Brandon Lee Cause of Death: How the Rising Star Met His Tragic End
Brandon Lee was a promising actor and martial artist who had the potential to become a Hollywood legend. He was the son of Bruce Lee, the iconic martial arts master and film star who died at the age of 32. Brandon Lee followed in his father’s footsteps, training in martial arts and pursuing an acting career. He starred in several films, such as Legacy of Rage, Showdown in Little Tokyo, and Rapid Fire. However, his most memorable role was as Eric Draven in The Crow, a dark fantasy film based on a comic book series.
The Crow was supposed to be Brandon Lee’s breakthrough film, but it also became his last. On March 31, 1993, while filming a scene for The Crow, Lee was accidentally shot and killed by a prop gun that was supposed to fire blanks. He was only 28 years old. His death shocked and saddened the film industry and his fans, who wondered how such a tragic mistake could have happened.
The Prop Gun Accident That Killed Brandon Lee
The scene that killed Brandon Lee was supposed to depict his character’s death in the film. In the story, Eric Draven is a rock musician who is murdered along with his fiancée by a gang of thugs on Devil’s Night. A year later, he is resurrected by a crow and seeks revenge on his killers.
In the scene, Lee’s character enters his apartment and finds his fiancée being assaulted by one of the gang members, played by actor Michael Massee. Massee’s character then shoots Lee’s character in the abdomen with a .44 Magnum revolver.
However, unknown to the actors and the crew, the prop gun that Massee used was not properly checked and prepared before the scene. The gun had been used earlier in a close-up shot that required dummy bullets to be loaded in the cylinder. Dummy bullets are real bullets that have had their gunpowder removed, leaving only the primer and the bullet tip intact.
After the close-up shot was done, the prop master removed the dummy bullets from the gun and replaced them with blanks. Blanks are cartridges that have no bullet tip, but still have gunpowder and primer that create a loud bang and a flash when fired.
However, what the prop master did not notice was that one of the dummy bullets had become dislodged from its casing when it was fired in the close-up shot. The bullet tip had remained stuck in the barrel of the gun, while the casing had been ejected. This created a dangerous situation where a live bullet was hidden inside the gun.
When Massee fired the gun at Lee during the scene, he unknowingly triggered the live bullet that was lodged in the barrel. The blank cartridge provided enough force to propel the bullet out of the gun at a high speed, hitting Lee in the abdomen.
Lee fell to the floor as planned, but did not get up after Massee left the set. The crew initially thought he was joking or staying in character, until they realized he was bleeding profusely from his wound. He was rushed to the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he underwent six hours of surgery. However, he could not be saved and was pronounced dead at 1:03 p.m.
The Aftermath of Brandon Lee’s Death
The production of The Crow was temporarily halted after Brandon Lee’s death. The police investigated the incident and ruled it as an accident. No charges were filed against anyone involved in the film. Massee, who fired the fatal shot, was traumatized by the event and took a year off from acting. He later said he never watched The Crow and did not talk about it publicly until 2005.
The filmmakers decided to complete The Crow as a tribute to Lee. They used stunt doubles and digital effects to finish Lee’s remaining scenes. They also changed some parts of the script and edited some footage to make the film less violent and more respectful to Lee’s memory.
The Crow was released on May 13, 1994, more than a year after Lee’s death. It received positive reviews from critics and audiences, who praised Lee’s performance and the film’s dark atmosphere and style. It also became a box office success, grossing over $50 million in North America and over $140 million worldwide.
The Crow also became a cult classic and spawned several sequels, comics, video games, and merchandise. However, none of them matched the original film’s quality or impact. Many fans consider The Crow to be Brandon Lee’s legacy and masterpiece.
FAQ
Q: Who is Brandon Lee?
A: Brandon Lee was an American actor and martial artist who was the son of Bruce Lee. He starred in several films, such as Legacy of Rage, Showdown in Little Tokyo, and Rapid Fire. His most famous role was as Eric Draven in The Crow, a dark fantasy film based on a comic book series.
Q: How did Brandon Lee die?
A: Brandon Lee died after he was accidentally shot by a prop gun that was supposed to fire blanks on the set of The Crow. The gun had a live bullet lodged in its barrel that was fired at Lee, hitting him in the abdomen. He died after six hours of surgery.
Q: When and where did Brandon Lee die?
A: Brandon Lee died on March 31, 1993, at the New Hanover Regional Medical Center in Wilmington, North Carolina. He was 28 years old.
Q: Why did Brandon Lee die?
A: Brandon Lee died because of a prop gun malfunction that caused a live bullet to be fired at him. The prop gun had been used earlier in a close-up shot that required dummy bullets to be loaded in the cylinder. One of the dummy bullets had become dislodged from its casing and remained stuck in the barrel. When the prop master replaced the dummy bullets with blanks, he did not notice the live bullet in the gun. When the gun was fired at Lee during the scene, the blank cartridge provided enough force to propel the bullet out of the gun, hitting Lee in the abdomen.
Q: What happened to the actor who shot Brandon Lee?
A: The actor who shot Brandon Lee was Michael Massee, who played one of the gang members who killed Lee’s character in The Crow. Massee was traumatized by the incident and took a year off from acting. He later said he never watched The Crow and did not talk about it publicly until 2005. He continued to act in films and TV shows until his death from stomach cancer in 2016. He was 61 years old.
