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| A Boy and His Bird News February 2000
 February 29th, 2000 Crow:Salvation Soundtrack The Soundtrack for the Crow:Salvation will be released March 29th. It features music from Static-X (featuring Burton C. Bell of Fear Factory), Pitchshifter, Stabbing Westward, Kid Rock, Hole, Monster Magnet,Crystal Method, Days Of The New, Rob Zombie, Tricky, The Flys, Danzig and more. This follows in the proud tradition of outstanding Crow soundtracks, which in the past have featured artists like Nine Inch Nails, Pantera, Rage Against the Machine, KoRn, Deftones, Stone Temple Pilots, and many more. The Crow:Salvation score will also be released March 29th, giving Crow fans something else to scream about, featuring a CD Extra full of exclusive original artwork from Crow artist James O' Barr. The Crow: Salvation In Stores TUESDAY, March 28, the Soundtrack to the Crow: Salvation. The third installment in the Crow film series tells the story of a young man framed and executed for the brutal murder of his girlfriend. Returning as the Crow, the victim is now the hunter, but in order to track down his quarry, the Crow must find out just who is behind a citywide conspiracy of lethal corruption. The film stars Kirsten Dunst, Eric Mabius, Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, and Fred Ward and was directed by Bharat Nalluri (Killing Time). The Crow: Salvation is distributed by Dimension Films. The soundtrack recording boasts a collection of exclusive tracks from today's hottest alternative artists. "Warm Winter," performed by Kid Rock, "Living Dead Girl" performed by Rob Zombie, (re-mixed by Nine Inch Nails' band member Charlie Clausser), "Independent Slaves" by Days Of The New, "Everything Sucks (Again)" by Pitchshifter, "Rusted Wings" by New American Shame and "Antihistamine" by Tricky. They're all exclusive to the all-star soundtrack.
Thanks to: www.loudside.com Wings of The Crow Crow Fans might not be too pleased about it, and many have asked about it, and here it is! A special thanks goes out to Joseph Bass for sending this along, and it's the trailer for the Wings of The Crow. It's nothing more than the original films, with intercut scenes of the movie. So, have an open mind and have a look. For more check out the Jamie Taylor website.
February 27th, 2000
New ‘Crow' Release Date It sounds like The Crow: Salvation's release date is getting pushed back a little further. According to Universal's Horror Online, Dimension Films publicity is now saying that the film has been moved from its most recent release date of March 31st back to "sometime in May." Read more about this in our February 24th update. Thanks to: Cinescape Todd McFarlane Presents: THE CROW MAGAZINE #1 (W) Jon J Muth (A) Jamie Tolagson (Cover) Mark Nicholas Urban horror with a gothic twist is the only way to describe The Crow. Here we see the first two instalments of one of the most groundbreaking series of 1999. Noted writer Jon J Muth weaves a story of love and revenge into the fabric of art laid down by artist Jamie Tolagson. This magazine also takes you behind the scenes with great information on the movie and TV series of the same name, Find out why The Crow is not only a legend in the printed page, but also with the world of entertainment. 56 pp. $4.95 (US) - 56 page Magazine reprints THE CROW 1 & 2, plus coverage on the new CROW movie and more. This magazine is due out in late February. (Delayed) February 25th, 2000
Salvation Selection Here are some pics, courtesy of Cinefantastiqe! February 24th, 2000
The Crow Carrying on the franchise in the tragic shadow of Brandon Lee Eric Mabius, who serves as The Crow in the third installment of the series, sat quietly on a couch watching a journalist's frustration with a tape recorder. After a few minutes of drama Mabius quipped, "It's THE CROW curse!" The entire room broke into laughter. It was a great little joke that served quite effectively as a tension reliever. But it does belie a very real issue. And that is simply: from its inception this franchise has had its share of problems. The story of The Crow was conceived and written by cartoonist James O'Barr, when his fiancee was killed by a drunk driver. The emotionally distraught creator spent years agonizing over the loss as he drew the original comic book. He was quotes in Relieving The Pain in 1994 as saying, "I thought it would be cathartic, but as I drew each page, it made me more self-destructive, is anything. There is pure anger on each page, little murders. I was more messed up by the time I was done with the book." Brandon Lee, who played The Crow in the original feature film production, bought the curse to the public's attention when he was killed on set. His death was the result of an undetected dummy bullet being left in the barrel of a fun subsequently loaded with blanks that was used for a flashback sequence where Lee's character was murdered in the film. The dummy bullet hit him in the abdomen and mortally wounded him. The accident was linked to the fact that the on-set weapons master was sent home early in order to cut production cuts. Consequently the film was destroyed out of respect to Lee. What could not be destroyed was the impact those two incidents have had on this successful production. Unlike the replacement of James Bond or Batman, the replacement of Lee's Crow has never been fully accepted by fans of this series or, it would seem, the cast and crew. "I think the difference is that Sean Connery didn't die," said Mabius, about the difference between Agent 007 being replaced and The Crow being replaced. "Something was torn away from the audiences. In a sense, the very thing that brought about the creation of the character is what the audiences had a taste of. "Not that Brandon was a close personal friend of theirs. But it also goes back to James' fiancee having her life end so tragically. James had created a character, a face to the kind of angst and the turmoil that everyone goes through. Especially so for people experiencing love for the first, at the most important time in their lives, when they're in their teens and twenties." Although journalists were forbidden to ask questions concerning the direct impact of Lee's fatal shooting, the shadow of his presence continually rose during every interview. Mabius especially referred to Lee during the more routine inquiries. "I would have liked to have a conversation with Brandon about what he was thinking about during his scenes," admitted Mabius. "I'd be willing to wager he was playing the truth of the scenes, the situation of Eric Draven, as opposed to trying to extract buts from other people's performances and other texts. "The energy is what drives me. It's hard for me to find enough adjectives that describe the kind of energy, the labor of love, the passion that's behind this. It's a big task. Especially since the second one [which starred Vincent Perez as the second Crow] didn't do that well. And a lot of people were upset by them trying to replace Brandon Lee. And I can respect those people for the kind of love they had for Brandon." Even during a post production interview, producer Jeff Most eluded to the fact that this film had been free of any mishaps. He stated, "We're delighted to say that this is our first CROW production that we delivered on time, on schedule, on budget and without a single accident to any of the crew or cast or anyone involved . And we attribute that to a great deal of preparation and forethought, a desire to be proactive in making certain that we took every opportunity to ensure the swift moving of the production. "Everyone just pulled together and it was really smooth sailing. We had to obviously invest ourselves tremendously energy wise to make a film that for all intents and purposes looks at least two times the budget. We are very proud that we did that successfully at the same time that we maintained a strict watch on our budget and time schedule and precautions for safety for all the various aspects of shooting special effects and stunts. It all can be done if the team puts their collective mind to it." Mabius, when questioned about a particular scene were he was riddled with bullets, could not helped but be relieved that the stunt did not cost him anything more than a cheap thrill. "I'm excited that one of those squibs didn't blow up into my chest," revealed Mabius. "It's like, can I really do this? Because in that split second there is a taste of what it's like to have something explode in your chest. The nice part is to have it not hurt." Salvation Pushed Back Again?? Yep, the date has been bounced from an official date on March 31st to May! Seems like the promotion machine kicked in too late... CROW flies in May? Although previously reported as opening on March 31st, HorrorOnline contacted Dimesion Films publicity in regards to THE CROW: SALVATION, and was told that the film will open "sometime in May." THE CROW: Past, Present and Future “People once believed that when someone dies, a crow carries their soul to the land of the dead. But sometimes something so bad happens that a terrible sadness is carried with it, and the soul can't rest. And sometimes, just sometimes, the crow can bring that soul back, to put the wrong things right.” In 1994 director Alex Proyas brought forth THE CROW, a film which seemed to elicit an understanding altogether primal in audiences everywhere. It wasn't simply the tragic death of star Brandon Lee during the production which made the film bleed with emotion, nor was it his riveting performance. Coupled with Proyas' direction, screen-writer David J. Schow and CROW creator James O'Barr delivered a film with fairy-tale like qualities, a revenge