My god. You’ve resurrected this film in a way I never thought possible. It was always a film to me that had all the atmosphere, scenarios, characters and music to be great. Yet somehow, it was crap. Yet I could see a decent film in there somewhere. I didn’t know Miramax had butchered it…I figured Pope was a shit director.

So much effort has gone into it and it’s worth it. This slows down the film, makes sense of the plot and I have to say, it’s this film I’ll be watching from now on. You’ve made this into a truely excellent film and dare I say it, is it better than The Crow? Much, much more of an emotional film. I love this cut.

If it really is Tim Pope who has ‘endorsed this’ – please Tim, get your vision re-released!!!

But DCP – as the third film titles – you really have made Salvation on this version!

Well done.

P.S. – Thanks for the review, draven656!

Is this a fan edit first? The director of the original film thanking a fan editor for the release?

DCP, you magnificent bastard!

Watching this project, I was prepared to accept a certain shortcomings if you will (i.e. sub-par video sources, switching between live action and stills with titles.) This was all based on your comments. All well and good, given the noble intent.

The Review:

From a video/audio perspective, I noticed no jarring cuts. Audio levels were all good. I didn’t realize you had replaced some songs until afterwards, the ultimate compliment.

A note about the titles (someone else noted this as well): the opening credit title has a sparkly effect that really doesn’t fit the film’s tone.

The music you used for the still sections was appropriate. The font I wasn’t too crazy about. The still video at times was poor, but again we must consider your sources. I’m not keen on the sound effects and animations you applied during these sections. It was interesting what you did with these parts, but the overall effect didn’t quite do it for me.

Another reviewer mentioned perhaps using the comic adaptation for the still footage. If the comic follows the uncut story, I would highly recommend trying to use that as your source. Some creative motion/transition effects could really help there as well.

The real problem with Crow 2 for me is in the source. Vincent Perez was OK as the Crow but I really found his accent to be a hindrance, only in the sense that it sort of stilted some of the dialogue. His diction didn’t really allow the impact to come through. The villain was pretty poor this time too- I think that guy was badly miscast. And the less said about Iggy Pop the better.

Another problem is they cloned many of the elements from the first film as well, the villain living in a high-rise (replete with Asian female assistant), Devils Night/Day of the Dead, capturing the crow etc. This merely invites comparison to the original, which will win every time in these situations.

The original film I rate a 2.
I give yours a 3, for your inspired and creative attempt at a solution.

I really like the idea, but it didn’t quite work for me in execution. Still, a noble effort, and I will gladly check out any of your future edits.

I thought maybe I was too drunk when I first saw it, maybe I was too young and didn’t get it (19 when it came out).
Well, I watched it a couple more times in recent years and still could not bring myself to like it at all.

UNTIL NOW!
I can’t even remember how the theatrical version went but I can honestly say Second Coming blew it away! I really, really enjoyed this. I wanna watch it again. The story made so much more sense and actually feels like a Crow-type movie.

AMAZING JOB the animatics didn’t take away from the film much at all for me, it kinda gave it the comicbook feel which is appropriate anyway.

I had one problem. The logo at the beginning. Looked like some cheap GIF animation with the sparkly *city of angels*. I hated that it looked like an 80’s movie logo or something. Did not fit the movie for me. Should’ve been plain. Minor gripe.

I became a member just to leave this comment. KEEP UP THE EXCELLENTASTIC WORK!

12 out of 10 stars for you!!!!!

Big praise and congratulations – first of all! – Great timing, pacing, – choosing the fitting music scores for your extended scenes. Just perfect! You have a really great talent for things like cutting and such!!!

I am glad, you could use the stills/photos of my website this extensionally …
Am I right, if I assume, that they were from my site? Most of the stills, that is.

Anyway – it was a great 10th anniversary. THANKS for your effort!

Oh, one little comment though: the scene, when Ashe and Judah were fighting … Judah is not just coming out of his tower and suddenly grabbing Ashe by his collar – I mean, there is the fighting scene first (that was still in the theatre-version) – and that is, why Ashe is bleeding this badly from internal wounds by the kicking and punshing and such. When he was still laying on the bed of flowers he was not bleeding out of his mouth from the falling.
Not as badly, that is. That comes later because of the punshing and such.
In your version it looks as if Ashe bleeds because of the downfall.

