There are movies you stream because they happen to be available, and then there are movies that deserve a little ceremony. The Crow belongs firmly in the latter category. Sure, you could watch it with the tap of a button, but where is the fun in that? A cult classic this moody practically begs for a chunky plastic cassette, a VCR, and perhaps a rainy evening.
Vice Press Home Video has teamed up with Paramount Home Entertainment to bring Alex Proyas’ 1994 classic back to VHS. More than three decades after its theatrical debut, and with Brandon Lee’s final performance still leaving a lasting impact on audiences, The Crow remains one of those films that never really left the conversation. Now it gets the format many fans first experienced it on.
Featuring artwork by Matt Ferguson and formatted by both Matt Ferguson and Florey, the release comes in two editions. The standard Slipcase Edition features a blood-red cassette and is available in PAL format through Vice Press, Amazon, HMV, and Rarewaves.
Collectors looking for something a little more exclusive can turn to the Vice Press Exclusive Slipcase Edition. This version swaps the red cassette for a white tape with black-on-tape graphics and will be available exclusively through Vice Press. Like many of the company’s retro releases, it is limited to UK PAL format.
Truth be told, The Crow and VHS feel like natural companions. Both are products of the 1990s. Both have developed cult followings. And both have managed to survive long after many people thought they had faded into history. Strangely, watching Eric Draven return from the dead on a format that itself refuses to die feels oddly appropriate.
The Crow VHS goes up for pre-order at midnight on Tuesday, June 23, via Vice-Press.com for £32.99 (roughly US$44).
Images: Vice Press.
