Brandon Lee’s Tragic Death on ‘The Crow’ Movie Set in 1993

Before Bill Skarsgård donned the eerie black and white face paint of Eric Draven, Brandon Lee brought the resurrected superhero to life in James O’Barr’s comic adaptation. “The Crow,” which came out in 1994, could have been a breakout role for Lee, whose father, action star Bruce Lee, died when Brandon was just 8 years old. Roger Ebert called the film “more of a screen achievement than any of the films of his father.”

Rupert Sanders, director of the remake hitting theaters Friday, praised Lee’s performance in an interview, stating, “He’s very, very good in the movie and he’s got a kind of deadness to him that’s really strong.”

The original movie began filming on February 1, 1993—the day Brandon Lee turned 28. Lee played a rock star who rises from his grave for vengeance after he and his fiancée are brutally murdered. Tragically, Lee planned to marry his personal assistant Eliza Hutton on April 17 in Mexico after wrapping up the production in Wilmington, North Carolina. But on March 31, Lee was accidentally shot and killed while filming a scene.

Eric Draven’s death in the movie involved a shot from the character Funboy (played by Michael Massee). During the take, Lee was shot in the abdomen by a fragment of a dummy bullet that was inadvertently left in the barrel of the gun. The .44 Magnum was loaded with blanks, which had been hastily prepared by a crew member who removed the gunpowder from live bullets. The blank cartridge fired the fragment with the force of a real bullet, striking Lee from about 15 feet away. The actor suffered massive internal injuries and extensive blood loss and died at New Hanover Regional Medical Center after hours of surgery.

No criminal charges were filed in Lee’s death, but his mother, Linda Lee Cadwell, filed a negligence lawsuit against the producers and 13 other parties, including Hutton. The case was settled for an undisclosed amount.

Despite the tragedy, “The Crow” was completed with the help of special effects company Dream Quest Images and stunt performer Chad Stahelski, who later directed the “John Wick” films. Stunt coordinator Jeff Imada reached out to Stahelski, a friend of Lee’s, a few months after the incident, requesting his assistance in finishing the film. Stahelski joined director Alex Proyas, took note of Lee’s acting style, and helped bring the movie to completion. Stahelski reflected on the experience, saying, “I still believe that Brandon would have wanted the thing done, and done well. Today it’s still a cult classic, it’s still one of my favorite films.”

For the upcoming remake of “The Crow,” director Rupert Sanders emphasized the importance of safety on set. “We work in a very dangerous environment,” Sanders told USA TODAY. He mentioned the variety of risks on set, from speeding cars with cranes to galloping horses and shooting takeoffs on naval ships. That’s why safety is paramount for him. Sanders was particularly strict about not using live-firing weapons on set. Instead, he insisted on airsoft guns, which resemble real weapons but use compressed air to fire. He wanted absolutely no blank ammunition on set, opting for digital effects instead.

“I don’t think it changes the dynamic of how you view them in the movie,” Sanders remarked. “Blanks don’t really react the same way as live-firing rounds do anyway, so it’s already a bit faked. You’re actually able to achieve a more realistic approach by using visual effects.”

Contributing: Patrick Ryan and Maria Puente

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The tragic true story of how Brandon Lee died on ‘The Crow’ movie set in 1993

Source: USA TODAY