Anyway, that is just some little “critical” comment – and not something, that really matters for the whole being of the REAL movie-version by Sprug!!!

For some kind of “afterwords” to explain, what path Ashe is walking now towards the end – I prefere the ending as it is (done by Sprug) – but if there had to be some comment before the running of the credits … I would think of the lines, that the novelization/book of the movie has in it. Something out of Sarahs yournal. Have to look into the book for the right quotation – but I remember, that I always thought, that was some fitting lines.

Again – GREAT work done here. Finally a TRUE version of the movie. – Mh, is there a comic/graphic novell of the movie?
Shit, I am totally outdated, I guess. Babies do have that influence on time schedule and life-planning, I guess. =)))

Greetings from Germany!

Burgles, about your idea for the ending: I actually did test this exact thing very early on in the editing process, but it didn’t work for a few reasons. The text made the ending feel anticlimactic to me. That aside though, the ending was meant to be a bit ambiguous.

But

[SPOILER warning for those who haven't seen the edit]

While I understand the question of what became of Ashe later (did he eventually rot away?, etc. – that’s the part meant to be slightly ambigious), Ashe had been cursed to walk the earth for the choice he made, and he told the priest at the end that he’d be staying in the city (‘one more shadow won’t make a difference’). I like endings like these, because they make me think about it even after the movie is over.

I agree with you on the City of angels poster art. The image of Ashe looking over the city is one of my favorites. That art was meant to reflect the original ending as a sort of “bookend” to the movie. So you are spot-on with that. It shows he is watching over the city after the movie has ended. I remember watching the released version for the first time and wondering about the VHS cover because it made no sense to me due to the hacked ending. But then I learned of how the ending was supposed to be and thinking “AHA! It all makes sense now!”.

If you’ve not seen it, the movie ‘Underworld’ has a nice homage to City of angels in it, with the main character perched by a gargoyle, looking over the city. Even the movie poster/DVD cover is a nod to City of angels’ cover. Really neat!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgrslP-WaIs

Choose WinRAR 3.71.

Be patient it is a user frendly program but read everything and start your unzipping process. Once you have unzipped the rar files you can watch the movie on your PC or burn everything you have unzipped to a DVD disk. I have burned mine to a DVD disk but for some strange reason it will only play on my PC and not on any DVD player.

I hope you will enjoy this film I have seen it 5 times already!

and email miramax! http://video.movies.go.com/contactus.html

Its time to get the real City of angels released to the public!

sorry typo i meant “ones”

Ashe drivesaway with his bike and the screen gos place you can put in this text.

“Ashe forevered wondered in the city of angels,

living forever in its shadows,

watching the city turn darker,

never to be reunited with the one he loved……”

Would wrap up this film perfectly!

Then start your end credits.

What do you think? I felt when I showed this to friends they always asked me. “Did he die? Did he go back to heaven?”

This prologue to the film after he ride off can wrap it up perfectly.

Miramax could have put this into the film,if they were not going to do other sequals to this film but just leave it as a tragic ending!

Obviously you haven’t made a “GOOD” film here, more of an interactive “What if” scenario. It’s got some good stuff in here and just makes me wish the movie wasn’t fucked with so badly even more so.

Here’s hoping for a proper version someday….will never happen but, there’s a small chance I suppose.

Good Job.

Burgles: Well you are very much welcome! I agree about the flow of the movie being “weird” in the released version. It’s just a mess. Miramax strung random footage together in which they felt resembled the scenes from the first movie the closest to make a copy of it. Of course this wasn’t a very bright idea at all, and in cutting the film the way they did, it lost it’s heart. It’s awesome that you like this cut better and that you’ve watched it 3 times!! And I am glad you like the extended soundtracks I added to the movie. I tried to carefully choose songs that would fit in. I am very thankful that “Good enough” by Evanescence came along when it did. No other song was working with the ending I had put together. : – )

Orcdoc: Tim Pope set out (and did) make a very dark film. My guess is that Miramax was afraid(?) of this as a mainstream movie. They should’ve known beforehand that Pope isn’t the type to make a cookie cutter Hollywood film. I agree that the franchise could’ve went in a totally different (and probably better) direction had Miramax left the movie alone. Would’ve even made a great TV series I say!

Oh, and Burgles about the 2nd disc. I am sorry for the delay. I have been working on resolving several audio issues. I promise though that it is still coming!