Candyman (film series) explained

Candyman
Creator:Clive Barker
Owner:Sony Pictures Entertainment (1)
Universal Pictures
Amazon MGM Studios

Lionsgate (3)
Origin:The Forbidden (1985)
Films:Candyman (1992)
(1995)
(1999)
Candyman (2021)

Candyman is an American supernatural horror film series originating from the 1985 short story "The Forbidden" from the collection Books of Blood by Clive Barker, about the legend of the "Candyman", the ghost of an artist and son of a slave who was murdered in the late 19th century. Its film adaptation, Candyman, directed by Bernard Rose in 1992, starred Tony Todd as the title character.

Although the film initially underperformed at the American box office, it became a cult classic. A novelization and a comic adaptation of the film were released in the same year. Two sequels, (1995) and (1999), were released. A direct sequel to the original Candyman, directed by Nia DaCosta and produced by Jordan Peele, was released in 2021.

Films

FilmU.S. release dateDirectorScreenwritersStory byProducer(s)
CandymanBernard RoseAlan Poul, Steve Golin & Sigurjon Sighvatsson
Bill CondonRand Ravich & Mark KrugerClive BarkerGregg Fienberg & Sigurjón Sighvatsson
Turi MeyerTuri Meyer & Al SeptienAl Septien & William Stuart
CandymanNia DaCostaNia DaCosta, Jordan Peele & Win RosenfeldIan Cooper, Jordan Peele & Win Rosenfeld

Candyman (1992)

See main article: Candyman (1992 film). Candyman, the first film in the series, is a 1992 horror film, serving as a loose adaptation of Clive Barker's 1985 short story "The Forbidden" of the collection Books of Blood. The film follows a graduate student, Helen Lyle, who is studying urban legends along with her colleague Bernadette.

She takes a strong interest in learning about a mysterious hook-handed murderer coined as "The Candyman" in the Cabrini Green urban project dwelling which many of the residents feared lived behind the mirrors and the walls of the apartments randomly killing them 'gutting' them with his hook after chanting his name 5 times in a mirror. Helen becomes intrigued by the mythical story that she jokingly summons him in denial and disbelief, later to learn who was really behind the mirror, questioning her reality.

Candyman 2: Farewell to the Flesh (1995)

See main article: Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh. Farewell to the Flesh is the second film in the series. The film follows the story of a school teacher, Annie Tarrant, who comes to learn about her family's past after losing her father due to his obsession with the Candyman. She denies his existence after hearing her students talk about him and learning that one of her students was obsessed with him. She speaks his name to prove he does not exist, but later finds out who Candyman is.

Candyman 3: Day of the Dead (1999)

See main article: Candyman 3: Day of the Dead. Day of the Dead is the third film in the series. The story continues with Annie Tarrant's daughter, Caroline Mckeever, who is now an adult. She denies Candyman's existence by protecting her family's bloodline as her business partner Miguel uses the story of her Great Great Grandfather Daniel Robitaille/Candyman in his art exhibit for profit. Caroline soon learns why her mother tried to destroy the myth of Candyman but is caught in his web of deceptive murders, framing her in order for her to submit to become immortal as a family with him in death.

Candyman (2021)

See main article: Candyman (2021 film). A fourth film in the series was produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer and Monkeypaw Productions and was released on August 27, 2021.[1] Yahya Abdul-Mateen II stars in the film, while Tony Todd returns to the eponymous role.[2] It is a direct sequel to the first film, taking place twenty-seven years later, in Cabrini Green, Chicago. A young, over-confident visual artist named Anthony McCoy struggles to find inspiration to get him further exposure.

He learns about an old urban legend that took place in the project housing developments at Cabrini Green of a grad student named Helen Lyle who became mentally insane during her research and sacrificed herself to save a baby, which sparks his interest. He further researches the information which leads him to encounter a neighborhood laundromat owner who also reveals his version of the urban legend, which is learned to be of an amputated hook-handed man in the 1970s named Sherman Fields who was wrongfully murdered at the hands of Chicago police officers which Cabrini Green residents believed him to be "The Candyman" who harmed children with razor blades in candy.

Anthony becomes obsessed with these urban legend findings as he uses them for his artwork presentation and to influence the summoning of the spirit of 'The Candyman', but later realizes the consequences of his actions as he learns the real truth behind the legend by his hallucinations, which in turn becomes a deadly reality.

Unrealized projects

According to Virginia Madsen, Bernard Rose originally wanted the first sequel Candyman 2 to be a prequel showing Candyman and Helen's "look-alike" falling in love, but the idea was turned down because the studio was worried about how a fully-fledged interracial romance would be received.[3]

A possible fourth film was in development in 2004; according to Tony Todd, it was intended to be set in New England at a women's college,[4] and focus on a professor who is a descendant of Candyman but has no idea who he is, with Todd describing "the initial image [being] of Candyman in a blizzard". The film was stuck in development hell.

