4K Ultra HD Review: The Crow: 30th Anniversary Edition

By John Corrado

The supernatural revenge thriller The Crow is celebrating its 30th anniversary this month, and Paramount has released the film for the first time on 4K Ultra HD.

Based on James O’Barr’s comic books, The Crow stars Brandon Lee as Eric Draven, a musician who is murdered on Devil’s Night and returns from the dead a year later to avenge the death of himself and his fiancée (Sofia Shinas), picking off the members of the violent street gang that killed them.

Directed by Alex Proyas (Dark City, Knowing), The Crow has gained a cult following around it. Marred by Lee’s tragic death in an on-set accident, it’s easy to view the film with a dark cloud hanging over it. But thirty years on, it can also be seen as a resounding and moving reminder of Lee’s star power that was tragically cut short.

Ernie Hudson (Ghostbusters) also grounds the film with his portrayal of Sergeant Daryl Albrecht, the weathered detective trying to piece together the crimes. Set in a dystopian cityscape, brought to the screen through Alex McDowell’s production design and Dariusz Wolski’s cinematography, the entire film has an edgy, Halloween aesthetic that matches the undead lead character’s iconic black costume and white makeup.

The film unfolds mostly at night, and the dark, gothic look of the production is enhanced by the new 4K presentation, with its deep blacks and fine attention to detail. It’s an excellent new edition for fans of the film, also timed to coincide with the release of the remake starring Bill Skarsgård opening at the end of the summer.

Bonus Features (4K Ultra HD):

The 4K disc also includes a selection of new and legacy bonus material, including a new three-part documentary created for this release.

• Audio Commentary with Director Alex Proyas

• Audio Commentary by Producer Jeff Most and Screenwriter John Shirley

• Shadows & Pain: Designing The Crow – New! (Play All – 24 minutes, 10 seconds): This three-part featurette finds production designer Alex McDowall talking about moving to film work from punk rock music videos and how this helped influence the look of The Crow; the production’s use of models and sound stages to craft a city inspired by both Detroit and London; the monochromatic colour palette and elements of German expressionism; and remembering Brandon Lee.

• Angels All Fire: Birth of the Legend (7 minutes, 7 seconds)

• On Hallowed Ground: The Outer Realm (8 minutes, 12 seconds)

• Twisted Wreckage: The Inside Spaces (10 minutes)

• Sideshow Collectibles: An Interview with Edward R. Pressman – New to Disc! (13 minutes, 24 seconds)

• Behind the Scenes Featurette (16 minutes, 33 seconds)

• A Profile on James O’Barr (33 minutes, 26 seconds)

• Extended Scenes (Play All – 11 minutes, 32 seconds)

• The Arcade Bombing (4 minutes, 9 seconds)

• The Funboy Fight (2 minutes, 7 seconds)

• The Shootout at Top Dollar’s (5 minutes, 14 seconds)

• Deleted Footage Montage (5 minutes, 26 seconds)

• Trailer (1 minute, 28 seconds)