use here. There are some kicks and moves that are absolutely mind blowing that I had forgotten about. Again, I hate to keep sounding like a Mark Dacascos fan boy, but to have someone of physical talent AND acting talent, it gave the series that extra something it would have lacked if someone of lesser physical or acting talent had been cast as Draven.

Beyond the action though, this series had a lot of heart and soul. That was a key element to making this either a success or failure. They could alter the mythos all they wanted to fit within the story they were telling, but had the series lacked any heart and soul, it would not have made it past 6 episodes. The overall theme of love and family, be it a dysfunctional family, still, a family none the less, were the key points of the series. The relationship that Mark Dacascos and Marc Gomes built between Draven and Albrecht is one of the highlights and what made the series worth watching.

What makes the set a must purchase is having all 22 episodes laid out, commercial free, in their correct order. Being a syndicated show, a lot of markets would get the show out of order and or the times would be changed up from week to week and fans would miss episodes. Now you can sit down and follow the character arc of all the principles in the series.

Extras

Episode Commentary

We get a great commentary on "The Soul Can't Rest" and "Souled Out".
The commentary is THE most important and entertaining extra on the set. Bryce Zabel (creator, exec producer & writer) along with series star Mark Dacascos (Eric Draven/Crow) sit down and give fans a lively discussion over the first two episodes. Their participation adds a huge amount of legitimacy to this release.

The first thing you come away from the commentary with is how much of a classy, appreciative person that Mark Dacascos is. On several occasions he singles out the fans and thanks us for our loyalty to the show. When he is praised by Bryce he is humble and you just know that this guy is genuine and we could not have had a better person to carry the mantle of Eric Draven. Bryce is to be praised for his candor and his appreciation of the fans too, as with Mark, we fans could not have asked for a better, more dedicated person to take the mythos as seriously and carefully as Bryce did. All in all, the commentary, a long with just having the 22 episodes a lone is worth the purchase of this set.

Gag Reel - 10mins

I have watched many gag reels over the years and I have to say, my love for the series aside, this has to be one of the funniest and well thought out reels I have seen. Clocking in at a robust 10mins, we get a lot of great footage of the cast and crew in their not so glorious moments. We even get let in on the inside joke of the "love doctor", Marc Gomes. This was great to watch.

Production Dailies - 5min each

We are presented with 3 production dailies, one each from "Death Wish”, "Dead to Rights" and "A Gathering Storm". These show us the blocking and acting out of a scene from each episode as well as the multiple shots which are captured to create one scene. For the technical aficionados out there, a must watch. Or, for an extras junky like me, a great chance to see folks you enjoy working.

Original Score - range from 1min to 5mins

We get 7 selected pieces from the Peter Manning Robinson score. These are a very nice edition to the DVD, especially given that no official soundtrack is available for the series.

Inside Kung Fu Magazine Articles - 7 & 8 pages respectively

These are articles taken directly from Kung Fu magazine articles printed in Feb 1999 and Jun 2002. They are in Adobe Acrobat format (accessed via DVD-Rom) and are a great read for the Mark Dacascos fans.
He made the cover both times and those are presented here as well.

Pilot and Episode Scripts

We are given all of the scripts for the show on Adobe Acrobat, accessed via DVD-rom. These are a great read for the hardcore fan that wants to see how the shows were originally script. Something I found interesting was how the scripts were formatted different than movie scripts. They have 4 headers on each page: Continuity, Title No, Start/Stop and Title/Dialogue. The entire dialog is on the far right side of the pages, with all the other information on the left and middle. Call me a geek, but I just found these very interesting to read through.

Series "bible" & episode descriptions

We have access to the extensive "bible" created for the series that details how Bryce and Co. were setting out to do the series. This is a very interesting read for those that have not already seen this on Bryce's blog. Both the bible and episode descriptions are available in easily printable Adobe Acrobat format accessed via the DVD-rom.

Mark Dacascos Biography

This is a two screen mini-biography on Mark. Quite honestly, this is pretty much a throwaway feature. The Kung-Fun articles give you much more information on Mark and though the effort is appreciated here, none the less, nothing much to "crow" about with this feature.

Images – 17 photos

We are given 17 photos from the production of the series. Most of these have been seen before, so it isn’t a bad inclusion here, but more of the same.

Crossword Puzzles

Via the DVD-rom, you can access a crossword puzzle inspired by the series as well as 12 other themed crossword puzzles. These seem to be a standard feature on “TV Guide Presents” releases. The STH themed puzzle has about 10 or so questions specific to the series, the rest are a hodge podge of TV series and movie questions. The other 12 puzzles are a mixture of TV and movie questions. All in all, a nice feature, though basically for the crossword puzzle fan out there that just happens to be a TV and movie buff. Puzzles are available in printable Adobe Acrobat format.

