JayDee's Movie Musings

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Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
You don't expect me to read all that do you Sexy?!!! I'll age some five years going through that.

No it's very interesting hearing your thoughts on the subject, your own experiences and why you've perhaps avoided Philadelphia. I had never really thought of it that way, that it's a subject you'd not be looking to be confronted with really.

And I'll definitely have a look at Chapter 27 to see what it's all about. Never heard of it until now as far as I'm aware.

Oh don't be like that. I may be an admitted rep whore but there seems to be a sense of vitriol in that statement.



I think you know my thoughts on this movie VERY well considering my own review of this turd. You hit the key points and then some. Needless to say Marvel rules the big screen.
I'll need to give your Man of Steel review another read actually. Was going to right after watching it but decided not to so it wouldn't influence my own review. And for anyone else I'd recommend you give it a read. From memory I think it covers a lot of the same points but complete with the anger and fury of someone who loves the character.




I'll need to give your Man of Steel review another read actually. Was going to right after watching it but decided not to so it wouldn't influence my own review. And for anyone else I'd recommend you give it a read. From memory I think it covers a lot of the same points but complete with the anger and fury of someone who loves the character.
Oh there was anger alright! lol





I've never been much of a fan of super heroes and never cared for Superman in particular, so I can't say that I was disappointed with Man of Steel, but I also didn't like it.

I agree that the characters lacked much depth, but I put the blame for that squarely on the shoulders of Zack Snyder and David S. Goyer. Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Russell Crowe, Kevin Costner and Diane Lane have all shown themselves to be entirely capable of delivering wonderful performances in other films, but they could only do so much with the garbage they were given to work with here. I will say though that Cavill and Adams had zero chemistry together. Not sure who's to blame there.

What should have been a visual treat if nothing else, turned out to be overload. The fight scenes were too long and too disorienting. The only eye candy to be had came from Cavill and Crowe, both of whom I find incredibly sexy.

I'd probably rate it
as well.



I see you're still appreciating stuff like Equilibrium and Dark Angel over The Player, Quiz Show, and Big Lebowski. As I've said many times before, admirable work, but disagree with most of your scores.



Good whiskey make jackrabbit slap de bear.
I loved Man Of Steel a lot more than you did, but your review was well-written and I agreed with some of your points. However, I thought the acting was a lot better than you thought, particularly Kevin Costner and Henry Cavill.
__________________
"George, this is a little too much for me. Escaped convicts, fugitive sex... I've got a cockfight to focus on."



"Hey Look it's Masterman"
Love your reviews... But that one sucked . I have very different opinions on Man Of Steel than most on here.



We've gone on holiday by mistake
Masterman you should just accept that MOS sucked, that way you could move on with your life.
__________________



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
Hey everyone. Sorry to have left you all in the lurch of late. Been feeling extremely poorly - unsettled stomach, feeling sick, constant headache, completely run down etc. Anyone just thought I'd pop in to say hello. Will try and be back with some more reviews soon.

Oh there was anger alright! lol
If my memory serves me right weren't you actually drunk when you wrote it? Or at least had been drinking?

I see you're still appreciating stuff like Equilibrium and Dark Angel over The Player, Quiz Show, and Big Lebowski. As I've said many times before, admirable work, but disagree with most of your scores.
Wow Brodinski, you're still alive. Long time no see. And of course the first thing you do is take a shot at my taste in movies! Well that's it, I quit. If I continue to disappoint you then there is no point in me continuing!

But seriously it's nice to see you back. And no I did not say that through gritted teeth whatsoever.

Oh and who the f*ck repped that post by the way?

Love your reviews... But that one sucked . I have very different opinions on Man Of Steel than most on here.
Woah woah woah! Let's not say something you can't take back. 'Sucked' is a strong word. Just because you don't agree with my opinion does not mean the review sucked.

And you've actually reminded me of something - you hated The Avengers didn't you? So you hated The Avengers and loved Man of Steel?

Breakdown in logic! Cannot compute! Cannot compute! Cannot compute!




