Candyman **** (1992, Virginia Madsen, Kasi Lemmons, Xander Berkeley, DeJuan Guy, Tony Todd) – Classic Movie Review 6,116

Virginia Madsen stars as the spunky heroine Helen Lyle, a postgrad student studying the ancient myth of the Candyman (Tony Todd), a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, in the exciting, full-throttle 1992 horror movie Candyman. 

A Clive Barker short story called The Forbidden is realised on screen with great vigour by screen-writer/ director Bernard Rose in the exciting, full-throttle 1992 horror movie Candyman.

Virginia Madsen stars as the spunky heroine Helen Lyle, a postgrad student studying the ancient myth of the Candyman (Tony Todd), a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, who appears when you say his name five times in front of a mirror and is blamed for the killing of a girl in the big city.

This material could hardly be better done, with bravura camerawork by cinematographer Anthony B Richmond, a dynamic, driving score by Philip Glass, and Madsen powering her way through the material, every inch the old-style movie star.

Also in the cast are Kasi Lemmons, Xander Berkeley, DeJuan Guy, Vanessa Williams, Ted Raimi and Michael Culkin.

Rose locates the story from Liverpool to Cabrini-Green’s public housing development in Chicago and changes the theme of the British class system to race and social class in US inner cities.

It premiered at the 1992 Toronto International Film Festival, and was released on 16 October 1992 by TriStar Pictures. It cost around $8 million and grossed $25.8 million in the US and became an instant cult horror classic.

Candyman, is directed by Bernard Rose, runs 101 minutes, is made by Propaganda Films and PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, is distributed by TriStar Pictures, is written by Bernard Rose, based on the short story The Forbidden by Clive Barker, is shot by Anthony B Richmond, is produced by Steve Golin Sigurjon, Sighvatsson and Alan Poul, is scored by Philip Glass, and is designed by Allen Blaisdell, Joshua Culp and Jane Ann Stewart.

Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh followed in 1995 and Candyman: Day of the Dead in 1999. A direct sequel to Candyman, directed by Nia DaCosta and produced by Jordan Peele, was released in 2021. It features Tony Todd in his final role as the the Candyman character before his death in 2024.

Tony Todd in 2003.

Tony Todd (December 4, 1954 – November 6, 2024)

American actor Tony Todd (December 4, 1954 – November 6, 2024) is best known for playing the title character in the Candyman film series (1992–2021) and William Bludworth in the Final Destination franchise (2000–2025).

Tony Todd died after a long illness at his home in Marina del Rey, California, on 6 November 2024, aged 69. In 2024 Todd returned as William Bludworth, when he filmed Final Destination: Bloodlines for release in 2025.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6,116

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