The slasher crossover film Freddy vs. Jason (2003) also inspired Miramax to want to create a Candyman vs. Hellraiser crossover, but Clive Barker, originator of both franchises, had recommended against it.[5] A crossover with the Leprechaun film series was also considered, but Tony Todd immediately flat out refused to participate in such a project, saying he had too much respect for his character to see him used for such a purpose.[6]

Cast and crew

Cast

CharactersFilms
Candyman
Farewell to the Flesh

Day Of the Dead
Candyman
Daniel Robitaille
Tony Todd
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Anthony McCoyLatesha & Lanesha Martincolspan="2"
Helen LyleVirginia Madsen
Anne-Marie McCoyVanessa A. WilliamsVanessa A. Williams
Phillip PurcellMichael Culkin
Trevor LyleXander Berkeley
Bernadette "Bernie" WalshKasi Lemmons
JakeDeJuan Guy
Detective Frank ValentoGilbert Lewis
StaceyCarolyn Lowery
Dr. BurkeStanley DeSantis
BillyTed Raimi
Archie WalshBernard Rose
HaroldEric Edwards
PolicewomanRusty Schwimmer
Heyward SullivanRandy Oglesby[7]
Caroline SullivanCaroline BarclayLaura MazurCassie Kramer
Annie TarrantKelly RowanElizabeth Hayes
Caroline McKeever
Brianna BlanchardDonna D'Errico
Paul McKeeverTimothy Carhart
Reverend EllisBill Nunn
Ethan TarrantWilliam O'Leary
Octavia TarrantVeronica Cartwright
Honore ThibideauxMatt Clark
Matthew EllisJoshua Gibran Mayweather
Detective Ray LevesqueDavid Gianopoulos
Coleman TarrantMichael Bergeron
Pam CarverFay Hauser
Heyward SullivanRandy Oglesby
The KingfishGlen Gomez
Russell Buchanan
LizClotiel Bordeltier
DrewGeorge Lemore
Mr. JeffriesRalph Joseph
ClaraMargaret Howell
David de La PazNick Corri
Det. Jamal MatthewsErnie Hudson Jr.
Lt. Det. Samuel Deacon KraftWade Williams
L.V. SaccoRobert O'Reilly
EnriqueLombardo Boyar
AbuelaLupe Ontiveros
Flower SellerLillian Hurst
Det. Jamie GoldElizabeth Guber
Miguel VelascoMark Adair-Rios
LenaRena Riffel
TinoMike Moroff
OrnteChris Van Dahl
TamaraAlexia Robinson
FritzJud Meyers
Little BoyLeonardo Guerra
Cristina de La PazNicole Contreras
RingleaderNadia Simms
Brianna "Bri" CartwrightTeyonah Parris
Finley StephensRebecca Spence
Clive PrivlerBrian King
Grady SmithKyle Kaminsky
Troy CartwrightNathan Stewart-Jarrett
William "Billy" BurkeColman Domingo
Danielle HarringtonChristiana Clark
JamesonCarl Clemons-Hopkins
Gil CartwrightCedric Mays
Sherman Fields
Candyman's Hive / Spirit
Michael Hargrove

Crew

RoleFilm
CandymanCandyman
1992199519992021
Director(s)Bernard RoseBill CondonTuri MeyerNia DaCosta
Screenwriter(s)Rand Ravich & Mark KrugerAl Septien & Turi MeyerNia DaCosta, Jordan Peele & Win Rosenfeld
Producer(s)Alan Poul, Steve Golin & Sigurjón SighvatssonGregg Fienberg & Sigurjón SighvatssonAl Septien & William StuartIan Cooper, Jordan Peele & Win Rosenfeld
Composer(s)Philip GlassAdam GorgoniRobert A. A. Lowe
CinematographyAnthony B. RichmondTobias A. SchliesslerMichael G. WojciechowskiJohn Guleserian
Editor(s)Dan RaeVirginia KatzFrederick WardellChris Armstrong
Production companiesPropaganda Films
PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
Lava ProductionsArtisan EntertainmentBron Creative
Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer
Monkeypaw Productions
DistributorTriStar PicturesGramercy PicturesUniversal Pictures
U.S. release dateOctober 16, 1992March 17, 1995July 9, 1999August 27, 2021
Duration99 minutes95 minutes93 minutes91 minutes

Reception

Box office performance

FilmRelease dateBox office grossBudgetReference
North AmericaOther territoriesWorldwide
Candyman (1992)October 16, 1992$25,792,310$8–9 million[8]
Candyman: Farewell to the FleshMarch 17, 1995$13,940,383$6 million[9]
Candyman 3: Day of the DeadJuly 9, 1999colspan="5"
Candyman (2021)August 27, 2021$50,668,490$13,524,000 $64,192,490$25 million[10] [11]
Total$$5,229,000$$39 million

Critical and public response

FilmRotten TomatoesMetacritic
Candyman (1992)79% (82 reviews)[12] 61 (15 reviews)[13] C+[14]
Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh22% (32 reviews)[15]
Candyman 3: Day of the Dead7% (14 reviews)[16]
Candyman (2021)84% (335 reviews)[17] 72 (46 reviews)[18] B[19]

Music

Candyman (1992) and Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh soundtracks were composed by Philip Glass. According to Glass, "it has become a classic, so I still make money from that score, get checks every year".[20] Tony Todd confirmed in an interview with IGN that a limited edition featuring 7500 copies of the film's soundtrack was released in February 2015.[21] The composition "Candyman's Suite: Helen's Theme" became a widely popular theme song for Halloween and was often featured in a few television commercials and series including in one episode of .

