This Day in Horror History: Clive Barker’s CANDYMAN Opened in 1992
Mike Sprague
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On this day in horror history, writer-director Bernard Rose’s adaptation of Clive Baker’s Candyman with Virginia Madsen and Tony Todd opened in 1992.
Based on Barker’s short story “The Forbidden,” the film came about after a chance meeting between Rose and Barker who recently completed Nightbreed. Rose expressed interest in Barker’s story and Barker agreed to license the rights.
While Barker’s story takes on themes of the British class system, Rose’s fit refits the story to focus on the themes of race and social class in the inner-city of the United States. Specifically the Cabrini-Green’s housing project in Chicago.
Candyman was a success, snagging grossed $25M in the US and spawning two sequels, Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh and Candyman: Day of the Dead. Regarded as a contemporary horror classic, producer Jordan Peele and director Nia DiCosta’s “spiritual sequel” is set for release in 2021.
Candyman follows a graduate student researching superstitions in a housing project on Chicago’s Near North Side. She learns about the Candyman (Tony Todd), a knife-wielding figure of urban legend that some people believe to be responsible for a recent murder. After a mysterious man matching the Candyman’s description begins stalking her, she comes to fear that the legend may be all too real.
Written and directed by Bernard Rose, it stars Virginia Madsen, Xander Berkeley, Kasi Lemmons, Vanessa Williams, and Tony Todd as Candyman. It sports a 75% on Rotten Tomatoes with this Critics Consensus: Though it ultimately sacrifices some mystery in the name of gory thrills, Candyman is a nuanced, effectively chilling tale that benefits from an interesting premise and some fine performances.
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