ABaHB News January 2000

January 31st, 2000
Script

The news hasn't been finilised yet, so, here is a rather fast paced scene from Salvation, enjoy!

Change of Updates

Things are going to change from now on. We here at ABaHB wish to give you the best Crow News that can be offered in the world, therefor, we are going to change the rate of updates to every second day. This will only last for a while, but it will give us a chance to do more in-depth reporting. The benefits of this are; longer articles, more details of news and defining separate Crow issues. If a story proves big enough, we will post it the minute we get it, so we can still retain our around the clock status! It's a small change, but one that will benefit you all!

A Murder of Crows Newsletter. What better way to get your weekly dose of Crow info on Crow Websites, Contests and other Crow items? A Murder of Crows has bought together the cream of the crop in Crow fan sites into one newsletter, with a run down of news by myself and updates from other web sites out there, now is the time to sign up and become part of the Crow Community. So, if you haven't bothered to sign up, please go now and do it, you'll feel all the more richer for it! Be quick, as for the next fans that sign up go intro the draw to win Fear and Bullets CD's, which will be given away every two weeks until April 9. The Fear and Bullets are the ones that accompanied the special edition of the Graphic Novel! So, what are you waiting for, sign up, then swing back here for some delicious Crow News!

Just waiting for some news to finialise today, so, we're just going to run through some of the features that you might be missing if you just use ABaHB for the news page!

Firstly, we have the Salvation Section, which is a popular part of ABaHB. Inside, you'll find the most Salvation news and pics anywhere on the internet, so take a good look around there.

The Winged Messenger is another place to stop by if you're looking for a good read. LLcruize and CRigg both give their weekly rants on Crow related ideas and events, certainly a must!

ABaHB's Discussion Forum is always open for good Crow discussion. Inside you can feel free to talk to other Crow Fans around the world!

ABaHB's interviews cover a wide range of the movies, including Brandon Lee's last interview (this was the last time he spoke to a member of the press and is a massive 8 pages long!) and some interviews with members of Salvation. There might be some STH and COA stuff to have a look at as well!

And, if you need any questions answered, the Q and A section has just about everything from the first movie and beyond! There isn't many questions that LLcruize hasn't covered there.

If you still need your questions answered or you just want to drop us a line, you can mail to us at abahb@email.com or irony_despair@hotmail.com or just use the guestbook.

Finally, the most in-depth section of ABaHB is the Crow Reflections section, where every Crow comic, CD, movie, TV show, novel and anything else related to The Crow is reviewed in depth by our master writer, LLcruize!

ABaHB has joined the Top 20 Crow Sites, so click on the image below and vote for us!

Book Overview

 This novel, written by S.P. Somtow and inspired by the series created by James O'Barr, takes a close and graphic look at the dark underworld of Bangkok's market of flesh for money. The story follows an affluent woman, Linda Dusit, and her grandson, Stephen Lelliott. Stephen, half Thai and American, has returned to Thailand to bring back the ultimate human survival story for his film company. What he did not count on was falling in love with his subject and being caught in the cover-up of her murder. The cover-up involves many high ranking officials in Bangkok as well as some Americans. Linda Dusit is a woman of high prestige.  She is also knowledgeable and experienced in the “other world” and proves to be an important ally for Stephen. The lines that separate the affluent and the downtrodden are blurred as Stephen dares to open himself up to a woman whose sole purpose in life has been to fetch the highest price possible for her virginity. The events leading to the murder and the cover-up culminate on April 13^th, the beginning of Songkwan, the festival of renewal and cleansing. What a perfect time for the realm of The Crow to intercede and help bring two lovers together again while seeking to satisfy the thirst for revenge.     

Personal Thoughts

 Temple of Night takes the reader on a magical journey into the underworld of Thailand's prostitution ring and into the realm of the dead.  S.P. Somtow weaves a very detailed story of Thai life.  His writing exhibits his extensive knowledge of  Thai customs, and language.  He uses a lot of the terminology and identifiers specific to the language.  So as not to loose the reader, Somtow offers explanations of the terminology along the way. The words are in Italics, to help with identification. Somtow brings back the image of an Irony masked avatar and puts a new spin on how the avatar goes about his carnage. Although the appearance of the avatar is reserved until the latter part of the novel, it is well worth the wait due to the excellent ability of Somtow to pull the reader into a world that is not all that far from reality. This is not a “smash em up” Crow story. Given depth of story and character, Temple of Night carries The Crow from its simplistic storyboard roots to an ever-expanding universe of complex characters and stories. By far, the best Crow novel, in my opinion, to date.        

Here is a fantastic pic of Eric Mabius as Alex Corvis. Have a good look!

(Click for larger view)

Thanks to: Darren Moss

Could this be where the rumors sprang from? Could the media have once again gotten things confused? Seems highly likely. Joshua Bunkofske sends this along:

"I was checking out Cinescape today and I saw this about an upcoming Snoop Doggy Dog film. Could this be where the rumor of the gansta rapper Crow came from. Looks to me like it could be."

‘Bones' Prod Start?

The Snoop Dogg starring supernatural action film, Bones, now appears to have a scheduled start date. According to columnists Marilyn Beck and Stacy Jenel Smith, the production is now set to start shooting on February 23rd. The production will shoot on location in Vancouver. The film will tell the story of a man named Jimmy Bones (Dogg) who was shot down in 1979. Decades later, he comes back from the grave to exact his revenge.

1 Year On...

A special thanks for all those Crow Fans who have supported me in the previous year, as today is the one year landmark of my taking over of A Boy and His Bird! The site started earlier than this, but since I've taken over, Crow Fans have never had such high quality of news in frequent amounts. I only hope the upcoming year will be so kind. So, from myself, Irony Despair, thank you!