Candyman: Day of the Dead original score soundtrack was composed by Adam Gorgoni.

Candyman (2021) original score soundtrack was composed by Chicago musician Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe who used solo compositions based on voice and extended modular synthesis techniques. He expressed in an interview with fellow musician DeForrest Brown Jr. that he used field recordings of Cabrini Green to capture the essence and spirit of the neighborhood and layered it as textural elements on top of the main instruments. In January 2022, Variety reported that Candyman's film score, briefly made the shortlist for the 2022 Academy Awards in the category of Best Original Score, however did not make the official final ballot list. Phillips Glass' score "Helen's Theme/Music Box" was also reimagined by Lowe as a new interpolation on the soundtrack as well as in one scene and end credits of the film.

Other media

Board game

A board game based on Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh was released during the mid-1990s as a promotional item for the film of the same name.[22] [23] The game features a board, 1 die and cards (Hook, Candyman, Voodoo, Mansion Key) that will impact the player or others. The game's premise is stated as "to win, player must proceed clockwise along the streets of New Orleans and get to the mansion with the key card in order to unlock the secret to Candyman's power".

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Nia DaCosta's 'Candyman' Release Delayed to 2021. Variety. Rebecca. Rubin. September 11, 2020. September 11, 2020.
  2. Web site: 'Candyman' Director Confirms Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Is Not Replacing Tony Todd. Trumbore. Dave. 2019-03-25. Collider. en-US. 2019-10-10.
  3. Web site: Twenty Year Retrospective of Candyman with Virginia Madsen . Caprilozzi . Christine . December 14, 2012 . Horror News Network . January 5, 2020.
  4. Web site: M500 INTERVIEW WITH TONY TODD AKA CANDYMAN . Milenko500.com . https://web.archive.org/web/20041026080825/http://www.milenko500.com/frame.htm . October 26, 2004 . dead.
  5. Web site: Candyman 4 . Upcoming Horror Movies . https://web.archive.org/web/20100302155521/http://www.upcominghorrormovies.com/movies/candyman4.php . March 2, 2010 . dead.
  6. Web site: Why Tony Todd Stopped 'Candyman vs. Leprechaun' Movie From Happening . Josh Millican . January 21, 2019 . Dread Central.
  7. Web site: CANDYMAN Teaser (2020) Nia DaCosta Puppet Video. YouTube.
  8. Web site: Candyman (1992). Box Office Mojo.
  9. Web site: Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995). Box Office Mojo.
  10. Web site: Rubin . Rebecca . August 25, 2021. 'Candyman' to Slash Box Office Competition . August 25, 2021. Variety.
  11. Web site: Candyman (2020). Box Office Mojo.
  12. Web site: Candyman. Rotten Tomatoes. January 29, 2024.
  13. Web site: Candyman Reviews . . July 18, 2020.
  14. Web site: Cinemascore . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ . 20 December 2018.
  15. Web site: Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh. Rotten Tomatoes. May 19, 2022.
  16. Web site: Candyman: Day of the Dead. Rotten Tomatoes. May 19, 2022.
  17. Web site: Candyman (2021) . . . January 29, 2024.
  18. Web site: Candyman (2021) Reviews . . . August 27, 2021.
  19. Web site: 'Candyman' Makes The Box Office Taste Good With $22M+ Opening . August 29, 2021 . Anthony . D'Alessandro . . getting a B CinemaScore, average for a genre pic, and a 72% positive score and 56% recommend on Comscore/Screen Engine’s PostTrak. . September 11, 2021.
  20. Asp. Jon. Philip Glass: 'Without terror, there's no learning' (EXCLUSIVE). January 31, 2014. Variety. https://archive.today/20181226223111/https://variety.com/2014/film/global/exclusive-interview-with-philip-glass-1201079824/. December 26, 2018. December 9, 2017. live.
  21. Web site: Tony Todd On His Career – From Candyman to VANish. IGN. 24 February 2015. YouTube.
  22. Web site: Did You Know There Was a 'Candyman' Board Game?!. Squires. John. 2017-08-21. Bloody Disgusting!. en-US. 2019-10-24.
  23. Web site: Candyman game. The Official Clive Barker Website - Revelations. live. https://web.archive.org/web/20060515052318/http://www.clivebarker.info:80/candygame.html . 2006-05-15 . 2019-10-24.