Why Is CANDYMAN So Messed Up???

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[@RyanHollinger]

*SUBSCRIBE or Candyman will mess you up!*

[@somerandolad]

Keep up the good work, Ryan!

[@WordUnheard]

I've been pressing you to watch/review Frailty for nearly a year now. I'll never giver up...unless you tell me to.

[@Shift_Salt]

"Be my subscriber!"

[@user-jn1wm3tb8v]

Ryan man... Ryan man... Ryan man... Ryan man... ... RYAN MAN.

[@lcmiracle]

Some say saying "Ryan Hollinger" to a mirror three times will alleviate the curse.

[@AllHailTheAnimeLover]

Fun Fact: the bees in his mouth were actual bees. They put something in the back of his throat so that the bees wouldn't go down it but yes, he had actual bees in his throat and got paid extra for it

[@animeotaku307]

I'd hope so!

[@tommyhill7645]

Tony Todd is a mad lad

[@jamstonjulian6947]

Well, obviously they're actual bees. That's the great thing about practical effects, you can actually see that they're real.

[@jules2581]

I heard he got an extra $1000 every bee sting he endured.

[@signeaarejrgensen61]

@@jules2581 Yes, I heard this too. Mad!! It does make for a totally original and unforgettable sight.

[@Parasaurolophusful]

I'm just looking for a guy who's emotionally available and not filled with bees.

[@VernulaUtUmbra]

I can't bee-lieve that would be hard to find.

[@BloodylocksBathory]

(screaming cackle and tea kettle laugh)

[@OrboTheOutlaw]

I guess you're looking for a HONEY whose pretty SWEET aswell?

[@meggy0]

Beeds or bees?

[@BloodylocksBathory]

@@OrboTheOutlaw Oh honey! Honnneeeyyyy.

[@Blast2224]

People watch Candyman thinking it’s just a cross between “The Hook” and “Bloody Mary”. But beneath the surface, it’s a story about how humanity creates its own horrors, and urban legends don’t just pop from nowhere. We also watch a young girl’s life crumble around her just because she was way too curious for her own good. Cabrini Green itself is a character; you can tear down buildings and put up shiny new ones but that doesn’t negate the anguish, pain, and anger that happened over it.

[@HorrorbleCWalt]

Are you Nia Da Costa? 😂

[@KrisBryant99]

@@HorrorbleCWalt that sounds like something she would say 😂

[@JTM_MACHINE]

Not to mention one of the coolest villain lines ever: “Be my victim...”

[@ChannelCzarovski]

bee my victim

[@heynae2016]

@@ChannelCzarovski (drum riff)

[@babyfirefly1842]

bee my victim 😳🐝💖

[@jackcounts7604]

"What is blood for, if not for shedding".

[@joshrzepka4139]

@@jackcounts7604 sweet to sweet

[@ekahnoman7331]

The craziest thing about this movie is that the goofy balding boyfriend cheats on the gorgeous Virginia Madsen.

[@KeikosLastSmile]

ekahnoman Totally. I thought the whole plain male professor cheating on his stunning intelligent young wife, and his arrogant friends deriding the two women for their thesis, was part of the same point regards their entitlement

[@jdogjohnson9038]

I don't see how he did that to her a woman as stunning as she was!

[@ekahnoman7331]

Yeah, my point had nothing to do with any "entitlement" nonsense. It was strictly about how attractive Virginia Madsen was in her prime. Plus how foolish and nonsensical it was for the boyfriend in the movie to cheat on her with an average looking college chick. That's like eating a delicious steak, but then spitting it out and having a ham sandwich instead.

[@ekahnoman7331]

@Kimmminem West "men do it everyday" 🤔Hmm... Don't see the word "common" in there.🤷

[@hidenname541]

@@ekahnoman7331 Well i mean, from his point of view his wife is a crazy psycho who has killed her best friend and kinapped a toddler so i guess he has some good reasons to leave

[@SmoothCriminal12]

Fun Fact: Eddie Murphy was the studio's first choice for the role of the Candyman but was gonna be too expensive to bring on so they went with Tony Todd.

[@noneyabusiness2569]

I'm glad they didn't go with Eddie. This actor was perfect for the role!

[@gwencere9383]

THANK GOD

[@BooneErica]

I think Eddie is too “comedic” to play candyman

[@iamthepapercraftfairy]

I can't even imagine him as candy man, Tony Todd was an amazing choice for this role. He did such a great job that it's hard to imagine anyone else playing the role besides him.

[@krisc2535]

That could have been a career changer for Eddie, I think the closest he got to a serious/nuanced performance was Vampire in Brooklyn.

[@Kari7]

Personally, Candyman reminded me of the Phantom of the Opera, a tragic figure, cast out by society, who is trying to lure an innocent woman into his darkness. Though in Erik's case, he realized the error of his ways in the end and let Christine go.

[@LostStarzOfTheSky]

I remember reading somewhere that the reason Tony Todd took the role is because he saw it as his own phantom of the opera, so the comparison fits!

[@SSSS-wq4vn]

LostStarzOfTheSky cool

[@sweetbabyboo5]

@@LostStarzOfTheSky Thank you for that information!