"My character is, in a sense, on a vengeance tour, but it doesn't quench the thirst that he feels...It's more about learning to make peace with the grayness of things and how painful things can be." - Eric Mabius

"In the beginning, I'm watching him get put to death, and I'm a very, very weak character," adds Dunst, noting that the films also serves as a gritty coming-of-age tale for Erin. "But I definitely become stronger through Alex. Meeting him teaches me about love and tells me that love never dies. So [I] become very strong and very independent by the end of the film."

Erin's personal growth is just one of many deviations from the original Crow storyline. Unlike the previous two movies, the police are, at least in part, the villains of this tale.

"We took great pains to make certain that what was emotionally involving about a Crow story was contained in this [film]," states producer Jeff Most. "However, we also wanted to break the bounds and tell the story in a completely different fashion. We wanted to make greater objectives for this Crow - that [the murder] be a mystery, that there would be more clearing of his name...It became a much more vital sense of storytelling. What we did was hark back to what it is about a Crow movie that really touches people."

Of course, any mention of the earlier pictures also elicits memories of the late Brandon Lee, who made an indelible impression as Eric Draven in the original 1994 feature. "Due to how amazing Brandon was, a lot of people understandably want to compare successors," acknowledges Mabius. "But The Crow is a reference to the animal, but the character in the film. It's different people with different tragedies, and they're all trying to lay their restless souls to rest. That's why each film ends up having a different actor."

Regardless of the person portraying that "restless soul," throughout all the productions a defining element of The Crow remains the character's eerie facial markings. "I spent two hours at the beginning of each day [having] prosthetics blended into my face, and then six layers of airbrushing," Mabius reveals "And it took me an hour at night to get it off. But I never, never got sick of it. It was time to sit and think. It really was essential time for me."

Although the movie is now slated for a March 2000 release, at least one individual associated with the flick is already "crowing" about its potential for success.

"[Eric and Kirsten] have really made this film something that you want to warmly embrace," Most says. "It's a testament to their acting and to all of the people who were involved. I think this is a great work of filmmaking that will be remembered for a long time to come."

Today, LLcruize writes a new article for ABaHB's Winged Messenger! Expect the articles to get back to their usual status as a weekly ABaHB function, but with so much going on, it's been busy. Also, don't forget to check out CRigg's latest Crow Rant for the week!

Another lost soul returns seeking vengeance in The Crow: Salvation

For fans of the now legendary comic series created by James O'Barr, The Crow is a harrowing tale of heartbreak, violence and revenge. Yet for Eric Mabius, who stars as the latest incarnation of the haunted hero in the new movie The Crow: Salvation, the psychological underpinnings of the saga run significantly deeper.

"Vengeance is not the solution," he says when asked to succinctly sum up the message of The Crow. "My character is, in a sense, on a vengeance tour, but it doesn't quench the thirst that he feels...It's more about learning to make peace with the grayness of things and just how painful things can be."

Mabius portrays Alex Corvis, a young man wrongfully executed for the brutal stabbing of his girlfriend Lauren. But as folks familiar with earlier Crow adventures already know, his soul cannot rest until he seeks out and slays those individuals actually responsible for the murder. To do so, Alex must persuade his lover's surviving sister Eric, played by Kirsten Dunst, that he is not only innocent, but also that her father might be involved, at least indirectly, in the killing.

"I'm trying to find an ally in Kirsten's character because no one else had the connection that she had with Lauren," Mabius explains. "No one else believes that I was innocent, and I'm trying to convince her and wear her down."

Just a little not to all those people who have had problems viewing the Salvation page in the past, the section has been rebuilt in a basic format so all browsers should be able to view it. Inside, updated news, soundtrack update, the article and the largest Salvation pic (and news) section on the net resides! So, go have a look at the ABaHB Salvation section and become fulfilled in Crow news.

Fan Fiction

The Fan Fiction section has been updated! Joshua Bunkofske has written the second part to his Crow script, titled The Crow: Armageddon. Go have a look now!

CRigg sends in a review of the shooting script for The Crow: Salvation. Here are the little changes:

Well I finally got my hands on the Salvation shooting script.The revision dates are Febuary 1st and 2nd and then March 15. So these were revisions done right before and during shooting. I like the first draft, the revisions only improve the script. A lot of people may agree that one of City of Angels downfalls was that the relationship between Ashe and Danny was never touched upon like it should have been. Those who have read the script excerpts on the site may have seen the flashbacks we see of Alex and Lauren. Well I'm happy to say theres even more detail put into the flashbacks, diffrent locations, diffrent times of the year. The ages have changed like previously mentioned. Alex is 21, Erin is 17. In the pictures released we see an explosion at a bus, well thats one of the places Alex and Lauren go with each other, an abadoned bus. The script literally changes from one page to another when a porsche that Alex drives turns into a corvete on the next page.

THE CROW was conceived in 1981 out of the haunting memories of a young writer could not shake, when his fiancée was senselessly killed by a drunk driver. James O'Barr's story was finally published, as a comic book, in 1981 but only after years of gnawing at his personal recollections of that tragic loss.

 The gothic story of love and revenge struck a nervein many who read it. Consequently, new Crow stories took root in other comics, books, the films, a television series and a soon to be released video game. Even the platinum soundtracks, from the first two movies, have had a hand in the retelling of The Crow.

 "People forget that the original story was born out of James' specific tragedy,' continued Mabius. "So no one person own specific rights. The Crow itself, the title doesn't revert to Brandon Lee r the character that I'm playing or Vincent Perez [The Crow in CITY OF ANGELS] played. It's about The Crow.

"That's the common theme: the crow that brings these people back. It's about something that tears their souls apart, is not resolved, and they need it to be resolved. And this crow is the guide for them to do this. That's the common point. And unfortunately, it turned out that Brandon wasn't around to do a second and third CROW. But, it just happened, with each one it's been something different. And I think that each person is bringing something different. I'm not trying to cop out on the answer and make it all pretty. But, I really believe that.

