CS Daily Archive > DVD of the Day > Candyman (Special Edition)

Postmodern, Socially Conscious, and Scary Too

by Jason Davis

Bernard Rose's treatment of Clive Barker's short story offers a chilling tale of fear and race that provides a strong social backbone for a movie fleshed out with genuine scares; the commentary makes this edition a valuable addition to any serious horror collection.

Candyman (Special Edition)

Bernard Rose (also directed)
Based on the short story "The Forbidden" by Clive Barker

Grad students Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) and Bernadette Walsh (Kasi Lemmons) are researching the urban legend of the Candyman, based on the story of an African-American man lynched for falling in love with a white woman. When Lyle discovers that an inner city gang leader is using this boogey man to scare the people of the housing projects he prowls, she causes his arrest and declares the Candyman to be nothing more than an invention. This revelation does not sit well with the real Candyman (Tony Todd), a sinister apparition who begins to influence Lyle's life while implicating her in violent murders.

Candyman is a horror film about horror films. As such, there is a self-reflective quality that will appeal to fans of postmodernism. The Candyman takes his power from fear; since fear is the basis of racism, the title character actually draws his existence from the very force that caused his demise. By staging the story as an exploration into urban legends, the movie creates a scenario wherein the boogey man is expected to be merely a product of superstition (as is the case in the less successful Urban Legend). To then reveal an actual supernatural entity, and in doing so, call into question the lead character's sanity, adds a new dimension to the proceedings. The myth is angry because it has been debunked and now it must re-assert itself to continue feeding on the fear of those who believe in it.

- Commentary with writer/director Rose, executive producer Barker, producer Alan Poul, and actors Tony Todd, Virginia Madsen, and Kasi Lemmons
- Clive Barker: Raising Hell featurette
- Sweets to the Sweet: The Candyman Mythos featurette
- Bernard Rose storyboards

The commentary is an engaging, if overpopulated, affair in which the participants betray their unwavering affection for the film. Much of the track is devoted to the script's adaptation from Barker's short story, as well as the racial subtexts to be found in Rose's take on the material. The actors offer excellent insights into their characters' psychologies, and Barker speaks at length on the metafictional nature of the piece. The Clive Barker bio examines the subject's storytelling endeavors across a variety of mediums, while giving a snapshot of the man's life. Unfortunately, the Sweets to the Sweet featurette seems to be complied from the same interview sessions from which the commentary was edited and thus features too much repetition.

A thoughtful horror film that makes social commentary while it scares is hard to come by. A DVD that does justice to such a genre classic is more so. While this presentation isn't perfect, it offers more than one would expect for a film that deserves a wider audience.

Candyman (Special Edition)

Columbia Tristar Home Video
Rated R; 99 min.

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At the age of 21, Jason Davis was hit in the face with a car. He has since devoted his life to writing. His words have appeared on TBS, MSN.com, and CS Daily, where he serves as DVD Coordinator. He lives in Burbank with his girlfriend, a plant, and a fish.

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