MIDDLE-AGED MATINEE! #30 - 'Candyman' (1992)

5/5 Stars

Since the writing of this review, it saddens me to report on the passing of star Tony Todd on November 8, 2024. He was 69-years-old and may he rest in peace. Not only was Todd a true icon of the horror genre, he was also just a damn fine actor.

I’ve often mentioned how the horror movie genre was dead at the box office for the first half of the 1990s. Inevitably, some jackass will shout, “No, it wasn’t! There were still plenty of good horror films that came out at that time!” They tend to ignore that I said that the genre WAS DEAD AT THE FUCKING BOX OFFICE!

Yes, there were great horror films in the first half of the ‘90s, but they didn’t get noticed during their releases and found new life on home video, sometimes years after their initial box office release. One of the more high profile horror films of the day was 1992’s “Candyman”, a movie that was a success only because it made $25 million against an $8 million budget.

“Candyman”, like so many other horror films of its time, found an even bigger audience on home video and while it did spawn one theatrical sequel, 1995’s “Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh”, that sequel failed to light up the box office. Therefore, the third movie, “Candyman 3: Day of the Dead” was a direct-to-video disaster.

Virginia Madsen stars as Helen Lyle in 'Candyman'!

I say that to say the following: I really wish “Candyman” had been a bigger hit in ‘92. If this movie had been released at the height of the horror film craze in the ‘80s, we’d be talking about a massive horror film franchise right now. It would have been the true starring vehicle for its bonafide star, Tony Todd.

But I digress, I am here to talk about the classic ‘92 horror film! For those who have not seen the movie or need a reminder, it follows Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle, a grad student who is doing a thesis paper surrounding urban legends. She soon learns of Candyman, a spirit who appears if you say his name five times in front of a mirror.

Candyman, played to perfection by Todd, has a hook in the bloody stump where his hand used to be and he uses it to kill you after you invoke his name. In Helen’s case, though, Candyman treats her differently. He seems infatuated with her and instead of killing her, he targets those that she loves instead and makes it seem like Helen was responsible.

The movie is expertly directed by Bernard Rose who uses the modern Chicago setting to give us a classically gothic storyline. Helen is our damsel in distress while the monster closes in on her for reasons we don’t quite know why at first.

Tony Todd plays the iconic titular character in 'Candyman'!

One of the elements that helps the movie is the haunting score from Philip Glass. The score helps deliver the gothic feeling of the movie as well in spite of the story’s more modern setting.

The performances are top notch all around. Madsen is great as Helen and as the movie’s final girl. She has brains and confidence in spite of some naivete about her surroundings.

The movie, of course, is nothing without its true star. Todd as the Candyman has gone down as one of cinema’s most iconic horror villains. He stands tall with the likes of Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers.

While Todd is perfect in the role, it is also important to note that the movie doesn’t overuse him. Until about halfway through the movie, he is seen in the shadows and that makes him even more creepy. It’s similar to how Michael Myers and Freddy Krueger were used sparingly in their original films and the power of suggestion helps more than actually seeing them and the terrible things they end up doing.

That said, the movie does get quite violent at times. There are moments where Rose doesn’t mind showing the blood and if you get squeamish easily, then you may want to watch out for a few memorable moments.

At the end of the day, “Candyman” proves to still be a stellar horror classic. It finally got a suitable sequel of the same name in 2021, a movie that acts as a direct sequel to the original (ignoring the terrible sequels) and it also adds to the mythos set up in this movie.

Even if you don’t catch any of the sequels, you’ll definitely want to check out “Candyman” if you haven’t or you’ll at least want to revisit it if you haven’t seen it in awhile.