 This film will move The Crow to a small town where a man is executed for the brutal murder of his girlfriend. Returning as The Crow, the victim becomes the hunter in order to track down the lethal corruption that killed him and grips the town of Salvation.

 Most of the production was filmed on location in and around Salt Lake City, with almost no use of the miniaturized cityscapes so prevalent in the first films. The film will also showcase some real street smart production designs from two upstarts: Maia Javan, production designer and Tom Meyer, art director. Special effects will be administered by the talents of KNB.

 "I think we relished the opportunity to devise an entirely new world, with new characters and a new telling of The Crow," concluded Most. "A new approach to the telling of The Crow story, was as big a desire as anything. I don't think it was an attempt to, in any manner, account for anything other than a desire to move ahead and make something even better than we have in the past. It's one that strives for artistically.

 "When you provide the world a film that was successful commercially and critically as the first CROW, you're challenged. And you want to come back, with something even finer, more detailed. You're strengthened by the desire to overcome the odds and make something more fantastic. And I think, in this respect, we certainly heard our calling. We really wanted to do something very new and fresh. And that's what we set out to do with THE CROW: SALVATION.

Comics 2 Film

A big thanks goes out to ABaHB's long time supporters Comics 2 Film for posting our news! For those who need to know more about current movie projects, go over and take a look.

Notice

Sorry to those who have been disadvantaged by some problems ABaHB has been having. The problems relate to Microsoft's products and are being fixed. If you're having any viewing problems at the moment, please mail to me at irony_despair@hotmail.com, now, thanks for your patience!

January 19th, 2000
Soundtrack Info

Here is the final run down of the soundtrack which is going to come out very soon! This is just a confirmation of what ABaHB's been saying all along.

Hole, Kid Rock On 'Crow' Soundtrack
The soundtrack to the third film in the sci-fi series "The Crow," titled "The Crow: Salvation," will feature previously unreleased songs and remixes from a number of rock, hip-hop and electronica acts, including Hole (covering Bob Dylan's "It's All Over Now Baby Blue"), Kid Rock ("Warm Winter"), Rob Zombie (doing a remix of "Living Dead Girl" by Nine Inch Nails' Charlie Clouser) and Tricky (on a remix of "Antihistamine"). Also on the 16-cut soundtrack, due March 28, is a new Days of the New song and remixes and previously released songs from Crystal Method, Filter, Static-X, Danzig, Monster Magnet and Stabbing Westward.
 Thanks to: Idlehands and Sonicnet

"this might be old news, however, i will take the time out anyway to inform you of what i have heard on WCYY here in Boston.  Nick Carter, one of their DJ's mentioned that Rob Zombie was the organizer of the new soundtrack. In addition to this there are more bands which have yet to be mentioned. I also overheard that the soundtrack was due out in a couple of weeks, though i find this hard to believe. Overall the artists contributing to this new work is quite intriguing!"

Thanks to: Mats Brunsen

Shattered Lives and Broken Dreams Review

I don't know what possessed Cinescape Online to put this one their site, but nonetheless, here it is!

Crow Anthology Review
Regular Farscape reviewer Steven Lee Climer turns his attention to the world of literature, reviewing a new anthology of stories based on The Crow. Find out what Steve thinks of the book;

‘Crow' Anthology Review

The Crow: Shattered Lives & Broken Dreams
Edited by J.O'Barr and Ed Kramer
1999 Del Rey 390 pages
ISBN: 0-345-41712-7

Featuring stories, poetry and artwork by James O'Barr, A.A. Attanasio, Ed Bryant, S.P. Somtow, Douglas E. Winter, Janny Wurts, Charles de Lint, Nancy Collins, Iggy Pop, Henry Rollins, Jeff Pittarelli, Bob Eggleton and Lisa Snelings.

Who are the heroes of our modern culture? As Paula Cole asked "where have all the cowboys gone?" Is there a modern Robin Hood, David or even King Arthur?

Comic books have given us a wide assortment of new heroes, but they always seem a little flat -- trapped by the two-dimensional world of their medium. So, how does a hero transform from mere comic book character into a cultural myth? It starts with a hero that is flawed. We can't swallow perfect heroes because there is no such thing as a perfect person. Remember what they did to the last guy who was perfect?

The Crow has transcended it's comic beginnings and evolved into a modern myth of our time. The Crow is a concept more than simply the notion of a person's soul returning on the wings of the Rook for retribution. Eric Draven was the first popular Crow icon in the comics and the film starring Brandon Lee.

But the true Crow could be any one of us as demonstrated by the wide range of short stories and poetry encompassing this engrossing and literate collection. I found the Crow myth had more in common with Arthurian concepts than that of a spirit returned to avenge. The Crow returns to right a wrong, just as King Arthur is supposed to come when he is needed again. The other world that the Crow comes from could be Avalon, or as many of the short stories elude, any number of "otherworlds" from any culture on the planet.

James O'Barr and Ed Kramer have collected an impressive array of tales and poems that further propel the Crow into a modern heroic myth. Each story is impressive and worthy, but there are standouts that left me breathless. From O'Barr's own "Spooky, Codeine and the Dead Man" with its raw brutality that really explains what being the Crow is all about, to "Triad" by Janny Wurts that shows not all Crows are hellbent to destroy.

But by far the most thrilling story for me was Edward Bryant's "Shuttlecock." I was so impressed by the emotion, humor, tragedy and boundless life of this story, that I had to tell him so. Mr. Bryant informed me that "Shuttlecock" doesn't appear in the original hardcover and is only available in this version. I can't imagine why "Shuttlecock" was not in the hardcover, but for collectors that makes "The Crow: Shattered Lives & Broken Dreams" a hot commodity.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the poetry which adds to the rich texture of the Crow myth. Another bibliographical note: Henry Rollins'poem "Hot Animal Machine" was originally untitled in the hardcover edition.