[@randomnameforarandomnerd8400]

that’s exactly what i said while watching it earlier today. i said it was a more tragic version and honestly it’s pretty accurate, but that makes the movie sound awful so ://

[@autumnphillips151]

You know, in the first film adaptation of _The Phantom of the Opera,_ the one from 1925, starring Lon Chaney, Erik was actually chased and killed by a mob like the Candyman was.

[@buffyVampslyr364]

Not having seen the movie, the idea of Helen being a reincarnation of Candyman's past lover combined with his being a rather charming villain reminds me a lot of Coppola's Dracula.

[@Xehanort10]

Well they both came out in 1992 with Candyman coming out first at a film festival in September before being released in America in October and Dracula in November. I didn't like the "Dracula's girlfriend killed herself after the Turks made her think he'd died in battle back when he was still Vlad the Impaler and she was reincarnated as Mina" story in the film. It took away from the evil monster Dracula is in the original Bram Stoker novel and some of its other adaptations to go "Oh he became a vampire because his girlfriend died and a priest said her soul was damned because she killed herself."

[@benkylo8015]

Candyman is the greatest urban myth ever created. The film is a 90s masterpiece!

[@memyselfandi2506]

fun (scary) fact candyman is likely based on a REAL PERSON who is still around today. purple aki is a huge black guy from the toxteth area of liverpool (like in clive barkers original story) look him up. every child in liverpool grew up being told "PURPLE AKI'S GOING TO GET YOU" kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZ6Td4SDpJ1ofa8

[@lastemperor3618]

I knew here will be at least one idiot claiming hes actually real 😂

[@memyselfandi2506]

@@lastemperor3618 🤣sorry but you’re the idiot for thinking i claimed he was real. I said “likely based” which means something TOTALLY different. I’m not claiming there’s a ghost out there with a hook who’ll get u if u say his name 5 times. 🤪 I’m pointing out the similarities between Clive baker’s original story and urban legend of purple Aki. Moreover I even gave a link for people to look him up themselves🤦‍♂️

[@BBBVVV86]

Agreed.

[@HeatherHolt]

Tony Todd is a masterpiece in himself

[@TechnicJunglist]

I got to meet him. Both very tall & very nice

[@jacquelinevirgil4082]

He's an incredible actor, and brings gravitas and charisma to every role I've seen him in, large or small. It's a real shame he never seemed to ascend past B-movie roles and bit parts in TV shows because he is far more talented than many A-list actors. I would even go so far as to rank him alongside Daniel Day-Lewis and Christian Bale in terms of acting ability. I wonder if the reason he never managed to get a leading role in an acclaimed film is because of his race, considering Hollywood's aversion to casting black men in leading parts outside of typical schlock fare and occasional biopic.

[@veronicaaccouche1478]

Tony Todd is one of the best known and loved horror film actors. I'd watch a film if he was in it.

[@HeatherHolt]

TechnicJunglist I’m jealous!! But that’s great to hear; he seems incredibly sincere

[@HeatherHolt]

Jacqueline Cawthorne I couldn’t agree more and as much as I hate to admit it I do believe him not getting more leading roles in bigger budget (and non horror) movies could have been because though it wasn’t that long ago, race still did play a rather large role in Hollywood. Seeing as there are only a handful of black men who were able to obtain leading roles that weren’t genre based. Like Eddie Murphy in comedies, tony Todd in horror, there was at least Denzel Washington and Morgan freeman making waves in different types of movies. Long story short, we all were truly robbed of what could have been tons of amazing performances from the man Tony Todd 😡

[@doju5505]

Wait wasn't his main reason for choosing Helen because she widely tried to make his legend seem to be not real, and therefore he chose her to revive the legend that is the Candyman

[@niko326]

yeah

[@aimeem]

And she did say his name the required number of times, with her friend in the beginning of the movie

[@jeffnelson23]

Yes this is always been the theory to which I’ve subscribed. He even tells her such twice during the movie at separate times, the first being “No, no, but you doubted me...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.” And then in her apartment, “Your disbelief destroys the faith of my congregation. Without them I am nothing, so I was obliged to come. And now, I must kill you. Your death will be a tale to frighten children, to make lovers cling closer in their rapture...”. So most primarily Candyman definitely pursued her to reestablish his legend which she was debunking, effectively intending to make an example out of her. You can get further into it, like other motives involving love and even yearning for an immortal family (for example Candyman had all three of them - himself, Helen, and baby Anthony - in the bonfire and was planning on all three of them dying together), but I’d say reviving his legend that’s the main reason 👍🏼👍🏼🐝

[@kevin_ramirez2529]

Jeff Nelson nice one man, that is exactly what I got out of it. I hope the new reboot takes this direction and Candyman has just sort of been dormant but now getting reawakened.

[@guitarman0365]

@@kevin_ramirez2529 it's a direct sequel. The same woman in this film is in the new one and that little baby is all grown up and candyman comes back for him and possess him from the looks of the trailer he becomes the killer and is being used by candyman.

[@ariellakahan-harth8831]

I recently rewatched 'Candyman' a few weeks ago, and it's become one of my favorite horror films. I find Candyman to be one of the most human horror villains, despite his status as an urban legend -- his backstory mixed with Tony Todd's mesmerizing performance is what does it.

[@TheTroutyness]

Ariella Kahan-Harth He seems so profoundly sad. Which he should be.

[@manabluerose]

Honestly, Tony Todd's performance for this role was so perfectly chosen. I can't imagine any other actor.

