Candyman

 Candyman

"Did you hear the one about the girl who stood in front of her mirror? She says the name 'Candyman' five times, turns off the light, and switches it back on. The last thing she sees is a rusty hook! Don't believe it? Are you willing to try it?" 

Most urban legends originate somewhere in the history books or in the tales of folklore. But in some cases, they are focused purely on one location or area, and are unique to that place. Such is the case for the film “Candyman”, which is an interesting addition to the Urban Legend catalogue. 

Clive Barker is prominent for being one of the most original and influential writers of horror in the last forty years. If the name doesn’t ring a bell for you, perhaps the movie “Hellraiser” does? The one with Pinhead? Still not? That’s understandable. A quiet achiever in the realm of fiction, he doesn’t have the fame of say Stephen King, but Clive Barker does have the respect and admiration of his peer who is more widely known to the public. Clive Barker’s speciality with his storytelling, was tales of horror that were morbid, horrific and shocking in almost every regard. His stories are usually set on a smaller scale, but their impact is much bigger. 

One of his short stories, “The Forbidden”, was the inspiration behind Candyman. The short story follows a University Professor, as she investigates the graffiti that populates a housing commission area. In that search, she stumbles across something far more sinister. This was partly the set up for the film Candyman, which follows Helen (Virginia Madsen) as she and her colleague are working on their thesis on Urban Legends and Folklore. Based in Chicago, they set their sights on a dangerous and derelict hosing project in the Northern side of Chicago, called the Cabrini-Green. Anyone local knows not to venture there if they value their life, but Helen is determined to have something special for her thesis, so she can get published and make her mark in the academic world. 

Before going there, she hears about a murder that took place in the apartment building. Upon arriving, the place’s reputation far than exceeds itself, as gangs and drug dealers stand on every corner and in every stair well, doing everything they can to intimidate Helen from visiting. But she is persistent, and finds her way up into the now abandoned apartment of the murdered woman. With her camera, she takes pictures of the walls, which are covered in graffiti. But not just any old spray paint montage; rather images of a tall, dark man with a hook for a hand. 

After her visit, Helen soon hears the local legend of the Candyman, who all the locals at the housing project claim was the murdered, and still visits the area to kill anyone who says his name. But to say his name, you need to be standing in front of a mirror, and utter the words “Candyman” five times. He is then meant to appear behind you with his large, rusty hook and your life is over. Not believing this for herself, Helen and her colleague are joking around and decide to say his name. Unbeknownst to Helen, she has summoned the spirit of the man, who then stalks her, and targets those closest to her. 

Candyman was a breath of fresh air for the horror film genre in the early nineties. After the 1980’s was populated by the likes of Freddy Kruger and Jason chasing and killing dumb teenagers, Candyman is a scary movie made for adults; it’s intelligent, sophisticated and always one step ahead of you. There’s no way to predict where it’s going, as it’s protagonist is a multi-layered and complex character, and its villain is unlike any you’ve seen. The said villain, is played by actor Tony Todd. Now something of a icon in the horror genre (he plays The Mortician in the “Final Destination” franchise), Todd was an unknown actor in the early nineties. With his imposing height, deathly stare and raspy voice, the takes on the character of the Candyman with such malice and prowess, you won’t be able to take your eyes off him. Unlike any other horror icon seen on screen before, or since, he commands ever scene he’s in, and takes you on a dark, twisted journey into his world of death, and lust. 

As Candyman was a hit, it’s premise spawned its own urban legend. Where as the book didn’t mention the look-into-the-mirror twist, the movie scared the hell out of almost everyone who watched it, and very few dared to actually stand in front of their own bathroom mirror and say his name five times. This urban legend is also attributed to the story of Bloody Mary. That tale goes back well over a hundred years, with Bloody Mary being summoned in many ways. Her purpose was to tell young women if they will get married one day, or if they will die before that happens. Apparently, if you say Bloody Mary into the mirror three times, she is meant to appear behind you. 

I vaguely recall my older sister telling me about the Bloody Mary urban legend, long before I even saw Candyman, where that act is portrayed on screen. I was terrified at the thought of doing it, and didn’t go ahead with it. You see, I did believe in ghosts so assumed that anything was possible when it came to speaking to some spirit or spook. And I will also admit that I’ve never said “Candyman” into a mirror five times, and although I’m pretty sure nothing would happen, I’m still not game to try. 

What can I say? Some urban legends affect people more so than others. I never believed in the bogeyman, I’m not sure about Bigfoot, and I highly doubt there is a girl somewhere who has teeth “Down There”, but I will uphold my reserve and don’t plan to summon the Candyman or Bloody Mary into my life whatsoever. 

If you’re game, give it a try and let me know what happens – if you survive! 

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