I do have one concern for the Crow since there have been two movies and other novels featuring the Crow legend. There is the potential for exploitation and trivialization of this marvelous creation by O'Barr. The Crow belongs on the fringes, looking into both worlds, righting wrongs, punishing the guilty. We all have a sense of vigilanti-ism, to some degree. We've asked the question "why" when we see senseless violence on the news, people hurting people, mothers and fathers killing children. How can this happen? Why doesn't God stop the suffering? How can He let this happen?

Well, maybe, just maybe, the Crow is much more than any of us know.

-- Steven Lee Climer

January 18th, 2000
Part 3 Soon

Due to a few computer problems, the third part of the interview will be postponed until tomorrow, however, we're not without news! 

Fangoria and Mabius

A big thanks goes out to ABaHB's good friend, Hallow207 for sending this in:

"I met Eric Mabius at Fangoria's Weekend of Horrors. Let me just say, that Eric is awsome. When he first walked in, I thought he was gonna rush and would not be able to answer any questions. But he was totally up for any question that I had for him. I had asked him a few questions about "The Crow: Salvation". He told me he couldn't tell much, but what he said, was that this film keeps a lot of dark tones that the first film had. I had also asked him about plans for "The Crow 4". He said that he has heard the rumors, but didn't know what is planned. It may not be much, but this was all the info I could get in the short time I had to talk with him. But you will be very happy to know, that I told him about this site and you guys and he gives a shout out to you."

Poll

LLcruize, the master in charge of the ABaHB Poll would like you all to go and place your votes! For those who don't know, the poll is changed once a week and is a good guide to the way Crow Fans are thinking at the moment. Go over to the poll and place your vote. This week, we pose the question; "Which of the Harper/Prism Crow novels is your favourite?" Go over and vote now.

January 17th, 2000
Part 2 of Interview

Sixteen-year-old Kirsten Dunst, who was nominated for a Golden Globe award for her debut work in INTERVIEW WITH THE VAMPIRE and has since appeared to critical notices in JUMANJI, SMALL SOLDIERS and LITTLE WOMEN, was enrolled as the lead actress. And Eric Mabius, who first came to notice in WELCOME TO THE DOLL HOUSE, the Grand Jury Prize winner at Sundance Film Festival, donned the face makeup and assumed the mantle of The Crow.

Dunst admitted that she had never seen either of the CROW movies because she didn't want to see them before she did the movie. Mabius openly acknowledged that he was advised to avoid the second film, then went on to reveal that he had an interesting connection to the first movie.

"To be honest with you," said Mabius, who portrays a new, younger, short-haired version of The Crow, "I haven't seen the second one. Bharat asked me not to. So I didn't watch it.

"I did see the first one. Actually, when I was just out of high school-I graduated early-the first film I ever auditioned for was THE CROW. The first one. And the part-after Brandon was set, obviously because I was too young-the part I ended up reading for was the character who ended up shooting [Lee] during the shootings. They actually filmed it. So, I'm not upset that I didn't get the part."

Mabius did go on to play other roles. He appeared in I SHOT ANDY WARHOL and THE JOURNEY OF THE AUGUST KING, as well as two telefilms and several plays, including Dinner At Eight and The Seagull. He has two well-recieved independent films newly released on video, LAWN DOGS and THE BLACK CIRCLE BOYS.

LAWN DOGS is a phenomenal movie that was a fitting precursor to SALVATION in that it showed off both his chiseled, young, agile body and his mature depth as a performer.

"It's interesting how things come full circle," Mabius returned when questioned about the benchmark established by Lee. "I've gotten it a hundred times: 'Is it hard following in Brandon's footsteps?' All of those kinds of questions. I'm sure that some people are going to be irate. They were for the second one. You know, for sort of desecrating the memory of Brandon."

January 16th, 2000
The Return

I'm back and everything is back to normal! A big thanks to all those people who mailed to me while I was away. Expect the regular around the clock updates for your fixation of Crow News!

The Crow Salvation

James O'Barr's dark avenger gets a third movie incarnation.

The Crow, the mythical creation of James O'Barr that returns from the dead to balance the scales of justice, is set to return. The producers of THE CROW III: SALVATION are proving one again that they are tenacious filmmakers. When Brandon Lee, the lead actor in the first CROW film was killed during production and Paramount abandoned the project, the producers didn't seem to hesitate. They simply enlisted the help of the effects wizards at Dream Quest, finished the film and found a new distributor.

Likewise, when the second film CITY OF ANGELS was released to drab reviews and diminished ticket sales, the producers didn't bat an eyelash. They took the hits to their egos and pocketbooks and then quickly set out to make the third installment of THE CROW franchise. Dimension Films opens the Miramax and Edward R. Pressman production nationwide in the first quarter of 2000.

Sitting in his hotel suite in Salt Lake City, Utah, where SALVATION was filming, producer Jeff Most showed himself to be a stout professional. He openly admitted to the failing of the second film, while enthusiastically detailing the reasons for making a third.

"Well, the idea was to move ahead," said Most, who along with Edward R. Pressman had produced all of the CROW films. "Given that there is a huge CROW following out there, I think that we very nearly, after the opening of the second CROW, began a search for a great story and a great writer to work with a great story. The project, virtually immediately went into development. We wanted to get back into it.

"I think that we could have done better with the second, in several respects. But, you know, it is often the case that the second picture, in a franchise, does not live up to the expectations of the first. Franchises have been saved, numerous times, by their third pictures and gone on to blossom into bigger and bigger success stories that stand for year and years. Decades."

In order to spark the creative juices of this production, Chip Johansson, a writer and producer for Chris Carter's MILLENNIUM television series, was hired to write the screenplay from a story developed by Matt Greenberg, who wrote MIMIC. Bharat Narulli, the young London based director of KILLING TIME, was brought on to direct the film.

