Candyman (1992)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Bernard Rose

Writers:

Clive Barker (story)
Bernard Rose (writer)

Release Date:

16 October 1992 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

We Dare You To Say His Name Five Times!

Plot:

Helen Lyle is a student who decides to write a thesis about local legends and myths. She visits a part of the town...

Plot Keywords:

Candyman | Mirror | Bee | Investigation | Hook

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Virginia Madsen	...	Helen Lyle
Tony Todd	...	The Candyman / Daniel Robitaille
Xander Berkeley	...	Trevor Lyle
Kasi Lemmons	...	Bernadette 'Bernie' Walsh
Vanessa Williams	...	Anne-Marie McCoy
DeJuan Guy	...	Jake
Marianna Elliott	...	Clara (as Marianna Eliott)
Ted Raimi	...	Billy
Ria Pavia	...	Monica
Mark Daniels	...	Student
Lisa Ann Poggi	...	Diane
Adam Philipson	...	Danny
Eric Edwards	...	Harold
Carolyn Lowery	...	Stacey
Barbara Alston	...	Henrietta Mosely

Also Known As:

Clive Barker's Candyman (USA) (complete title)

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and gore.

Runtime:

99 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Sweden:15 | France:-16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Philippines:R-18 | New Zealand:R16 | Ireland:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Germany:18 | Norway:18 (video premiere) | Singapore:NC-16 | South Korea:18 | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:R (certificate #31870)

Filming Locations:

Cabrini-Green Public Housing Projects, Near North Side, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Company:

PolyGram Filmed Entertainment

Trivia:

The bees were breed specifically for this movie. They need to make sure that the bees were only 12 hours old so that they looked like mature bees, but at that point, the stinger isn't powerful enough to do any real damage.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: Wire visible pulling the Candyman backwards out of the window to escape the psychiatrist's office at the hospital.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Candyman: They will say that I have shed innocent blood. What's blood for, if not for shedding?

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 100 Greatest Scary Moments (2003) (TV)

Soundtrack:

STATE OF INDEPENDENCE

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

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!