• Reading time – 2 min

What is Candyman?

The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by Helen, a skeptic grad student researching the monster’s myth. Candyman stars Tony Todd, Virginia Madsen, Xander Berkeley (it was fun to watch Candyman again looking at him as George Mason from 24), and it was directed by Bernard Rose. Candyman has two sequels titled Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh and Candyman: Day of the Dead. There is another sequel planned for 2020 from Jordan Pele (I’m excited about that).

Why do I recommend it?

Candyman is one of the most important horror movies you could ever watch. Candyman doesn’t just tackle the Candyman myth, it tackles quite a lot of issues that horror movies didn’t even think of going there in this era. Issues like white privilege, racism, and racial injustice. I know nowadays horror movies do tackle these issues and some of them do a fantastic job at it like Get Out, but others can get quite preachy and forget to scare their audiences. Candyman does not fall into this trap. Candyman subtly represents these important themes without being preachy and without forcing it down the audience’s throats. It also manages to be a horror movie and be scary. Candyman, the actual person is one of the scariest beings I have ever seen in a horror movie and that’s all because of Tony Todd’s truly phenomenal performance. His performances in movies like Candyman is why he is such a respected name in horror. Todd’s performance along with Virginia Madsen’s performance make for this a harrowing horror movie to watch. Candyman is one of the few horror movies that I have watched in recent memory that creep me so much out that I was afraid while watching it. That hasn’t happen to me in a long time since I was a kid, but Candyman was just that creepy.

I had heard of the urban legend of candyman before I had seen the movie, but only a little. Candyman explains what the legend is by having our protagonist, Helen research him which is how she get involved with Candyman in the first place. I thought that was a very interesting to subvert expectations. Candyman doesn’t just choose Helen to “be his victim”, she seeks him out and pays the price for it. Candyman, the movie has aged like fine wine. I would argue it’s a better horror movie watching with 2019 eyes, because it’s still so timely. There’s a reason why it’s getting a new sequel after so many years. It still feels relevant and deserves to seen by a new audience. Candyman is a unsettling, tense, and down right sinister movie. It’s one of the scariest (and important) horror movies you will ever watch. If you don’t believe me, watch Candyman and afterwards stand in front of any mirror you have and say Candyman five times. I dare you.

7 Extra Great Horror Movies

• The Bad Seed (1956)
• Targets (1968)
• Frenzy (1972)
• Phenomena (1985)
• The Addiction (1995)
• Pulse (2001)
• Sleep Has Her House (2017)