January 12-15th, 2000
Holiday Special

In the four days of my absence, LLcruize is going to give you all a very in depth run down of all the people who have played The Crow, read on and enjoy! Beyond that, we have Cinescape's thoughts on Salvation and a review of the film which is not unlike the one that has been posted here before. I won't have access to the internet, but if you have any news, comments, or just want to say hi, mail to irony_despair@hotmail.com.I'll be back before you know it, Crow Fans, for some more of the best Crow news on the net!

I am going to attempt to spotlight the four men who have played avatars within the realm of The Crow. By no means will this be an in-depth look into these four men. It will highlight the many similarities they all share, and also show just how talented these men are. I will begin by spotlighting Brandon Lee and will follow with the other three in order of appearance, Vincent Perez, Mark Dacascos, and Eric Mabius.

Brandon Lee. Of the four men who have taken on the lead in a Crow production, Brandon had the least experience in acting. His short career included only five feature films. Of these five films, only four were English speaking. The fifth was a made for TV movie. Unlike the other men who will be spotlighted here, from birth on Feb.1, 1965, Brandon lived in an enormous shadow cast by his father, Bruce Lee. Being the son of Bruce Lee was, early on, a very heavy burden to carry. All kinds of expectations came with being the only male offspring of a man who was, deemed by some, the greatest martial artist ever. Brandon had much difficulty dealing with this burden. Dropping out of the martial art Jeet Kune Do, which was created by his father, being kicked out of two schools, and dropping out of his senior year of high school were ways in which Brandon initially dealt with the stigma that came with being the son of Bruce Lee. With maturity, and time, Brandon finally realized that the legacy left him was something that could help, not hinder his career. He readily admitted in interviews that having the ‘Lee’ name afforded him opportunities that might not otherwise have been there. However, to stay in the business and make his own mark, Brandon would have to have more to go on than the legacy of his father’s name. In order to sustain a career in acting, he had to have talent. The Crow was to be the role that catapulted him into the spotlight. Brandon came from a mixed ethnic background (Chinese & American), as do the other men of The Crow. Brandon did not ignore his Chinese heritage. After coming to terms with who he was, he began to embrace his father’s legacy and re-established himself in the practice of Jeet Kune Do. He also became fluent in Cantonese. All the while being fully aware that Hollywood was not kind to his father because of his race. It has been argued that his death has added grandeur to his final performance and created an aire that might not have been there had he lived. The one thing that can not be argued was his tremendous internal spirit that helped overcome the death of his father and conquer the inner demons that tormented him afterwards. Though it was way too early to truly measure his talent; the promise of what might have been is what moves people to mourn his passing.

Personal Stats:

Date of Birth - February 1, 1965, Oakland California
Date of Death - March 31, 1993, North Carolina
Resting place - Seattle, Washington

Education:

Lee Strasberg Academy
Emerson College

Movies:

1986 - Kung Fu - The Return (Made for TV)
1986 - Legacy of Rage (Cantonese )
1990 - Laser Mission
1991 - Showdown in Little Tokyo
1992 - Rapid Fire
1993 - The Crow

Vincent Perez. Of all the men who have taken on the role of an avatar, Perez comes with the most educational background in theater and is the only actor to garner several awards. One misconception about Perez is that he is French. He was born in Lausanne, Switzerland, a French speaking country. However, he comes from Spanish/German decent. In some form or fashion, Perez always wanted to be in the field of art. His early ambitions of being a sculptor, painter, or photographer were fueled by his shyness. Yet, he feared the solitude that those fields harbor. So began his journey into acting. Studying at the finest acting schools in Europe, Perez gained critical and mass acclaim for his early roles. Having directed or acted in over 20 films, Vincent is highly respected in Europe and continues to gain a large following in America with his ever-expanding English speaking roles. By the time Perez took on the role of Ashe Corvin in 1996, he had already made 12 films, winning a prestigious European acting award for one of them, as well as being nominated for two others. Initially scorned by many fans for his under-rated portrayal of Ashe Corvin, Perez has, over time, gained the praise and understanding for that role that he deserved. Professionally, Perez did a very courageous thing by accepting the role of Ashe Corvin. He would have to follow in the immortal footsteps of the fallen Brandon Lee. Any other actor probably would have recoiled from taking on that role. Perez, however, jumped in with confidence. Secure that he would be able to play a role that would instinctively solicit a comparison to Brandon Lee’s portrayal. It was this comparison that kept many people from seeing the greatness of Perez’s performance. It is hard to follow in the footsteps of tragedy. However, Perez was able to give us a diversified look at yet another avatar, despite the overall weakness of COA. Though there are over 20 films credited to Vincent, I will list only the English speaking and high profile foreign films in his biography.

Personal Stats:

Date of Birth - June 10, 1964, Lausanne, Switzerland
Marital Status - Married to Karine Sylla (Senegalese model/actress)
Children - Daughter with Karine, named Iman born May 2, 1999

Education:

Geneva
Paris Concervatoire
L’Ecole des Amandiers

Awards:

Winner of the prestigious Prix Jean Gabin
Nominated twice for a Cesar Award (equivalent of an Oscar)

Movies: (Vincent has completed 23 films to date. Listed below are his
higher profile English and foreign language films.)