[@jerr7670]

That first time he says Helen gave me and my friends chills.

[@shoesncheese]

Same. That and "be my victim."

[@jaybutler24]

Being a black man living in China I feel like Candyman when I'm walking about, the way people stare. It's all good because I use Express VPN to escape and watch KZbin :D

[@Quasarii]

Hah, hows china?

[@guitarlawyer75]

Just use a mask and be careful with coronavirus

[@babyboomer6272]

Did the Coronavirus hit where you live?

[@getoffmygrass4857]

That makes sense in china, but try going to a liberal white community and you can feel the hate engulfing you like flames.

[@tinishamccroskey7752]

Lived there in 2010 and yes the staring was...rough 😞

[@RyanFromUltrasound]

The Candy Man's gotta be the sexiest slasher villain.

[@endlessness]

RyanFromUltrasound yeah.

[@neildennis7294]

I guess you want to be his victim, huh?

[@bjp4869]

That depends on what movies You think Count as slashers

[@RyanFromUltrasound]

@@neildennis7294 Candy Man Candy Man Candy Man

[@JoshuaKimbrough]

@@RyanFromUltrasound its five times not three and you have to do it in mirror

[@mickyjoe97]

Tony Todd's entrance in this movie is unforgettable. Every now and again i'll just hear "Heelllennnnn" in my head and get super disturbed.

[@erinjean6936]

The 'child castrated in a public restroom' thing was an urban legend that went around when I was a kid. I remember my mom being afraid to let my brother go to the bathroom because rumors were going around about child predators who would do that to kids. That's probably where that came from.

[@chrisallenmax]

Erin Jean it was also in the Clive Barker story

[@Louma034]

Till this day i never had the courage to say Candyman 5 times in the mirror.

[@tiffanylyons4474]

Louma034 me too! Don’t do it!

[@willj5116]

Me either😂😂😂

[@Goldarlives]

No one can

[@eazyj2888]

I Did It Earlier Today!🤣💯..AND BLOODY MARY!

[@eazyj2888]

@@Goldarlives And That’s Where You’re Wrong!..Cuz I Did It!🤣💯

[@TheSteakJustice]

Candyman is great, but greatly underappreciated, and I'm glad I'm seeing more people talk about it this year, the way that I'm seeing people talk about Exorcist III. Thanks for giving it a chance.

[@Smokeone44]

It being on netflix now will help it more

[@tiffanylyons4474]

Excellent comment. The movie is being discussed inside academia particularly in terms of the effects of urban decay/ gentrification, race, identity, and the power and allure of the modern myth or legend. Great gem of a movie!

[@beesafesweetheart8738]

Jordan Peele remake coming soon

[@Pippa87]

@@beesafesweetheart8738 I went out to buy the original in preparation for Peeles take: I’m excited to see it!

[@jwnj9716]

It's such a dark & eerie movie. I remember returning the VHS because I was too scared, silly me. And the score by Philip Glass makes it even more creepy. Part 2 is all right, at least you have a great track "All Falls Apart". Just skip part 3, trust me.

[@maria.whiddon]

Oh yes. The score was great. Nice to see someone showing love for it.

[@nahidafama7706]

Jw Nj...That film was very terrifying when i was a kid...i had nightmares & still gives me shivers even now.

[@randomnameforarandomnerd8400]

the score is honestly one of my favorite aspects of the film and i just have to mention that it’s also one of my favorite scores.

[@BlasianLynn]

Same. When i was a kid i went insane just listening to my mom watch this movie. It terrified me. As an adult, i LOVE this movie and it STILL terrifies me

[@Xehanort10]

7:14 I think Candyman let the gangster who was using his name keep doing it because it kept belief in him going but that guy getting arrested caused Candyman to take matters into his own hands and prove his existence to Helen or else he'd cease to exist.

[@pinkdolly]

This movie literally makes me shake with nervousness as I witness Helen become an innocent victim. Overnight she goes from intelligent, respectable grad student to a suspected murderer who suddenly, nobody believes. The psychological horror in this movie really, really gets in my head, and it’s so exciting to get such a visceral reaction from a horror film. My friends say the scary movies I love aren’t even scary, but I am just moved far more by psychological horror (putting myself in the characters’ shoes) than visual horror

[@InuMiroLover]

I managed to meet Tony Todd at a convention a few years ago and despite him being such a great guy, physically is just so BIG AND IMPOSING! Maybe its because I kept thinking "OMG IM LITERALLY TALKING TO CANDYMAN THIS IS AMAZING BUT I THINK IM ABOUT TO DIE" 10/10 would meet him again. Anyway, there is literally no other movie so far that messes me up like Candyman does. I cannot watch it alone anymore, there are certain scenes I JUST CANT WATCH (the boy's castration and Bernadette's death) and I need to watch a whole bunch of cute happy cartoons as a bit of palate cleanser immediately afterward. And this is coming from someone who will watch the entire Saw series in one sitting and not even blink. I am a little bit worried about the reboot that's supposedly coming, especially since the Candyman sequels were less than subpar. (the 2nd imo was meh, the 3rd I didnt even finish it was so lousy). Im really hoping Jordan Peele gives it justice. I want to be filled with that same psychological terror that the original always gives me.

