Movie a Day #16: Candyman

mdamien13 · September 10th, 2003, 09:51 AM

What can I say - this is the scariest movie I've ever seen, hands down.

Plot: Two graduate students looking for material for their thesis head to the Chicago ghetto of Cabrini Green to research the urban legend of the Candyman, a phantom with a hook for a hand who is said to attack and kill anybody who speaks his name five times into the mirror.

Absolutely love this one - so pissed off it hasn't received more love on DVD. For me, it was two things that made this work - Tony Todd as Candyman and the score from Phillip Glass (Academy Award nominated for The Hours). I know many people who were scared by this one and IMHO The Ring doesn't hold a candle to this one.

Chaplin · September 10th, 2003, 11:15 AM

Why does everyone compare horror movies to The Ring nowadays? True, they're both horror movies, but they are totally different in the type of horror they show. It's like comparing Friday the 13th with The Sixth Sense.

FischerKing · September 10th, 2003, 12:00 PM

I liked this movie a lot - it was good 'n scary.

This is one of those few, rare horror movies that has stuck with me.

Shawn

MadCardDisease · September 10th, 2003, 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chaplin
Why does everyone compare horror movies to The Ring nowadays? True, they're both horror movies, but they are totally different in the type of horror they show. It's like comparing Friday the 13th with The Sixth Sense.

When it comes to "Scary" movies I believe that they fall into two catagories. Horror flicks and Thrillers. Thrillers are decent movies that actually have an interesting story. Horror flicks are your classic slash 'em up B flicks with little or no plot. I believe the term Horror Flick came from the Greek term Horrible Flick.

mdamien13 · September 10th, 2003, 03:01 PM

Thrillers are what people call horror movies when they feel the word "horror" is a four-letter word. Unfortunately, I think horror has gotten a bad rap because everybody associates it with hockey masks and retarded teenage victims.

Candyman is a horror movie through-and-through. The title villain is a slasher first and foremost. He doesn't deliver any one-liners a la Freddy Krueger, but he does speak and when he does they sound effects they use on Tony Todd's already creepy voice is incredible. He takes obvious delight in his killings, and the filmmakers spare no gore in the process.

But I've heard people say that this is a thriller because it's actually scary, and it lacks the nubile young victims (although I'll take Virginia Madsen over most of the MTV generation any day) and the gratuitous sex. Bull. This is an example of what a horror movie should be and every genre has something to be ashamed of.

mdamien13 · September 10th, 2003, 03:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chaplin
Why does everyone compare horror movies to The Ring nowadays? True, they're both horror movies, but they are totally different in the type of horror they show.

It seems to me that everybody who thinks horror nowadays thinks "The Ring" because that's the most popular horror movie to come out recently and everybody says that it's the scariest one they've ever seen.

I thought "The Ring" was a good movie but I didn't think it was scary at all. I compare movies to "The Ring" to say that if you liked it, why not go check out these other horror films that could give you goosebumps?

Chaplin · September 10th, 2003, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mdamien13

I thought "The Ring" was a good movie but I didn't think it was scary at all. I compare movies to "The Ring" to say that if you liked it, why not go check out these other horror films that could give you goosebumps?

See, I'm the opposite. I would never say, "If you like The Ring, you'll like Candyman!"

I would be more prone to say, "If you like Hellraiser or Nightmare on Elm Street, then you'll like Candyman!"

It's like comparing apples to oranges. The Ring has more in common with the Others and Sixth Sense than to Candyman and Freddy vs. Jason.

As another example, would you compare Star Wars with Predator? They're both sci-fi...

mdamien13 · September 10th, 2003, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Chaplin
See, I'm the opposite. I would never say, "If you like The Ring, you'll like Candyman!"

I would be more prone to say, "If you like Hellraiser or Nightmare on Elm Street, then you'll like Candyman!"

It's like comparing apples to oranges. The Ring has more in common with the Others and Sixth Sense than to Candyman and Freddy vs. Jason.

As another example, would you compare Star Wars with Predator? They're both sci-fi...

Well, ya got me there.

Seems like the best way to split the genre would be psychological horror vs. physical horror. To this end, I believe that Candyman does both very well.

Chaplin · September 10th, 2003, 05:21 PM

I apologize, I'm arguing semantics and not even discussing the movie itself.

Mostly because I've never seen it.

But I think I'll try to.

Brian in Mesa · September 11th, 2003, 12:49 AM

mdamien,

Candyman is awesome.

Have you ever looked into a mirror and said "Candyman" 5 times?

Also - have you seen the sequel(s)?

mdamien13 · September 11th, 2003, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Brian in Mesa
Have you ever looked into a mirror and said "Candyman" 5 times?

Also - have you seen the sequel(s)?

I think I said the name 5 times once when I was younger but I'm not about to do it again anytime soon. Careful what you ask for, right?

As for the sequels, I thought the second one was okay. It kept some of the mood from the first one (mostly because Phillip Glass returned for the score) and I liked that they delved into the character of the Candyman more. Part 3 was just awful.

Movie a Day: Candyman