Candyman (1992) User Reviews

The Candyman definitely can...

[ivony · 8/10 · 9 September 2003]

Being a horror movie buff, I have no idea how this little gem escaped me the first time around. I'd heard a lot about it, read about it, etc but wrote it off as "probably stupid" like most of the other horror movies I had so wanted to see. So, it wasn't until many years after the movie's release that I finally saw it. And boy am I glad I did!

Surprisingly, the acting is fabulous...especially for a horror movie. Each character portrayed fantastically so as to add to the movie, rather than detract. No one really went over the top or became TOO dramatic. Overall, each character was portrayed realistically.

As for the plot: absolutely wonderful premise playing on the Bloody Mary urban legend. Surprisingly, the movie delivers on aspects of believabilty. Of course we don't *really* expect Candyman to pop out of a mirror, but how many of us have started the "Bloody Mary" chant only to stop at the very last one, not daring to continue? Our fears lie behind what COULD happen and the possibility that maybe..just maybe it's all real. Candyman plays on that fear and takes us even further over the edge.

The movie rids itself of the typical cliches (white, undefeatable stalker chasing half naked twits) and allows itself to be an entirely enjoyable, CEREBRAL horror movie. At first we wonder if the Candyman is perhaps just a person pretending to be him, then we start to question Helen's own sanity...wondering perhaps if SHE isn't the "real Candyman". Eventually, the movie leads us to an ending that answers our questions but doesn't shove those answers down our throat. Candyman also does what very few horror movies are capable of: it succeeded in having a strong ending rather than fizzling out during the last 10-15 minutes.

The setting and atmosphere are top notch. Using Chicago and Cabrini Green as its stage was perfect...bringing into play racial issues without going over the top or getting "in your face" to the point of losing its focus. The music in Candyman adds a mysterious mood that matches the dark, dismal atmosphere of the lone apartments in Cabrini Green.

All in all on my horror movie scale, I give Candyman a 10. To me, it was purely artistic and absolutely enjoyable. I HIGHLY recommend this to anyone even slightly interested in horror movies.

Who wants candy now, huh? Didn't think so

[Coventry · 8/10 · 6 October 2005]

A strong contender for the title of best horror film of the 1990's, Bernard Rose's "Candyman" is a very faithful (and therefore truly scary) adaptation of Clive Barker's skin crawling short story. This film features a very rare and successful combination of both creepy atmosphere and visual ingeniousness. Whereas most movies (especially during the 90's) can hardly focus on any of these essential horror elements, Bernard Rose masterfully succeeds in stuffing his film with genuine tension as well as shocking gore-images. The plot centers on doctoral student Helen (underrated actress Virginia Madsen in her best role) who becomes obsessed with the urban legend of a hook-handed killer that terrorizes the pauperized ghettos of the nearby Cabrini Green. Needless to say that the Candyman-myth gets a little too realistic for Helen, as everyone she comes into contact with ends up being brutally killed with a hook. The script is intelligent and always several steps ahead of you, the eerie musical guidance is brilliant and the make-up effects are fantastically gruesome. Tony Todd is ideally cast as the bogeyman, with his strong posture and – above all – incredibly frightening voice. The legend behind his character is staggering and it's beautiful to see how director Rose plays with the realism and surrealism of Barker's basic idea. Not many horror films of the 90's decade come with my highest possible recommendation, but this one definitely does. And don't forget, the Candyman CAN…rip you to pieces!

Candyman! Candyman! Candyman! Candyman! ... I'll Stop Here

[CitizenCaine · 8/10 · 15 January 2004]

Look into a mirror, preferably alone at night, and say "candy-man" 5 times and...uh...see what happens. Little known Bernard Rose directed this terrifying horror/suspense/thriller set and filmed in Chicago. The story is adapted from a novel by horror master Clive Barker. Two attractive female graduate students research an urban "myth" only to discover it may not be a myth, or is it? That's the premise of this tightly written and directed film, which does for looking into mirrors what Psycho did for taking showers. This is a thinking man's horror film that scares the daylights out of you at times while still leading you to think beyond what's on the screen.

It's much more than just a horror film with a creepy man goring people to death. It exploits many of our deepest fears about society and in ourselves, such as: what can happen in a run down public housing complex (Chicago's notorious Cabrini-Green projects), and can our fears remove the certainty of what we know to be untrue? Rose expertly weaves in Hitchcockian themes of being wrongly accused, emotional vulnerability, and psychological exploitation, while maintaining interest and building a high level of tension throughout the film. Philip Glass' quasi-religious score consistently provides an eerie companion when the camera takes us into seemingly normal locations, like a public restroom for instance. Truly one of the very best horror films of the 90's that can disturb your thoughts, penetrate your sense of security, and still provide disturbing gore and violence. This film is not for the faint of heart. Virginia Madsen stars as the main character and doesn't strike a false note. Tony Todd is the candy-man, and he doesn't appear to deliver gumdrops. Don't look behind you! *** of 4 stars.