1986 - Gardien De La Nuit (first film)
1990 - Cyrano De Bergerac
1992 - Indochine
1994 - La Reine Margot (aka Queen Margot)
1996 - The Crow: City of Angels
1997 - Swept From The Sea
1998 - Shot Through The Heart
1998 - Talk of Angels
2000 - I Dreamed of Africa

Mark Dacascos. By far the most diverse actor to take on the role of an avatar, Mark was able to take the character, Eric Draven, to whom Brandon Lee gave the breath of life, a step further. Mark comes from a virtual hodge podge of ethnic backgrounds. Boasting an ancestry of Filipino, Spanish, Chinese, Japanese, and Irish, Mark would have to win the award for the actor that can fill most any ethnic role. Mark spent his teen years in Hawaii. There he picked up his current hobbies of surfing and scuba diving. A deeply spiritual person, Mark brought many of the same elements to the role of Eric Draven that were conveyed by Brandon. A little known fact, Mark and Brandon were, for a short period of time, playmates. Even so, no long lasting relationship was formed. This, along with the many similarities between the two, made his being chosen to play the role of Eric Draven even more ironic. Mark spent many years in Germany where he became fluent in German. To this day, he claims German as his first language followed by English and Cantonese. Not having the burden of following a famous father into acting, Mark has, solely, become one of the most frequently seen actors in action movies. This is due, mainly, to his fantastic martial arts ability and his background in gymnastics. These talents, combined with his good looks, make him highly sought after in the film industry. Though many have accused him of being a “Brandon wannabe”, Mark was able to bring to the television role the same intensity and presence that has been attributed to Brandon. The series, though coming in third in the overall ratings for a new syndicated series and procuring a legion of brand-new fans to The Crow, was cut short by a corporate buy-out of Polygram TV. Even with the series in limbo, Mark continues to be highly sought after.

Personal Stats:

Date of Birth - February 26, 1964, Honolulu Hawaii
Marital status - Married to actress Julie Condra, January 1998


Education:

Attended junior high and high school in Europe
Two years of college with plans for completion

Special Skills:

Chinese Kung Fu (4th degree blackbelt)
Basic Capoeira
Tumbling
Surfing
Snowboarding
Drums (played since a teen)
Guitar (learned for STH, continues playing)

Movies: (Has starred in over 17 films. Highest profile films listed below.)

1990 - Angel Town (first movie)
1993 - Only the Strong
1994 - Double Dragon
1995 - Crying Freeman
1996 - Drive
1996 - Island of Dr Moreau
1997 - Boogie Boy
1999 - No Code of Conduct
1999 - The Base

Television series: (Has starred or guest starred in over 5 TV series. Highest profiles listed below.)

1989 - Doogie Howser
1989 - Tales from the Crypt
1998 - The Crow: Stairway to Heaven
1999 - Martial Law

Video Games:

1995 - Wing Commander IV

Theater:

Shaved Splits
West Side Story

Eric Mabius. A lot is not known about Eric Mabius at this time. Early reviews, from pre-screenings of Salvation, report that he gives a salutary performance as the latest avatar. O’Barr commented that he was very good in the role of Alex Corvis. To date, Eric is the youngest actor to take on the role of an avatar. Unlike Brandon and Mark, Eric does not come from a martial arts background. This was an early concern of Mabius’, but the script was written around his strengths as an actor, not how well he could execute a spinning fly kick. Along with Eric comes a new twist on the previous premises. Eric’s character, Alex, has no idea of the person responsible for setting him up for the murder of his girlfriend. His mission is not only one of revenge, but also of finding the men who killed his girlfriend and set him up, so his name will be cleared. Although Eric is the youngest actor to take on the role of an avatar, he is not lacking in experience. Like Mark, he boasts a wide range of projects. It remains to be seen whether Eric can capture the heart and admiration of Crow fans. It has been 4 years since a new Crow movie has been made. Eric has the undubious role of being the man who will take The Crow into the new century. The release of Salvation, in April of 2000, will determine his ability to do so.

Personal Stats:

Date of Birth - April 21, 1971

Education:

Sarah Lawrence College (studied film, dance, and sculpture)

Films: (Eric has been in over 13 films, listed below are his highest profile
films.)

1996 - Welcome to the Dollhouse (first movie)
1996 - I shot Andy Warhol
1997 - Lawn dogs
1998 - Around the Fire
1999 - Cruel Intentions
1999 - The Crow: Salvation

Television:

1993 - Chicago Hope
1996 - Millennium
1999 - Party of Five (two episodes)

Plays:

The Seagull
The Zoo Story
Not Enough Rope
Dinner at Eight

Salvation Review

A familiar review from Dark Horizons:

The Crow: Salvation: When you create a hit cult film with franchise potential what's the next step? Flog it to death of course. But seriously folks, after the dismal sequel and the not to successful TV show - is there any life left in the 'Crow' franchise? Buzz is this may not be as good as the original but its an improvement over number two and 'Campana' seems to agree - here's their take. The film is currently scheduled for a March release:

"The Crow: Salvation" - A Review by 'Campana' (Mixed - Minor Spoilers)

I was recently invited to a test screening of 'The Crow: Salvation' here in Los Angeles. Now I am a big fan of the original and I can pretty much tell you that this one did not live up to my expectations. Fortunately for those of you who despised the second film (The Crow: City Of Angels), I can assure you that this third installment is an improvement. The villains are more realistic than the ultra-sadistic cartoon baddies from the sequel ( I still cannot wash the taste out of my mouth!!).

Anyway, the plot revolves around the execution of the wrongly convicted Alex Corvis. Corvis is accused of murdering his girlfriend and is sent to the electric chair only to be resurrected by the crow. He begins his mission of vengeance by tracking down a band of corrupt cops who framed him for the killing and picking them off one by one. Somewhere in between Alex makes time to visit his friendly lawyer and win the trust of his girlfriend's younger sister Erin (played painfully bad by Kirsten Dunst). The rest of the film is filled with some majorly confusing plot holes you could drive a semi-truck through. In one scene the evil police captain (Fred Ward- a suprisingly menacing villain) sees a broken mirror in the morgue shaped like the shattered image of the crow. He then turns to his fellow bad guys and says something along the lines of- "Looks like we have a dead man on our hands. The dead can come back you know, if given sufficient reason."