story which although simplistic on its surface communicated the collective human fear of loss. Part love-story, part thriller, THE CROW centers around young musician Eric Draven (Lee), who after returning from the dead sets out to avenge his murder, as well as that of his fiancée. Anguished, Draven methodically hunts those who brutally raped his love, Lee embodying the role in not only physicality, but in emotional delivery, particularly in the scenes in which he interacts with Sarah (actress Rochelle Davis). Based upon J. O'Barr's comic of the same name, the film possesses a certain immediacy, the viewer able to relate fluidly with Draven. Not surprising considering that O' Barr wrote the comic after the death of his own fiancée, who was struck down by a drunk driver years prior. Moody, dark and undeniably beautiful, THE CROW immediately found itself an immortal place in the pantheon of cinema, and serves as a tragic headstone to the life of Brandon Lee. Unfortunately for the sequel, the same can not be said. THE CROW: CITY OF ANGELS made its way into theaters in 1996, and although the cinematography is breath-taking (watch it with the sound off; you can almost taste the grit beneath the sodium lights), it failed to deliver the emotional impact of the original. Helmed by music-video director Tim Pope and written by David S. Goyer and J. O'Barr, CITY OF ANGELS focuses on the plight of Ashe Corvin (Vincent Perez), a man who after witnessing a gang-land killing is shot and murdered along with his son. Just as in THE CROW, Corvin arises one year later, exacting revenge upon the perpetrators. Utilizing different characters and locale, the only tie between the two is that of the character of Sarah (the fetching Mia Kirshner), who is guided to Ashe by the Crow and serves as his link to humanity. Although the film is quickly paced and richly photographed, much of the action seems derivative, particularly scenes lifted almost verbatim from the original, as well as possessing a cast of villains entirely one-dimensional. (In all fairness however, I have often wondered if one of the factors contributing to the sequel's lesser success was that of Ashe's motivation for his revenge. Was it easier for the audience to relate to Draven's loss of his lover than it was to Corvin's loss of his child, given that the majority of the viewers had yet to experience a maternal-paternal bond? Perhaps.) Regardless, THE CROW: CITY OF ANGELS proved itself to be a finer film than several of the other genre releases that year, and if not a classic certainly brought forth engaging visuals and a few truly memorable scenes. As with all successful films (regardless that at times the original should remain unblemished by sequels), those who hold the rights view THE CROW as a cash-cow, and the tragic romanticism of the mythology has become a franchise, spawning not only a highly-bastardized television series (THE CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN) but a third in the cinematic trilogy (which will hopefully be of a higher caliber than its weekly counterpart). While Rob Zombie attempted his hand at bringing forth another entry (the now abandoned THE CROW: 2037) only to be dismayed by the studio process, Dimension Films has been a bit more successful in birthing another chapter. Scripted by James O'Barr and Chip Johannessen (who has previously worked on THE CROW comic book series) from a story by Matt Greenberg, the third in the series is entitled THE CROW: SALVATION, and is tentatively slated for a March release. Directed by Bharat Nalluri, SALVATION's story details the plight of Alex Corvis (actor Eric Mabius, who has previously appeared in THE BLACK CIRCLE BOYS, among others), a young man who is framed for the murder of his girlfriend, Lauren Randall (portrayed by HALLOWEEN: H20's Jodi Lynn O'Keefe). Condemned to death, the film opens on eighteen-year-old Corvis' highly controversial execution, and directly proceeds to his awakening in the prison morgue. Although disoriented for obvious reasons, Alex soon learns of his supernatural abilities, and breaks free from his confines, determined to ascertain who is responsible for the deaths of he and his love… and avenge them. While none of this may sound entirely original, SALVATION's script does indeed veer away from the archetypal ‘bad guys' which were featured in CITY OF ANGELS, trading in the ‘comic-booky' Judah Earl for an all too real threat; police corruption. Befriending once again Lauren's sister Erin upon his escape from the prison (portrayed by INTERVIEW WITH A VAMPIRE's Kirsten Dunst), Corvis joins her in an attempt to solve the murders, only to find himself embroiled in a tangled conspiracy with far-reaching implications. Said producer Jeff Most in regards to the story, “James O'Barr was very excited at the notion of creating a menacing group of bad guys who are police. He was really excited at the notion of not having the murdered victims, particularly the Crow, witness the murder of his loved one, so that the efforts that needed to find the killers, and to prove to Kirsten Dunst's character that his innocence was real, made it a really compelling story for him. So we did obviously bring this to him when we were first fashioning the story. He thought it was a great way to go and he gave us his big thumbs up and that's very important thing to us.” Currently in post-production (the film wrapped early last year), SALVATION's additional casting comprises thespians Fred Ward as the captain of the police department, Bruce McCarthy, Kelly Harren and David Stevens as his nefarious underlings, and William Atherton, who portrays Nathan Randall, father to Corvis' deceased girlfriend. Strangely enough, and in a further departure from the previous CROW films, SALVATION's script makes no mention of Sarah, a staple in the previous chapters. Stated Most in regards to the decision, “We actually discussed in detail the various stories we were considering making a third anthological feature, and this is the first Crow feature that does not have any repeating characters from either the first film or the second.” Apparently this fact bothers little THE CROW's creator, as according to Most, O'Barr screened a rough-cut of SALVATION and, “loved the film. He really does think this is a tremendous film. He really likes how we reinvented the storytelling of it so that it doesn't play the same beats as the previous two CROW films. It's much more of a mystery. There's many more levels of emotion going on in this film and he was really appreciative of that.” Whether or not fans of the first film (particularly in regards to Brandon Lee's mesmerizing portrayal of the avenger) will agree is another question entirely. With Vincent Perez having received a luke-warm response at best for his performance in CITY OF ANGELS, SALVATION's lead Eric Mabius is well aware of the shoes he has to fill. Said Mabius, “I sat down with Bharat (Nalluri) and was nervous about the comparisons and worried that I wasn't the martial artist that Brandon was. (Bharat) said, ‘Relax. That script played to Brandon's strengths.' And this script plays to mine and that's why I was cast in it.” Director Nalluri obviously agrees, as he stated that Mabius was his first choice for the role. While stills from SALVATION look promising (Nalluri apparently not diverting from the decayed look of its predecessors), as well as O'Barr's apparent enthusiasm for the finished film, it is still unknown whether or not the movie-going public will feel the same. Having read the script I will say that while it does indeed depart from the previous films, the three do seem to have more than a bit in common. Expected I suppose, in that seldom does the industry wish to divert from a monetarily-proven formula, although there are more unique and entirely engaging ideas ready to be culled from the ever-growing CROW mythos. Poppy Z. Brite's novella THE LAZURUS HEART (in which a murdered man returns to track down a serial killer against the back-drop of New Orleans), as well as David Bischoff's QUOTH THE CROW (an aging writer fascinated with Edgar Allan Poe arises to avenge his murder by homicidal, drug-induced Goths) and Chet Williamson's CLASH BY NIGHT (in which a female ‘Crow' resurfaces to set the wrong things right after being murdered by a Midwest militia), all featured in HarperPrism's book A MURDER OF CROWS are fine examples, and have the capacity to take the mythos in an entirely exciting and unique direction. Will such be the case? As always, THE CROW: SALVATION's success at the box office will be the deciding factor in developing any new CROW properties, although considering the formidable talents of Ms. Dunst this indeed may happen. I suppose we shall simply have to wait and see. Thanks to: Horror Online SOON: The next few updates will be all Salvation pics and comic news, to break up massive amount of Salvation items! February 22nd, 2000