A truly wonderful, chilling, compelling and high quality masterpiece

[president242007 · 22 May 2004]

`Candyman' is a very frightening and yet intriguing and compelling movie that plays upon and cleverly manipulates old urban legends and myths of folklore and brings to life some of your worst nightmares and horrors. As far as scary movies go it falls into a category of its own in terms of its depth and excellence

One of the main strengths of this movie is that the script and the character performances are so powerful and credible that it doesn't feel the need to inject unnecessary horror/graphic/violent scenes into it to sensationalize it. Sure, there is an extensive amount of blood and gore in the movie but it nevertheless fits in with the plot and isn't added in just to give the film an unnecessary `horror' feel. The chilling and terrifying aspects of this movie come from the dialogue, the sequence of events and the emotions and personas revealed in the characters. The plot and the script is enough to leave you mesmerized throughout the whole movie and to remain on the edge of your seat with the anticipation of what is going to happen next. The producers and scriptwriters must receive top marks for the wonderful way in which they enriched the whole movie by relying on the script and the acting instead of adding cheap gimmicks into it to make it more frightening. In addition to that the lighting and the scenery around the whole movie makes it even more frightening

I have always thought Virginia Madsen to be a highly talented, qualified and excellent actress whose wonderful acting and gifted performances have been consistently overlooked when allocating movie roles. For me `Candyman' confirmed this thesis. Her portrayal of Helen Lyle is truly one of the most excellent portrayals of a character I have seen recently. She gives her character so much depth, dimension and genuine emotions. Tony Todd also emerges from this film as a very talented and wonderful actor. The amount of depth, dimension and persona that he gives to the character of the `Candyman' is amazing. Although the Candyman is in many ways a truly evil and frightening character, you also can't help but feel a great deal of sympathy for him at times and this too is a testament to Todd's acting. The supporting cast –particularly Vanessa Williams and even the young kid who Helen interviews while in the neighbourhood-also deserve an honourable mention for giving their characters such a realistic edge.

I would recommend this movie –it is chilling, frightening, intriguing, compelling, sad and wonderful all in one. One of the best movies I have ever seen in this genre

The original classic

[lareval · 6/10 · 28 August 2021]

A fine horror movie with a disturbing heart at the centre of it. I don´t find it perfect nor great, but it´s really good and totally deserves its cult status. Let´s see what they do with the reinterpretation.

Her Disbelief Brought Him Back

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 5 November 2007]

In Chicago, Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) and her friend Bernadette Walsh (Kasi Lemmons) are researching for their thesis about urban legend in the University of Illinois, where Helen's husband Trevor Lyle (Xander Berkeley) gives classes. Helen becomes obsessed by the legend of the Candyman (Tony Todd), a son of slaves whose father became rich in 1890 after inventing a device for mass producing of shoes. The educated Candyman was an artist, but when the daughter of a powerful man got pregnant of him, her father hired some hooligans that saw off his right hand with a rusty blade, took him to an apiary with dozens of hives with hungry bees, smashed the hives and smeared honeycomb in his naked body. Candyman was stung to death by the bees, than his body was burnt in a giant pyre and the ashes scattered on Cabrini Green. Candyman stays alive in the legend that says that he would appear if his name is spoken five times in front of the mirror, and the skeptical Helen summons Candyman. Helen and Bernadette go to Cabrini Green, where two unsolved murders had happened, and the dwellers blame Candyman for the crimes. Helen's disbelief brings Candyman back; the dog of Cabrini Green's dweller Anne-Marie McCoy (Vanessa Williams) is slashed and her baby vanishes, and Helen is blamed. Later Candyman kills her friend Bernadette, and Helen is accused of first degree murder and arrested, while she unsuccessfully tries to prove that Candyman is the real killer.

"Candyman" is a gore and well-developed horror movie with a character visibly inspired in the urban legend of Bloody Mary. The screenplay sustains the ambiguity of Helen's sanity, and it is never clear if Candyman does really exist or the murders are committed by the disturbed and impressed Helen. Virginia Madsen is excellent in her performance of a woman in the edge of insanity and Tony Todd is amazing with his strong and dark voice. The great music score of Philip Glass fits perfectly to the movie and is another plus. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Mistério de Candyman" ("The Mystery of Candyman")

Note: On 21 July 2020, I saw this film again.

Adult horror strikes back

[Steevh · 9/10 · 18 May 1999]

Deeply disturbing, intelligently made and without a screaming teen in sight, 'Candyman' is one of the stand-out horror movies of the decade.

To just list all the elements that make this one of the classiest genre efforts of recent years would probably take up most of the thousand words I am allowed here. Suffice to say, it has a genuinely uncomfortable premise, uncompromising execution and a bone jarringly lonely score by Philip Glass. Tony Todd is exceptional as the hollow-voiced titular creature; a lost soul brought to life by the whispers of myth. At once heartbreaking and terrifying this could be the definitive latter day horror movie monster- if it wasn't just that little bit too close to Hellraiser's Pinhead. But, when you have a winning combination of elegance and disgust in a verbose, cultured villain, why alter it too much?

Virginia Madsen convinces totally as Helen; and you can almost see all the cast acting their little socks off so as not to let the side down. So good, in fact, that I'm struggling to find one bad thing to say about it.

I read here, that in the eyes of one viewer, it "dwells on the nastier things in life" and wasn't a "nice film". I can think of no greater compliment for a truly adult horror movie. No dear, you won't find happy teens in pastel t-shirts having slumber parties and discussing trendy scary movies, while some rap star tries to sell records on the soundtrack. This is a grown up film for grown up people. There is a reason horror films are for adults, and that reason is 'Candyman'.

A 90's Classic.

[meddlecore · 7/10 · 15 October 2017]

A couple female grad students are researching urban legends, when they accidentally summon the demonic spirit of "Candyman"- a man who had his hand hacked off and replaced with a hook...before being stung to death by bees...who now goes around killing people...so that his legend can live on in the minds of his "congregation".

His hunting ground is the Chicago area projects...and his congregation is made up of all those who fear him.

The two young ladies head into the projects to do some research. Hoping to find the place where the last Candyman killing took place, and to ask local residents what they might know.

But they are asking too many questions, and this gets them some unwanted attention...leading to Helen (Virginia Madsen) getting beaten up.

The guy who beat her up was pretending to be Candyman, in an attempt to intimidate people. Though, in reality, he is just the leader of one of the local gangs.