Oh I was drinking Colt 45 malt liquor while writing that review all right. lol
Naughty naughty
__________________
Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
Buddha



"Hey Look it's Masterman"
Okay, my mistake. Your review was well written as always. Your opinion just sucked .



We've gone on holiday by mistake
Okay, my mistake. Your review was well written as always. Your opinion just sucked .


Son of a Bitch is dug in like an Alabama tick!





Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
Thought it was about time I revived my reviews after the longest gap in quite some time. Got to say it was quite the bitch to set-up, really struggling with the new site. Anyway it's something a little bit different, it's a 2 For The Price Of 1 Review.

Oh and I also just remembered this little thing I made up a while ago.



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mirror

Years of release
2004 / 2008

Directed by
Guillermo del Toro

Written by
Guillermo del Toro
Mike Mignola (graphic novels)

Starring
Ron Perlman
Selma Blair
Doug Jones
John Hurt
Rupert Evans
Karel Roden
Luke Goss

Hellboy / Hellboy II: The Golden Army

/
+

Hellboy Plot - During the last days of World War II, the Nazis attempt to use black magic to aid their failing cause. With the aid of Russian mystic, Grigori Rasputin (Roden), they open a portal to a monstrous dimension. A raid on the camp by Allied forces interrupts the ceremony before it can be completed, but not before a demon made its way through. Adopted by the Allies he would come to be known as Hellboy (Perlman). Raised under the tutelage of Professor Bruttenholm (Hurt) he serves the forces of good rather than evil, becoming a part of the BPRD (Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defence). Decades later Hellboy will face his greatest battle when Rasputin returns from the world to which he was sent.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army Plot - Long ago a war was waged between the forces of mankind and of the magical creatures that inhabit this land. When the elven King Balor has an indestructible army called The Golden Army constructed, they laid waste to the humans. Overcome with guilt however, Balor strikes a truce with the humans to co-exist in peace, and locks the army away deep within the Earth. If Balor's son Prince Nuada (Goss) has his way however the Army will once again be unleashed upon humanity. He has broken the ancient pact and declared war against mankind. With this unstoppable force about to be unleashed upon the Earth, it is once again up to Hellboy and his team-mates to protect all of humanity.
There have now been dozens and dozens of superhero films released on the big screen, any yet it is still only a small handful of actors who have really encapsulated their respective character and become synonymous with them. Christopher Reeve and Robert Downey Jr. would probably be top of the list when it comes to actors who have become iconic for their superhero counterparts; in their cases Superman and Iron Man respectively. For every success story that was Reeve, Downey or Hugh Jackman there have been numerous high-profiles flops that have drawn the ire of fanboys the world over - Halle Berry, Ben Affleck, Jessica Alba, even the Hollywood golden boy that is George Clooney. Well I think than Ron Perlman deserves to join Reeve and Downey on the Mount Rushmore of great superhero casting decisions. He is absolutely perfect in the role of Hellboy. The shortlist of actors who have the requisite frame for the character, but who also have the acting talent and comic timing for the role must be absolutely minuscule. But Perlman, standing at over 6 foot tall and possessing of a hulking frame,certainly looks the part of Hellboy and also has the acting chops required to make him an endearing character. It's a tough ask to act through make-up and prosthetics but Perlman pulled it offbeautifully. Throughout the two films he is also given a whole hostof one-liners to deliver and he knocks just about every one of them out of the park with his droll, sarcastic delivery. While the films themselves are a lot of fun in general, it is Perlman's performancethat really makes them work.

What might come as a surprise is just how much heart and emotion there is to be found in the character of Hellboy, with Perlman again due much of the credit. Despite his physical prowess and demonic appearance he is really still a big kid, acting out against his superiors and constantly pushing against the will of his father, and the rules he lays out to him. For all his red skin and horns the character is actually very human. All he really is is a gruff, blue-collared joe who very much resembles a grizzled old cop. Deeply in love with Liz we see his desperate attempts at winning her back, and his extreme jealousy and insecurity when a new man enters her life. He proves to be a really likeable, charming character, highlighted by moments such as when he eats cookies on a rooftop with a young boy, or the great scene in the sequel where both he and Abe Sapien are having girl troubles so get drunk and sing a duet of Barry Manilow's “Can't Smile Without You.”

