The One and Only Crow  

"The one and only Crow." Those of us who have spent some time in Crow chat areas and post rooms have often seen these words. They are, of course, in reference to Brandon Lee. For many, Brandon should have been the only person to ever play the lead in a Crow movie. Their appreciation for Brandon, though heartfelt and sincere, is also misguided. As good a performance as Brandon gave us he, by no means, is the only person that can, or should ever play a Crow lead. The premise alone begs for more stories to be told. There is so much more about The Crow myth that can be explored. Just think of the travesty had Proyas not completed the first movie, as was his first inclination. The success of the Kitchen Sink Press comic line is a testament to how powerful other Crow stories can be. However, for some, Brandon’s death makes it hard for them to see anyone else playing an avatar. We must not forget that The Crow was born out of another man’s pain. The pain felt by James O’Barr, not Brandon. The story and the pain existed long before the movie was conceived. To say that Brandon’s performance is the only true measure of the story is to trivialize the whole concept itself. O’Barr’s tale of love, death, and revenge, is much more powerful and expansive than that which can be portrayed by one person or told in one story. Brandon is an important element. His performance helped to bring, to the screen, the pain about which O’Barr wrote. However, that does not mean it should begin and end with Brandon. Eric Draven was just one story. There are many, many stories to be told about love, death, and revenge. We have seen only a few of these stories explored. In our haste to crown Brandon king, his throne never to be shared, we forget that the essence of The Crow is that there is no end, only a beginning. Brandon was all about pushing the envelope, not putting limits on himself. The same can be said about The Crow. To let that opportunity pass without exploring new territory would be the biggest discredit to what Brandon helped start.

Take care

LLcruize