So Helen becomes skeptical of Candyman's existence- thinking this is the source of the urban legend that the community holds onto so dearly

But that was her greatest mistake...for now Candyman seeks vengeance...for f*cking with his legacy.

He starts to take over Helen's mind- making her do things she would- she could- never fathom doing.

And forces her into a position, where she must accept a deal with the devil...or, well, him...in order to save the life of an innocent baby who he has kidnapped.

Now, she is wanted for murder, kidnapping, and animal cruelty...and finds herself institutionalized.

Is Candyman really responsible for all these crimes...or is it all in her head? Nothing a quick summoning test won't clear up...

This film is a pretty cool combination of slasher and psychological thriller, with some decent gore and awesome death scenes. Honestly, I'm really surprised I've never watched it until now. It sets you up for the gore with some cheap scares. But that final scene where Candyman is about to kill Helen is wicked. And the final twist at the end was a welcome surprise.

Looking forward to the rest of the trilogy.

6.5 out of 10.

Near-perfect but often misunderstood horror.

[johnpetersen · 10/10 · 17 May 2003]

Candyman is one of my all-time favorite horror movies, and it seems to me that it is often underappreciated and misunderstood. It is a rarity in its genre, for it goes deeper than the standard formula horror movie, presenting a story under a story. While it contains plenty of frightening shocks and gore, that is only the suurface level, and the focus for watching it the first time. After the first time, pay careful attention to the dialogue and the interactions between Helen and the Candyman. The Candyman is not what he first appears to be.

<SPOILERS FROM THIS POINT ON...STOP HERE IF YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THE MOVIE!>

The biggest complaints I usually hear about this movie are of plot holes. People often ask, "Why does the Candyman haunt the black population instead of the descendents of those who killed him?" or, "Why does the hook make Helen come back when it is not what made Candyman come back?" or other similar questions. These are valid questions about the ghost story concerning Daniel Robetei, but they entirely miss the point of the movie. That point is that the incarnation we see of Candyman in the movie is NOT the ghost of Daniel Robetei. Forget what the pointless sequels lead you to believe, for in the first movie, as well as the original story "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker, the Candyman is an incarnation of the faith of those who tell stories about him. There is no ghost of Daniel Robetei, but rather an entity that is formed by rumor, faith, fear, and the story itself. It seems to me that almost everyone misses this point, but it is there, clear as day, if you listen closely to the dialogue. Of course, reading the original story helps shed a little light on this as well, and it can be found in Clive Barker's "In the Flesh," a collection of short stories. So, Candyman haunts the black population because they are the ones who tell the stories and believe in him. He is constantly asking Helen to "be his witness" in order to strengthen their belief, and his offer to her to live forever is literal. If she does become his witness, she will become a part of the story, and a part of the creative force that allows Candyman to exist. In the end, Helen returns because the population of Cabrini Green makes her a part of the story.

I hope this sheds a little light on the story for those of you stuck on the plot holes. This really is a fantastic, original story that is much more complex than that of any other horror movie I have seen. Not to mention that the performances are fantastic. Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen have a fantastic chemistry that is very convincing. The only gripe I have about this movie is the p***-poor actress they picked for Helen's husband's girlfriend. So, watch it first for the shocks, but watch it again for the deeper story buried within.

Definately a perfect 10/10.

Pretty good till the monster shows up

[edgeofreality · 6/10 · 5 March 2020]

The first third of this was quite involving. Crisp aerial photography, neat Philip Glass music, good acting from the heroine, and an interesting set up about urban legends. I enjoyed particularly the scenes at the university with the male lecturers trying to act clever, and the early scenes at the 'projects' with the usual threatening black teenagers, were unsettling enough. Yes, a few too many obvious jump scares, but it goes with the genre I guess. Once the real villain appeared, not sure why, but I didn't find him that interesting, or scary. Just tiresome. I liked how the heroine is framed and everyone thinks she's nuts, but for me, the whole backstory of the Candyman and how she was fated to be 'his' lacked originality. It all gets a bit too cartoonish by the end. Still recommended overall, especially for the main actress and the music.

Disappointing.

[zmaturin · 1/10 · 3 May 2000]

With his big fur coat, giant hook hand, and bee-stung body, Candyman is a very cool character, played by Tony Todd, a very cool actor. Unfortunately, he's only in this movie for about twelve minutes. The rest of the time is spent with an uninteresting grad student who is doing research on urban legends (horror movies have taught me that there's always a class on urban legends at every college). She unearths the tale of Candyman, which apparently ticks the guy off, because he lives on through word of mouth, and if she demystifies him he'll die- I think. The movie's kind of confusing. At one point the uninteresting grad student talks to an older colleague who also wrote a paper on Candyman, but Candyman seemingly has no interest in killing him- oh, wait, because the uninteresting grad student is a reincarnation of his past love or something. Again, the movie's kind of confusing. Not very scary, either- although the part where Candyman slices off a young boy's genitalia and throws them in a toilet goes beyond any John Waters movie in the ugly bad taste department.

This movie has a lot of good ideas, and the art direction is good, but the slow pacing and dull characters really hurt it. Despite a cameo from Ted Raimi, I can't recommend this movie. It's stuff like this that keep Clive Barker from becoming "future of horror".

A spooky, but also well thought out tale!

[lost-in-limbo · 9/10 · 2 September 2005]

Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) doctoral student, and wife of a collage professor, is doing research on urban legends and mythological folklore for her school thesis. Though, there is one legend which gets her attention and leads her to rundown housing block where the residents believe that the murders that took place there were done by the hook-handed serial killer The Candyman (Tony Todd). A mysterious figure that can be summoned by repeating his name five times while looking in the mirror. Which Helen does and now her life turns into horrifying nightmare, which teeters between reality and myth, as she gets closer to the truth about the Candyman.

