Candyman (1992)

Candyman is a 1992 horror film starring Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen, and directed by Bernard Rose. It was based on Clive Barker’s novel, The Forbidden.

Plot
Helen Lyle gets framed for murders committed by an urban legend that she was studying, who had a desire for her, after saying his name five times in a mirror.

Why It Rocks

 * 1) Beautiful music score composed by none other than Philip Glass.
 * 2) The Candyman is a unique and interesting villain. He isn’t a pure evil murderer like Freddy Krueger or Michael Myers; or a vengeful enforcer like Jason Voorhees, but just the spirit of a deceased artist, victim to racism, that wants to remain an epitaph to society. If his legend is forgotten or doubted, he will die with it.
 * 3) * The concept itself of an urban myth-based tragic villain that only the person(s) who refuses to believe of its existence, itself not new, but here it is executed mostly well enough to turn the whole film into a psychological horror film when other villains (like slashers from recent years) in its time became oversaturated.
 * 4) ** As well a few scenes that dedicate their time for the main duos with weird but workable romantic elements, due to Candyman belief that Helen is his lost lover in reincarnation, which that makes both their chemistry to work!
 * 5) * Tony Todd’s performance as The Candyman is also very chilling and excellent, as he would reprise his role in the sequels and even Jordan Peele’s direct sequel in 2021.
 * 6) Along with Candyman, characters such as Helen Lyle are also interesting and well written, and because of that, the audience can feel sympathy for her as she gets framed for committing many murders and being cheated on by her partner Trevor, after being arrested twice.
 * 7) The practical effects are outstanding and still hold up to this day.
 * 8) * Tony Todd also had real bees covering him during scenes, and still pulls a good performance while doing so.
 * 9) Brilliant cinematography and atmosphere. Every scene is gorgeous to look at.
 * 10) A very heartwarming but intense climax where Helen rescues a mother’s baby from The Candyman and being burnt to a crisp by the flames that were lit on the massive piles of metal that she got herself stuck in.
 * 11) Unlike the next two sequels, Candyman at least gives a valid reason why he has a desire to be with Helen. Candyman: Farewell to The Flesh and Candyman 3: Day of The Dead completely miss this point by having Candyman have desires for the blonde women protagonists of the next installments.
 * 12) A lot of brilliant quotes, such as "Be... my victim. I am the writing on the wall, the whispers in the classroom. Without these things: I am nothing, but now, I must shed innocent blood. COME WITH ME."
 * 13) It was shot entirely in the film's setting of Chicago, including the actual Cabrini-Green projects.
 * 14) Virginia Madsen was a great casting choice for the role of Helen Lyle as she is a Chicago native herself.