THE CROW: CITY OF ANGELS

US/UK, 1996, 87 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Perez, Mia Kirshner, Richard Brooks, Ian Dury, Thomas Jane, Iggy Pop.
Directed by Tim Pope.

The original was a dark film about a squalid city, crime and violence that needed justice and about innocents who need to be rescued. In fact, this could be a description of this film as well. The sets are darker than those for Batman; the evil more apocalyptic; the hero, the Crow who comes back from the dead to avenge, is more symbolic. Brandon Lee died during the making of the original. Vincent Perez is now the hero. Perhaps more MTV in style than the original, it is a film that will appeal mainly to aficionados of the comics and the genre. Dark entertainment.

1. The popularity of the original film? Brandon Lee and his mystique, especially with his accidental death during the filming? This film as a sequel?

2. The visuals, the director and his background of music videos, the visual style, framing, symbols, patterns, rhythms? The grim use of colours? The City of Angels, its squalor, slum background, the river, homes? The use of the crow, the murder of crows? The range of songs, the musical score?

3. The film based on a comic strip, the supernatural powers of the hero, returning from death, linked with nature symbolism and the crow? The combating of evil? The supernatural links between those who are dead and those who survive, the need for completion?

4. The opening, the visuals of the crow, the unreality of the city? The crow seeing the murder, Ashe, his child, the gang, their being under the influence of drugs? The fact that this was part of Sarah's dream? Sarah as a tattoo artist, the symbols of her tattoos, her knowing Eric, his being a murder victim, his coming back from the dead, vengeance as the Crow? Her being guided by the crow, the river, Ashe and his emerging alive from the river? Her making the comparison with the experience of Eric? Her going to Ashe, inviting him to her studio, applying the make-up, his becoming a new Crow?

5. Ashe as the action hero, the fact that he had suffered, his child had died, his death and resurrection? The mission of vengeance? His pursuit of the gang, the deaths of the various members of the gang, of fire, of beatings at the sex club?

6. Curve, his viciousness, the tattoo, it changing into the emblem of the crow? His visits to Sarah, his violent attitudes? The chase on the motorbikes, Ashe pursuing him? His being killed, his body going into the river?

7. Ashe, the aftermath of the pursuit and the killings, his own attitudes to himself, going to the river, trying to get his son's body, wanting a proper burial?

8. Sarah, the gang, her being abducted? Her learning about her powers, the bird who protects the city? Sarah as bait for the bird?

9. Judah, violent, the boss of the gang, his taking Sarah, the interaction with her, the symbolism of the crow? Judah using Sarah as bait, catching the bird, the ritual, the killing of the bird, his getting Ashe's power?

10. The build-up to the confrontation, Judah versus Ashe, the huge murder of crows coming over him, his being beaten? Dying? Sarah also dying, Ashe supporting him as he died?

11. The dream sequence, Ashe and his child, the reunion?

12. The importance of the content in terms of comic-strip heroes? The figure who dies and rises again? Supernatural powers to avenge and to administer vindictive justice? The material from comic books? The parallels with myths - and the echoes of gospel stories?

13. The world of the comic book, the dark city, the cityscapes, the landscapes and the roads, bicycles, overpasses, the world of the biker?

14. The film and its credibility of presenting supernatural powers, their being linked with nature symbols, the protection of the city, the symbolism of the crow? The film described as comic-book Gothic?