This new special edition re-release of Bernard Rose's CANDYMAN gives us an opportunity to re-examine this horror film that, despite two inferior sequels, has often fallen through the cracks of pop culture.
Based on a BOOKS OF BLOOD story by Clive Barker, CANDYMAN is the story of Chicago psychology student Helen Lyle (Chicago native Virginia Madsen). As she researches urban legends for her thesis, she learns of the Candyman legend, a demonic ghost with a huge hook hand who appears to kill whoever summons him.
Like Barker's HELLRAISER, CANDYMAN presents horror that requires the cooperation of the victim. In much the way vampires need an invitation to enter a dwelling; Candyman comes in answer to a summons when the curious look into a mirror and say his name five times. In this way, Barker and Rose play with the seductive nature of evil. It'd be easy to not invoke a demon that's likely to kill you in a horrible way, yet with each repetition of his name, saying it again becomes more inevitable.
Of course, Helen is too curious to avoid it, in the name of science if nothing else. But while tracing the legend to the Cabrini-Green high rise housing project, Helen finds that the legend has a basis in fact, and before long she learns firsthand that Candyman really exists. Ironically, as she grows closer to this monster, who seems to be drawing her toward him, she gets blamed for his crimes, and those around her think she's gone insane.
Though not a huge money maker in its original release, the legend of CANDYMAN has grown in urban legend fashion on home video. It's far too repellently bloody and disturbing to qualify as a "good time" horror feature, but none can deny its ability to frighten, and it seems to gain admirers every year, especially among Barker fans fed up with bastardized sequels. It's shock sequences work, but it's also about something, rather than the usual horror themes. It's impressive for being one of the few horror films to deal with racial issues without trying to be a "hip-hop" horror full of stereotypes. And then there's the whole sticky issue of being drawn to what we fear. It's a film that succeeds in pushing a lot of buttons.
Those fans have reason to celebrate this release, which should replace all previous video incarnations with a cleaned up transfer and extra goodies. A gang commentrak is assembled for the feature, with Madsen, Todd, Rose, Barker, actor Kasi Lemmons and producer Alan Poul all participating. With all the comments edited together, there isn't the kind of interaction between the participants and the film that can be so engaging, but this sort of interview-based commentrak can be pretty entertaining as well. Though Barker and Rose of course provide plenty of insight, it's Madsen who has the best stories getting hypnotized on the set by Rose, going shopping in bloody makeup, etc.
The same folks show up on screen for "Sweets for the Sweet", a 23-minute retrospective, which gives us extra insights and shows us that the actors haven't aged a bit in the last 12 years. A separate 10-minute featurette gives a thumbnail portrait of Barker and his work. There's also a gallery of Rose's storyboards for the film, and a selection of Columbia TriStar horror trailers.
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