History Film / TheCrow

* VillainKiller: When Eric comes back from the dead, his first order of business is to kill the gang responsible. Then, he extends his vengance to the man who gave them their marching orders.

* QuirkyMinibossSquad: The gang who killed Eric and Shelly were employees of Top Dollar. Played with in that while Top Dollar is technically the BigBad of the film, they are the targets of Eric's revenge.

One fateful Devil's Night (October 30), the lives of two lovers -- rock musician Eric Draven (Lee) and his fiancée Shelly Webster (Sofia Shinas), who planned to marry on Halloween -- are destroyed when they are killed by a group of gangbangers who break into their home.

* OneWomanWail: Not surprisingly, the Graeme Revell score has a lot of this going on.

While ''The Crow'' is notable for its stylish action, dark atmosphere, gothic art direction and energetic industrial soundtrack (featuring Music/NineInchNails, Music/{{The Cure|Band}} and Music/TheJesusAndMaryChain among others), it's unfortunately destined to be forever overshadowed by the tragic accidental on-set death of Brandon Lee by a failed special effect. Production was halted as a result, and after serious deliberation over whether to finish the film, it was completed through rewrites and the use of a stunt double and digital effects. This process was assisted in no small part by the film's distributor Creator/{{Miramax}}, who picked up distribution rights after Creator/{{Paramount}} opted out due to filming delays and controversy over the content potentially being inappropriate in hindsight, and gave the film's budget an extra $8 million. Ironically, Paramount regained the rights to the film when it purchased a minority stake in Miramax in 2020, gaining distribution rights to its library in the process.

* BadassBoast: This exchange with Albrecht.

** When Eric breaks into Gideon's pawn shop, both men attempt ones on each other that prove unsuccessful.

One fateful Devil's Night (October 30), the lives of two lovers -- rock musician Eric Draven (Lee) and his fiancée Shelly Webster (Sofia Shinas), who planned to marry on Halloween -- are destroyed when they are killed by a group of gangbangers who break into their home (and [[RapeAsDrama have their way]] with Shelly).

* ItsSnowingCocaine: Top Dollar is seen with a ludicrously large pile of coke from which he occasionally snorts as he gives directions to his underlings.

* HealingFactor: Eric seems to possess this ability. Right to the point of making a very bad religious joke in between successive on-target revolver blasts.

** Myca has a fondness for eyes. When a prostitute dies in her bed, she decides that he likes the dead girl's eyes and cuts them out. We later see her burning an eyeball in a saucer.

One fateful Devil's Night (October 30), the lives of two lovers -- rock musician Eric Draven (Lee) and his fiancée Shelly Webster, who planned to marry on Halloween -- are destroyed when they are killed by a group of gangbangers who break into their home (and [[RapeAsDrama have their way]] with Shelly).

* SuperpowerLottery: For powers borne from unimaginable pain, being a Crow comes with some sweet abilities including [[SuperStrength enhanced strength]], [[HealingFactor healing from any injuries instantly]], [[SuperReflexes being able to dodge bullets and knives easily]], [[Animorphism the ability to take the form of a crow]], [[InstantExpert knowing martial arts and being able to use weapons despite not being indicated to have these skills while alive]] and [[TouchTelepathy being able to use their own memories and pain as a devastating weapon]].

*** [[spoiler:Tin-Tin, a KnifeNut, is killed by being stabbed [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill by pretty much all of his knives]].]]

* KnifeNut: Tin-Tin, whose predilection for knives is so great, he's the only gangster in all of Detroit who doesn't carry a gun. In a bit of cruel irony, Eric uses these same knives to take Tin-Tin's life (and his jacket) after beating him in a fight.

-->'''Eric:''' Her name was Shelly. You [[KnifeNut cut her]]. You raped her.\\

* IAmBecomingSong: Music/TheCure's "Burn" (the movie's unofficial anthem) thunders on during the sequence where Eric makes himself into the Crow. Interestingly, the lyrics use the comic's plot, not the movie's.