[@dominiquejones3805]

I saw Flesh of My Flesh 1st actually when i was 9 & that scared me but on the typical level. So my dad rented the 1st 4 me the next day & it shook me 2 my core. Im 35 now & wont say Candyman 5× n the mirror

[@SHiTJuFro743]

"grotesque splatter flick?" I mean, there's some gore, but there's like 3 deaths in the whole movie with all but one kill off-screen. The movie succeeds for its exceptional utilization of tension and mystery, the wild twists and hypnotic antagonist. The sound, set, and villain design are great. The movie is more than competently shot and composed, and supported by a great score. I don't know, I hope anyone who reads this takes the opportunity to watch one night and judge for themselves. I was very pleasantly surprised by its quality.

[@naivenitara]

The death if that kid in the bathroom made me terrified of public bathrooms for six years 😳🐝

[@bknighttheemo8756]

Nitara Jones same I swear that was the scariest thing that I’ve ever kinda seen since they don’t exactly show it but it was implied and I literally was also already bit terrified of mirrors but this sealed it lol 😭 this scene and other scenes makes me want to watch it again. The other two candyman movies don’t give it the best look the first one though is gold ahh so terrifying and nostalgic.

[@noneyabusiness2569]

Same, this made me not wanna use public restrooms for years😂😂😂

[@caldw615]

Wait till you see Trainspotting

[@Ayugeti]

He didn't die. He got his dick cut off and "candyman" left it floating in the toilet. Now I put it in quotes because it's implied it was the gang members with them coming in the bathroom after Helen.

[@leannakekai162]

It’s just too cruel for me. An innocent little mentally disabled boy. I love this movie. I just hate that part. I didn’t like it when I was a kid but after having kids it bothers me more. It goes with the part of the story about the gang members, but I wish I could scrub it from my copy.

[@MichaelSmith-zw5fu]

The first time I ever flew by myself, the only other passenger on the tiny plane was Tony Todd. I was actually frightened.

[@Azelkiel56]

No way! I would probably shit myself 😂😂

[@HadalStreetlights]

ive heard he's lovely

[@yellaboy2617]

I've always thought that Candyman's name was a reference to the bees....bees make honey, and honey (like candy) is sweet

[@Spookybluelights]

Clive Barker's work reads as a lot more interesting when you look at it from the perspective of being a gay man in the 70's-90's. Hellraiser and Candyman are especially great at this. Candyman is as much a romance as it is a horror movie. That's what Clive Barker does really well, he makes the things most dangerous to us seem irresistibly romantic and sexually desirable, because for gay men (at the time at least) that was their reality. It's why in the original Hellraiser movie, the Cenobites are only the arbiters of punishment and not the actual villains.

[@libertatemadvocatus1797]

I have read the original story. Candyman only appears at the end of the story and he basically looks like a homeless version of Edward Scissorhands.

[@alexaproffitt4640]

Clive Barker’s has great skill for taking bits and pieces of existing mythologies and making them his own. He managed to humanize his “villains” through their (often tragic) backstories- which is something that definitely elevated his work compared to a lot of other horror.

[@HadalStreetlights]

it's why the cenobites are also sexy demon leather parents. clive barker may hate being compared to lovecraft, but i do it anyway because theyre opposite sides of a coin of transgression. Lovecraft was a repressed little coward, while Barker's got big brass. . . courage, and is kinky as hell (ofc it's intended) Barker is underappreciated. He's like the Alan Moore of the Lovecraftian current, and considering Alan Moore is also in this current, that's a big mark of honor, imo.

[@whiteeye9584]

how being gay in 80s and 90s and you look way into stoholm syndrom horror

[@crazedfaeiry623]

You hit the nail on its head! I love the breakdown you did of this cult classic. Its not a normal slasher or psychological horror. But a mix of the two. With social ideals and urban legend tide in. That makes for a great experience, if you keep your mind open.

[@themoon-iy1kg]

The scene where Helen climbs through The painting of Candymans mouth. I think that has to do with how whites sexualize and perceive black men.(Emmett Till). After watching for the first time the friends I had watched it with said it has nothing to do with American f/m race relations. I disagree! The very reason Candyman was killed was his relationship with a white female. The more I reflect this movie covers so much ground the original short story may not. Race. Class. Religion and academia. Gentrification. My favorite scene is when Helen haunts and kills her ex husband

[@SSSS-wq4vn]

the moon My favorite scene as well. The director actually met with the NAACP to make sure it wasn’t an offensive but, they didn’t care because it’s just a movie and felt why not have a lead of a horror movie be blk. I guess they didn’t watch it first. Cause it’s a hella lot more then that. White Savior Blk Stereotyping Blk man lusting after White woman And many more.

[@LuffyBlack]

This. I felt like the real themes of the movie were sanitized in this video. Candyman at its core is about Race.

[@user-ui7jw8ow4f]

2020 Candyman would go after internet posters who say “This.” in response to posts they agree with.

[@trequor]

@@LuffyBlack What if I told you that not every film featuring black people is about race?

[@stickynutjuicemoved959]

I was watching this out of the corner of my eye and when Clive Barker showed up at 0:34 in the same setup that Ryan uses when he films himself talking, my brain decided it was Ryan and I was like "Jesus Christ what the hell happened to him? Get some sleep man"

[@1nelsondj]

This is my favorite horror movie and I own hundreds of them. It's so mythic, unique and timeless. I love the opening camera shot of the city, looking straight down on the building tops, flying in a straight line. I've seen it copied but never saw it before this film. Also Virginia Madsen is amazing, she was actually hypnotized for some scenes in the film. And I've read a lot of Clive Barker's books, he's very adept at crafting worlds the reader gets to enter. He abandoned the genre after a while though.

