Tags
1990's, Bernard Rose, Candyman, Horror, Tony Todd, Virginia Madsen
Film Title
Candyman
Director
Bernard Rose
Cast
- Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle
- Tony Todd as Candyman
- Xander Berkeley as Trevor Lyle
- Kasi Lemmons as Bernadette Walsh
- Vanessa Williams as Anne-Marie
An eerie, atmospheric and intelligent urban horror, Candyman drives to the heart of the meaning of fear and the haunting spectre of urban legends on the mind. Boasting bizarre yet stunning visuals, first-rate performances and a ghostly score by Philip Glass, Candyman is scary and memorable viewing for sure.
Helen Lyle is a Chicago graduate student who is completing a thesis on the nature of urban legends. She is married to a professor who is slimy and seems to have an eye on another girl. While conducting research with best friend Bernadette, she hears of Candyman. The urban legend says that he will appear behind you in a mirror if you say his name five times, then he will cut you open with the hook he has for a right hand. Although curious about this legend, she is still skeptical about whether it is really true. As she continues to look into the story of Candyman, she discovers he was the artistic son of a slave who fell in love with a white woman. When the girl’s father found out that his daughter was with child, he summoned a lynch mob to attack him. He had his right hand cut off and the mob covered him in honey from an apiary, causing bees to sting him to death. The mob burned him on a pyre and his ashes were scattered over the gang-ridden Cabrini-Green housing project. Helen and Bernadette investigate the project and find the people certainly believe in the title character, especially after a girl was murdered in one of the apartments. Still skeptical about it, Helen tries out the theory of calling his name. At first nothing happens, Helen thinks it is just a story used to terrify the residents. Yet when she has her own encounter with Candyman, her world begins to crumble as she realises she has conjured something that she can’t take back and will spell out violent and brutal consequences for her.
Credit must go to Bernard Rose, who directs this imaginative and compelling film with daring visual flair and shocks a plenty. The screenplay excellently captures the duplicitous nature of urban legends. We’ve all been told stories about alleged monsters under the bed or the bogeyman, but with Candyman they are fashioned into a mature and adult tale that focuses on the fear surrounding them. We’ve all doubted the existence of such things, but are we being too scared to actually believe the power of urban legends? The score by Philip Glass is a haunting and sinister listen, mainly usually mournful chorus voices and synthesizers to add to the already creepy atmosphere that becomes even more scary after Candyman’s arrival. Virginia Madsen is emotionally effective and haunting as Helen, who although intelligent and resilient becomes increasingly confused as she realises the extent of her careless actions. Candyman only exists because of her, without her the story wouldn’t flow. She is the driving force within the narrative as it unravels. Tony Todd as the eponymous spirit, adds menacing and strangely romantic qualities to the vengeful hook-handed monster, perfectly utilizing his deep voice and height to scare the unwitting Helen and the audience. This is most apparent in the spine-chilling meeting between the two in a parking lot. He emerges calling her name in a deep voice and speaks of making her his victim to prove he exists, in a perversely romantic way. Helen is hypnotised by his presence, captured in luminous close-up as murals of the spectre flash before her eyes. There is an almost gothic romanticism apparent in the relationship between the two that is reminiscent of Dracula, he’s out for revenge and sees her as the victim of choice. She is entranced and later horrified as she is implicated in suspicious events because of him. The film taps into the share cultural fear of the unknown presence that suddenly takes hold. The gore in Candyman is shocking, but never gratuitous as we know why Candyman does it and his tragic back story.
Candyman itself is a sinister film, with added chills derived by the visuals. Murals and swarms of bees feature heavily and are excellently edited into scenes in which Helen encounters Candyman. We understand the legend at the same time as Helen, showing that the screenplay has revealed subtle insights that at first appear trivial and then take on a shocking new meaning. If it’s a shocking but never dumbed down story of palpable fear, then Candyman is right up your street. Also, you may think twice about saying his name five times to a mirror after watching it.
Cavershamragu said:
Great review Vinnieh. Saw this one when it came out at the cinema and was really impressed, despite the downbeat tone and slightly silly final flourish at the end. Never seen the sequel though.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the comment, the sequel is nowhere near as good as this film.
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keith7198 said:
Ah yes, The Candyman! Been a long time since I’ve seen this one. Reading me took me back a few years!
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, glad you liked my review.
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thoughtsallsorts said:
Ditto. Remember watching it at the cinema. I’m too chicken to watch these kind of movies these days 🙂
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vinnieh said:
It’s still a chilling movie.
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lukebbtt said:
Tony Todd was an inspired casting choice.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks he most certainly was the perfect choice.
