Brandon Lee has become legendary in Hollywood, not only for his career in movies but also for his tragic death. The son of martial arts icon Bruce Lee began acting at an early age, incorporating his familial interest in martial arts with his love of entertainment. Brandon Lee was a natural, but before he had a chance to shine, the young actor died on the set of The Crow in a horrific accident.
To complete The Crow following Lee’s untimely death, filmmakers relied on movie magic. They digitally grafted Lee’s face onto his stuntman to make scenes appear seamless.
Brandon Lee tragically died while filming ‘The Crow’
Though Brandon Lee received acclaim for his performance as Eric Draven in 1994’s The Crow, the actor wasn’t around to enjoy the film’s success. In March 1993, Lee was filming a scene for the movie when a prop gun filled with blanks misfired. An obstruction in the weapon moved with the force of a live round, killing Lee and shocking the entertainment community.
Lee was only 28 years old when he died. His tragic death prompted conspiracy theories comparing his early demise to that of his father, Bruce Lee. It also caused fans to mourn the loss of a promising career.
How did a stuntman finish ‘The Crow’ after the star’s death?
Although Brandon Lee’s loved ones mourned his loss, The Crow‘s filmmakers believed the actor would have wanted the movie to be completed.
According to BuzzFeed, the filmmakers used various special effects to finish the project, which was nearly complete when Lee died. A few scenes featured the star’s stunt double, Chad Stahelski, standing in for the character of Eric Draven, while footage of Lee’s face was “digitally grafted” onto Stahelski’s body. The effect was achieved in post-production when special effects artists digitally placed an image of heavily made-up Lee over Stahelski’s face.
The overall effect was relatively seamless, and only the most eagle-eyed viewers would ever notice it wasn’t Lee himself in some of the film’s most pivotal scenes.
When The Crow premiered in 1994, fans flocked to see the finished film to pay their respects to the young actor whose career had been cut short.
Critics praised Lee’s work in the movie, and to this day, The Crow remains a cult classic.
Brandon Lee appeared in only a handful of films
The Crow wasn’t Brandon Lee’s first acting project, though it was his highest-profile one. After completing his martial arts training, Lee began acting in Hong Kong action films such as Legacy of Rage, Laser Mission, and Kung Fu.
In the early ’90s, Lee transitioned to Hollywood productions. Critics and audiences were eager to see what Bruce Lee’s son could do, and he quickly landed a role in the 1991 buddy cop film Showdown in Little Tokyo. Though the film didn’t earn stellar reviews, it became a cult classic after Lee’s 1993 death.
In 1992, Lee was cast in the action film Rapid Fire. Audiences loved Lee’s easy charm and natural screen presence, and when the news hit that Lee would headline The Crow, fans were thrilled.
Sadly, Lee would never achieve his Hollywood potential, leaving many to wonder what could have been.
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