[@Jramos93]

After rewatching this film, I have regarded it as a favorite of mine. Its actually very sophisticated in that it actually delves into gentrification and socioeconomic disparity that people acknowledge their desperate situation this producing modern folklore aka (urban legends) Also, all the murders that happened previously were that caused by a gang banged that was also known as Candyman. Helen was lucky enough to have not been killed by them when she was investigating the genital mutilation of a child. Since she was able to identify the assailants, she actually did stop the urban legends since the incidents related to this "Candyman" were crimes committed by a gang. However, she inadvertently triggered the summoning of the actual ghost one she made her findings public. Also, since she made it out of the fire without the public seeing the Candyman....it's safe to say she did take power away from Candyman and made herself the legend instead.

[@Nocturnalux]

I rewatched it just now and the gentrification issue really resonated with me as it's not something one sees covered in horror (not even now, let alone in the 90's). The way Helen's amazing apartment- with the beautiful bookshelves artistically rendered and the wide panoramic view- literally mirrors the ruins of the Projects gave me shivers. Honestly, that alone is scary on a whole new level.

[@themoon-iy1kg]

Awesome comment! Thanks for sharing. The friends I watched this movie with didn’t get it AT ALL. They insist I’m looking too deeply lol

[@Jramos93]

@@Nocturnalux I agree, and you know what the most disgusting thing is? People will literally up the housing market in these said projects to get the more wealthier population moved in. Thus displacing the low income population to area far far worse and with little to no resources to help the living situations.

[@Jramos93]

@@themoon-iy1kg of course!

[@Nocturnalux]

@@Jramos93 This reminds me how the very rich are already stocking up on prime real estate in Detroit. They're waiting for the city to back around and then will re-sell housing developments for such an exorbitant price that the original population will not be able to afford it and will be forced to move. It's not a bug, it's a feature: the very rich make money out of more rich people and at the same time push the poorer- read, 'non-white'- into even more dismal living situations so that they won't be an eyesore.

[@jadejohnson7740]

I have to thoroughly disagree with your impression of Clive Barker, see: Hellraiser

[@Scarshadow666]

The only other character that I can think that is somewhat similar to Candyman is some semi-romantic villains like the Phantom of the Opera (depending on which version of the Phantom you're watching or reading). Not my original idea as I think I've seen James Rolfe compare Candyman to the Phantom in his Monster Madness series, though I would also say that he reminds me of Gary Oldman's version of Dracula because of the "reincarnated lover" trope.

[@hansenriquez1810]

That kid getting castrated is a pretty famous urban legend if I remember correctly.

[@fslayer1290]

That part scarred me soooooooo badly when I first saw Candyman. I was 12 or 13.

[@iamthepapercraftfairy]

Oh wow didn't know that one

[@Jramos93]

Yeah, that scene really fucking messed with me. Like I was maybe 6 or 7 when I saw that scene. My parents were irresponsible....

[@jaycievictory8461]

I am not good with horror films. I generally avoid them cos I get way too caught up in them and end up traumatised. I ended up catching Candy Man as a teenager while babysitting in a big, dark house alone. I kept channel hopping and periodically muting to take the sting out of it. Fun fact: it still scared the absolute crap out of me.

[@caitlinbrewer4843]

Let it be on record that if I'm going to be killed by a ghost, I'd like it to be a well dressed on.

[@drearydancer]

I always felt sorry for Candyman. He was a good guy turned bad. :(

[@kristengall45]

Honest to god, this movie traumatized me. My mom let me watch it when I was WAY too young to be watching it, and now i’m terrified of bees. Like to the point if I simply hear the buzzing I’m screaming.

[@jrdatrackstar]

Kristen Galloway same, was way too young when I watched this and I’m just now getting to the point where I can finish it as a grown 32 year old man.

[@SSSS-wq4vn]

Kristen Galloway I watched it at a very young age but, I was just scared of mirrors. I really thought he was going to jump out.

[@winterlynn9012]

I also saw it way too young as my mom and older brothers were always renting horror movies and when this was first available for rent I was excited since there was a lot of hype about it being really scary. The scene where Helen wakes up covered in pools of blood in Ann Marie's apartment where she finds herself holding a meat cleaver and the decapitated dog is lying on the floor while Ann Marie is screaming about the missing baby traumatized me as did the scene of the castrated boy in the housing projects bathroom. After awhile those were the only 2 scenes I really could recall so I checked it out as an adult hoping it didn't turn out to be something ridiculously cheesy like a lot of the horror that scared me as a child and I holy shit I think this one actually disturbed me more at age 29 than it did at age 8. The atmosphere and use of the housing projects really gives it a different feel. The psychological horror frightened me more than the blood and gore since as an adult I was able to understand it far better than when I was a child. Great movie and even now at age 36 it still disturbs me.

[@nataliebell8872]

My parents made me watch it when I was 5 years old and I had to cover my eyes during the whole movie but I still was traumatized by the sounds of when people died in the movie.