The Crow III Eric Mabius on taking the mantle of fallen Crow Brandon Lee Eric Mabius, how plays the new, younger Crow in CROW III: SALVATION, avidly read Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams, and anthology of new Crow short stories from Del Rey Books during production, and seemed to have a solid take on the mind set of O'Barr's dark angel. "After my death, when I come back, it's a clean slate because of the force of what happens to me and the process of being brought back to life," said Mabius. "I go from being an infant to being an avenger of all these things. It's like this Crow is the one that returns all of my memories. It drives me mad but at the same time it beings me back to my humanity. "The pleasure that this character derives from exacting justice is also something that appeals to me. In one scene he opens his arms out, with two fully loaded guns ready, and he lets these guys have their shot and they just open their clips up on me. That was an amazing experience to be squibbed like that and then come right back into it and drop them and they fall like dominoes. It's just one of my favorite scenes from a purely action stand-point." Mabius has been a fan of O'Barr's comics for years. Born in Pennsylvania, he moved around a lot while growing up back East, including stays in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and sic years in Manhattan before attending Sarah Lawrence College in California, He actually auditioned for one of the bad guy's roles in the first CROW film, when he was fresh out of high school. Still he didn't quite appreciate the fan base that supports this franchise until the public relations people on SALVATION presented everyone associated with the film with a bound version of the script, which included notes on the history of the series. "I had no idea that the first film had grossed over $150 million [CITY OF ANGELS barely grossed $30 million] and the soundtracks had done so well [they both went platinum]," admitted Mabius. "That's when I got a little nervous." "But all that did was make me dive back into the work I was doing with more responsibiliy. I felt the need to to bring something even more true and more believable to the part. My feeling was if I don't buy it, no one else is going to. That's how I think." Mabius went on to explain that in gearing up for the role of The Crow he concentrated on acting techniques more than real life experiences. He stated, "In preparation for this character, I wasn't going to watch someone be executed. I just wouldn't because that;s going to burn something into my brain that I'll never be able to get out. But I can look to actors who impress me, who've had similar roles, actors like Sean Penn, people who are all about the work." A key to relationship that helped Mabius in his quest to create a believable Crow came in the form of a kick boxer from Malaysia who served as his fight choreographer. "I spent every other day for sex weeks with this guy," Mabius said of David Lea, who has worked with the likes of Sylvester Stallone, Wesley Snipes and Sandra Bullock and who appears in the film as a bouncer who gets into it with The Crow. "I did all right," said Mabius. "I was really pleased in that it became something that I sort of absorbed through my pores. His impact on me became apparent one day when we got to the set and there was a problem where we couldn't do the stunt." "They were going to have a stunt guy run up a wall, flip over, and on the way over pull two guns out of these guys' hands and land behind them and shoot them. But the rig wasn't working and it was physically impossible to get that kind of height in order to do that kind of stunt. So, I said, 'Well, Bharat we could save four hours if I just do this. And I slid back, spun around, came down, hit this guy's wrist, grabbed his gun, then came across and hit the other guy's wrist, took his gun, then came across and hit the other's guy's wrist, took his gun, spun back and shot them both. They ended up filming my suggested movements and it saved a lot of time." The suggestion not only saved the production time and money but it helped Mabius gain a little clout with the stunt crew. "The only reason I was able to suggest that sequence was because this guy had instilled problem-solving in me," continued Mabius. "A confidence and an awareness of manipulating someone else physically. And I have to tell you that it did not boost my ego when a lot of the stunt guys thought I was trying to be cool when I said I hadn't any training before. But the truth is, I just hadn't." Thanks to: Michael Beeler and Cinefantastique (transcribed by ID) ABaHB Article A new article by LLcruize has flown in, and seeings as it's pretty much been articles for the past week, here it is on the News Page! March 31st As of this writing, the reported premiere date for The Crow: Salvation is March 31, 2000. Some Crow fans, upon hearing this, immediately voiced displeasure. March 31 is also the date on which Brandon Lee was accidentally killed, in 1993. They strongly feel that it is inappropriate to release another Crow movie on the anniversary of his death. For almost 7 years, many fans have taken that day to mourn the loss of their Hollywood hero. However, we should take a moment to attempt to get a clear perspective on this. With due respect to the feelings of some fans concerning the selection of that date, a question begs to be asked. When do we move on? It is understandable that Brandon's death had a significant impact on Crow fans. Yet, his death seems to overshadow his life. This, in turn, casts a shadow on The Crow itself. Have fans become so obsessed with continuing the eulogy of Brandon that even the date of his death is not to be touched by anything other than his memory? Instead of viewing the March 31 premier of Salvation as a tribute, it is being disputed as the ultimate disrespect to Brandon's memory. Even the thought of creating another Crow movie is distasteful to some, let alone premiering such a movie on the day that has been deemed as a sacred and holy day. This brings up another question. Are most professed fans of The Crow truly fans of the story or fans of Brandon Lee? Brandon was an essential part of the first Crow movie and should be remembered for the great performance he gave. However, it must also be remembered that the Crow "story" was the premise upon which the movie was based. It was not the story of Brandon Lee. I would think that actual fans of the story would be able to remember Brandon for his great performance and celebrate when a new movie comes out to carry on the story. It is time that we stop putting so many barriers up for a story that we are suppose to love. There are 6 weeks left until Salvation is to premiere. Let's celebrate! Take care LLcruize Mabius Interview Wednesday, March24, 1999 -- The "hello" on the other end of the line sounded decidedly groggy. No, Eric Mabius claimed, he wasn't asleep, but he hadn't talked yet that Sunday. Clearly, although it was early afternoon in Utah where he was staying, the call had missed waking the former Amherst resident by minutes. It was his only day off from filming "The Crow: Salvation" that week, he explained, and one can hardly blame the actor for taking it easy. His days on the set for this second sequel to "The Crow" are grueling. Mabius plays the main character, who is framed for murder and executed, then comes back to life and fights, knifes, shoots and wreaks havoc on those responsible for his death. One day he hurled a lead pipe at a fellow actor. On another he was fitted with 14 squibs, small explosive charges used to simulate bullet hits on a body. "It was my first time being squibbed," he said enthusiastically. It's a long way from the days he played Paris in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet" at Amherst Regional High School. Paris is a character notable mainly for being Romeo's last victim before he commits suicide. That first role came his way when Mabius, now 27, was a sophomore. In the dozen years since, Mabius has racked up a string of roles on film and television, including the indie movie hit "Welcome to the Dollhouse." Most recently, he had a guest-starring role on an episode of "Millennium," and he can be seen currently on the silver screen in "Cruel Intentions." Just as Mabius' character will be resurrected in "The Crow," so, he hopes, will the series find new life. This dark fantasy, based on a comic book published in Northampton by the now-defunct Kitchen Sink Press, took wing in 1994. That first film, starring Bruce Lee's son Brandon Lee, who died tragically during filming, made $100 million on the strength of the story and star Lee's final performance. Filmmakers thought they had a surefire hit in the sequel, "The Crow: City of Angels," which starred Vincent Perez. Though it opened well, this film failed to approach its predecessor's status. Now, Miramax Studios hopes the series will soar again with "The Crow: Salvation." The burden of those hopes rests in part on the shoulders of Mabius, who discovered his love of acting on the stage at Amherst Regional High. "The soundtrack's gone multiplatinum, VHS sales are 2 million in the U.S. alone, and it's a $100 million franchise. It's staggering," he said. "To follow in the footsteps of Brandon Lee is no easy task." Growing as an actor The Mabius family, which includes Eric, his older brother, Craig, and parents Elizabeth and Craig Mabius, moved to Amherst when Eric was in ninth grade. The following year, remembers teacher John Warthen, Mabius took an oral communications class. Warthen, who taught the course, recalls that Mabius really liked getting up in front of the class to do public speaking. Warthen suggested to him that he might enjoy acting. Later that year, Mabius played the role of Paris in "Romeo and Juliet." He was instantly hooked. "It was like a virus," he recalled in a Gazette interview in 1995. Warthen was impressed by Mabius' enthusiasm and talent. "He liked assuming the part. He has a romantic nature. He can get into the mindset of something being the most important thing at the time," Warthen said, a skill that helped Mabius in his acting. Mabius was also an athlete during his time at the high school - he trained seriously in luge for many years - and his athletic build got him a lot of tough guy and regular guy roles in those days, Warthen said. Mabius always seemed to be amused at playing these macho roles. After he graduated in 1989, Mabius went to Sarah Lawrence College, near New York