Second time around and this memorable piece hasn't lost any of its effect. It's not only a incredibly brood horror film that manages to create an creeping/ingenious plot with such an unsettling physiological tone, but also providing some generally horrific shocks that creep up on you and aren't for the squeamish. So, it's far from your normal slasher and it just doesn't concentrate on the violence for a change. Not only does the plot build on this mystical legend constructively, but also there's also some solid social commentary on the mindset towards race and sex, which added more to this cleverly layered plot (or should I say tragic love story). What is so great about the screenplay is that you yourself feel apprehensive to what's happening to the protagonist and to where this story is heading by playing on what people believe and how these believes can overcome them. Plus it makes great use of the Chicago's gloomy surroundings. Not only does the film have substance, but also style to boot. The direction by Bernard Rose is quite brilliant, with Rose superbly mixing visuals that gel myth and reality superbly. Particularly the well-crafted encounters between Helen and the Candyman - these sequences were incredibly hair-raising. He creates such a glum and dark atmosphere within these rundown buildings filled with vibrant artwork, the richly layered aura goes hand-to-hand with the moody legend. The slow pacing of the film is perfect; there are no tedious blotches because you are totally wrapped in the story and by the delightful performances. The death toll isn't big, but there are some real gruesome deaths, with A LOT blood. The make-up and special effects are extremely thoughtful and inventive. Phillip Glass' extremely effective score deserves such high praise. Soothing, but also haunting and was incredibly effective towards building towards such an almighty blow. Another bonus was the smooth as silk camera-work; it captured the balanced layout of Chicago with plenty of stunning Ariel shots (great intro). Overall, I was just amazed by this beautifully planned production.

What a horror icon! Tony Todd totally nails down such a terrifying and profound performance as the mythical being The Candyman. I believe this horror character totally wipes the floor clean of the other icons of its genre and who created him? No other than from the dark mind of Clive Baker (Hellraiser), who brings this frightening thriller alive, which is basically based on Baker's short story - The Forbidden. He came up with a unique horror character that's downright unnerving, completely authentic and has a lot of depth. But Tony Todd's towering figure and eerie voice has a lot to owe to that and to make one tremble in his presence! Virginia Madsen gives a stellar performance as Helen Lyle, who we really do care for her and feel what she is feeling. Good supporting roles from Xander Berkley as Helen's Husband, Kasi Lemmons as her friend/student who's also working with her their thesis and Vanessa Williams as Anne-Marie McCoy who lives in the rundown estate. The dialogue was packed with depth, but also laced with interesting topics and Todd's lines were pretty much poetic and smooth.

The one and only "small" negative would be the ending for me. I was somewhat let down by the second ending and I thought maybe it could've done without it. It just felt tact on. Anyhow it didn't stop it from being damn right creepy and it does pack a real unsteadiness.

To get in the mood of it, I say it's definitely a film to watch late at night… alone.

One of the clever horror films (if not the best) of that disappointing decade they call the '90s for horror films. If you're looking for a serious horror (before Scream's imitators made a mockery of the slasher sub-genre), I highly recommend this provocative slasher that doesn't cop out the audience.

Sweet in the beginning, bitter in the end

[jayjaycee · 6/10 · 13 October 2020]

"Candyman" is a 1992 horror film directed by Bernard Rose starring Virginia Madsen and Tony Todd. ⚪ All in all, this adaptation of Clive Barker's short story might be(e) fascinating in the beginning and grabbed me, as it explores the lore of urban legends closely and with a genius kind of indirect intensity, but after that, the second half becomes a convoluted, tonally confused mess that doesn't even match the atmosphere the first half has built up, and neither great gore effects, the implemented social commentary on the treatment of the black community, nor the basically chilling mythical creature played by a charismatic Tony Todd sting enough no make up for it. ⚪ Even if I haven't seen it yet, it is undeniable that Clive Barker has written horror movie history with his infernal opus "Hellraiser", and he has become an icon for the fans thenceforth. The expectations towards the adaptation of his short story "The Forbidden" that deals with the myth of urban legends were accordingly high. I have heard from multiple people that they were utterly disappointed by this film and think that is has not aged well at all, others however still stated that it was a genuinely chilling horror classic that shouldn't be missed out. What side I am on? Well, at first I was on the side of those that think it is still a great flick, but the more the film moved on, the more I drifted towards the "What is this film?" faction. What I was frustrated about most is the simple fact that the film is basically divided into two tonally different halves that follow their own direction that, frankly, don't fit each other in the slightest. The first half, the one I favour, deals with protagonist Helen Lyle and how she researches the urban legend of "Candyman", a phantom killer with a hook for a hand. The way it is narrated is what makes it so moody in the first place, because like urban legends are principally told, Helen learns about the legend and how it was created via various recounts of people who tell her gradually more details about the infamous stories, and I think the approach to build up tension by only indirectly giving away details about the wraith is brilliant, because it encourages the viewers to connect the dots for themselves. To a certain degree, I even thought that the film would go into a totally non-graphic direction and would reveal that the ghost is nothing but a device to oppress and scare the people in the neighbourhood or simply and imposter. I knew that I let myself in on a horror/slasher film, but letting the film have the twist that it is nothing but a myth would have made it unexpectedly unpredictable. Well, almost exactly after the great first half, the suspension curve all suddenly drops rapidly and went into a direction I still cannot comprehend completely. The almost documentary approach was dropped entirely and made way for what I can best describe as a chaotic slasher that tries to be more than this but utterly fails to achieve this goal. With reaching this specific turning point, it showed its undeniably gruesome gore effects, but at the same time, forfeited its scariness. Even if the general appearance of Tony Todd as the titular entity is impressive and basically eerie, I think they totally wasted his character. He only appeared in the most stupid ways and when he was in the scene, it was anything but scary. It rather focussed on Helen Lyle, irrefutably decently portrayed by Madsen, and how she had to deal with what Candyman has caused. He only became a means to an end and didn't do any justice to his reputation. Of course, the dumb twist that she is the reincarnation of his beloved kept him from killing her right after she conjured him up, but if he is aware that she is his paramour, why does he play all those unnecessary games with her that do not only made the film extremely lengthy but also achieved the total opposite of what he wanted? Even if it might make sense in some twisted way, the film doesn't do much about humouring the audience. Admittedly, I felt how I was becoming gradually sleepier and a horror film shouldn't cause that in me, it should achieve the total opposite! And to be honest, there was zero chemistry between Todd and Madsen that made me assume that he loves her. Oh, and then there is this utterly nonsensical and ridiculous ending in the bonfire. The seemingly invincible entity that has no obvious weakness dies in the fire. I know that might be his tender spot considering that was the way he ultimately died by when he was still human, but it was idiotic of him to expose himself to this threat if he is aware of that. If there is one good aspect I want to conclusively point out, it has to be the social criticism on the treatment of the black community that is included on many occasions. In the end, though, this film is nothing but a convoluted mess that wanted to be many different things at the same time and sadly ended up being garbage. The beginning was nothing short of promising and gave me the feeling that I was in for something great, something that would not simply follow the dull pattern every single slasher follows, but then it ended up exactly like that, only more confusing. It thinks that it is more than an average horror flick, and that's one of its major disadvantages. You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the urban legend. It might please many people out there, but it is a no from me.