While ''The Crow'' is notable for its stylish action, dark atmosphere, gothic art direction and energetic industrial soundtrack (featuring Music/NineInchNails, Music/TheCure and Music/TheJesusAndMaryChain among others), it's unfortunately destined to be forever overshadowed by the tragic accidental on-set death of Brandon Lee by a failed special effect. Production was halted as a result, and after serious deliberation over whether to finish the film, it was completed through rewrites and the use of a stunt double and digital effects. This process was assisted in no small part by the film's distributor Creator/{{Miramax}}, who picked up distribution rights after Creator/{{Paramount}} opted out due to filming delays and controversy over the content potentially being inappropriate in hindsight, and gave the film's budget an extra $8 million. Ironically, Paramount regained the rights to the film when it purchased a minority stake in Miramax in 2020, gaining distribution rights to its library in the process.

* {{Psychometry}}: Eric has the ability to pick up on memories related to his past by touching things related to said past--including ones that didn't originate with him, as seen with the scene with Gideon when he sees Shelly's final moments through the cop's eyes. He eventually develops the ability to transfer memories and the pain that comes with them by touch, which he uses to completely wreck Top Dollar in the final battle.

* IronicEcho: Albrect confronts Eric, saying "you move and you're dead". Based on his current situation, Eric's reply is "I'm dead and I move".

** "I have something for you. I don't want it anymore".

*** [[spoiler:Tin-Tin, as KnifeNut, is killed by being stabbed [[TheresNoKillLikeOverkill by pretty much all of his knives]].]]

*** [[spoiler:T-Bird is blown up in his own car with explosives he planned to start fires with]].
*** [[spoiler:Skank is sent out a window, much like he and his buddies did to Eric himself]].

*** When Eric tells Gideon he's looking for an engagement ring, Gideon points his gun at him and says "You're looking for a coroner, ''shit-for-brains''!" before shooting him in the chest, after which he's able to witness Eric's regenerative powers firsthand as his bullet hole heals itself.
*** When Gideon continues to hurl abuse at Eric as he walks out of his shop (after he has doused it in gasoline), he quips "Is that gasoline I smell?" before letting off a shotgun blast full of Gideon's own pawned rings, blowing the entire shop up. [[SubvertedTrope However]], he did give Gideon enough time to ''just'' make it out of the shop before he pulls the trigger, so he survives.

While ''The Crow'' is notable for its stylish action, dark atmosphere, gothic art direction and energetic industrial soundtrack (featuring Music/NineInchNails, Music/TheCure and Music/TheJesusAndMaryChain among others), it's unfortunately destined to be forever overshadowed by the tragic accidental on-set death of Brandon Lee by a failed special effect. Production was halted as a result, and after serious deliberation over whether to finish the film, it was completed through rewrites and the use of a stunt double and digital effects. This process was assisted in no small part by the film's distributor Creator/{{Miramax}}, who picked up distribution rights after Creator/{{Paramount}} opted out due to filming delays and controversy over the content potentially being inappropriate in hindsight, and gave the film's budget an extra $8 million.

* PetTheDog: A rare anti-hero centric example, as Eric's relationships with Sarah and Officer Albrecht humanizes him and keeps him from becoming the borderline monster that he is in the comics.

* DirtyCoward: Skank. He spends most of his screentime whining or crying. When Eric interrupts Top Dollar's reunion, Skank immediately tries to escape by using one of the serving girls as a HumanShield. (Fortunately, Eric simply pushes her aside and doesn't kill her.)

*** [[spoiler:Fun Boy, an apparently heavy user of morphine, is killed when Eric overdoses him with it.]]

* DirtyCoward: Skank. He spends most of his screentime whining or crying. When Eric interrupts Top Dollar's reunion, Skank immediately tries to escape by using one of the serving girls as a HumanShield.