City, where he lived for several years after graduating. While in the city, he began acting on stage and screen. His first major film role was in John Duigan's "The Journey of August King." Last year, he went west to Santa Monica and moved his parents to Los Angeles, too. Mabius, who is single, will have quite a bit to tell his former high school classmates should he make it to his 10-year reunion this year. In 1995, he received good reviews for his work in groundbreaking director Todd Solondz's "Welcome to the Dollhouse," as hunky Steve, the object of nerdy Dawn Wiener's affections. In addition to "The Journey of August King," he also had a role in Duigan's "Lawn Dogs." A role in the television series "Millennium" came his way recently through his work on "The Crow: Salvation." Chip Johannessen, who wrote the script for "Crow," created a part especially for him in the Jan. 15 episode of the TV show. Mabius played a mysterious man who always seems to be around when people die. Investigators suspect him of being a killer. Eventually, it becomes clear that he's taking people's lives in exchange for others, said Mabius, who described the character as part angel of mercy, part angel of death, who's on a sort of mission. "I earn my wings," he said. Warthen, who saw the episode, liked it and was particularly impressed with the last five minutes of the piece, which had Mabius underwater. Holding one's breath and acting, Warthen pointed out, are not easy to do. Larger than life Currently, Mabius can be seen in theaters in "Cruel Intentions," where he has a small part as a closeted gay football player manipulated by a pair of scheming step-siblings. It is a teen version of "Dangerous Liaisons" that stars Sarah Michelle Gellar of television's "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and Ryan Phillippe of "54." Mabius said the finished film lacks the cruelty that drew him to the original script . "It was a teen piece, but the writing was vicious and wicked," he said. "They ended up toning down a lot of the writing." His character, Greg McConnell, is blackmailed into helping Ryan Phillippe's Sebastian with his nasty plot to seduce a virginal new girl at their school. In one scene, he's caught in bed with a man by Phillippe. In the version seen onscreen, the exchange is verbal, with Greg pleading for mercy while Sebastian threatens him. In the original version Sebastian physically attacked Greg and taunted him, heightening the emotion of the moment. "It was so good. I wish they hadn't cut that," Mabius said. The filmmakers, feeling that the audience wouldn't accept something bad happening to a nice character, also added a scene to make Greg less appealing, in which he graphically describes a sexual experience with a girl. "I appear to be a rapist in the making," Mabius said. He hopes that people interpreted it as he did, as the football player's clumsy bluff to hide his true sexual orientation. A new crow takes flight Although "Cruel Intentions" is out now, Mabius' head is in an entirely different universe these days. For the past six weeks he's been in Salt Lake City, Utah, shooting "The Crow: Salvation." He expects to be there another month. Utah has been an experience, he said. "It's one big church. The state is ruled by Mormons. It's a different feeling. People complain about the blue laws in Massachusetts. Here, stores are closed on Sundays, at 6 p.m. on weekdays - and then there's me, walking around with my demonic mask," he said, bemused over the paradox. "The Crow: Salvation" is a grim tale. "It's the eve of my 21st birthday, and I'm on death row. I've been framed for the murder of my girlfriend," he explained. Mabius refers to the characters he plays in the first person, a habit that is jarring when he discusses "his" botched execution. "My face melts and I eventually die," he said. His innocence and gruesome death are important elements in Johannessen's script. "It's a neat anti-capital punishment statement he slides in there," Mabius said. After the character's death, the myth of the crow kicks in. "If a soul is left in a violent, unsettled state, it can't rest," he said. That's when the crow appears "to act as usher," and help the soul right the wrongs done to it. There's an image of a taxidermist mounting a crow, and as he puts the last piece in place, Mabius' character comes back to life, gruesomely disfigured and with a face bearing the scars of the execution. With the help of his girlfriend's younger sister (Kirsten Dunst, of "ER" and "Interview with a Vampire"), Mabius' character unravels the conspiracy that led to his death. Unlike the main characters in the other "Crow" pictures, this character doesn't know at first what's happened to him or what new supernatural powers he possesses. "In the other 'Crows,' the powers don't take (the characters) much by surprise," Mabius said. His character, though, "is like a kid with a new toy" when he discovers his strength and his empathic powers, something Mabius thinks is a more realistic conception of how a person might react to such unusual gifts. Mabius is a little like that, reveling in the physical demands of the role, for which he's doing "as much (stunt work) as I can safely get away with." It won't be him leaping from the rafters or crashing through plate glass, but he did train for weeks with a martial artist to learn the rudiments of kicking and knife-fighting, and described in detail one stunt that had him defending himself against a phalanx of attackers. This is Mabius' first supernatural thriller and one of his biggest roles to date, and the hiring process was tortuous. He met with a casting director, with producer Ed Pressman (who also has producer credits for "Badlands" and "Platoon," among others), and director Bharat Nalluri, an Indian making his American debut with this film. They liked him, but officials at Miramax needed convincing that they should cast Mabius instead of a name actor. Ultimately, however, Mabius got the part. "The whole process took five weeks," Mabius said. "It almost drove me nuts. Every actor thinks they're the best qualified (for a part), and when you live with something for that long, it seems so wrong for them not to choose you." According to Warthen, people who knew him when he was just starting out will root for him every time. "Everybody who knows him has kept an eye out for him with a smile, because whatever he gets, he probably earned," Warthen said. Thanks to: The Black Circle of Eric Mabius and the staff of Gazette.net SOON: More articles, and later this month the pics you've been waiting for! February 20th, 2000
The Crow: Salvation (part 4) A big part of what drives THE CROW franchise is the collective producers' belief that they have a real gem of an idea on their hands and they want to see where they can take it. "I think inherently THE CROW has a very special strong message to tell," said Most. "There is something in this world that we all want to imagine exists and that's called poetic justice. It's described in various balances: yin and yang. There are all sorts of notions that stem from religion in various cultures that if there are wrongs-in some manner they will be right. "I think it's an essence of all our lives. We are all subject to hardships. We are all subjected to situation in which we know of people who have been hurt. Or we ourselves have been hurt. In THE CROW we replenish the notion that inherently the Universe looks after us, that there is a balance. There is a good that measures out in equal proportions and equal strength to any bad that may befall us that occurs upon our spirit, our work, our like, our friends, or families. "I think that as long as THE CROW is invigorating enough to unfold on the screen whether it be on the small screen on television or on the big screen as a feature, I think we should keep telling those stories," said Most. "I think a large part rests on the shoulders of our fans. I mean we are very sensitive to our fans' thoughts about The Crow, the emotional impact of The Crow. "As long as we affect an involvement, an emotional involvement, in our fans and as long as they are there to support dynamic storytelling and appreciate our efforts, I think we will try in every respect to come back with better stories as we have in this case with SALVATION. I truly believe that it's a matter of fulfilling those wishes and desires of our fans in tackling new territory with The Crow. You know we are already at work-even though this film has not come out-developing storylines for the fourth installment of THE CROW. In part because we have been so invigorated by all that has gone on with THE CROW III: SALVATION." This franchise has always has its eye on the distant horizon, with a strong commitment to change and the process of taking chances. "In the sense that one wished to continue on with something and make it special I think one has to take every ounce of effort and place it in the right areas of effort including reinvigorating or reinventing the storytelling," said Most. "And to that end, we certainly did not want THE CROW III: SALVATION to play out in the same schematic, if you will, of THE CROW and THE CROW II: CITY OF ANGELS. "So, for us, making this new and different, to make it in fact integrally more involving, from both an intellectual and emotional standpoint, as it was a visceral standpoint, was for us a realm of concern that this be something completely new. At the same time it had to be something that audiences are familiar with in terms of the character of what a Crow is. But we wanted to put the Crow into a completely new environment and tell the story in a manner we certainly have never seen before." The power of this boy's club can be seen in