Nerds Like Us has just showed the 20th anniversary screening of The Crow. Being an avid fan ever since the original comic was released, I've always had a sense of awe with it. Not strictly because of the story, but of the underlying mystery behind it. When the film came out, there were two big questions everyone wanted answered and no one was given any plausible explanations. One was the reason why James O'Barr created The Crow in the first place. We only knew it was because of something tragic that happened to someone he loved which motivated him to place all the pain and angst into this dark, violent revenge tale. The second surrounded the sudden death of its main star, Brandon Lee. The creator obviously guarding his emotions by not giving straight answers to why he created The Crow in the first place, and although we knew how Brandon Lee died, the theme of the story no doubt brought an erie sense of mysticism to it, causing people to form their own supernatural theories as to why it happened and how it tied to the fate of his father Bruce Lee. No doubt, these fueled the hype of the film. But watching the movie twenty years later, a majority of these questions have been answered and the hype behind the mysteries have subsided.
Viewing it on the big screen again at the Vista theater was a welcomed visit of nostalgia. In my youth, I was enamored with the fact that it was a vengeance story wrapped around the motivation of romantic love. However, I was able to approach the film with a new perspective. Today, I now see it as a cautionary tall tale that taps into the inner dwellings of personal paranoia. The home invasion scene this time was particularly harder to watch and the thought of losing someone we love in a similar fashion is enough to mess with anyone’s mind. But, like all tall tales, we suspend disbelief and take everything at face value, accepting half formed explanations that move the story along. Elements like Myca figuring out of nowhere that the crow is the overall source of power and Eric 's grave magically able to put itself back together when all was said and done. In lieu of all this, the story is told with bold sentiment and true sincerity, moving our attention through the film’s linear progression to discover the underlying message which happens to be an overall positive one. That good always prevails over evil and no matter how bad everything is, things will always get better. Creatively ingrained in our brains by the the movie’s constant reminder that it can't rain all the time.
Nerds Like Us is a monthly series of nostalgic films showcased by founder Bernie Bregman at the Hollywood Vista Theater. Check them out on their Facebook at www.facebook.com/NerdsLikeUs
Their next screening will be the comedy murder mystery Clue on December 5 2014. Tickets are available on www.brownpapertickets.com/event/892897
For a fun and informative commentary on The Crow’s 20th Anniversary featuring Thom Bowers, Bernie Bregman and myself along with other amazing entertainment observations, check out www.superenthusiastradio.com. An awesome pop culture podcast created by Thom Bowers and Travis J Coleman.