There are also a couple of other examples of fine casting to be found in the films. Selma Blair I thought was a great choice for the character of Liz Sherman. While still beautiful she just has this naturally tragic, wounded quality that just fits perfectly for the troubled and traumatised fire-starter. Together she and Perlman actually develop a shockingly sweet and touching romance, so much so that you almost forget that one of them just happens to be a large red demon. As Trevor Bruttenholm, the directorof B.P.R.D. (Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense), John Hurt brings a great deal of heart to his performance as Hellboy's surrogate father of sorts, making it a real shame just how limited his role in the sequel is. Also a real miss in the sequel I felt was the vocal talent of David Hyde Pierce. While the voice of Doug Jones was a very capable replacement I didn't feel that it quite had thesame character and appeal of Pierce. It is rather made up for however with the addition of the Seth McFarlane-voiced Johann Krauss; a disembodied ectoplasmic spirit. Completely fulfilling the role of a stereotypical German he is an up-tight and extremely by the book individual whose style frequently clashes with that of Hellboy, with highly entertaining consequences. Alongside Pierce's voice, another element dropped from the first film was the character of John Myers who had been played by Rupert Evans. I felt that Evans had done a decent job in the original film but he was no great miss in the sequel as the character was rather bland and wet behind the ears. Oh and a big thumbs up for Jeffrey Tambor's small but extremely amusing addition to both films.

Hellboy trivia - Bringing the character of Hellboy to the big screen was a long term passion project for Del Toro, in fact it took him a total of six years to finally realise this dream. Such was his passion that he turned down numerous other projects including Alien vs Predator and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban so that he could direct it. All that said however he was not actually the studio's preferred choice, with others underconsideration including Jean-Pierre Jeunet, Peter Hyams and David S.Goyer. /// Del Toro also had quite a few other obstacles to overcome before he could bring Big Red to the screen. He was desperate to cast Ron Perlman in the role of Hellboy, but could never secure a budget or studio approval. Following the massive success of Blade II however del Toro was offered the chance to make Blade: Trinity or Hellboy,obviously opting for the latter. Even then however he had to deal with the film's producers. When del Toro met with them many changes to the character were suggested. One idea was to have Hellboy be a human who transforms into Hellboy when he gets angry. Another suggestion was that he came from hell but was a normal human. del Toro vetoed all such attempts to alter the character. The studio also wanted Vin Diesel to play Hellboy. /// The make-up process that both Ron Perlman and Doug Jones had to go through was very intensive. Perlman's make-up took four hours to apply every day, while for Jones it took anywhere from five to seven hours to apply the make-up, and a further three hours to reverse the process. /// The exterior shot of the BPRD is in fact a mausoleum in Prague where Russian dignitaries are entombed. /// During filming for the subway scenes Ron Perlman broke a rib when he jumped onto a train that he was coming towards him atabout 45 mph.
When it comes to the villains who provide the threat for Hellboy and the world at large, both films share the same strengths but also the same weaknesses. The main villain in the first film is Grigori Rasputin, a Russian mystic played by Karel Roden. Possessing great paranormal abilities we initially see him working with the Nazis in a bid to open a portal to another dimension. During the attempt the Allied Forces attack and he winds up being sucked into the portal. He is resurrected however in the modern day, still intent on opening the portal. As a character we never really get to know him all that much, learning very little about him or his motivations. One respect he does work in however is visually, proving to be a very stern and imposing presence. And I rather love his costume design, particularly his steampunk gauntlet glove. Even though he is the main antagonist of the piece however it's left to his henchman to make the biggest impact. Karl Ruprecht Kroenen was a highly skilled Nazi assassin who became Rasputin's disciple. Like Rasputin we don't get a great deal of characterisation for him but he makes an exceptionally vivid impression. An extreme case of body dysmorphic disorder left him obsessed with perfecting his body, leading to him conducting brutal experiments on his own body that included the removal of his eyelids, lips and all of his toe and finger nails. Visually he is a fantastic and truly disturbing creation. In his uniform he resembles a sort of steampunk gimp;extremely creepy and that's before we see him unmasked, revealing the horrors that lie beneath.