Candyman

[Prismark10 · 5/10 · 11 September 2020]

Based on a Clive Barker story that has been transplanted to Chicago by British writer/director Bernard Rose.

Candyman is part Urban Legend/Gothic Romance/Psychological Thriller/Slasher Horror. It is because Rose plays around with horror tropes to move away from being a Freddy Krueger style rip off.

Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) is a graduate student researching urban myths who hears a story about the Candyman (Tony Todd.)

If you recite Candyman five times in front of a mirror, he will appear with his hooked hand. Helen starts to investigate some deaths in the Cabrini Green district which might be attributed to Candyman or it could be just local gangs.

However are some of the incidents in Helen's head as she is accused of murder or is she under some sort of spell by the Candyman. Even Helen's husband, a university professor has doubts about her sanity.

There are lots of themes explored in this film including social class and race. Some of the characters such as Helen's husband have ulterior motives. Rose goes for disturbing images rather than just purely gore.

There is a very nice opening scene as we see overhead images of traffic moving. It gives the film a hypnotic beat. However it does not always hold together well, becoming preposterous as it goes on. Tony Todd is an imposing figure as Candyman.

* * * out of 4.

[brandonsites1981 · 10 September 2002]

College student (Virginia Madsen) decides to write a paper on a slave (Tony Todd) who was killed for simply being in love with a white woman. Legend has it if you call out his name several times, he will appear and kill you to avenge his death. Naturally Madsen is disbelieving of this, but Todd starts butchering off all of her friends and framing her in order to make her believe.

This film is so intense and frightening, that when I first saw this on home video with all of the lights on, I actually had to call my mother and get her to come over and comfort me, because this film scared me to death. Tony Todd is perfect in a menacing performance as the villain and Virginia Madsen makes the perfect victim capturing the right balance between terror and disbelief. The myths and legends behind the film are so complex and so fascinating that this film could have gone on for at least another hour and not be one bit overlong. There is plenty of characterization and atmosphere and the settings for the film are very well chosen. However, working somewhat against the film are some of the supporting actors, poor special effects, and an ultra gimmickey ending that feels as though it belongs in another film given the tone and subject matter of this film.

Rated R; Graphic Violence, Profanity, and Brief Nudity.

Decent slasher...

[andyajoflaherty · 7/10 · 21 April 2023]

Based on a short story by Clive Barker, Candyman concerns itself with Helen, a grad student who is researching the myth around a supposed demonic killer who goes by the name Candyman. Convinced the killer is a normal guy who is trying to conceal his identity behind an urban legend, Helen gets much more than she bargained for when she summons the evil spirit and it falls in love with her.

I quite enjoyed this. Its suitably gritty and dirty, has a great villain and some pretty brutal gore and effects. You really begin to question whether the candyman is real or not and if Helen is just nuts, and Tony Todd puts in a great performance as the titular killer. The bee scene in particular is pretty great and was done with real bees! Urgh! In the mood for a supernatural slasher? Then this might just quench that thirst...

One of my favourite horror films! Spoilers!

[Skeptic459 · 9/10 · 21 January 2004]

I love the horror genre! I grew up loving films that scared the hell out of me! Candyman is excellent because it is a film that I genuinely found very twisted and disturbing when I saw it at the tender age of 15.

Check this out, 'It is a blessed condition believe me. To be whispered about in street corners...to live in other peoples dreams...but not to have to be...do you understand?'

How cool is that quote! I am going to throw in a few quotes in this review because the writing of this film is really, really cool! The Candyman is not an inarticulate Jason or Michael Myers. He has the vocabulary of a homicidal drama professor who likes Richard Burton. Candyman is the thinking person's horror film. It explores the notion of the urban myth. The Candyman exists because people tell the stories about him. They spread the myth making him flesh.

Unfortunately for researcher Helen Lyle, she doesn't know any of this. She investigates the urban myth of the Candyman, seeking to debunk it and her fate becomes sealed. Hey! Writing a paper isn't worth being burned alive! The film rests on the central idea that fiction can suddenly become real life if enough people believe in the myth. Boogey men can therefore be created if enough people believe in monsters. This theme is familiar to the director Bernard Rose. I recommend another one of his films called 'Paperhouse.' This is about the imagination of a little girl that starts to manifest in reality. It is also quite good although not as scary. The original story of how the Candyman was made is horrific and just deepens the mystery. This is not a film like the Friday the 13th series. This is far more cerebral and relies much more on its concepts.

