Random Ramblings

Back with Another Review!

Hello Blog. It's been a minute since I've returned to this uneven journal of mine. Since I've been on a film kick, I decided to type up my thoughts on the last movie I watched. With the advent of a new horror reboot, I opted to watch the original to refresh my spotty memory. And what a treat it was.

Candyman, starring Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen was an absolute treat. What is it about movies from previous decades that are so entrancing? Is it a worthwhile script? Excellent direction or just plain old powerful performances? Whatever it was, I felt totally hypnotized by the titular slasher as Candyman haunted the screen with his enigmatic presence.

I had no idea this movie was adapted from a Clive Barker story. Isn't it odd how we can happen across something in life's travels and uncover more connections related to it nearly instantly? There's a phenomenon for this exact scenario but I fear if I search for it my train of thought will be irreparably sidetracked. I'd just finished reading some of Barker's works and plan to indulge in more. Darkly poetic and rather Gothic in places. A perfect cocktail for a thrill chaser like myself. But I digress.

Candyman plays with some intriguing ideas, racial undertones, links between marginalization and crime, weaponizing fear, and the concept of immortality through storytelling. I loved the exploration of urban legends, which is how the shadowy killer hides in the darkness and perpetrates unspeakable acts against any who dare summon him.

The soundtrack, oh how it aids this moody tragedy. A fluting organ and almost monastic chanting give this an operatic feel. And the music box theme adds an eerie otherworldy vibe whenever it quietly creeps into the lingering shots of crumbling Chicago buildings. Great work by Philip Glass. I'm actually listening to it now, I'm a sucker for a lovely soundtrack.

Another thing about this movie (and most of Barker's works) is the romantic tones that seep into the horror. It is a twisted love story, of sorts. A bit like Phantom of the Opera, what with Candyman following Helen and persuading her to be his victim. He speaks in a darkly sensual manner, wooing her with promises of undying life and the exquisite feeling of her name being spoken in whispers and walking in the dreams of others.

While it is far from a perfect film, the highs more than compensate for the lows. Tony Todd's voice is a deep forbidding one that oozes into your ears as he commands you to believe in the legend. Once he speaks, you have no choice but to. Another great point is the practical effects which really make the gore and set pieces feel believable and visceral. I can't imagine how they managed to get those bees to behave. The finale was chillingly beautiful, when Candyman confronts his chosen victim for the last time.

All in all, simply marvelous. I couldn't have asked for a more haunting way to spend an hour and a half. I look forward to the newest offering with great anticipation and will let you all know what I took away from it.

I am the writing on the wall, the whisper in the classroom. Without these things, I am nothing. So now, I must shed innocent blood. What's blood for, if not for shedding? - Candyman