the talent they attract for their CDs. The SALVATION soundtrack will sport the likes of Monster Magnet, Danzig, Hole, Kid Rock, The Flys, Static X, Stabbing Westward and a number of bug zapping international industrial bands. It will no doubt have a hand in helping some members of the angst generation glimpse the hand of God. It's sure to rocks. Their industry clout can also be viewed in the fact that in a era of studio micro-managemment they are allowed, even encouraged, to be the mavericks and test the fringe. "You know we have a very fortunate situation, which is unusual in Hollywood filmmaking," said Most. "And that is: we do not have to follow marketing dictates, studio dictates per se, in that one can populate a film with people known for this or that, whether it be successful films or successful television or has built a career around doing various sorts of roles that can be akin to any particular role we have in the movie. "Our purest goal here was the find the finest for each and every role that we could and bring into the film. And again this is not always the process. It is often a marketing decision. But in as much as we have a successful franchise, a familiar name title in THE CROW, I think we're able to take some liberties and introduce aspects into the process, which might normally not be there." Incidentally don't discount the idea that we may one day see a woman don the mantle of The Crow. Most said that he and Pressman have been exploring the idea for years and it will probably happen one of these days. Sin The good people at Sin-music.com have informed us that the band Sin will have an album out in America through Koch records (the same company doing the Salvation soundtrack) in May 2000, also they will be providing soung clips in MP3 and Real Audio and sending along an interview with Jeff Most himself. So, why not check out Sin by clicking on the banner below: SOON: How does Eric Mabius handle taking over the mantle of The Crow from Brandon Lee? Find out in our next update soon! February 18th, 2000
The Crow: Salvation (part 3) When questioned about the downside of making the film Nalluri simply replied, "The usual moviemaking stuff. You'd rather have 80 days to shoot everything. You'd be cramming it all in. But it's been no more difficult than any other move." Nalluri wrapped six weeks of principal photography on Salt Lake City locations in March 1999. Typical to the production of the other two CROW films most of this production was shot late at night. It was not unusual for them to wrap filming at seven or eight in the morning. As a Brit, Nalluri follows in the storied horror tradition of James Whale, Hitchcock, Clive Barker and many others. "I think it's because we all went to public school," joked Nalluri, who makes his American film debut with SALVATION. "It's just something we kind of naturally go after having 14 years of school. It's like being in a Clive Barker seminary. I'm sure it fuels something, considering the history of it. You go back to FRANKENSTEIN, Shelly,-it goes back hundreds of years. I don't know where it comes from actually, that gothic romancing of the macabre. But that really is THE CROW, in its entirety. That expressionistic type of filmmaking." Although Nalluri joked about the effects English schooling has on its students, he credited those hallowed halls of horror has being germane to his interest in filmmaking "Basically it all come down to the fact I went to school with a very good friend of mine back in England, since the age of nine, a guy named Paul Anderson," said Nalluri, whose father is a professor and whose mother is an accountant. "He and I grew up in the same class. We made out first super eight films together. "We discovered a super eight camera in the art cupboard at school. I directed him. He directed me. He went on to direct MORTAL KOMBAT [his directing debut] and EVENT HORIZON and SOLDIER. He came down to the set one week. I'm about three years behind him [he laughed]. I'm hot on his heels!" "Chip had an amazing script," said Mabius, who up until THE CROW III had never done a genre film. "And I think it's very much true to James' [O'Barr] original vision and what was done in the first film. The relationships between the people in his film ring much more true to me. They ring true and that's what appealed to me. "I think that it's going to become apparent when people see the strength of the relationship between my character and Lauren's, the woman I'm in love with. James O'Barr experienced an archetypal love being torn away in such a violent way. And I always go right back to that. From the fountain everything comes, every action. It isn't about one dimensional sadistic violence. It's born out of the rage and frustration." When Mabius spoke of his character he made you believe he was really talking about himself. "There is one scene that I have with one of the cops where I say, 'What price for a life?'" said Mabius, who was on a nationally ranked luge team during his high school years. "For two lives: how can you measure what was taken away? It's immeasurable. And that's the sort of the soul of where I'm coming from with this character, to play all those moments, his frustration, his confusion. "I think what really appealed to me, with all that in mind, was when I'm framed for the murder of Lauren and then I'm electrocuted, not only is my girlfriend murdered but then there is this wicked twist in that I'm blamed for it, forced to live in prison and then executed. It's like adding insult to injury and then adding torture." Mabius noted that his role as a replacement Crow might seem lame to those who view the sequels with contempt. "I'm sure there are those that would roll their eyes at the fact that I'm doing the third film of any series," admitted Mabius, whose only real mainstream movie before doing SALVATION was the mean-teen hit CRUEL INTENTIONS. "But this has been a unique experience for me. All along the was the projects I have entered into have needed up being much more than I could have hoped. The first film I ever got was WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE and I didn't even have an agent. I was doing off-Broadwayplays. And 24 hours later I got a Miramax film: THE JOURNEY OF THE AUGUST KING." Although he didn't want to give the impression that he only was his role in THE CROW III as a stepping stone, Mabius was well aware that it might prove to be an asset to his still young career. "It certainly appeals to me in that respect," admitted Mabius, about the fact that THE CROW could take him places he has never gone to before. "If this allows me to do more of the projects that I want to do then it's even more of a blessing than it has been already and I hope that;s going to happen. I think, there's a certain amount of celebrity that will come along with this. "But it's the reason I did this film in the first place, that's going to keep me choosing the films that I'm going to choose. I'm always looking for projects that resound. I chose this part for sustaining reasons because it moved me." During the production of the film Mabius looked to his director for insight and support as each scene, violent or not, was mapped out, then shot. "That's what appealed to me about Bharat's take on the script," said Mabius. "There's an operatic quality to the script, that he talked about, were less is more. Especially having a palatable understanding of how audiences are more more savvy than they were, maybe, when the first one came out around [1994]. And things don't need to be said. They can be told with a gesture, a look. And that has everything to do with how Bharat sets the shots up and how he edits them. In conclusion Mabius did not rule out the idea that someday we may see him in an action flick again. But he did caution that the rules of the action flick have changed. He stated, "The thing that I gave discussed with Bharat: audiences require more nowadays. And that, unfortunately is why some kids how days don't want their parents' action idols. They want a whole new understanding of what and action star is. It's someone who can both act and do the action. You can't have one or the other. That's why, I think audiences end up feeling cheated by certain films." The Winged Messenger LLcruize, everyone's favourate writer has submitted his latest piece titled 'Let's Give Salvation a Chance.' Go and give this article a chance, then speak with LLcruize at our Discussion Forum about his article! James O'Barr to write new magazine column! Read the new magazine column by James O'Barr! www.tsmag.com Look for Eric's face on their main page for info and exclusive photos of James O'Barr Great news for fans of James O'Barr. Soon you will be able to read a column created by the man himself! James has made an arrangement with trueSpace User Magazine (http://www.tsmag.com) to develop a new column starting in their very next issue. This column will have a very "personal" flare, dealing with topics of art direction, character development, working with the "Hollywood types", and what it was like having a movie created after your work. Find out what's happening in the world of James O'Barr. Something the true Crow fan must read! trueSpace User Magazine ("tSUM") is a printed magazine produced bi-monthly to support the users of Caligari Corporation's trueSpace product. trueSpace is a 3D modeling and animation package for Windows platforms, allowing you to create stunning characters and worlds, terrific movies, and even Hollywood level special F/X. James is writing for this magazine because 3D is the next natural progression in the art community, and using software like this is exciting because everyone can afford (only $595) to bring their stories to life. Maybe you'd like to learn 3D, or maybe you just want to read his columns and see the custom artwork he's creating for the magazine. Either way, we highly recommend you take a serious look at this publication! Its only $36 for a full year or $7.95 for a single issue, delivered! (It isn't yet sold at book stores, so if you want it, you'll have to get it direct.) Each issue will surely become a collector's item! Their next cover is said to be based on custom Crow artwork that James created specifically for them. Should be spectacular! Thanks to: crowfanclub February 16th, 2000
