Candyman (1992)

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:

Virginia Madsen is allergic to bees, so an ambulance was always on set while filming the bee sequence.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the Candyman breaks the window to escape the psychiatrist's office at the hospital, there are shards of glass in the frame. In subsequent shots, when Helen goes to the window, all of the glass has been cleared.

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in My Name Is Bruce (2007)

Soundtrack:

STATE OF INDEPENDENCE

* * * out of 4.

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.