And it is almost the same story in the sequel. The main villain this time out is Luke Goss' Prince Nuada, an elf out to destroy humanity and claim Earth for the magical creatures who have been forced to dwell in the shadows. Again he is a very strongly designed and realised character whose great skill in combat results in some fantastic action sequences. While his character does not have great depth there is certainly more to him than Rasputin, particularly when it comes to the interesting relationship he has with his sister, Nuala. With him representing the dark and her the light there is a real yin and ying dynamic to their relationship with their psychic link also adding to the intrigue. Nuada's main henchman is another tremendously intimidating and creative figure in visual terms. Going by the name of Mr Wink, he is a giant cave troll with large tusks and a giant metal fist that he can wield as a weapon.

Hellboy II Trivia - As was the case with the first film del Toro turned down several other projects so that he could bring Hellboy back onto the big screen. Peter Jackson had approached him with the opportunity to direct Halo but he turned that down, as he did I Am Legend, One Missed Call and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. /// At the start of the film we get a prologue featuring Hellboy as a young boy. Well he was actually played by an adult woman, Montse Ribe. /// The resting place of the Golden Army was originally scripted to be under water, requiring the main characters to swim to it. This concept was removed for budgetary reasons. /// The female reporter that interviews Hellboy outside of the auction house is actually Ron Perlman's daughter, Blake. /// Filming proved to be a real test of endurance for Doug Jones. When in costume as either Abe Sapien, the Chamberlain or The Angel of Death he was rendered almost completely blind and deaf from the prosthetic pieces on his head. While in the Angel of Death costume the mechanical wings that he wore weighed about 40 pounds. Doug was originally supposed to walk around the set, but when it was discovered that he could barely stand, they instead hung him from a wire. This is why The Angel of Death floats. /// And he wasn't the only one to have a tough time. Brian Steele portrayed the characterof Mr Wink and his costume weighed 130 pounds, causing him to lose nearly a stone in weight through sweating. He also had to wear 10-inch stilts while in the suit. /// Speaking of Mr Wink, the character was actually based on Selma Blair's pet dog. Just like the monster in the film, Blair's dog was called Wink and had just one eye. /// Seth MacFarlane based his accent for Johann Krauss on Jeremy Irons' character from Die Hard: With a Vengeance.
When you look at the films of Guillermodel Toro it's quite clear that there are two genres which most inform his work; horror and fantasy. And his Hellboy films are no exception, with each representing one of those respective genres. The first film is certainly the darker of the two films, embracing the element of horror that is inherent in Mike Mignola's creation. And even though there is a plentiful amount of humour it is largely of the very dark variety. My favourite example is probably the scene set in a cemetery where Hellboy digs up a corpse and reanimates it so that it can give him directions. He proceeds to carry the understandably grumpy fellow over his shoulder as it hurls insults at him. The sequel takes the characters into a much more fantastical and magic-laced world, where the horrific Lovecraftian monsters of the first film are disposed of in favour of creatures of a more fairytale variety. Each film sets out its tone right from the opening moments. Hellboy opens with a prologue that feels very much inspired by the classic Hammer horror films. Taking place on a remote island that is being battered by rain and lightning it is a very dark and gothic setting. Though it does feature an adorably cute Hellboy as a baby. In contrast the sequel opens in a much more whimsical, fairytale like nature. Set on Christmas Eve in 1955 we find a young Hellboy waiting impatiently for Santa Claus. In an attempt to get him to sleep his father (a welcome return for John Hurt) reads him an old story about a battle between humans and magical creatures, and the birth of the titular Golden Army. As the story unfolds we see it presented on screen as a rather crude, but charming, puppet show that mimics the style of the Howdy Doody TV show that Hellboy was watching.