The Crow: Salvation (part 2) "After going through the screenwriting process and the scouting process, we ultimately found that he storyline was perhaps better meant for its own handling as a non-CROW feature. It's something that Pressman and I would relish doing in the near future with Rob. Quite frankly we envisioned his story as its own franchise. We find him to be an incredible talent. But one has certain adjustments to make when you're following in the footsteps of sequels." The producers eventually found a storyline that they felt fit in with the modern-day fable James O'Barr originally wrote ten years ago. They did however change one small aspect concerning The Crow himself. "We wanted a notion about how we wanted to approach the third feature," said Most. "I felt very certain that it would be very invigorating to do a younger Crow." Most's storyline was refined by Matt Greenberg (HALLOWEEN H20) and scripted by Chip Johanesson (MILLENIUM). Johanesson's script takes us to the small town of Salvation where Alex Corvis, played by Eric Mabius (WELCOME TO THE DOLLHOUSE), is framed by a corrupt police force for the murder of his girlfriend Lauren Randall, who is portrayed by Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (HALLOWEEN H20). He is imprisoned, executed, and soon returns as The Crow, who, with the help of Lauren's kid sister Erin, played by Kirsten Dunst (INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE) wreaks havoc on the Captain of the police force, played by Fred Ward (TREMORS) and all his enlisted crooked cops. "My hat is off to Ed Pressman for discovering him," said Most of Johanesson. He's written the best CROW script to date, an extremely engrossing and evolving story that I think will keep audiences on the tip of their seats a they got thrills and chills, as well as a strong dose of the heart, which has always been such an essential element on the CROW films." Noted Nalluri of the earlier films in the series, "The first one was completely mold breaking and kind of set the standard as to how moves were going to be interpreted in the 1990s. I think it's a kind of iconic move. It made everyone try to live up to it. The second one, I think, was a great attempt by Tim [Pope, the director of CITY OF ANGELS, who is also a Brit] and Jean Yves Escoffer the d.p to actually take the move on and do something more with it." Nalluri credited the script for enticing him to come on board to make a sequel of a sequel. "It's a great script," said Nalluri, who likens his career to a traveling circus "So, you know, it wasn't about trying to make it something it wasn't. It was already a great script. That's where it always starts. I don't care how big the budget is or who is in it, if the script is good, then I'm interested. So I thought I had a fighting chance to make a good movie in the end." Bringing something new and fresh to this franchise was Nalluri's biggest challenge. He said he was intent on invigorating THE CROW with images that were different from anything CROW audiences had ever seen before. "I think I've got the most amazing cast," he said. "I've never worked with a better cast in my life. You just put them in front of the camera and they just explode with talent." Poll Results The latest poll results are in. We asked which of the ABaHB sections you frequented the most (News, Q&A, Discussion, Crow Reflections, Saga's). Almost half responded that the News section was where they roosted the most (49%). No surprise there. ABaHB is known for its News section. We had 26% of the respondents say they visited all of the sites listed equally. The next most popular section was the Q&A section with 10%, followed by the Discussion Board at 8% (a shocker it was not higher), Crow Reflections 5%, and finally the Saga's, 3% visit there the most. Was very surprised that Saga's was not higher. With all the questions lately about Salvation, I figured it would get more votes since it is probably the most comprehensive Salvation section on the net. Our latest poll asks how old were you when the original movie came out in 1994. Will be interesting to see what our age range is here on ABaHB. Take care.......LLcruize SOON: More Salvation interviews, more pics, new ABaHB articles, more everything! February 14th, 2000
Salvation Week Well, that's right, Crow Fans, according to Cinefantastique, it seems that Salvation is slated for a March 31st release! Now, we have quite a lot of Salvation stuff to get through this week, updates might be a lot more frequent, so let's get the ball rolling with this article by Michael Beeler; The Crow: Salvation (part 1) The stylish horror comic franchise targets the teen set. The Salvation of the new millennium is at hand. It will come with the release of THE CROW: SALVATION through Miramax, the accompanying CD by Coch Records and the continuation of the television series STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN, all via Pressman Films, run by Edward R. Pressman and Jeff Most. The only question is whether the public will buy it. Miramax opens the eagerly awaited third installment in the movie series nationwide March 31. The proclamation of THE CROW franchise has been successful in its endeavors thus far, with one blip. The first film was an industry kicker. Both of the previous CDs were unadulterated sidewalk melters. But the second film in the series, CITY OF ANGELS, was a financial bomb. Test audiences reviews for SALVATION are reportedly through the rood. The artists on the CD are mega-stompers. Even creator James O'Barr, who has had his disagreements with the producers in the past, commented on how much he enjoyed the sneak he got of the new film. And that more of than anything may be an insight as to the health of The Crow Corporation because the kids do care what the old man thinks. "We always take great pains to involve James at every level of development," said Jeff Most, who, along with Pressman, has produced all three CROW films/ "This was a promise I made to James when I first optioned the comics back in 1989. James has always been a vocal participant in the process as we have gone through everything from the selection of writers to the development of the scripts in their various stages and treatments, as well as the process of choosing a director and the casting process. "I keep constant contact with James. And I look for his input and insight. He is kind of our guiding light in many, many respects. We've taken great pains, I think, well beyond what is normal in Hollywood in terms of how writers and creators of material have been treated in the past to insure James is satisfied with our notions of what is the strong approach to the various elements of putting the feature together, as well as the television show. "And in every respect we want James O'Barr's thumbs up stamp of approval, 'Hey you guys are right on the money! This is inherently exactly what I'd like to see up there!'" said Most. "We want James' involvement. We always have. Without it, I think, THE CROW series would suffer because James has such a heartfelt, emotional soulful tie to this material. He is an extremely important person to THE CROW. Perhaps the most important single element in terms of an ongoing presence." The rumor mill has been running rampant for the last three years concerning the anticipated production of the third installment of THE CROW series. Speculations abounded that the next Crow would be a woman: it would be written by Rob Zombie (lead singer of the heavy metal/alternative group White Zombie): it was being filmed in Prague: and that it would involve a storyline where amid an apocalyptic war The Crow would be swayed by both Satan and Jesus Christ. "It's true we brought in Rob Zombie," said Most. "Rob, along with 50-odd other talented writers and directors, met with us regarding proposed stories for a third CROW feature. And we found Rob's version to be phenomenal." The premise of Zombie's story involved a dark priest of the Fallen One murdering a young boy and his mother in the year 2010. The boy's spirit is returned to earth one year later by The Crow, only to forget the horrors of his past life. Twenty seven years later as bounty hunter he remembers his past and sets off to exact revenge. "Ultimately Rob put in a a great deal of time and effort into writing a script that we very much wanted to produce," said Most. "It was an idea he had that was a non-CROW story that he had been working on that he adapted to be a CROW story. Rob and I scouted all over the Czech Republic and Slovakia for a kind of future-gothic, post-apocalypic Crow because one can take a Crow story anywhere on the time line, anywhere in the Universe. Fan Fiction Now, some excellent pieces of writing and art have flown my way in the past few days. Artisin drops off this fantastic piece, which has to be seen to be believed! Next, we have the third act of The Crow: Armageddon by Joshua Bunkofske Finally, fast food with a vengeance, as Joshua Wolf writes up a storm with Murder To Go, parts one, two, three, four and five - Along with this are two parts of a story called The Immortal Nerd, parts one and two.