How the hell did he know? did he study the crow mythology as a hobby or what? Anyway, the acting is pretty decent from all but one incredibly bad Kirsten Dunst (You think she'd force those tears with a little more conviction!). Bottom line, this film is only worth the matinee.

Cinescape and Salvation

In the latest issue of Cinescape magazine, they claim that the fan base for The Crow should cover the costs of Salvation but it might not go further than that. Let's prove them wrong.

ABaHB Poll Results

The latest poll has completed. The question was, "Would you like to see a female Crow in the next movie after Salvation?" Over 50% said that they would not like to see a female Crow featured in a movie. Not surprising, but I thought maybe fans had progressed past the stereotypes of female action movies, but I guess not. We seem to still think only men can carry the torch of The Crow. We had 42% say that they would like to see a female in the lead, and another 7% that did not care either way. Not surprising by no means, but still had hoped attitudes about women taking on the role of a Crow had changed. The next poll is up. We are asking which of the Harper/Prism novels you liked the best, also if you have read any of them at all, so check it out. Take care......LLcruize

January 11th, 2000
Quite a lot of Salvation

Alright, Crow Fans, I'm going to be away from the 12th to the 15th of this month with no access to the internet, however, the next two days and when I get back will be devoted to Salvation. A whole lot of news has flown in with enough force to knock the trailer pics and Mabius interview back until I return! But,

Salvation Blurb

Crow331 sends in this blurb about Salvation from www.zentertainment.com, which repeats the rumor of a March release date. Most sources are pointing to the same March date, so there will be more on this...

THIRD 'CROW' COMING IN MARCH

While some rumors have indicated a release date change, a third CROW movie, entitled CROW: SALVATION, is still scheduled for release in March. The film stars Eric Mabius (Welcome to the Dollhouse, Splendor, Cruel Intentions) as Alex Corvis, a man wrongfully executed for the murder of his girlfriend, who returns to extract vengeance on the real killers, after he figures out who they are. Kirsten Dunst (Drop Dead Gorgeous, Dick) plays the girlfriend's sister, who this new Crow must convince his innocence to. Bharat Nalluri (Killing Time, Downtime) directed the film, which was scripted by MILLENNIUM producer Chip Johannessen. Fred Ward, Jodi Lynn O'Keefe, William Atherton, and Grant Shaud also star. There's still a slim chance the CROW: STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN television series could return to the air, it'll likely ride on how this film performs, but feature sequels are also in the works, ranging from tales of Crow characters from the past and future, to one featuring a female Crow.

January 10th, 2000
The Crow: Past, Present and Future

Here is the collected version of the articles written on December 30, 31 and January 1st. Give them a good look over if you're not too sure about what's been happening with The Crow lately, as they are not to be missed and will answer just about all of your questions on Crow Projects!

Crow Chat

Reminder there will be a chat with crow fans this Tuesday January 11th at 8 pm Eastern/5 pm Pacific Time at http://www.spaceports.com/~thecrow/newsletter/chat.html . If you have an IRC chat program such as mIRC use /server evilspeak.nc.us.infinity-irc.org, or you can just use your web browser. You should have a java enabled web browser such as Netscape 4, IE 4, or higher.

January 9th, 2000
January Slate

A very dull month for The Crow this year. The only thing on the January slate is...

THE CROW Trade Paperback Volume 1: Vengeance

Todd McFarlane Productions

(W) Jon J Muth

(A) Jamie Tolagston & Paul Lee

(C) Mark Nicholas, Cover by Ashley Wood

When Eric Draven's life is ended by a street gang, no one has any idea that it will lead to his resurrection as The Crow-least of all, those who killed him. But as each of his murderers is brutally killed, they learn that Eric Draven has had his soul wrapped in the supernatural cloak of The Crow, giving him the power to wreak vengeance most victims only dream about. Jon J Muth's thoughtful and poignant story about the injustices of the world force the reader to decide is vengeance is really the right solution to any problem.

The first full colour issues #1-3, 5 and 6 of The Crow, produced by Todd McFarlane Productions are collected in volume 1 of The Crow: Vengeance.

120pp. $10.95 (US)

- Also, Miramax/Dimension, the same people who produce The Crow have halted all Scream 3 promotion until a month before it is released. Could this also apply to The Crow? Stay tuned for more...

January 8th, 2000
ABaHB Articles

CRigg rants about The Crow in his latest ABaHB article. Go have a read and come back for some news!

January 7th, 2000
Salvation in Fangoria

In April, check out Fangoria #192, for it has coverage of Salvation. This isn't the only magazine to have articles on Salvation, so do check out other magazines in the coming months for pics and info on Salvation! Or you can just come to ABaHB and get the run down. Here's what's going to be in Fangoria:

"...coverage of...The Crow: Salvation, starring Eric Mabius (Welcome to the Dollhouse) and Kirsten Dunst (Interview with the Vampire)..."

January 6th, 2000
The Crow Magazine Issue Two

TODD MCFARLANE PRESENTS: THE CROW MAGAZINE #2

(W) Jon J Muth

(A) Jamie Tolagson and Tommy Lee Edwards

(C) Mark Nicholas

(Cover) Ashley Wood

Vengeance walks among the graves as The Crow seeks answers to violent questions. In this edition of The Crow magazine, Jon J Muth, Jamie Tolagson and Tommy Lee Edwards create another leg of The Crow's journey to revenge and redemption. Laid out in a stark world of muted colors, The Crow must feel the pain as well as mete out the suffering of the future. Fans of The Crow will also enjoy the information from the making of the third Crow movie including exclusive interviews of all the cast and crew.