The Candyman is the whisper in the classroom that will exist forever. When Helen sets out to debunk the Candyman, this is essentially like trying to murder him. 'Your disbelief destroyed the faith of my congregation. Without them, I am nothing.' Debunking the Candyman will destroy his immortality. The only way the Candyman can exist is through the shedding of innocent blood so that the stories of him can continue to proliferate. So when Helen decides that the Candyman is actually a local drug dealer hiding behind the Candyman identity. She feels that she has solved the mystery of the mysterious murders that the Candyman has committed. What Helen does not know is that the Candyman is a kind of a physical manifestation of the Jungian collective unconscious. The Candyman takes his revenge, he feels obliged to come, after all she has caused much doubt about his actual existence. The Candyman tears away Helen's day to day reality. Driving her into what other people think is her own insanity. Now she knows the truth of the Candyman...

The conversations between Helen and the Candyman are haunting. What is also interesting is that sadism and masochism are major features in Clive Barker's work. 'The pain I assure you, will be exquisite.' S&M tendencies! This is one dark and twisted piece of celluloid! The acting is also really good from both actors. The final scene is horrific as Helen tries to rescue a baby in a blazing woodpile and is burnt alive! Helen herself then becomes part of the legend and therefore comes back as another physical manifestation of legend. However, remember this is not Helen's ghost but a construction of Helen through the beliefs of those who believe this mysterious urban legend. Candyman says it best...

'Your death will be a tale to frighten children...to make lovers cling closer in their rapture. Come with me and be immortal...' Genius.

This film also has a great soundtrack, a very haunting score.

Candyman is a very interesting film that originates from the absolutely twisted mind of Clive Barker. This is brilliant, well written horror. 9 out of 10.

By the way avoid the sequels. I saw number 2 and it just ruins the whole thing. Think of this as the one and only.

Classic Horror Film and the Birth of Tony Todd

[gavin6942 · 7/10 · 30 June 2014]

The Candyman (Tony Todd), a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student (Virginia Madsen) researching the monster's myth.

Horror fans will appreciate the Ted Raimi cameo (and it is interesting to note that this same year, director Bernard Rose appeared as a "fake shemp" in "Army of Darkness"). Although Rose co-wrote and directed this now-classic horror film, he seems to have never before or since been involved in anything very memorable (besides being a production assistant on "The Dark Crystal").

The lecture hall scene early on is an interesting precursor to "Urban Legend", which borrows at least a similar theme from this movie if nothing else.

And best of all, this film launched Tony Todd into being a horror icon. Sure he was already a known actor with "Platoon" and such, but he is now, forever, known as the Candyman.

Delivers on pretty much every level

[TheLittleSongbird · 8/10 · 22 February 2011]

You'd think perhaps from the title that the film wouldn't be as good as it turned out to be. Based on Clive Barker's excellent, intelligent and very chilling book, Candyman is a very good film.

The production values are great and very stylish. The cinematography is beautiful, and the setting and lighting is suitably atmospheric. The atmosphere also really helps, and the more disturbing bits do not thankfully come across as laughable or fake, thanks to the atmosphere and other factors it is genuinely chilling. Phillip Glass's hypnotic and goosebump-inducing score is also very effective, Bernard Rose directs brilliantly, the story is always gripping with Candyman's origins especially well done the dialogue is thought-provoking, intelligent and fits each scene accordingly.

The film is a good length and goes at a well-judged pace. The performances are impressive too, Virginia Madsen is simply terrific in a difficult role while Tony Todd is absolutely terrifying down from his posture to his voice. In fact, for me the only real downside was the ending, it was a sort of "it's not over" ending, and for me(I may be biased as I am not a fan of this type of ending) it felt tacky. In conclusion, an atmospheric horror film that delivers on pretty much every level. 8/10 Bethany Cox

Candyman

[jboothmillard · 7/10 · 2 October 2007]

