Connect with us

News

The History of ‘Candyman,’ Cinema’s First Black Supernatural Slasher

Published

on

Tony Todd in "Candyman"

Candyman was more than a place holder in modern cinema. It is more than just a footnote in Hollywood’s horror movie history textbooks, it allowed black representation in a horror title role which made people uncomfortable, and that’s okay. At least we are talking about it.

In 1992 Candyman was on its way to production. Having been greenlit by celluloid financiers the movie’s concept seemed original; a white graduate student named Helen who studies interpretations of imagery becomes obsessed with a black urban legend who is believed to appear when you repeat his name five times in a mirror. It’s a modern take on the legend of Bloody Mary.

Of course in Candyman the incantation works and Helen summons the hulking legend into the corporeal world. There, he uses the hook which has replaced his hand as a murder weapon to gut his mostly black victims. Director Bernard Rose was instructed to make sure the whole thing wasn’t incredibly careless.

“I had to go and have a whole set of meetings with the NAACP, because the producers were so worried, and what they said to me when they’d read the script was ‘Why are we even having this meeting? You know, this is just good fun.’ Their argument was ‘Why shouldn’t a black actor be a ghost? Why shouldn’t a black actor play Freddy Krueger or Hannibal Lector (sic)? If you’re saying that they can’t be, it’s really perverse. This is a horror movie. . .” said Rose.

Even with the blessings of the NAACP Candyman at the time provoked activists and incited criticisms. Based on a story from horror scribe Clive Barker called The Forbidden, the original was set in Liverpool. For the Americanized version the demon lore appropriated some of America’s troubled racial past.

This was problematic to some who thought the change perpetuated certain stereotypes, specifically low-income communities. Director of color Carl Franklin who helmed 1992’s One False Move, was particularly concerned

”There’s no question that this film plays on white middle-class fears of black people,” Franklin said back in ’92. ”It unabashedly uses racial stereotypes and destructive myths to create shock. I found it hokey and unsettling. It didn’t work for me because I don’t share those fears, buy into those myths.”

It was damned if it did and damned if it didn’t. It was as if making a “black” Freddy Krueger meant he couldn’t kill anybody. If he killed a white person that was a problem. If he killed a black person that was a problem. Could the world in the ’90s handle its first a black supernatural slasher? That’s was a tough question then and it’s a tough one today.

The reality is that when black crimes happen in black communities no one takes notice.  Helen is unaware of a cultural legend until she becomes a part of it which could describe any one of us who are honest in saying we are blind and fearful of issues outside our own.

Jordan Peele's 'Candyman' Confirmed and Set for 2020 Release ...

Inferences to cultural ties notwithstanding, Rose began filming his movie. Actor Tony Todd was cast as the titular monster with Virginia Madsen as his obsession. Dread Central conducted an interview with Todd back in 2019 and they asked him if he found the script relevant to social messages at the time.

“Yeah, I did. I didn’t get as much flack,” Todd recalled. “Like Bernard had a lot of flack from the NAACP. They wanted to see an advance script. They were just afraid that the image of a black boogeyman would be offensive, but they didn’t know what kind of film we were making. That’s a very intelligent film.”

Many thought so too. Roger Ebert gave the film a favorable score without even mentioning the racial aspect in his review. He focused on the storytelling and whether or not a strong belief in something can make it materialize or if lore, threatened by obscurity, will it fight to stay alive. “If everyone believed there were alligators in the sewers, would there be?” Ebert asks. “Would the Candyman therefore take a dim view of a researcher’s attempts to debunk him?”

Ultimately, after Candyman opened human rights groups and equality organizations didn’t sound any alarms. They didn’t even point out prominent themes of gentrification which would probably be more conspicuous in today’s marketplace.

Candyman saw moderate box office success beating out a Star Trek sequel and The Addams Family in yearly tallies for 1992.

Friday Flicks: Candyman

Two sequels Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh and Candyman: Day of the Dead would continue the hook-hand legacy but to lesser accolades.

In 2020, Candyman has become a horror classic. What started out as concern ended up being inspirational. Todd’s mythical monster has become a part of black cinematic history as the first black supernatural murderer portrayed onscreen.

In defence of Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh

Tananarive Due, a producer on Shudder’s documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror,  said in an article about influential black horror films, “Tony Todd scared the crap out of the whole world. People are still scared to say ‘Candyman’ five times today. Like Jordan Peele said in the documentary — that we can be the Freddy [Krueger] in a movie is huge.”

Almost 30 years later Peele is producing a direct sequel to the original but this time with a team of African American creators. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II takes the lead and Nia DaCosta directs.

Image result for candyman

“There is definitely a sense of taking ownership, and telling a Black story about Black people,” said DaCosta to Empire. “It was very important for all of us to have our main character be Black, and for this experience to be through the Black lens. Let’s make sure we change the lens now.”

That lens is probably more important today than it ever was. Black creators who grew up with minimal media heroes are fixing large discrepancies in Hollywood’s backlog. It feels like this generation of black artists are at the nexus of change which will lead to responsible and truthful stories about minorities.

“My connection with Candyman is pretty simple,” said Peele. “It was one of the few movies that explored any aspect of the black experience in the horror genre in the ’90s, when I was growing up. It was an iconic example to me of representation in the genre and a movie that inspired me.”

All three original Candyman movies are currently available to stream.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Click to comment

You must be logged in to post a comment Login

Leave a Reply

News

New Poster Reveal For Nicolas Cage’s Survival Creature Feature ‘Arcadian’ [Trailer]

Published

on

Nicolas Cage Arcadian

In the latest cinematic venture featuring Nicolas Cage, Arcadian emerges as a compelling creature feature, teeming with suspense, horror, and emotional depth. RLJE Films has recently released a series of new images and a captivating poster, offering audiences a glimpse into the eerie and thrilling world of “Arcadian”. Scheduled to hit theaters on April 12, 2024, the film will later be available on Shudder and AMC+, ensuring a wide audience can experience its gripping narrative.