February 13th, 2000 Release date of March 31st nationwide? Find out more in tomorrow's update! February 12th, 2000
Crow 2000 "True Love is Forever" Portfolio It seems that The Crow is making a return to comics! Read on: James O'Barr's Absolution Studio and Crowfanclub.com presents a new limited edition portfolio for the year 2000, containing five powerful romantic images by the creator of The Crow. Reflecting Eric Draven's painful and romantic memories, this portfolio comes in a printed envelope and includes an embossed numbered certificate signed by The Crow's creator, James O'Barr. Also includes a fan club update letter with news on James' upcoming Crow series, move info, and Crowfanclub.com. (information is subject to change, but this item should ship no later than 90 days past its scheduled shipping date.) Due in May Comics 2 Film A big thanks to our good friends over at Comics 2 Film for posting some of our news. If you're a comic fan who wants to know about upcoming movie projects, then I suggest you check this site out. SOON: We have a Salvation Article, a heap of Fan Fiction and a lot more! February 10th, 2000
3 Questions with Eric Mabius Although most fans of The Crow franchise consider Brandon Lee to have been the definitive personification of the undead avenger, newcomer Eric Mabius may gain his own devout following when the third Crow movie debuts later this spring. In The Crow: Salvation, Mabius plays Alex Corvis, a young man wrongly executed for murdering his girlfriend. Corvis is resurrected as the Crow and unravels the conspiracy that framed him and threatens the life of his late girlfriend's sister, played by Interview With the Vampire's Kirsten Dunst. Mabius, whose other film credits include Cruel Intentions and indie favorite Welcome to the Dollhouse, recently spoke to CINESCAPE about the latest Crow installment and his respect for Crow fans. Cinescape: What first attracted you to this role? Eric Mabius: Like so many other people I thought the first film ultimately spoke to everyone for certain reasons. We always have issues of unrequited love. [It's a] very primal theme and the fact that it was born out of James O'Barr's personal tragedy was something that not only attracted me but continued to ground me in the role. It was that theme of when the entire world thinks you're something else and you know what you are. To lose the kind of love that my character had and to have my character condemned to die for it it's almost too much for us really to imagine but I wanted to at least try and get as close to that place that I could. How would you describe the character of Alex? I'm the kid from the wrong side of the tracks and I work in a salvage yard. [But] I'm a romantic. I'm a character who was brought up poor but still appreciates the finer aspects of what it means to be in love. You're promoting the movie at horror fan conventions now. What's that like? They're unbelievable. I love doing [conventions]. I remember when I was a kid, I used to read comic books and, you know, these people are archetypes, they're larger than life. It was just great to be able to talk to these people and to show them that I appreciate their very existence. Do you know what I mean? To understand the turning of [James O'Barr's] tragedy to such catharsis for millions and millions of people--I know it sounds really simplistic or trite but it just blows me away. It's just so cool I can't describe it. Thanks to: Cinescape Official Track Listing We've had the track listing up for some time, but now it really is official: 1. Best Things - Filter (remix) 2. Living Dead Girl - Rob Zombie (Naked Exorcism mix) 3. Bad Brother - Infidels/Juliette Lewis 4. It's All Over Now Baby Blue - Hole 5. Warm Winter - Kid Rock 6. What You Want - The Flys 7. Waking Up Beside You - Stabbing Westward (Forgotten By The World mix) 8. Painful - Sin 9. Antihistamine - Tricky 10. Now Is The Time - Crystal Method (Millennium mix) 11. Everything Sucks (Again) - Pitch Shifter 1 2. Big God - Monster Magnet 13. Independent Slaves - Days Of The New 14. Burning Inside - Static X/Burton C. Bell 15. Rusted Wings - New American Shame 16. Underbelly Of The Beast - (remix) - Danzig Buying the Soundtrack If you're a Crow Fan, you'll be wanting to buy the soundtrack to The Crow: Salvation on March 28th, and the best way to do that would be to check out Amazon and place an order! Soundtrack Info Here comes some news from The Black Circle of Eric Mabius about the soundtrack: The Crow soundtrack will be available in stores on March 28th. He (Eric's friend) says "I heard that it is a seriously KILLER album with many bands doing all new stuff." Woohoo! He also says that Eric will be shooting a video with Filter in a few weeks and it should be aired on MTV and such in April. Trailer Rumours Lee from the ABaHB Discussion Board has this to say: "word 'round the campfire sais the preview for Salvation will be before next months Alliance release Final Destination....... i dont know which of u have or havent seen the preview for Final Destination, but it looks very good, so it would be a bonus to see the salvation preview before it..." SOON: That merchandise news, new Salvation articles, a ton of early release stuff for the soundtrack and more! February 9th, 2000
TODD MCFARLANE PRESENTS: THE CROW MAGAZINE #3 Todd McFarlane Productions (W) Jon J muth (A) Jamie Tolagson (Cover) Mark Nicholas (Colour) Mark Nicholas A police detective enlists the aid of The Crow to investigate the murderer of a child. The evidence overwhelmingly points to the detective's estranged son who was abused by his step father and has a violent past. Will The Crow find further evidence to free the boy or will he uncover more clues linking him to the murder? Step into the muted world of the undead Crow in his quest for retribution. The Crow fans will also enjoy interviews and pictorials with actors from the third movie, "Salvation" and photos and quotes from other Crow fans. 56pp $4.95 (US) Due in late May Fan Fiction The Crow and fast food? You'd better believe it, as Joshua Wolf sends in this story titled 'Murder To Go.' Have a good look over it! Crow Chat A Murder Of Crows Newsletter will be bringing you a chat on February 15, 2000 at 8 PM Eastern Standard Time/5 PM Pacific Standard Time courtesy of the Infinity-IRC network. If you have an IRC client such as mIRC you can connect via evilspeak.nc.us.infinity-irc.org port 6669. If you do not have an IRC Client you can use the java chat interface by going to http://www.spaceports.com/~thecrow/newsletter/chat.html. Some come and chat with other fans, I will be there to answer questions you have. SOON: We have some ideas on Salvation's release date and pics later this month! But coming up, we have some nifty Crow Merchandise that's being offered. So, stay tuned! February 7th, 2000
Todd McFarlane Presents: THE CROW MAGAZINE #1 Here is a review of the only Crow item coming out this month; (W) Jon J Muth (A) Jamie Tolagson (Cover) Mark Nicholas Urban horror with a gothic twist is the only way to describe The Crow. Here we see the first two instalments of one of the most groundbreaking series of 1999. Noted writer Jon J Muth weaves a story of love and revenge into the fabric of art laid down by artist Jamie Tolagson. This magazine also takes you behind the scenes with great information on the movie and TV series of the same name, Find out why The Crow is not only a legend in the printed page, but also with the world of entertainment. 56 pp. $4.95 (US) - 56 page Magazine reprints THE CROW 1 & 2, plus coverage on the new CROW movie and more. Fan Fiction Just a note to anyone who has any Fan Fiction related to The Crow, this can be in written form of any sort, pics made on computer, drawings, humorous stuff, anything at all, please send it our way at abahb@xoommail.com and we'll give you some good coverage for your creativity! Be sure to check the section out here. Screen Savers Scott has built some Crow Screensavers based on the original film and City of Angels! Check them out by going here. SOON: May release in Crow items, Salvation things and so much more! February 5th, 2000