It's most likely the first time I watched this cult scary movie was whilst I was in college, I'm glad I got to watching it again a few years later, based on the book The Forbidden by Clive Barker (Hellraiser), also executive producer. Basically, in Chicago, Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) is a graduate student at the University of Illinois researching urban legends. She becomes most interested in the Candyman, a spirit who appears when a person says his name five times in the mirror and kills them with the hook attached to the bloody stump of his right arm. Helen learns about a woman named Clara (Marianna Elliott) who was murdered while babysitting presumably after calling Candyman's name. She also learns from two cleaning ladies about a woman named Ruthie Jean rumoured to be killed by the Candyman in the notorious Cabrini-Green housing project. She discovers there have been twenty-five murders in the area. Sceptical, Helen and her friend Bernadette "Bernie" Walsh (Kasi Lemmons) say Candyman's name in the bathroom mirror five times, but nothing happens. Helen and Bernadette are working together on a thesis and go to Cabrini-Green to the scene of Ruthie Jean's murder. There, Helen discovers a room where apparent offerings have been left for the Candyman. They meet Anne-Marie McCoy (Vanessa Estelle Williams), the neighbour of the deceased victim, a single mother raising a baby boy, Anthony (twins Latesha and Lanesha Martin). Anne-Marie is initially hostile but talks a little about things that have happened. That evening, Helen and her husband Trevor (Terminator 2's Xander Berkeley) have dinner with Professor Philip Purcell (Michael Culkin), a snobbish folklore expert who tells the backstory of the Candyman. The Candyman, real name Daniel Robitaille, was born in the late 1800s, the son of slave, who became a well-known artist, painting portraits for wealthy white people. However, he fell in love with the daughter of a white client, and she became pregnant and gave birth to his child. Enraged, the man hired people to attack the artist, stripping him naked, cutting off his right hand, and smearing him with honeycomb (hence his nickname), attracting a swarm of angry bees that stung him death. His corpse was burned, and his ashes scattered across the land on which Cabrini-Green now stands. When Helen returns to Cabrini-Green, she is attacked by a man who calls himself the Candyman. After surviving the assault, escaping with only a black eye, she identifies her attacker, who turns out to be a gang leader. The police assume he is responsible for the murders. After leaving the police station, Helen is walking in a parking garage, and she hears a voice calling for her. There she encounters the real Candyman (Tony Todd) who hypnotises her, he urges Helen to become his victim. He explains that the belief in him by hundreds of people is what allows him to go on living, but she has discredited his legend, so he must shed innocent blood to perpetuate it. Helen blacks out and wakes up in Anne-Marie's apartment, covered in blood, finding Anne-Marie's pet Rottweiler's decapitated head and Anthony has been taken. The distraught Anne-Marie attacks Helen, who is arrested by the police, whilst she is holding a knife defending herself. Trevor bails her out of jail. She looks at some photographs she took at Cabrini-Green and sees the Candyman in one of them. The Candyman then appears and cuts Helen neck, causing her to bleed and pass out. Bernadette arrives at Helen's apartment, and when Helen wakes, she finds Bernadette has been murdered. Helen has been framed for the crime, she is sedated, and taken to a psychiatric hospital and kept in restraints. Helen is interviewed by psychiatrist Dr. Burke (Stanley DeSantis) a month later for her upcoming trial. She wants to prove her innocence and looks in a mirror to summon the Candyman, calling his name five times. The Candyman appears and kills the doctor but allows Helen to escape. She returns to her apartment and finds Trevor now living with student Stacey (Carolyn Lowery), who he has been having an affair with. Helen confronts him, then flees to Cabrini-Green to confront the Candyman and rescue baby Anthony. In his lair, the Candyman tells her that if she surrenders to him, Anthony will be safe. Offering Helen immortality, the Candyman opens his coat, revealing his ribcage swarmed with bees. The bees pour out of his mouth as he kisses her and stream down her throat. He vanishes with the baby, and Helen awakes to discover a mural of the Candyman and his lover, who bears a striking resemblance to her. The Candyman promises to release Anthony if Helen helps him strike fear into Cabrini-Green's residents. Helen crawls into a pile of wood and junk to rescue Anthony, clutching a hook, which is spotted by a child who believes in the Candyman. Residents gather around, splash the junk pile with petrol and set the wood on fire, creating a bonfire, with Helen, Anthony and the Candyman trapped inside. Helen grabs a burning piece of wood, penetrating the Candyman's chest and trapping him to burn in the bonfire, while she crawls out from the fire. Helen's head is on fire, and she dies from the severe burns, but baby Anthony is saved, and the residents, led by Anne-Marie, go to Helen's funeral to pay their respects. At home, Trevor is wracked with guilt and grief. He looks in the mirror and says Helen's name five times, whereupon Helen's vengeful spirit appears and kills him with a hook. In the Candyman's former lair, a new mural of Helen dressed in white with her hair ablaze is seen. Also starring Gilbert Lewis as Detective Frank Valento, Ted Raimi as Billy, Bernard Rose as Archie Walsh, and Rusty Schwimmer as Policewoman. Madsen gives an interesting performance as the young woman examining and getting too close to a dark figure, and Todd with his gravelly voice is suitably sinister as the hook-handed mythical killer. I will admit, watching it again, there are a few scenes that are slow-moving and perhaps cheesy, but it is atmospheric, gory when it needs to be, and can be classed as a contemporary classic, a worthwhile supernatural horror. It was number 58 on The 100 Greatest Scary Moments. Very good!

Float Like a Butterfly and Sting Like a Bee-Hive

[BaronBl00d · 5/10 · 15 January 2005]

OK, Candyman has a very intriguing premise behind it. Apparently an urban legend abounds that this killer known as the Candyman will come behind you when you say his name five times and gut you with his hook. A grad student and friend investigate the legend and find some tangible evidence of his existence. From there on, we, as the audience, are treated to some plot twists involving Virginia Madsen(as the grad student)seeing Candyman - perhaps in reality that only she is privy to or in her dreams or in some other psychological state. What we do know is that murders take place and Madsen is involved somehow. My take on the film is a somewhat mixed one. As with much of Clive Barker's work(this film is based on his novel The Forbidden), I am always a step behind understanding what is exactly going on. Some viewers don't seem to mind that and even embrace it as some type of genius or something. I must confess I do not. Barker's story definitely has flair and there are many memorable scenes in the movie - many of which will make you take a good jump. Director Bernard Rose is a good director creating some truly innovative and evocative scenes. The Chicago tenements are treated with a most frightening realism. Tony Todd makes a scary bogeyman as he portrays the Candyman. And Madsen does a nice job(with a needless nude scene thrown in just in case you lose interest). But I just found the plot too far out there for me to really enjoy the film. Bees were filled in a toilet seat in a disgusting filthy restroom outside...why? I had lots more questions along that vein. The ending did not match the first three quarters of the film in terms of continuity or realism. The film has quite a following, and in large part I can see why - but just don't agree. For me Candyman is neither a good film nor a bad one. Just average.

ok, a little anticlimactic, so what?

[tht · 8/10 · 3 September 1999]

Candyman is one of my all time favorite horror movies. It is genuinely scary, and it makes one have second thoughts when standing in front of a mirror.