In just about every way it really does seem like the world of Hellboy was a dream project for Del Toro; the perfect canvas for him to unleash his uniquely creative and imaginative machinations upon the audience. It's a venture that demands he delivers just about everything that he seems to love; unique creatures, Lovecraftian monsters, terrific make-up and prosthetics work, and a blending of horror, fantasy, humour and emotion. One of the reasons that I love the films of Guillermo del Toro is that they really allow you a glimpse into his unique mind, in fact I'd love to live in his mind for a little while. So as you would expect both films are wonderful when it comes to their visuals. They really are like works of art, with the art design, sets, props and creatures being beautifully crafted. The effects throughout both films, both practical and CGI, are just fantastic, helping to bring to life so many of del Toro's trademark touches such as his affinity for intricate clockwork machinery, insect imagery, steampunk elements, religious symbolism and unique creatures. The incredible work done by all the craftsmen involved is actually a large reason as to why I love the Hellboy films so much. And that side of things reaches its zenith with the troll market sequence in the sequel. It is an absolute feast for the eyes with an astonishing set populated by all manner of creatures and knick-knacks. Every frame is just jam-packed by an unending assortment of creativity. No matter how many times you watch it you're always likely to spot something you had never seen before. I honestly could write paragraph after paragraph on the Hellboy films while merely just focusing on its design and effects, analysing each character design etc.

And del Toro makes sure that none of the immense craft on show is put to waste, utilising it to deliver fantastic images and vivid visuals thanks to some superb shot compositions and use of colour. The man also knows how to stage an action set-piece, delivering some thrilling sequences across both films. The first film features a host of great big smackdowns that pit Hellboy against Raspurin and his hellhound Sammael, with the whole finale set in Rasputin's mausoleum being a real highlight. The sequel certainly meets and arguably surpasses the challenge throwndown by its predecessor. They also throw in quite a bit of variety,whether it be the chaotic attack of the freakish little tooth fairies, the graceful and beautifully choreographed swordplay of Prince Nuada or even when playing it for laughs in the creative little scuffle that occurs between Hellboy and Johann Krauss. The action is great fun, as are the films in whole.

Conclusion - Taking inspiration from Mike Mignola's highly acclaimed source material Guillermo del Toro was able to assemble two fantastic and unique entries in the superhero genre. Trying to separate them is a really difficult task,but I'd probably just have to give the edge to the sequel; it's villain is a bit more intriguing, it delivers perhaps even more laughs and this time Del Toro is really allowed to run rampant when it comes to his creativity. If anything it somehow makes the first film look conservative in its production design and creature effects by comparison. Both films are fantastically fun, bad-ass films which feature humour, a lot of heart, incredible art design and in Ron Perlman, an actor just born to play a part. Great stuff.


Bonus Trivia - When Mike Mignola (the creator of Hellboy) and Guillermo del Toro first met to discuss the movie they decided to reveal to each other their dream choice for the role of Hellboy. Both men said Ron Perlman at the exact same time. /// There are a couple of references to Mike Mignola in the first Hellboy film. During Liz's flashback sequence, an apartment complex named "Mignola Plaza" can be seen in the background while in the Russian cemetery one of the headstones reads “Here Likes Mike Mignola” /// Hellboy's line to Liz in the first film; “I'll always look this good”, was actually something that del Toro said to his future wife when she took issue with his very casual mode of dressing. /// When the make-up artist Matt Rose at Cinovation studios wanted to start working on the make-up design for the Hellboy character, they went into their archives and found that they already had a life mask of Perlman from when Rick Baker had made his prosthetics for the 80s TV show Beauty and the Beast. Some slight changes were required to account for Perlman having aged 16 years./// To prepare for his role as Hellboy Ron Perlman read every issue of the comics and worked out three hours a day, five to seven days a week. He also worked out while shooting, every day he had off from filming, he would workout. /// In the first film Doug Jones played the part of Abe Sapien but had his voice dubbed over by David Hyde Pierce. Pierece however refused a credit for the film because he felt the character was entirely Jones' creation and he did not wish to detract from his performance. He also didn't take part in any promotions or interviews for the film, or even attend its premiere. This didn't exactly please the producers who hoped that Pierce's name would help to make the film a box-office smash. As a result in the sequel Jones also provides the voice.





