Candyman

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...

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!

Before Clive Barker started writing epic fantasy novels,he wrote some truly classic horror stories like "The Midnight Meat Train" and "Scape-Goats." CANDYMAN is based on his story "The Forbidden" and it's on the level of the HELLRAISER movies; Tony Todd honestly scared me with his portrayal of the tragic Candyman. Plus,the filmmakers were not shy about gore and decay,as we explore a side of Chicago where urban legends rule and violence is common. The music of Phillip Glass adds makes the film even stranger.Followed by several needless sequels; the original is the only one you need to see.

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'.

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.