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Smash said:
I like the comparison to Dracula, you’re spot on. Great review!
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, glad you liked the comparison. They do seem to have a darkly romantic link with each other.
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beautifulorange said:
Great write-up. This film had the potential to be the usual middle-of-the-road horror movie – but it’s brilliant. Still one of the few genuinely scary films I’ve seen.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, yeah when I first heard of it I thought it would be the same old horror. Thankfully, I was surprised and liked the film.
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Terry Malloy's Pigeon Coop said:
Not seen this one in a loooong time! Nice review mate.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the comment man.
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robbinsrealm said:
Good review!
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for your comment.
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Kim @ Tranquil Dreams said:
Yeah! This one is pretty awesome! I used this last year to initiate me back into the horror genre at Halloween. Its slow-paced but definitely very eerie. And you are spot on about how I looked at the mirror and think about the movie and decide that I wouldn’t say Candyman 5 times…Great review 🙂
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the comment, it made me think twice about reciting the name five times.
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citychickcountrylife said:
I remember watching this when I was 13, I couldn’t sleep without a blanket over my mirror for weeks haha! Definitely a horror classic 🙂
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, definately a creepy and chilling horror.
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Frame Rates said:
This was one of the films I saw as a youngster and it scarred me for ages. I watched it again recently and it was almost as scary! Stands the test of time really well.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks, yeah I watched it when I was younger and was scared. And when I recently watched it recently it was still scary.
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Carl said:
Great review – this is one of those movies I saw as a kid and rewatched recently – was surprised how well it holds up! Great concept and you’re right, it does a lot with the urban legends theme, and Glass’s score is fantastic too.
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the comment, yeah it really does hold up well because of the visuals and that chilling score.
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Alex said:
This is one of those movies that I saw when I was entirely too young… so it carries with it the ability to scare me until this day. I watched it again not too long ago and it was cool to be able to watch it without peering over my comforter haha – urban legends were always the scariest to me growing up!
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vinnieh said:
This movie still terrifies me as much as I saw it years ago.
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Alex said:
I mean, I am still not gonna stand in front of a mirror and chant his name. lol
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vinnieh said:
I’m never going to do that either, too creepy.
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Lloyd Marken said:
Yeah agree on so much you wrote here. The romantic implications are also interesting when you consider the ending. That wall mural is almost scarier than some of the attacks. It just perfectly evokes mood, that’ll scare the shit out of you more than gratuitous gore. Roger Ebert noted the film taps into other fesrs, like when these two women head to the projects we have other things to worry about their safety for.
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vinnieh said:
I just felt that Candyman was almost vampiric in the way her pursues Helen. Well said about it being terrifying due to atmosphere rather than constant gore.
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Lloyd Marken said:
My God how much did the camera just soak up Virginia Madsens’ s luminosity in this.
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vinnieh said:
The camera made love to her with those big close ups.
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mikeladano said:
I have never said his name five times in a mirror and I never will!
I saw this with a group of people in 1994. It was a fun party horror movie. I was already a fan of Tony Todd from his work in Star Trek — but I didn’t know that was Tony Todd! I really only knew him as Worf’s brother Kurn, so always in Klingon makeup.
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vinnieh said:
I will still never recite the name five times, too freaked out to do so.
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mikeladano said:
You gotta check out last week’s American Dad. Francine summons the Candyman. Bees, hook and all.
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vinnieh said:
I’ll try and catch up.
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mikeladano said:
Here’s a description.
http://americandad.wikia.com/wiki/Candyman
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vinnieh said:
Thanks for the links.
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beetleypete said:
Madsen is irresistible to me. Top Hollywood Totty of the sexiest sort. I am not that bothered about the film, but would always watch it for her.
Cheers, Pete.
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vinnieh said:
Top Hollywood Totty, now that is a killer line there Pete. You smooth operator.
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beetleypete said:
She’s suckably lush!
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vinnieh said:
Interesting choice of words there.
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Rincewind said:
Oh candy man, candy man candy man.. it’s an awesome movie.
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vinnieh said:
I like how it has a very compelling story to it. With all the notions of urban legends and how much we believe in them.
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By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff said:
This creeped the heck out of me! But in a totally good kind of way!💁🏻
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vinnieh said:
The best horror movies do that. I just soaked up the atmosphere and Gothic nature of it. Plus, the backstory of Candyman adds a layer of tragedy to everything I feel.
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alexraphael said:
Probably too scary for me. Looks a good film though.
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vinnieh said:
It is very chilling to watch.
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alexraphael said:
What is the scariest film you’ve ever seen?
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vinnieh said:
That’s a difficult one. I always find The Inocents truly atmospheric.
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