As a fellow comic book fanboy I dug the hell out of these movies. Even though I will admit I have never read any of the source material. Del Toro is an excellent filmmaker and his production design is fantastic as always.



"Hey Look it's Masterman"
Nice review as always, but not really a fan of Hell Boy.
__________________
--I Find Your Lack Of Faith Disturbing.



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
I'd certainly recommend that you do so. What are other movies you want to try and fit in?



Miss Vicky's Loyal and Willing Slave
Man posting these reviews are killing me just now because of the struggles with the new site. Need to try and come up with something that works a lot better

Anyway I have 3 reviews left in my comic book season, and just to warn everyone these are also old favourites of mine, I'm talking top 100 material. So the ratings are going to skyrocket


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mirror

Year of release
1994

Directed by
Alex Proyas

Written by
David J. Schow
John Shirley
James O'Barr (graphic novel)

Starring
Brandon Lee
Rochelle Davis
Ernie Hudson
Michael Wincott
Anna Levine
Bai Ling

The Crow


Plot - On the night before their wedding, rock singer Eric Draven (Lee) and his fiancé Shelly are brutally killed by a gang of thugs on Devil's Night. Exactly one year later, Eric Draven rises from the dead with the intention of getting revenge on those responsible for his death and the death of the woman he loved. Guided by a crow and blessed with supernatural powers, he begins to track down the killers one by one. While he is able to pick them off with ease, he faces a tougher task when it comes to their boss, crime lord Top Dollar (Wincott). If he is to complete his task and gain his vengeance he will need to rely on the help of a young girl he befriended when he was alive, Sarah (Rochelle Davis), and a cop who looks out for Sarah, Sergeant Albrecht (Hudson).

One of the reasons I love this film so much is due to the numerous different levels that it works on. On the one hand it's a great, bad-ass vigilante flick full of righteous vengeance and gruesome violence. It's also a damn good action film with some excellent set-pieces. As well as a pitch black romantic fantasy.And it's also a deliciously gothic slice of the supernatural. I just adore the whole look and feel of the film. It's just so damn atmospheric, brooding and gloomy. The Detroit presented here is a hellish, almost otherworldly place. One of the most iconic lines of dialogue in the movie is Eric Draven's “it can't rain all the time.” Well apparently no-one told that to Detroit! With its forever rain-lashed streets, seemingly eternal nights, dark and grimy aesthetic and the billowing of smoke from fires all over the city it is a tremendously evocative and fitting setting for the story. The film's frequent fly-over shots of the cityscape are excellent, taking great advantage of an impressive mix of sets, miniatures, special effects and visual tricks to create a convincing world populated by dark, grimy streets and exaggerated, impressionistic architecture. Also impressive is the entire production design of Alex McDowell, with the set and art departments coming up with some wonderful creations. And that work is brilliantly captured by the cinematography of Dariusz Wokski. There's something of Gotham city about the look of the place, although by comparison it makes the Gotham presented in Tim Burton's Batman films look like a decidedly cheery place. It's terrifically noirish. In terms of bringing its comic book source material to life I'd have to put this up alongside the likes of Sin City as being one of the closest translations from page to screen ever produced. Oh and I almost forgot the character of The Crow himself. With his painted face and draped all in black, he is a fantastically vivid and powerful visual. It's no wonder you still see people breaking the look out at Halloween for costume parties.

In the lead role Brandon Lee is excellent, bringing a real charisma and a poetic, mysterious presence to the character. He also has a real aura of sorrow and tragedy about him that is perfect for the character, and is undoubtedly heightened by the tragic accident that befell him on the set. The knowledge of that adds an additional weight and pathos to the film. With the film's comic book roots, the white painted face of the character and the tragic death of Lee there is an unavoidable link to Heath Ledger and his portrayal of the The Joker. And just like Ledger, we are sadly left to only imagine just how much this film may have elevated Lee's career. At the very least this film exists to serve as a wonderful epitaph to Lee and what may have been. It's an amazingly tragic coincidence that the exact same fate befell Brandon's father Bruce, who passed away all too young but also left an indelible reminderof his talents with Enter the Dragon. Also proving to be tragically ironic is just how closely the character of Eric Draven mirrors that of Brandon Lee himself. Like his character, Lee was just weeks away from getting married when he sadly died. And his death actually occurred while filming the death scene of his character. It really does give the film an inadvertently haunting quality.