* RapunzelHair: Top Dollar has long black hair (worn loose), which is basically AnimeHair in real life.

-->'''Eric''': I ''am'' dead, and yet I move!

While ''The Crow'' is notable for its stylish action, dark atmosphere, gothic art direction and energetic industrial soundtrack (featuring Music/NineInchNails, Music/TheCure and Music/TheJesusAndMaryChain among others), it's unfortunately destined to be forever overshadowed by the tragic accidental on-set death of Brandon Lee by a failed special effect. Production was halted as a result, and after serious deliberation over whether to finish the film, it was completed through rewrites and the use of a stunt double and digital effects.

One fateful Devil's Night (October 30), the lives of two lovers -- rock musician Eric Draven (Lee) and his fiancée Shelly Webster, who planned to marry on Halloween -- are horrifically destroyed when they are killed by a group of gangbangers who break into their home (and [[RapeAsDrama have their way]] with Shelly).

* PreMortemOneLiner: Eric gets out a few.
** Before killing Tin-Tin, he says, "Victims...aren't we all?"
** When Gideon continues to hurl abuse at him as he walks out of his shop (which he has doused in gasoline), he quips "Is that gasoline I smell?" before letting off a shotgun blast full of Gideon's own pawned rings, blowing the entire shop up. [[SubvertedTrope However]], he did give Gideon enough time to ''just'' make it out of the shop before he pulls the trigger, so he survives.

* AbnormalAmmo: Eric Draven blows up Gideon's pawnshop by spilling gasoline all through it and firing a blast from a shotgun he'd stuffed with dozens of pawned/stolen rings (although it did have a normal charge in it as well).

* AdaptationalHeroism: Eric Draven is more human and less amoral than his comic book counterpart.

* AnimalEyeSpy: Eric Draven has among his powers the ability to see through the eyes of the title bird.

* PostRapeTaunt: Tin-Tin taunts Eric Draven, whose girlfriend he and his buddies gang-raped, by telling him "I shagged her pink ass and she ''loved'' it!" Draven soon gives him reason to regret this taunt.

* PreMortemOneLiner:
** "Victims...aren't we all?"
** "Is that gasoline I smell?"
*** Subverted. Gideon survives.

* PrepareToDie: When Eric Draven faces down Top Dollar's entire gang at the club, just before the biggest shootout of the movie.
-->You're all going to die.

[[quoteright:231:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Crow_ver2_3059.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:231: Goth children, rejoice! The last costume you will EVER need is here!]]

->''"Buildings burn, people die...but real love is forever."''

''The Crow'', released in 1994, is a CultClassic adapting [[Comicbook/TheCrow James O'Barr's comic book of the same name]] for the silver screen. David J. Schow and John Shirley wrote the screenplay, Creator/AlexProyas directed, and Creator/BrandonLee (son of Creator/BruceLee) starred in what would be his final role.

A year after a group of gang-bangers kill him and his fiancée on their wedding night, Eric Draven (Lee) [[RiseFromYourGrave rises from his grave]] to extract revenge. Now invulnerable and super-powered, he hunts down and slaughters his murderers with the aid of a crow that serves as his MagicalGuide. Along the way, he befriends a local beat cop, Albrecht (Creator/ErnieHudson), and reconnects with a troubled local teen, Sarah (Rochelle Davis), forcing him to remember that there was more to life than hatred.

While the film is notable for its stylish action, gothic art direction and energetic industrial soundtrack, it's destined to be forever overshadowed by the tragic accidental on-set death of Brandon Lee by a failed special effect.

The film proved to be a hit and was followed by a sequel, ''Film/TheCrowCityOfAngels'', two spin-off films, ''Film/TheCrowSalvation'' and ''Film/TheCrowWickedPrayer'', and a TV series ''Series/TheCrowStairwayToHeaven'' that returns Eric Draven to life ([[TheOtherDarrin with a new actor]]) to serve as protagonist.