Salvation Article A slightly old article, some of the TV news is a bit stale, but read on! MORE NEWS ON THE FUTURE OF TV'S CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN (IT WILL BE BACK) AND THE BIG SCREEN'S CROW: SALVATION AS PRODUCER JEFF MOST AND SALVATION STARS KIRSTEN DUNST & ERIC MABIUS SPILL THE BEANS For a character who gains his powers from being dead, things are very much alive for THE CROW franchise. THE CROW: SALVATION hits theaters next March and the nearly canceled syndicated TV series, THE CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN looks like it's headed for resurrection sometime in the near future. At San Diego's Comic Con last weekend, SALVATION stars Kirsten Dunst and Eric Mabius joined CROW producer Jeff Most, in a discussion about the third CROW movie and the potential return of the show. While revealing the reasons for the cancellation of STAIRWAY had more to do with Hollywood mergers than ratings, Most was adamant that he expected James O'Barr's comic phoneme to return to the small screen in the fall of 2000. "We just did extremely well in our first season," he said. "We were the number three rated new show in syndication. We became a victim of the Polygram/Universal merger. We were a Polygram TV show and Universal decided, since they got out of the television business for the most part, that we could have the show back. And we're actually in the midst of arranging financing and distribution for the TV show. We're planning to be back on the air as quickly as possible and back in production as early as the fall." That means Mark Dacascos as crow Eric Draven will return along with his love Sabine Karsenti (as one time Draven girlfriend Shelly Webster) could be picking up where they left off when Universal canned the show in May. "The universe of THE CROW is something for us that can be enlarged," said Most. "We really find that there's a story at its heart that really moves people. That's a reason we continue on with it. It's extremely satisfying to delve into different story arenas and mediums. We can tell CROW stories in different regions and eras. We're going to continue the story of Eric Draven [the TV incarnation] whose character was so heartfelt and liked the world over. We did incredibly well in 59 countries. We will be announcing in the next couple of months a new financier and distributor. It will be the same show." As for SALVATION, the first CROW movie not connected in plot or character to the original 1994 CROW movie staring Brandon Lee, the story concerns new Crow Alex Corvis, played by Eric Mabius, wrongly accused, convicted and executed for the murder of his girlfriend. He returns to Earth as the Crow to discover the real killer, and mend things with his girlfriend's sister, Kirsten Dunst, who blames him for her killing. "I really believe this is part of the expanding universe," Most said. "We've really touched upon things with Mabius' character Alex Corvis and the other actors involved, particularly Kirsten Dunst and her coming of age story that parallels the mythic story of a character needing to overcome things from the past. We're trying to make these stories vital and passionate and involving." As for Dunst, her role in this story (which CROW creator O'Barr reportedly said was the best incarnation yet) brings her into a world she has some, but not much, familiarity with. "I saw the first CROW but not the second," says Dunst. " I'm more familiar with it now. I think it's so set apart from, but also very like the first one, with the love story and it is a thriller. It's such a beautiful story. I thought it was smart of me to pick this, a role where the character matures." Most was quick to assure those gathered at the Con, and reporters afterwards, that this movie paid tribute to O'Barr's passionate creation. "He loved the film," says Most, referring to the comic book mastermind who created THE CROW after the brutal murder of the woman he loved. Dunst is down-to-earth and sincere something you rarely get from Hollywood teens – wow, the genuine article, who would have figured? Photo by ALBERT L. ORTEGA "We look to James as our touchstone for not only an approval but for his great instincts. We bring James the script as it's developed and involve him in all aspects of our plans. When he gets to see a Crow film and is just ear-to-ear smiles and tells us he loved it we're feeling like we're doing our jobs right. It was great to hear James. He really does think this is a tremendous film. He really likes how we reinvented the storytelling of it so that it doesn't play the same beats as the previous two Crow films. It's much more of a mystery. There's many more levels of emotion going on in this film and he was really appreciative of that." THE CROW: SALVATION, also staring Fred Ward and Jodi Lyn O'Keefe, will be out in March 2000. Thanks to: Eon Magazine Salvation Section Need to know anything about Salvation? Want to see a heap of pics? Then why not venture over here, where our good friend legolas has designed a new user-friendly Salvation Section! Go and have a look now, for those who just can't wait. Salvation Soundtrack Click here for some news on the soundtrack, however, the Soundtrack has a definite release date in the last week of March. Thanks to: Crow331 Skull Cowboy JV Roig has sent us something that any Crow Fan will love. It's the cut scene from The Crow! The scene has Eric Draven (Brandon Lee) walking up the church steps to meet with the Skull Cowboy. You'll need Real Player to view this, so to watch it, click here! SOON: Coming up, we have reviews of the month in Crow comics and merchandise. The April and beyond slate in Crow merchandise and comics. By the end of the month, expect a multitude of Salvation goodies, including reviews, interviews and a ton of pics. February 3rd, 2000
Dunst Interview Here is a slightly old interview with Kirsten Dunst, but it's still good! Crow's Feet KIRSTEN DUNST SHOWS OFF HER DROP DEAD GORGEOUS NATURE IN SEVERAL FILMS THIS YEAR INCLUDING THE NEW THRILLER CROW-SALVATION AND THE WATERGATE COMEDY DICK The other side of dead is played out one of Dunst's other films this year. In CROW: SALVATION, the spunky Dunst offers her two cents in the third movie in the CROW franchise. "It's a different CROW, not unlike the others," says Dunst. "The films' producer is Jeff Most and he's great. When you meet people who are really gung ho about making a project it really helps. That makes you really want to make a part of it and you know they're not going to make bad film because they really want to make it great." With this new CROW more of a "love story" this time out according to Dunst, the young actress plays a girl whose sister is killed and then they blame it on her boyfriend (played by Eric Mabius). "He is electrocuted and comes back as a crow to avenge his death," says Dunst. "It's also a coming of age story." While Dunst had a lot of fun working on the new CROW she was also initially hesitant to take on the role considering the "curse" the film series seems to bring with it (referring to the unfortunate accident on the original movie that took the like of Brandon Lee). "Even on the TV show someone broke their back," says Dunst. "So on this show I was like 'oh great, it's cursed - now I'm going to die on this CROW movie. They were great though. The stunt people were so protective of us on set and there were so many of them." Ironically enough, Dunst doesn't have to worry about getting into the many R rated movies she's been making anymore now that she's turned 17-years old. However, she observes being under 17 didn't matter anyway and still doesn't matter in many instances even in the aftermath of Littleton. "There are so many horror movies that have ratings and they're teenage movies," says Dunst. "It's not like a teenager is not going to see it. They never really enforce it. I've never been to a movie theater that would enforce it. They don't turn away money especially in some places where they charge up to $10.00 a pop. 'The movie's NC-17 and you're only 13. Okay - Theater 13 to the left.' They don't care." Now if only the moral majority would realize that … Thanks to: Eon Magazine The Winged Messenger LLcruize, our master writer at ABaHB sends in his new article, titled Religion and The Crow. Please follow the link and enjoy! Poll Results Well, the votes are in for the latest ABaHB poll. To refresh everyone, the latest poll asked which of the four HarperPrism Crow novels was your fav. The winner, by a slim margin, was Quoth The Crow, with 23%. Next in line was Lazarus Heart with 22%. Clash By Night came in third with 13%. And the newest novel, Temple of Night, came in 4th with 6%. A big surprise was the amount of people that have not read any of the novels. Of those who responded to the poll, 35% have yet to read any of the novels. Not sure if it is because folks are having a hard time finding the novels, or if a lot of Crow fans are more into watching Crow stories, rather than reading them (which I suspect is probably the case). If you haven't read any of them, go check one of them out. The next poll is up and ready for you to vote. Since we got a good number of responses this time, over 75, will continue changing the poll out every other Monday rather than every Monday. Give folks time to check things out. Conflict Now, we here at ABaHB like a little conflict now and again, therefor, we wish that all people who read the ABaHB articles (LLcruize's in particular) will post a message, on the Discussion Board, on what they thought of the article and their views on the matter. LLcruize has his new article here! Go to the 'Winged Messenger (ABaHB Articles)' for all the articles. Pic Here's a neat pic of Kirsten Dunst, Eric Mabius, Bharat Nalluri and Jeff Most SOON: More Salvation articles! More pics! More everything! February 1st, 2000
Clean the house And the new month brings in new Crow News! January 2000 news is now found here, or you can have a look around the ABaHB archives here. Beginning now is ABaHB's lengthier updates, however, the Salvation page and the Reflections (Reviews) pages are still worth a good read if you're waiting for Crow News! Look what's coming in the soon blurb for the February slate. Crow Mention Wizard #102 has a mention of the upcoming Crow Magazine in their 'books worth checking out' section: Todd McFarlane Presents: The Crow Magazine #1 (Image) $4.95 (late Feb.) SOON: What we have for February, you ask? Well, we have reviews of the May slate of Crow Merchandise and comics. February reviews for upcoming Crow items and comics, so much Salvation news that it'll make you believe you've already seen the film (2 new articles and new pics!), items from the first movie that are worth a good look and oh, so much more! |
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