Arcadian Movie Trailer

The Motion Picture Association (MPA) has given this film an “R” rating for its “bloody images,” hinting at the visceral and intense experience awaiting viewers. The film draws inspiration from acclaimed horror benchmarks like “A Quiet Place,” weaving a post-apocalyptic tale of a father and his two sons navigating a desolate world. Following a catastrophic event that depopulates the planet, the family faces the dual challenge of surviving their dystopian environment and eluding mysterious nocturnal creatures.

Joining Nicolas Cage in this harrowing journey are Jaeden Martell, known for his role in “IT” (2017), Maxwell Jenkins from “Lost in Space,” and Sadie Soverall, featured in “Fate: The Winx Saga.” Directed by Ben Brewer (“The Trust”) and penned by Mike Nilon (“Braven”), “Arcadian” promises a unique blend of poignant storytelling and electrifying survival horror.

Maxwell Jenkins, Nicolas Cage, and Jaeden Martell 

Critics have already begun to praise “Arcadian” for its imaginative monster designs and exhilarating action sequences, with one review from Bloody Disgusting highlighting the film’s balance between emotional coming-of-age elements and heart-pounding horror. Despite sharing thematic elements with similar genre films, “Arcadian” sets itself apart through its creative approach and action-driven plot, promising a cinematic experience filled with mystery, suspense, and relentless thrills.

Arcadian Official Movie Poster

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

‘Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3’ Is a Go with Enhanced Budget and New Characters

Published

on

Winnie the Pooh 3

Wow, they’re churning things out fast! The upcoming sequel “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey 3” is officially moving forward, promising an expanded narrative with a larger budget and the introduction of beloved characters from A.A. Milne’s original tales. As confirmed by Variety, the third installment in the horror franchise will welcome Rabbit, the heffalumps, and the woozles into its dark and twisted narrative.

This sequel is a part of an ambitious cinematic universe that reimagines children’s stories as horror tales. Alongside “Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey” and its first sequel, the universe includes films such as “Peter Pan’s Neverland Nightmare”, “Bambi: The Reckoning,” and “Pinocchio Unstrung”. These movies are set to converge in the crossover event “Poohniverse: Monsters Assemble,” slated for a 2025 release.

Winnie the Pooh Poohniverse

The creation of these films was made possible when A.A. Milne’s 1926 children’s book “Winnie-the-Pooh” entered the public domain last year, allowing filmmakers to explore these cherished characters in unprecedented ways. Director Rhys Frake-Waterfield and producer Scott Jeffrey Chambers, of Jagged Edge Productions, have led the charge in this innovative endeavor.

The inclusion of Rabbit, heffalumps, and woozles in the upcoming sequel introduces a new layer to the franchise. In Milne’s original stories, heffalumps are imagined creatures resembling elephants, while woozles are known for their weasel-like characteristics and a penchant for stealing honey. Their roles in the narrative remain to be seen, but their addition promises to enrich the horror universe with deeper connections to the source material.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

News

How to Watch ‘Late Night with the Devil’ from Home: Dates and Platforms

Published

on

Late Night With The Devil

For fans eager to dive into one of this year’s most talked-about horror films from the comfort of their own home, “Late Night with the Devil” will be available for streaming exclusively on Shudder starting April 19, 2024. This announcement has been highly anticipated following the film’s successful theatrical release by IFC Films, which saw it earning rave reviews and a record-breaking opening weekend for the distributor.

“Late Night with the Devil” emerges as a standout horror film, captivating audiences and critics alike, with Stephen King himself offering high praise for the 1977-set film. Starring David Dastmalchian, the movie unfolds on Halloween night during a live late-night talk show broadcast that disastrously unleashes evil across the nation. This found footage-style film not only delivers scares but also authentically captures the aesthetic of the 1970s, drawing viewers into its nightmarish scenario.

David Dastmalchian in Late Night with the Devil

The film’s initial box office success, opening to $2.8 million in 1,034 theaters, underscores its wide appeal and marks the highest opening weekend for an IFC Films release. Critically acclaimed, “Late Night with the Devil” boasts a 96% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes from 135 reviews, with the consensus praising it for rejuvenating the possession horror genre and showcasing David Dastmalchian’s exceptional performance.

Rotten Tomatoes score as of 3/28/2024

Simon Rother of iHorror.com encapsulates the film’s allure, emphasizing its immersive quality that transports viewers back to the 1970s, making them feel as if they are part of the eerie “Night Owls” Halloween broadcast. Rother lauds the film for its meticulously crafted script and the emotional and shocking journey it takes viewers on, stating, “This whole experience will have viewers of the Cairnes brothers’ film glued to their screen… The script, from beginning to end, is neatly sewn together with an ending that’ll have jaws on the floor.” You can read the full review here.

Rother further encourages audiences to watch the film, highlighting its multifaceted appeal: “Whenever it is made available to you, you must attempt to view the Cairnes Brothers’ latest project as it will make you laugh, it will creep you out, it will amaze you, and it might even strike an emotional cord.”

Set to stream on Shudder on April 19, 2024, “Late Night with the Devil” offers a compelling blend of horror, history, and heart. This film is not just a must-watch for horror aficionados but for anyone looking to be thoroughly entertained and moved by a cinematic experience that redefines the boundaries of its genre.

'Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire' Popcorn Bucket

Continue Reading

Embed Gif with Clickable Title