Original Soundtrack of “The Crow” Offered a Timeless Musical Alternative

“Because we do not know when we will die, we get to think of life as an inexhaustible well, and yet everything only happens a certain number of times,” said Brandon Lee in his final interview less than two weeks before his death in 1993.

Reciting a passage from Paul Bowles’ 1949 novel “The Sheltering Sky,” Lee explained that people often take things for granted and perceive time as infinite. This view of eternal life helped Lee shape the character he was playing in “The Crow.” Murdered along with his fiancée by a gang on Halloween, Eric Draven, the character Lee portrayed, returns from the dead a year later, guided by a crow, to avenge their deaths. After his rebirth, Lee believed Draven understood the preciousness of every moment.

“The Crow” was first imagined in 1981 by artist and writer James O’Barr while stationed in Berlin with the Marines. The story evolved after his girlfriend was killed by a drunk driver in 1978 and he read a newspaper article about a couple murdered in Detroit for a $20 engagement ring. O’Barr released “The Crow” as a comic series in 1989 before it was adapted into a 1994 film directed by Alex Proyas. The 30th-anniversary of its release will be marked by a remake, set to release on Aug. 26, directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Bill Skarsgård, Danny Huston, and FKA Twigs.

Once the original film was greenlit in February 1992, producer and music supervisor Jeff Most began assembling an original soundtrack, recruiting alternative artists from the early ’80s through the early ’90s. The soundtrack mirrored O’Barr’s earlier musical inspirations. O’Barr originally dedicated “The Crow” to Joy Division’s Ian Curtis and envisioned Eric with the face of Iggy Pop and the body of Bauhaus’ Peter Murphy.

Most’s concept was for the soundtrack to feature songs no one had heard before. He received O’Barr’s blessing to give Eric Draven his last name in the film and to depict him as a guitarist in an alternative rock band, Hangman’s Joke.

For the soundtrack, Most connected with Nine Inch Nails frontman Trent Reznor, who agreed to cover Joy Division’s “Dead Souls.” Reznor also helped Most secure a label for the soundtrack. Once Reznor was involved, Atlantic Records moved ahead with the album. Stone Temple Pilots were among the first to contribute, replacing their original song, “Only Dying,” with “Big Empty” due to sensitivities following Lee’s death. STP bassist Rob DeLeo noted the timing was spot on for the band’s burgeoning success.

The soundtrack unified different strands of alternative rock. Helmet’s Page Hamilton remarked on its impact and how it brought together various musical styles without discord. Helmet contributed “Milquetoast” to the film, originally from their third album “Betty” and renamed “Milktoast” for the film. The Cure’s Robert Smith agreed to write an original track, “Burn,” for the film instead of allowing the use of “The Hanging Garden.” The soundtrack also featured covers and tracks by Rollins Band, Pantera, Rage Against the Machine, and more.

Violent Femmes contributed “Color Me Once,” an experimental recording. Brian Ritchie, the band’s bassist, expressed their thrill to be associated with such an iconic film. Some artists, like My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult and Medicine, also made cameos in the movie.

Brandon Lee’s tragic on-set accident had a profound impact on the film’s cast and crew. Linda Lee, Brandon’s mother, and his fiancée, Eliza Hutton, requested that the film be completed and released. Jane Siberry co-wrote and recorded “It Can’t Rain All the Time” for the film, coining it a special moment.

Jeff Most developed a close relationship with Brandon Lee during filming. He praised Lee’s input into the script and character development, describing how Lee shaped the character in a unique way. Despite Lee’s death, the film’s completion was a shared goal among those involved.

Three decades later, Most continues to reflect fondly on “The Crow.” He believes the film and its music have a lasting impact, breaking new ground in the comic book genre. Although he was not involved in the upcoming remake, Most emphasized that the new film remains true to the love and emotional core that defined the original.

“The first film, for me, is something I’m incredibly proud of,” Most said. “We set out to push the envelope, and what resonates with me is that for a moment in time, on a comic book movie, we did something that broke down the bounds of whatever had been done in this genre.”

Source: Los Angeles Times