As his main nemesis, Lee finds a wonderful counterbalance in the form of Michael Wincott as Top Dollar. He hams it up to a wonderfully nefarious level, creating a spectacularly evil and despicable villain. In fact there's something almost Satan-esque about him, bringing to mind the suited businessman-Devil creations of De Niro and Pacino in Angel Heart and The Devil's Advocate respectively. He is also able to generate a few laughs with his deliciously deadpan delivery. While he is the undoubted stand-out amongst the villains that Eric faces, there are also a series of very colourful characters surrounding him. In the role of Top Dollar's twister lover/half-sister, Myca, Bai Ling may not got much in the way of dialogue but certainly makes an impact thanks to her character's depraved nature and tendency for sadistic violence. And the fact that's she damn sexy in a scary kind of way certainly doesn't hurt! Also making a memorable impression as Top Dollar's henchmen are David Patrick Kelly (T-Bird), Angel David (Skank), Laurence Mason (Tin-Tin) and Michael Massee (Funboy). There are also some highly entertaining performances from some great character actors. Ernie Hudson of Ghostbusters fame is very likeable as Sgt. Albrecht, the beat cop who looks out for Sarah and comes to aid Eric. While as Gideon, the piece of trash pawn shop owner, Jon Polito is as entertaining as always. Oh and in the role of Sarah there is Rochelle Davis. She may not come across as the most skilled of actresses (though to be fair it was only her first performance, and her last until 2009) but she makes the character a sympatheticand strong character with bravery and street smarts.

Film Trivia Snippets - Before Brandon Lee was cast in the role of Eric Draven both Christian Slater and River Phoenix were approached about it. While James O'Barr ideally wanted Johnny Depp to take on the role. Although wait until you hear about the plans the movie's executives had for the film. When James O'Barr met with them they originally wanted to make it into a musical starring Michael Jackson! Thinking it was a joke, O'Barr immediately began to laugh uncontrollably, only to find out that they were actually serious. It was only when Brandon Lee and Alex Proyas came on board that they movie took on a more serious tone. /// I mentioned how James O'Barr had wanted Johnny Depp for the part. He originally wasn't that happy with the casting of Brandon Lee in the lead role. Up until then all he had seen Lee in was Showdown in Little Tokyo and feared that it would end up as a Kung Fu movie and go straight to video. When he first met Lee on the set in the make-up and iconic outfit however he was thrilled with him. He was amazed by Brandon's take on the character when he spoke the exact lines from the comics. /// When it came to the role of Shelly, it was actually offered to Cameron Diaz but she turned it down as she didn't like the script. /// It seems that it may have been fated for Brandon Lee to die on set, and that you could perhaps have predicted it. According to a biography of Bruce Lee, he actually predicted his son's death when he awoke from a coma. He apparently foresaw his death on a set before Brandon had even considered taking up a career as an actor. The production itself also appeared to be rather cursed. During the first day of shooting a carpenter on the crew suffered severe burns after his crane hit live power lines. On subsequent days there was a grip truck that caught fire, a disgruntled sculptor crashed his cart through the studio's plaster shop, and a crew member accidentally drove a screwdriver through his hand. Lee too suffered a mishap before the accident that cost him his life. During the scene in Gideon's pawn shop Lee cut himself when he broke the glass. It was breakaway glass and it's very rare that anyone ever gets cut by it. Jon Polito actually told Lee that he was feared he would die in an on-set accident like Vic Morrow did on Twilight Zone: The Movie. /// Originally Alex Proyas wanted to shoot the entire movie in black and white to closer mimic the original comics, only using colour in the flashback scenes. The studio executives weren't keen on the idea however, making him shoot the movie in a monochromatic colour theme mixed with red and dark grey.
Re-watching this film I was really impressed by Alex Proyas' direction. His compositions and sweeping camera work make for a very grand, operatic experience. He just gives it such an epic feel at times, particularly in the final face-off between Eric and Top Dollar up on the rooftop. With the camera swooping high over the city, or dropping down to give shots at extreme low angles, Proyas' direction really does seem to strive to create images that could live just as comfortably on the pages of a comic book as they do up on the big screen. There is also some striking use of shadows throughout and Proyas keeps the whole thing flying along at a breakneck pace. Also adding to the overall atmosphere of the film is its terrific soundtrack. When James O'Barr was creating the original graphic novel he would constantly listen to songs by the likes of Joy Division, Iggy Pop and The Cure for inspiration. Therefore it feels very fitting that the soundtrack is composed exclusively of hard rock and heavy metal, featuring amongst others The Cure, Nine Inch Nails, Rage Against the Machine and Pantera. Alongside these songs there is Graeme Revell's excellent score; a terrifically intense, edgy and eerie creation. Together they create a soundtrack for the film that perfectly reflects its dark mood.

