Blu-ray Review: Candyman


It doesn’t matter what part of the world you’re in. if you keep your ear to the ground it’s likely that you’ll stumble across a local urban legend or two. These enigmas, mysteries or cautionary tales can often have some grounding in the truth but are also quite often used as a way of child-control. The Boogieman, for instance, has existed in many shapes and forms throughout history. In Bernard Rose’s 1992 film he took the shape of the titular Candyman.

Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) is a graduate student researching urban myths and legends. When she encounters the story of the Candyman (Tony Todd), who legend decrees can be summoned by reciting his name five times in-front of a mirror, Helen’s initially sceptical. However, when it’s claimed that a woman on the notorious Cabrini-Green housing project was killed by the mysterious boogieman, she’s determined to uncover the truth.

Candyman is an old-school slasher which uses a myth as its base to create a terrifying and gory modern fable. It’s surprisingly political about the social issues of the time and makes beautiful use of street art in its design. Rose cleverly allows viewers to use their imaginations instead of wallowing in the gore, creating a nightmarish figure of terror. What Candyman does so well is place an idea in your head. Are you brave enough to say his name five times?

Limited edition contents:

  • Brand new 2K restoration from a new 4K scan of the original negative supervised and approved by writer-director Bernard Rose and director of photography Anthony B. Richmond
  • 5.1 DTS-HD MA and Original Uncompressed Stereo 2.0 Audio
  • Optional English subtitles
  • Exclusive packaging featuring newly commissioned artwork by Gary Pullin
  • 6 Lobby Card reproductions
  • Reversible fold-out poster featuring two artworks
  • Fully illustrated collector s booklet featuring new writing on the film by festival programmer Michael Blyth
  • Limited Edition perfect-bound booklet reproducing the original hand-painted storyboards by Bernard Rose
  • Brand new audio commentary with writer-director Bernard Rose and actor Tony Todd
  • Brand new audio commentary with Stephen Jones and Kim Newman
  • Be My Victim a brand new interview with Tony Todd
  • It Was Always You, Helen a brand new interview with Virginia Madsen
  • The Writing on the Wall: The Production Design of Candyman a brand new interview with production designer Jane Ann Stewart
  • Forbidden Flesh: The Makeup FX of Candyman brand new interviews with special makeup effects artists Bob Keen, Gary J. Tunnicliffe and Mark Coulier
  • A Story to Tell: Clive Barker s The Forbidden writer Douglas E. Winter on Clive Barker s seminal Books of Blood and Candyman s source story, The Forbidden
  • Urban Legend: Unwrapping Candyman a critical analysis of the film with writers Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes
  • Theatrical Trailer
  • Three rarely-seen Bernard Rose short films, newly restored in HD: Looking at Alice (30 mins, 1978), A Bomb With No Name on It (3 mins, 1976), The Wreckers (5 mins)
  • Candyman is released on Blu-ray by Arrow Video on 29 October.

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