What I particularly enjoyed about the movie is the multidimensional development of the plot at the sociological, psychological, and parapsychological level. The first scene of the movie presents in a nutshell the experience that the viewer is going to have, an experience so common (regarding urban legends) yet so distant.

The acting (esp. by Virginia Madsen) is superb. The setting could not be more perfect. The shaggy, derelict apartment buildings at Cabrini Green create the proper ambience for what is to follow.

Certainly the gory scenes are not very attractive, and in a way such explicit portrayal does not seem necessary, since the psychological suspense is the driving force of the movie. Also the ending is rather anticlimactic and overdrawn. Disappointing sequel....

Fun to watch with people who scare easily!

Clive Barker terror

[SnoopyStyle · 7/10 · 14 October 2013]

Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) and her friend Bernadette Walsh (Kasi Lemmons) are researching an urban legend about Candyman who has a hook for a hand. He appears to those who say his name five times in front of a mirror. The pair goes to Cabrini Green, a gang ridden part of Chicago, to investigate some deaths attributed to the legend.

Based on a Clive Barker novel, this starts slowly. The rundown setting and the gang violence really amps up the atmosphere. Virginia Madsen has brought a compelling performance without overplaying the victim. Tony Todd is amazing as the creepy Candyman. This isn't just a slasher movie. It's more a psychological thriller. The pacing does have some slow spots, but it never stops the tension. It's a great little horror movie.

It's just, well, what's the point . . . ?

[Jacques98 · 1/10 · 8 January 2009]

Believe me, I know it's hard to look past nostalgia. But sometimes we all have to grow up and accept that not everything we loved as a kid was actually worthy of our love. For example, let's say you grew up with a certain stuffed animal, and then you turn 13 and you know it's time to detach yourself from it, but you can't. I know from experience that's how a lot of horror fans are with old slasher films. They watched Candyman when they were 5-years-old, and to this day their biased minds find it greater than anything any new horror film could possibly conceive. They overlook the fact that by today's standards, Candyman is pure cheese. I'm not writing this review for those people. There is nothing whatsoever I can say here that would even slightly change your opinion. I'm writing this highly negative review for the open-minded horror fans out there, who have yet to see this so-called "classic".

First and foremost, as I said, Candyman is pure, unabashed cheese horror. The first time you see the actual Candyman himself, you'll probably laugh out loud and roll around on the floor like I did. Putting a man in an over-sized fur coat with a cheap plastic hook sticking out one end isn't exactly terrifying stuff, I'm sorry to say. Coming from a horror fan who has actually matured with the times, this is about as scary to me as a walrus with a toy chainsaw. Put simply, the only reason this film is so bad is because it's so cheesy, yet it takes itself as seriously as if it's dealing with something that isn't straight out of a children's cartoon. Don't get me wrong, I very much appreciate the serious tone, but it's downright stupid in this context. It's a film about killer medicine cabinets, folks, not the real-life Holocaust or something.

The story is about as generic and uncreative as a horror movie can get. It's a play on the old Bloody Marry myth, and the plot direction takes the same path that has been rehashed countless times in films just like it before. Woman reporter—already a horror cliché and I haven't even gotten through three words of the synopsis—is investigating a murder, she discovers a myth, she researches it, the myth comes to haunt her. Oh man, how original. Do not tell me Candyman started these clichés, because it didn't. This exact plot has been used in everything from 60s horror films to episodes of 80s cartoons. There is nothing creative here. The ending is a rip-off of an old Twilight Zone episode. The movie is so generic and unoriginal, I have nothing more to say about it. Other than it's also boring to the point of nausea.

I was never a Clive Baker fan for this exact reason. He's so obsessed with over-the-top, cheesy villains and cliché situations, I find almost everything he's written nearly unreadable. I know this will anger his fans, but, sorry, if there is anyone who I blame for the cheese-horror outbreak, it's him. And Candyman is the single most typical work he's ever done.

Is there a single positive thing I can say here? No. I can at least cut some cheese-horror films slack for at least having some creativity (Sleepaway Camp for example), but I can't even do that here. In other words, Candyman is a bland, generic slasher with a laughable villain and unoriginal premise. And I've written this exact review so many times I might as well just save it, change the movie title, and repost it for every 80s and 90s slasher film out there, because no matter how much faith I have there may be at least one slasher that isn't bad, they almost all are. And what's even sadder is that they're almost all acclaimed. Am I really the only one who looks past nostalgia anymore?

0/10

Easy to Call This One a Classic

[Michael_Elliott · 22 October 2012]

Candyman (1992)

*** (out of 4)

Grad student Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) is doing research on why certain groups of people blame their violence on mythical legends when she comes across the name Candyman (Tony Todd). Soon Helen realizes that this figure with a hook for a hand is more than just a legend. CANDYMAN certainly stands as one of the best horror films of the 90s as it contains a great story, a creepy atmosphere, some great performances and of course many chilling moments. The story from Clive Barker is certainly something interesting to just think about because the idea of what an urban legend is and how it plays a part in people's lives who believe it is the best thing about the movie. I really loved how director Bernard Rose kept the viewing guessing at all times as to what was going on. Was it really Candyman doing all the killing or had Helen simply lost her mind while doing the research? It certainly helps that you've got such great actors in the leading roles and especially with Madsen. She does an extremely good job in the lead as she really makes you believe all of this stuff that is going on and it's a pretty deep character and the actress has no problems with it. Todd and that iconic voice makes Candyman one of the most memorable screen villains in horror history and that calm and cool nature of the actor really comes across extremely creepy. The film also features a very good score from Philip Glass and of course there's the striking images. I think the film does get a bit too long in the final act but there are just so many effective moments and killings here that you can't help but call this a classic of the genre.