[@anitaknight3915]

@@winterlynn9012 Same here! I'm 31 now and thought I'd rewatch it recently to see how I would react now as an adult. You're so right about it's a psychological terror that affects you not the blood and gore.

[@chris7921]

The story was originally meant to be based in Liverpool, England and that’s why the original 1992 film had the bonfire scene, as most Brits celebrate Guy Fawkes night.

[@literosexual6541]

Between this and the kill count I feel like the universe is telling me to watch this film. (Also I'm obsessed with Clive Barker his Abarat book series is one of the most underrated book series ever published)

[@blahthebiste7924]

I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO REMEMBER THE NAME OF ABARAT FOR LITERAL YEARS, THANK YOU

[@LuffyBlack]

Watch it. It's such an amazing movie

[@polteageists]

Ah, I remember watching this film for the first time. And I especially remember Tony Todd’s dulcet tones blowing out my TV speakers.

[@bantabury]

Had to lower the bass on my TV and the speakers were still having a fit. God bless that man's amazing voice.

[@bettschwere]

i never really got how people could be attracted to the killer in slasher films until i watched candyman. the guy is just so weirdly charming and sexy.

[@trolltoll2825]

I watched this movie for the first time with my dad a few days ago. So glad to see you talk about it!

[@TheRPGChick]

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. COME WITH ME...

[@samanthahurst5806]

I remember a kid on the bus telling me the story of Candyman when I was in elementary school. I never saw the actual film until a few weeks ago and completely loved it. Still, I found myself absentmindedly saying his name in the mirror a few days later and stopped myself after 4, just to be safe.

[@bplummer1994]

Samantha Hurst same l just watched it today and l like the aspects of it.. l would never say it the mirror though 🥴

[@dorksouls978]

Read The Books of Blood, Weaveworld and Imajica. They are three of the most important, glorious and downright scary works of British horror/fantasy.

[@christiandaugherty6339]

I'd also recommend 'the damnation game', which might be my favourite, and 'the great and secret show'/'Everville'.

[@NoirFan84]

One of the best horror films of the early 90's. But then there wasn't many good horror films released around that period anyway so there wasn't much in the way of competition.

[@WobblesandBean]

This is one of my favorite horror movies, and the very first one I ever saw. 💜 Tony Todd's performance was just...mmm. And I thought it was kinda obvious why he chose her, she attempted to de-mystify his legend, and when she "revealed" her attacker as Candyman, the people of Cabrini Green stopped fearing him. Also, I wish you had "gotten bogged down by the historical context", because it's the entire focus of the film. It's a very important part of americana, especially how the nation treats its most disenfranchised.

[@UntilYouAreSoNude]

Every story in Books of Blood rules, I wish more got decent adaptations like Candyman.

[@dejanbgdbhoy]

its the only decent adaptation of BoB stories

[@allanmax2141]

Can we get the SUSPIRIA REMAKE covered?

[@Alex-zm1qv]

allan max Yesss I second this

[@riks081]

It was arse.

[@kimwoo9542]

yes!

[@rowecofilms6788]

God that was disappointing

[@Justinrombough]

Yessss

[@thefanwithoutaface8105]

A movie that even to this day still creeps me the hell out.

[@NewSkinSuit]

I love Clive Barker so much. I’d love to see Ryan look at Nightbreed.

[@godthesonthomas]

Just watched this yesterday my guy 🤔. When I was younger, this was just a horror movie but, when i washed it again (yesterday), this movie made me sad. As a black man in America, I can fully relate 😔.

[@eazyj2888]

Watched**..But FACTS!😪🤦🏾‍♂️

[@azhash3]

This movie is magical, i love that nothing out there feels exactly like it

[@eazyj2888]

FACTS!..No Movie Gives Me Chills Like Candyman Does....

[@michaelcollazo7911]

candyman is the only horror icon to be a pimp and boss who literally runs the complex he haunts through psychological and metaphysical methods. very underrated horror movie villain.

[@krisc2535]

I love Candyman for it's urban grittiness and how folklore is woven into modern, inner city surroundings. A nice change from white picket-fenced suburban horror. "You take power away from what you fear by simply not giving it the attention it desperately craves which, let's face it, is very reminiscent of today's saturation of opinions and noise" Yes!

[@tituslafrombois1164]

This was an amazing video! I love how you're able to analyze social messages in film without getting overly divisive and turning it into a platform to talk about how much you hate this or that group, while not sacrificing your analysis for the sake of being uncontroversial. You expose just enough of the messaging in the film for your audience to draw their own conclusions on what "the bad guy" the film is targeting really is. It's not necessarily centrism or fence-sitting, but simply removing personal bias to create a more diverse analysis anyone can see value in. I recommend you watch one of Ken Russell's films soon, Altered States is easy to get ahold of and an is absolute madhouse trip into existential dread about the collective unconscious of humanity and the secrets within ourselves that are better left untouched, and The Devils, while much harder to get a hold of (you may have to go some less than legal routes considering how little it's been released due to censorship) is an amazing multilayered nightmare about the last standing city of Loudun in 1630s France and how obsession and the repressive ways of the time can lead to chaos spiraling far out of anyone's ability to manage. Amazing films that have surprisingly little discussion here on KZbin!

[@DuelaDent52]

You doubted the quality of Candyman, Ryan. Now he must shed innocent blood. Be his victim, Ryan.

