The Crow: Zombie Movie Or Not?
Where do we draw the line on what is and what is not a zombie movie? We just can’t decide on our own, so every Monday we’ll post a new movie to be debated by, you, our readers and ask the question: Zombie Movie Or Not? Every Sunday we’ll post our findings and possibly strike that movie off our Zombie Movie List. The week should give you enough time to rent the movie if need be or you desire.
What every reader must keep in mind is that there are two basic types of zombie that every zombie movie based off of - the Voodoo Zombie and the Romero Zombie. The Voodoo Zombie, while not always raised by Voodoo necessarily, is basically a person, either undead or entranced, that is controlled by a person or entity for the purpose of completing tasks, often killing. Romero Zombies are basically mindless, flesh-eating undead whose bite will turn victims into zombies. Now, not all movies adhere to all of these rules, but if the basics are there, you got a zombie movie
This weeks debate is over The Crow (1994) Starring Brandon Lee.
(ZMDB.org has The Crow and it’s sequels listed in it’s Zombie Movie Database)IS: He returns from the dead to kill, with many similarities to the voodoo zombies.
IS NOT: He’s just back from the dead, not a zombie at all, just resurrected.
Now it’s up to you, reader. What do you think? The Crow: Zombie Movie Or Not?
He’s fully sentient and he’s not under anyone’s control. He doesn’t crave human flesh or brains. He doesn’t turn other people into zombies. There are no trappings of voudun.
Eric Draven may be undead, but he’s not a zombie.
Cool movie, but not a zombie flick.
In a sense it Is a zombie movie since he was brought back to life to avenge his murder. It was a strange movie considering that Brandon Lee died for real.
Definitely not - he’s returned from the dead, but no one’s getting eaten …
Definitely NOT a zombie movie
Not a zombie movie. The Crow comes back from the dead, yes, but it’s more of a “re-birth” than a re-animated dead body. Also, no flesh eating, infection of others, or control…
I think that zombie movies are almost exclusively a sub-genre of horror. Sure there are many that toe the line with comedy, but I think there must first be some element of horror.
Not a zombie movie.
On the grounds of
1.) No infection of others (lacks all the biting that makes a zombie flick)
2.) He is not mindless, he can talk
3.) Doesnt fit into any of the classic zombie movie styles
I’d love to list my reasons but all of the above posters have pretty much covered it!
Yeah, he’s more resurrected/out for revenge than anything else. The movie does NOT fit into any kind of zombie movie genre, at all.
Did you guys do The Mummy yet, by the way?`(That is, however, another discussion.)
NO ZOMBIE THERE. BACK FROM THE DEAD BY SUPERNAURAL POWERS FOR REVENGE
Yes…this one is absolutely silly. I suggested it to Jef because I had heard a decent amount of people refer to it as a zombie film and also for it’s placement on ZMDb. My answer: no.
Peter M.: 3.) Doesnt fit into any of the classic zombie movie styles -There are a number of great zombie films don’t fit a “classic” style, so I personally wouldn’t consider that a factor.
Pork-Eater: I think we had discussed The Mummy before, but it’s such a classic monster on it’s own, I can’t imagine many people would consider it a zombie film/ character (although ZMDb does list 124 films when you do a search on the word “mummy” in their search engine and we did do Frankenstein based off of that same theory).
Peter M.: 3.) Doesnt fit into any of the classic zombie movie styles -There are a number of great zombie films don’t fit a “classic” style, so I personally wouldn’t consider that a factor.
I think he means the distinct cinematic language created for and by zombie movies - e.g. crane shots of a horde, lighting techniques in flesh eating scenes, tracking shots of a desolate city, and so on - which are used in plenty of horror flicks that aren’t totally zombie, like Slither or 28 Days Later, and also in other non-horror genres (esp Dawn 78’s impact on action films).
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No to The Crow. I see what we’re getting at here - at what point does an “undead” creature cross into “zombie” territory? Definitely not when they’re a flying super-powered noir anti-hero.
Not.
not a zombie movie
I vote no. The Crow is about a restless spirit, a spirit of vengeance, brought back from the dead to punish the wicked. There’s no plague, no voodoo, no eating of flesh…none of it.
No dice.
I agree with above posts, that while cool, it is in no way a zombie movie. He’s more of a vampire if we need monster labels, with the whole inability to be killed until his guardian, the crow, is attacked.
I concur! (Nope!)
He did kind of rock, though…… eh?
Not a zombie movie. More like a ghost story…