Where is The Crow going?

Those who are frequent visitors to ABaHB should be the most knowledgeable fans around when it comes to the latest happenings with "The Crow". Here is a run down on the latest hot news we have covered extensively over the last 6 months:

Salvation - After 3 years of hibernation, ideas being started and then taken in other directions (Crow 2037), in late 1998/early 1999, fans were excited to learn that a solid story was finally in the works for the next Crow movie. However, through deception and mock/psuedo screenings put on by Miramax, fans have had to wait another 2 years after principle photography was completed before they could see the final product. On Tuesday, March 20th, fans, in mass, will finally get to see the latest Crow movie, Salvation, on DVD (for rental and purchase as a single or part of boxed set) and VHS (rental only at this time, there is no VHS boxed set). For anyone wanting to know the history of this film, check out our Salvation section (click here) and the Crow:2037 section (click here). You will find no better or more complete sections on either movie on the net. An item I found interesting, only one retail outfit, BestBuy, bothered to run an ad in the Sunday promotions for the Salvation DVD. Could it be that the lack of confidence Miramax showed in it has trickled down to retailers?

Lazarus - This started out as the 4th Crow movie. Through script rewrites and the addition of high profile personalities such as Eminem, this movie has started distancing itself from the world of "The Crow". No official word has yet been given on Lazarus' fate, but all indications are this will not be the next Crow movie, rather, a venture outside the Crow world. Anything can change and we could be reporting tomorrow that at the 11th hour it was decided to go on ahead with Lazarus as a Crow project, but as I mentioned, indications suggest this is highly unlikely. As with Salvation and Crow:2037, check our Lazarus section (click here) and see what all has gone on with this project.

The Crow: Boxed DVD set - With the release of Salvation to the masses on March 20th, so too do we get the release of all three Crow movies in special DVD "Collector's Series" issues (more goodies) and all three movies compiled into a special DVD boxed set, which includes a 16 page booklet. One interesting note on the boxed set. Outside of the Internet and retail rental outlets like Blockbuster and Hollywood Video, the lack of promo for the boxed set has been unsettling. I fully expected to open the sale ads for this weekend and find the boxed set highly touted. Instead, only one retail outlet, BestBuy, had an ad featuring a Crow DVD and it was for Salvation alone, nothing about the boxed set. The price of the boxed set, 60 to 70 bucks, is not what you would call an item that would have bargain hunters flocking in, but still, this is suppose to be a major deal isn't it? It is assumed, it would seem, that most persons who would buy the boxed set are either renters of DVD's or have the Internet. What other reason could explain the total lack of acknowledgment by retailers that it will be out on Tuesday?

The genre that we know and love is at a crossroad now. With no confidence from the distributor of the first three movies, Miramax/Dimension, in Salvation and the latest movie idea, Lazarus, more than likely going in a different direction, we are left to wonder. Where is "The Crow" going? Perhaps this coming Wednesday night, Jeff Most can answer that question during the CrowFans.com discussion. Maybe he can tell us why the loyal following of "The Crow" has had to endure the constant games of the last 5 years. Maybe we will find out, since "Lazarus" appears DOA as a Crow project, what we can expect the next project will be. Will the voice of the fans finally be heard and a female storyline explored? Or will we get a retread of the same characters, just a new subtitle name? At a time when we should be looking forward to new releases, the horizon is clouded with questions, many without an answer.

Take care........amf

LLcruize