[@BulletTooth504]

7:01 Bernard Rose didn't come up with that one. It was in The Forbidden. Barker came up with that one.

[@Wolfflow500]

Just so everyone knows nord vpn got hacked a few days ago. Express vpn didnt

[@kadesjunkdrawer2233]

Wolfflow500 (this post was made by the express vpn gang)

[@deadlymonarch9793]

I remember seeing this movie when I was child and it terrified me, it’s weird seeing it make a resurgence

[@lucyholmes4830]

I honestly love you, I love hearing you talk! I'm Northern Irish so it's comforting to hear XD such a huge fan of all your videos, including this~

[@bantabury]

It's unfortunately such an underrated accent, when most think of the Irish (whether republic or northern), they imagine the whole "top of the mornin'" lucky charms accent. I personally love the Northern Irish accent, specially around Belfast or London/Derry (split just incase you have a preference, I know it's a bit touchy of a subject for some...not saying it is for you just...covering my arse lol).

[@lucyholmes4830]

@@bantabury I understand! Accents are different for everyone, honestly!! It's just nice to hear someone close to home instead of the rather saturated American KZbin accent. (No offence, just a preference XD) I love Ryan, even if sometimes I get a little lost.. He uses big words, but he expands my thoughts!! ✨ ✨

[@bantabury]

@@lucyholmes4830 No worries about offending me haha, I'm just across the water from you in sunny old England land. It is nice to hear someone who isn't just generic American No. 212 :) And yeah I get a little lost too haha

[@benjaminwilliams8030]

I was honestly so unnerved watching Candyman. The score and just the way the movie was shot made me feel so uneasy. It’s truly a great movie, but I don’t know if I would ever watch it again!

[@TiffanyRay]

The score of the film was so beautiful and chilling at the same time

[@SuperSara924]

Candyman was the first movie I’ve watched in years where I had to briefly stop watching and calm down.

[@theartist8291]

The sad thing is that we dont get movies like this no more, everything is so generic🙄

[@Blast2224]

Jordan Peele’s work on the new Candyman should do it justice.

[@eazyj2888]

@@Blast2224 True Shit!🙌🏾💯

[@Blast2224]

@Anthony Lopez No I agree. They both failed us with the reboot.

[@igotthepower2056]

Saw the kill count episode for this movie recently on the Dead Meat channel, so needless to say I am sooososo excited to see you talk about it (also Tony Todd is awesome)!!

[@myronsanders4563]

Fun Fact: The Calabrini-Green in Projects in Chicago was also the location for the 70s Sitcom "Good Times"

[@eazyj2888]

It’s Cabrini**..And Good Times Was Filmed On A Soundstage..But Yes..The Exterior Shots Of The Show Were Indeed Cabrini Green....

[@memyselfandi2506]

fun (scary) fact candyman is likely based on a REAL PERSON who is still around today. purple aki is a huge black guy from the toxteth area of liverpool (like in clive barkers original story) look him up. every child in liverpool grew up being told "PURPLE AKI'S GOING TO GET YOU" kzbin.info/www/bejne/rZ6Td4SDpJ1ofa8

[@SuperDracula1992]

for me its one of the best horrors of the 90s like "jacob's ladder"

[@Firegen1]

Ryan Ryan Ryan Ryan Ryan Ping *new video* Hmm now how do I get Deadpool out of my house?

[@vicktaru]

As someone from New York City housing projects this was the only horror film I watched as a child that felt 'real' to me. I don't know why so much horror is suburban. There are a lot of us who lived in the city proper.

[@scare_duardo]

I just watched this! Super excited to hear your take!

[@jamesperry9197]

one of my favorites. if you read these heres a sweet list to check out if you havnt seen them - Ichi The Killer - The Beyond (the lucio fulci one) - The Hills Run Red - Martyrs - District 9 (not really horror but i'd love to see your thoughts. plus its a solid film) - The Jacket (same) unrelated, but that was a sweet segway into your sponsor lol

[@PROGCANAL]

District 9 is one of my favorite sci fi movie a really underrated movie

[@NoirFan84]

Ichi The Killer is not really a horror film either.

[@PROGCANAL]

@@NoirFan84 yes it is ...

[@NoirFan84]

@@PROGCANAL No, it really isn't. Just because it's extremely violent does not place in within the horror genre. It's a crime-thriller.

[@PROGCANAL]

@@NoirFan84 thriller can be put in the zone of horror movies like horror movies can be in the category of thriller , Ichi is a mix of both too have a lot of tension,thriller and crime stuff mixed with psycho horror and body horror, ask for everyone and they would say this is a crime thriller with a lot of horror momements

[@jarshall2]

I watched the sequels for the first time this month. Please ignore them, there’s literally nothing of value.

[@neurts]

This is going to be one hell of a nostalgic trip to go on

[@amethystrain2513]

It really was!

[@spikezilla54]

Here's the reason behind the hook my dude. His right hand. That was the tool along side his paint brush. The skill and talent crafted by that hand granted him the recognition as well as the adoration of those around him. Even some amount of respect. His hand could have been left as a lopped off stump but the people knew what they were doing in replacing it with a hook. It was to say "we're going to take away the thing that made you who you were. Not only can you no longer pick up a brush to paint with but you will sit with this object that wouldn't serve you in any way". Thus the hook was a disrespect and mockery on him. It's much the same as someone cutting the wings off a bird and replacing them with door knobs. It can't even use them in a prosthetic way nor could it do the very thing birds are known for which is flight. As a matter of fact this goes much deeper as with candyman trying to uphold the fear and the myth about him it's very much like he's trying to reclaim his recognition just the same as he tries to reclaim helen and the baby as the family he lost in life.

