Today marks 30 years since the release of Alex Proyas’ classic film so we take a look at the highly anticipated 4K UHD release.
May 11, 1994 saw the release of Alex Proyas’ The Crow, and cinema was never the same. And now, 30 years later, we’re finally being treated to the definitive version on 4K UHD. You know what big fans of physical media we are here at JoBlo so we’ve been highly anticipating this release. And we also LOOOOOVE The Crow. We’ve covered it on our JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube Channel and have even taken a look at its terrible sequels. Heck, I’m not sure about you guys but The Crow was one of those films I always loved to talk about on the old JoBlo forums. I wonder what they’d be saying about the new film?
And shoutout to those that were able to snag the very cool Steelbook that went quickly out of print. It’s easily one of the coolest Steelbooks out there and features an absolutely beautiful design. Although, if you’re one of those people reselling it on ebay for $150 then maybe rethink your life choices.
The Crow has never had great releases, with its old DVD and Bluray on the uglier side. I’ve always considered that part of its charm but it’s an absolute treat to see the film fully realized in 4K. The HDR provides such a brilliant contrast in the night scenes. The blacks are deep but not crushing, and the highlights pop the image just enough. The church scene at the end features such vibrant red, that I felt like I was watching it with new eyes. And don’t worry, despite the lack of grain, there’s no excessive DNR that has become so prevalent in 4K releases. The sound mix is also wonderful, with a perfect balance that doesn’t require you to constantly have your finger on the volume control.
Unfortunately, outside of the absolutely beautiful transfer, there aren’t a ton of NEW features on the disc. “Shadows & Pain: Designing the Crow” follows the creation of the film through the eyes of Production Designer, Alex McDowell. It’s extremely well done and has a wealth of knowledge about the creation of the film. “Sideshow Collectibles: An Interview With Edward R Pressman” follows the producer of The Crow as he goes over the movie a bit. It’s more surface level, but its cool to see the wonderful statues by Sideshow, who always knock these out of the park.
I was hoping to be able to get some new information about the film but, given its history, most of that has already been expounded upon. There are some cleaned-up Production Stills that help to provide a little more context to the behind-the-scenes. It’s really too bad there isn’t a wealth of footage from filming. Regardless, here are some fun tidbits I pulled from the new 4K release:
- The film has had some very messy releases, with one UK release even getting an ugly 1080i transfer. This is easily the highest fidelity release we’ve ever received for the film.
- Production Designer, Alex McDowell claims the Punk scene greatly affected The Crow‘s look, as he worked with directors like David Fincher, Michael Bay, and, of course, Alex Proyas on a variety of music videos.
- Devil’s Night was based on actual events in Detroit. McDowell and Proyas surveyed the damage after Devil’s Night in Detroit before filming.
- The miniatures are what help to give the film its texture, whether it’s the usage of a train set or remote control cars, the scale of the film is always at the film’s forefront.
- The pawnshop exterior was filmed on the studio backlot, for the most amount of control with the decay of the city.
Other special features on the set include: Audio Commentary with Director Alex Proyas, Audio Commentary with Producer Jeff Most and Screenwriter John Shirley, Behind-the-Scenes Featurette, A Profile on James O’Barr, Extended Scenes, Deleted Footage Montage, and the Trailer. While not exclusive to this set, there’s a beautiful quote that Brandon says, which is actually a quote from the book Sheltering Sky by Paul Bowles. I think it’s the perfect way to end this:
“Because we do not know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well. And yet everything happens only a certain number of times and a very small number, really. How many more times will you remember a certain afternoon of your childhood. An afternoon that is so deeply a part of your being that you cannot even conceive of your life without it. Perhaps 4 or 5 times more. Perhaps not even that. How many times will you watch the full moon rise? Perhaps 20. Yet it all seems limitless.”
Will you be buying The Crow 4K UHD? Have you owned any past releases? Let us know in the comments!
THE CROW IS AVAILABLE ON 4K EVERYWHERE ON MAY 7TH, 2024.