My overall thoughts on the extras is that they add a very nice icing to the cake. That said, it would have been nice to see a new “making of” segment done, but the commentary from Mark and Bryce pretty much covers everything that would have been included in that. I would have loved to hear commentary from Mark Gomes and Katie Stewart (Albrecht and Sarah) on some of the other episodes. Outside of those two omissions, I am very pleased with what we are given here.

Final Thoughts

This is probably my all-time favorite series ever. To finally have it on region 1 DVD is great. I would like to say “thanks” to Joe Amodei and Tim Maggiani for everything they did to make this a better than average release. They could have just put this out with the episodes and a few throwaway extras. But they listened to what we had to say about what would make this a worthwhile release for fans of the show. Getting the involvement of Bryce and Mark was paramount in making this a must have for fans.

Oh by the way......Mark and Bryce elude to the possibility of there being a true finale show/movie done for the series. It all depends on how this set does. I can't think of anything better than this release leading to us fans getting the true end to the series we were robbed of when the series was prematurely let go by Universal. Fans of the show, this is our time to let our voices be heard by purchasing this set and showing them the fan base is still alive and strong for the series. Who knows, as they mention in the commentary, we could get another season if the response is VERY good :)

You can purchase your set through Amazon here.

STH details, Comic Con 2007 and a contest!

2007-07-17T06:20:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone, do not forget, Bryce Zabel and Mark Dacascos will appear at San Diego Comic Con on Friday July 27th between 2 and 4 pm in the autograph section of the convention. This is perfect timing because the box set for STH comes out Tuesday, July 24th (next week!!). You can purchase a copy of the set and then take it to the convention and get it signed by Mark and Bryce.

To go a long with the release of STH on DVD, Arts Alliance America and Bryce Zabel have provided some nice items for a contest that Crowfans.com is running. Details are still being worked out. The prize list has been finalized and is listed below.

So you are asking “How do I enter?”. Easy, by being a member of the Crowfans forum and/or being a member of the Yahoo groups mailing list. There will be 11 winners of some very nice items. The prize list includes:

3 Autographed DVD Box Sets & The Crow: Stairway To Heaven soundtracks
1 DVD Box Set & The Crow: Stairway To Heaven soundtrack
1 The Crow: Stairway To Heaven soundtrack
4 DVD Box Sets
2 Emmy Nomination Video

As I said, contest details are being worked out, so as soon as the site is made available by Frank, we will give you all the details.

Here is the final list of DVD extras that will be included in the 5-disk set:

Commentary with Bryce and Mark on the first 2 episodes - “The Soul Can’t Rest” and “Souled Out”, gag reel, Production Dailies from: “A Gathering Storm”, “Death Wish” and “Dead to Rights”, script & original episode descriptions for ALL 22 episodes, Photo Gallery, Mark Dacascos Filmography, The Crow: Stairway to Heaven Original Score by Peter Manning Robinson and reprints from Kung Fu Magazine story about Mark and The Crow.

The majority of the extras will be included on the 5th disk a long with the final two episodes of the series. The commentary track with Bryce and Mark will be on the 1st disk.

THE CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN complete series is available July 24th. You can pre-order the set from Amazon.

Proyas is "sinking" his teeth into a new film

2007-07-11T05:21:00.000-07:00

(photo originally posted on Darkhorizons)

Garth over at DarkHorizons ran this story today:

Alex Proyas ("The Crow," "I, Robot") will direct "Dracula Year Zero," Universal's origins tale about Vlad the Impaler and one of several films about the Romanian royal who inspired Bram Stoker's vampire tale.

Scribes Matt Sazama and Burk Sharpless tell Variety that the goal was to show Vlad when he was still vital and to explore the fact that he's considered a hero in Romania for fending off the Turks.

The aim was too play off the horror and the sympathy you have for a character that "sells his soul to the Devil to save his kingdom and family." Michael De Luca produces.

STH Disk 5 Cover Art

2007-06-29T11:07:00.001-07:00

Here is the cover art for dis 5 of the STH set. Disk 5 will house the lions share of the bonus material (disk 1 will have the commentary on the first two episodes).

Again, thanks to Tim and Frank for the images.

The Crow: STH menu

2007-06-29T10:54:00.000-07:00

Here is a pic of the menu for THE CROW: STAIRWAY to HEAVEN set coming out next month (click on picture to see larger view). The set is going to be 5 disks! We have also learned that Mark will be attending Comic Con, so anyone attending this year look for Mark there.

Thanks to Tim and Frank for the images.

More information on STH extras

2007-06-18T14:11:00.001-07:00

We have talked about what will be on the DVD boxed set for THE CROW: STAIRWAY to HEAVEN, here is an update on what will not as well as an update on two of the features that will be present.