[@kronkydoink6144]

Love listening to your videos while I draw! Big fan of the horror genre as well

[@21centuryg]

I watched this movie stoned one night and it was the craziest tragic experience I've ever seen

[@firestarter6488]

*Insert Cage Bee meme here*

[@Ablelom1990]

Aaaah not the eyes, theyre in my bees

[@galleryofrogues]

Philip Glass claims he got tricked into doing the soundtrack for Candyman. Needless to say, he did an amazing job.

[@chanelmontgomery3477]

Do a video on both versions of Suspiria!

[@mattgilbert7347]

Hell yes! Red Letter Media did it, but I'd like to hear RH's take.

[@nlabonte]

I actually saw this film for the first time in over a decade recently when my local arthouse theatre held a late night screening. For the first third/half of the movie, I was thinking to myself: "This movie is pretty good so far. Why have I not watched it for so long?" Then we got to the scene in the parking garage where Candyman creepily says "Heeeeleeeen..." and she responded with an overly enthusiastic "Yes?" and the whole theater (including me) burst into laughter. And then I thought, "Oh... *that's* why..." I can't really recall a semi-serious horror movie taking such a hard left turn into schlock territory that fast.

[@shamblepants1450]

I was honoured to see this film at a special pre-screening with a room full of reviewers. It was electrifying - by the end of the movie, many were counting the 'Helen's' being said into the mirror. Very kewl. Do not see the sequel(s? Are there more than one? Ugh!) I do recommend 'The Midnight Meat Train', also based on a Clive Barker book. It's a bit of a surprise.

[@AvgJane19]

Thx for sharing, this was actually an interesting comment.

[@mostlymattmostly6424]

Love me some Clive Barker, especially his short stories

[@TenereAMir]

He's a great character because you feel sympathy for him despite the fact he's now a ghost version of a serial killer.

[@Artcaneon]

0:49 Bro..., really? For real?

[@demeterwalkins5284]

Candyman is probably one of my favourite horror films of all time. It has such a good storyline with so much context that’s needs to be read into. I recommend it to anyone who’s looking

[@timdornaus]

freakin love this movie and especially its urban setting

[@GrayAcre]

As a child, Candyman was the only movie that scared the ever living shit out of me.

[@burnfornever9292]

Imagine talking shit about Clive Barker after admitting Donnie Darko is your favorite movie

[@innovade7887]

What do these things have in common?

[@El-Gato69]

Yeah, I'm here to see this guys reasoning behind this statement.

[@sabrinakrisb4672]

Honestly was super shocked he isn't a Clive Barker fan

[@burnfornever9292]

@@innovade7887 clive barker is awesome and donnie darko is cheeks would be my reasoning

[@innovade7887]

@@burnfornever9292 Never seen Donnie Darko (would like to), big fan of Barker. I thought you were implying they were similar/connected in some way. lol

[@savagenature1]

Overall, I really enjoyed Candyman. Tony Todd and Virginia Madsen were Brilliant. It called attention to real social and economic problems without being overly preachy about it. The simplicity and graphic nature of the kills made it feel gritty, realistic, and disturbing. And the investigative aspect of the film was very engaging and helped make the film feel even more grounded.

[@pdzombie1906]

Yo forgot to talk about one of the greatest horror scores, the haunting organ based Phillip Glass music to this movie...Thanx!!!

[@GunNutproductionsOG]

Good god you couldn’t pay me enough to ever do those scenes with bees that’s just nightmare fuel incarnate

[@leannkennett905]

Candyman is pretty amazing. He’s played as both horrifying and seductive.

[@rain6353]

Love the film and the fact you reviewed it! However, I think it's reaching to say that it's left obscure as to why he's obsessed with Helen. As you said, Candyman at the very least believes her to be a reincarnation. That's... all the film needs to say to get the point across, isn't it? I even rewatched it BEFORE watching this review (and this is my second or even third time watching this review since then) and I gotta say, that focus of the film wasn't made obscure at all. There's that, and as others have said... while he WANTS her, he also needs to keep himself "alive" by both stopping her from proving him unreal while killing her to show others that he is very much something to fear, thus maintaining his stranglehold over the neighborhood. Regardless, great review!

[@MrOrcshaman]

Tony Todd, the sexiest supernatural monster that most might not mind haunting them

[@willj5116]

I'm 35 and I still can't really watch this movie alone. Candyman was the first movie that gave me nightmares as a kid. It's super unsettling. I can't wait to see the reboot next summer.

[@eazyj2888]

Same Here Man..I’m Only 21..But The Point Still Stands....

[@xBINARYGODx]

Sort of turns "white savior" on it's head - she is definitely white, she definitely saves some darker skinned people - but at the end, she becomes the next candy man. Of course, her legend likely goes outside of the 'ghetto', so... I guess that's better than before (everyone is at risk)? That said, the movie shows examples of candy man outside the poor, black neighborhoods, so maybe Helen's legend/horror really isn't any better.