FC 56 pp $4.95 (US)

Note: Due in April

Poll Results

Well, the results are in. It was a very tight finish to the end. I kept the poll question up longer since it seemed we had a lot of good response from the question. To refresh everyone, the question was "should they create a seriesbased on the character Talon that was in STH". We had 39% who said yes, theywould like to see Talon given a series of her own. Right behind that was 37% whowould not watch a series focused on Talon. Very close in deed. Behind those two,were 15% who said they didn't see STH, but would like to see a series developedaround Talon. And finally, 9% who didn't watch STH, and would not watch a serieshighlighting Talon. The results were pretty much what I thought they would be. A female Crow has long been a divided topic. To keep with that, the next poll asksshould a female Crow be highlighted in the movies. Thanks for the great responsethis last time, keep it up!! Take care......LLcruize

Check out the latest ABaHB Poll here.

January 5th, 2000
Fan Fiction

Here comes some fantastic Fan Fiction from the minds of Crow Fans! Brendan Donahue sends in three pics of Brandon Lee, Ashe Corven and another of Eric. Give them a good look over. Joshua Bunkofske sends in the first act of his script, titled 'The Crow: Armageddon.' Have a read of this and then come back for some comic news!

January 4th, 2000
Technical Difficulties

Some serious computer problems have delayed news updates and might still continue to do so. The next two or so days might seem a little out of place, but still expect regular news updates! If any more problems arise before then, we'll let you know, but come back very soon for some Crow News!

January 3rd, 2000
The Crow Trade Paperback Volume II: Evil Beyond Reach

TODD MCFARLANE PRODUCTIONS

(W) Jon J Muth and John Kuramoto

(A) Michael Haydos and Paul Lee

(Cover) Simon Davis

(C) by Mark Nicholas

"Evil Beyond Reach"

More of the stark world of The Crow is revealed and collected in this second volume. The tale of The Crow's vengeance unfurls to create a series of underlying sub plots from the worlds of writer Jon J. Muth. Artists Paul Lee and Michael Gaydos combine with the colouring of Mark Nicholas o show The Crow in a stirring light that has never been shown before. This volume collects issues #4 as well as #7 through #10.

FC 120pp $10.95 (US) Due in April.

January 2nd, 2000
Sin and Salvation

Here is the full article from Sin, one of the bands appearing on the Salvation sountrack:

The Crow III: Salvation

"Painful" is to appear on the upcoming "The Crow III: Salvation" original sountrack (alongside with Hole, Kid Rock, Rob Zombie, Tricky...) due for release in March 2000. Jeff Most, co-producer of the film with Edward Pressman, has offered us to use footage from the film in the video directed by English director Anthony Atanasio, and will in return use "Painful" as the fifth single taken from the soundtrack to promote "The Crow." For information, the soundtracks of the two previous "The Crow" movies  sold over 5 million copies worldwide.

Now, draw your conclusions from this, Crow Fans...

January 1st, 2000
New Front and News Pages

And the new year heralds in a new News Page! Hopefully, this one will be the most user-friendly and best looking design we've ever had at A Boy and His Bird, all to make your Crow News just that much easier to access! If you have any problems with this page or the front page, don't hesitate to get into contact with me here. For now, enjoy the news!

The future of The Crow and projects you may never see

Every franchise has a bad period, The Crow is facing the best of its entire life. This could go both ways, however, the future could put the nail in the coffin of The Crow franchise, or with the positive and open-minded nature of Crow Fans, The Crow could last a long time. Though, despite a lot of franchises out there, The Crow has one thing that they don’t – creativity. No matter what the medium, be it novels, comics, movies or even television, The Crow draws in a large creative force. Many franchises are solely based on money, and it would be naive to think The Crow isn’t, but not in the sense where a movie is commissioned just for its monetary value. You probably won’t find Crow figurines at McDonalds.

Let’s start with Kitchen Sink Press. When they closed down back in December of ’98, they left some Crow projects hanging. These Crow projects were basically completed and are more than likely sitting in a drawer never to be seen again. However, there’s always a chance. Here’s a little look at what might have been:

"James O'Barr's The Crow features a story by sci-fi author John J. Miller, who contributed to the popular Wild Cards novel series, Millar tells the tale of Dreux Dumaine, the world's newest Crow. Look for it in March"

If you look through your collection of Crow comics, you’ll find an advertisement for this. The story was about a rock star in New Orleans who becomes the new Crow, the pages were done and the future of the series was set out. Unfortunately, Kitchen Sink was not. Which brings me to my next point. The Crow: Collector’s Edition. Solid gold to anyone who loves the original comics (you’re not a die-hard fan if you don’t!) and this director’s cut was so close to being published, you could taste it. The very month, almost on the day it was to be published, Kitchen Sink announced their downsizing and the collector’s edition was not to be. This project may take flight soon, but it’s all a matter of crossing your fingers.

The future of The Crow lies in Salvation. There is very little doubt about that. And from all that we know about Salvation (which is pretty much everything) the movie shouldn’t disappoint. There are some factors that could spoil it, and that is closed minded Crow Fans who only care for the first movie, or if the movie itself is generally bad. Hopefully, these two are unlikely, but the best thing anyone can do is just go to the cinema with an open mind. If this movie isn’t very powerful, then any chance of a fourth movie could be on its knees. Then again, there’s that rumour of a ‘rapper crow’ but that seems terribly unlikely. File that one with the female 3^rd Crow movie and Rob Zombie’s 2037 for now. So if all goes well, Salvation can deliver, don’t be afraid of new things and enjoy all Crow projects.

And where can The Crow go from here? As previously mentioned, The Crow carries an unstoppable creative force that pulls in writers and film makers from all walks of life. 2000 itself will be the year to watch. With the advent of Salvation, merchandise, comics and novels will follow, if the reaction is positive, Stairway to Heaven might have the response it needs to make a comeback to the small screen. So, with the outlook over the year, 2000 will be the year of The Crow!

Happy New Year

Happy New Year, Crow Fans, I hope this year will bring you good tidings!