In terms of flaws I know that many people who don't like the film would likely point out the simple, superficial story and its one-dimensional, stereotypical characters. While I'll concede that there may be something in that, for me its style and striking visuals more than make up for it. And while The Crow is a film that undoubtedly revels in how stylish it is, I certainly don't think it's a case of just being style over substance. The film has a real degree of heart to it, as a result of both the romance between Eric and Shelly, and the story of the young girl Sarah. The Crow presents an immense love, one for the ages, where not even death proves to be an obstacle that cannot be overcome. Though one thing that I would have liked to have seen more of were flashbacks of Eric and Shelley together in happier times. Also bringing some emotion is Sarah's quest to survive on the tough streets with a junkie mother. Her voice-over which both opens and closes the film talks of preserving the memories of those that you have loved and lost, and was added after Lee's death in a bid to soften the film. People who aren't great fans of the film may also accuse it of being dated, but as an admirer I prefer to think of itas a time capsule of the early 90s, capturing much of what was considered cool at the time - gothic stylings, the grunge movement, black leather being the height of fashion etc. And the film does at times resemble the music videos that dominated the likes of MTV and VH1 in the early 90s.

One thing I will say is that it perhaps helped that I first saw this film when I was a teenager. I think it really is a film that appeals to a younger demographic, particularly those of an adolescent standing. It will obviously be one of the go-to films for those of the goth and emo persuasion but I think in general it will just appeal to people of that age. It seems that at that age, more than any other, we are more prone to feeling dark, troubled and rebellious, with this film suitably tapping into that. Had I come to the film for the first time when I was older there's a chance I may have seen it more silly and campy.

Conclusion - A visceral and lurid revenge fantasy that is directed with style and flair by Alex Proyas, features a fantastically vulnerable and mesmerising central performance from Brandon Lee that is set in a world created by some tremendous production design. When I originally saw this film as an impressionable teen I thought it was one of the coolest things I'd ever seen. Even now, more than a decade later, there is still a great deal of truth in that for me.


Bonus Film Trivia - As everyone knows Brandon Lee tragically died during a mishap on the set. A scene required a gun to be loaded, cocked, and then pointed at the camera. Because of the close-range of the shot, the dummy cartridges loaded had real brass caps, a bullet, but no powder. After the cut, the props master (not the arms master - he had left the set for the day) dry-fired the gun to get the cock off, knocking the projectile/bullet into the barrel of the gun. The next scene to be filmed involving that gun was the rape of Shelly. The gun was loaded with blanks (which usually contain double or triple the powder of a normal cartridge to make a loud noise). Lee entered the set carrying a bag of groceries containing an explosive blood pack. The script called for Funboy (Michael Massee) to shoot Eric Draven as he entered the room, triggering the blood pack. The bullet that was stuck in the barrel was blasted at Lee through the bag he was carrying, killing him. The footage of his death was subsequently developed and used as evidence in the investigation into his death. As part of the lawsuit settlement, the footage was later destroyed. /// Although he personally was not at fault for Lee's death, Michael Massee was so traumatised by his involvement in the incident that he stopped acting for over a year. To this day he has also never brought himself to actually watch the film.