There will not be a behind the scenes featurette. According to Bryce Zabel, exec Producer and writer for STH let us know there was never anything shot for this kind of feature when STH was in production. Beyond that, usually "making of" type features tend to be a rights nightmare. For those who don't remember, the Crow collectors series DVD box set was minus Alex Proyas and David Schow due to them not signing off on anything that used their likeness or voice (the reason behind that changes depending on which person involved you ask). It would cost Arts Alliance more than what they probably are willing to invest if they were to try and do a new making of/behind the scenes featurette.

According to Arts Alliance they are still ironing out the details on
how the instrumental score will be embedded on the disk. There has been a push for this to be available via IPod/Mp3 compatible files on the DVD-ROM portion of the disk. We will see how that turns out.

As far as the audio commentary track recorded for the show, Bryce Zabel had the following to say.....

"The way the commentary works is Mark and I were in an audio booth with earphones and microphones. They show the first two episodes and you talk as you see them. So, yes, your comments are tied to what you see, but you are also free to "roam" based on your inspiration. It came out very nicely everyone says."

This sounds like it will be one of the gems on the set.

Stay tuned to ABaHB and CrowFans.com for more information on The Crow: Stairway To Heaven Box Set.

THE CROW: STH extras looking EXTRA great!!

2007-06-14T19:13:00.000-07:00

Hey folks, sorry that I have been quiet for a bit. Doing some duty for Uncle Sam so have been a bit busy. I have word today on the extras that are going to be part of the THE CROW: STAIRWAY to HEAVEN box set. Some really good news, all of Peter Manning Robinson's original score for the series will be available on the release! This is going to be one fantastic release for fans. They are really putting a lot of extras on this that we might not otherwise have gotten. Here is the list:

1. Gag Reel

2. Production Dailies from: “A Gathering Storm”, “Death Wish” and “Dead to Rights”

3. The Pilot Script

4. Original Episode Descriptions

5. Photo Gallery

6. Mark Dacascos Filmography

7. Commentary with Bryce and Mark on the first 2 episodes - “The Soul Can’t Rest” and “Souled Out”

8. The Crow: Stairway to Heaven Original Score by Peter Manning Robinson: “Main Title”, “101 Opening”, “Sonya Says See Ya”, “How to Fix it”, “Albrecht’s Map”, “Telling a Story”, “When I was Twenty”, “See, Land, Asylum” and “End Credits”

2 additional possibilities:

All episode scripts
Reprints from Kung Fu Magazine story about Mark and The Crow

These are some great looking extras. This is really turning into a treat for fans! We will keep you posted.

Arts Alliance America has opened up a MySpace page to help promote The Crow: Stairway To Heaven DVD Box Set.

To purchase The Crow: Stairway To Heaven DVD Box Set click here.

New James O'Barr interview & Jeff Cadiente interview

2007-06-08T16:18:00.000-07:00

Cuervo Muerto from over at CrowColl alerted us to a new James O'Barr interview caught on video over at Fanboy.tv. It is short, but a really cool listen for fans as James speaks to the new project that is coming out from him.

Another item was sent to us from David Jefers, also from CrowColl. He sent us over an interview from 2006 with stuntman and friend to Brandon, Jeff Cadiente. That name should sound familiar as he was the main body double for Brandon in THE CROW. He a long with Chad Stahelski (body double for Keanu Reeves in all three Matrix movies) were stunt doubles for Brandon.

Here is the interview with Jeff.

STH will be even more EXTRA special!

2007-05-29T11:44:00.000-07:00

Recently heard from a representative from Hart Sharp Video and a long with the previously mentioned commentary from Bryce and Mark on the first two episodes and a "making of", we can also look forward to a gag reel (supposed to be pretty funny), a large amount of dailies and more photos and possible other extras. They are also trying to get permission to reprint some articles on Mark that appeared over the past few years.

All in all, this is shaping up to be an excellent release for fans of the show. This is great news. In the past, THE CROW and DVD have been synonymous with disappointment. Perhaps that tide is turning.

Petition for The Crow "Author's Edition"

2007-05-22T06:48:00.000-07:00

Hey folks, some news NOT related to the upcoming STH release on DVD for you. Fellow fan John Thomas has put together a petition to get O'Barr to finish the long rumored, but never realized THE CROW "AUTHOR'S EDITION" graphic novel completed. This has long been mentioned by O'Barr himself as a work in progress but there has never seemed to be much in the way of progress. We have featured extra pages on ABaHB that would encompass such a re-release of the original graphic novel. Go out to the petition and sign it. Perhaps if O'Barr sees the interest is there he can find a publisher for it.

Commentary completed for STH

2007-05-14T13:28:00.000-07:00

Bryce Zabel reports in his latest blog that the commentary track featuring he and Mark Dacasos has been completed. We are looking foward to hearing this commentary when the THE CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN complete series is available July 24th. You can pre-order the set from Amazon.