one of the things that struck me about candyman when i first saw it was how much of the story that took place during daytime and in daylight. There wasn't any dark and stormy nights in that movie and only near the end does it take place after dark.
Darkness is primarily used because we associate it with evil and all things gloomy. We antagonize the dark out of fear of what will come out of it. And it takes away our most important and useful sense: sight. So I can see why it would be used for a setting, because barely anyone is frightened when the sun is out. Just because something is done differently doesn't make it good just because it isn't the norm. If Candyman hadn't been executed well, the fact that it was daylight outside wouldn't matter. Honestly, and I'm not criticizing anyone's opinions but asking a genuine question: What makes daylight being outside do to make a difference? Is it because it's subversive in some way?
@@UnfamiliarIntimacy I think we all have that feeling of safety when it's daytime. Candyman breaks this rule in our head, that nothing evil will ever come for us in broad daylight. He can show up anywhere, and anytime. The scene when he first appears to Helen, is one of the most unsettling moments, because she should be safe. Safe familiar part of town. And he just shows up, and does whatever he wants with her. It's frightening to think.
@@ElectronFieldPulse what leaked script? Anyway the original film was political. Don't see the problem with the sequel doing the same but more subtlety.
I'm not ashamed to ever say i'm from Cabrini Green i've survived & turned out fine thanks to my late mother who always wanted me home when the street lights came on
Why do you make a movie on the aspects that interest you? There's plenty of interest. He's still talking about relevant info to the movie but anyone can present their own analysis or info on RUclips...
Wow, the reality of Cabrini Green is more sad than the fictional ghost of Candy Man. An impoverished area of residents with limited opportunities begging for help only to get booted from their homes and replaced with actual investments in the community. Sounds similar to Detroit.
"And nothing happens." She never turned off the light. The story goes, say the name five times into a mirror and turn off th light and he will appear behind you. My theory is that Candy Man took an interest in her because of this. She seemed to call on him directly, even though she doesn't believe in him, and then defiantly denies him entrance by refusing to finish the ritual. She proves that no matter how powerful he is, he can only be free to use that power only with others permission. Her power is then further proven by her lack of fear in bringing down the gang leader that worships him. He keeps saying that he was compelled to come. He needed to reclaim his power, both literally and figuratively.
I feel like I need to say you should monetize your videos. You put a lot of effort into them and there is nothing wrong with being paid for that. If you earned more revenue from videos, you’d be able to post more videos possibly and I think your audience would support that. No hate, just wanted to let you know your work is worth something and thanks for the videos.
If it helps, he's got a Patreon page! Monetizing is good but it might also get him flagged constantly due to using copyrighted clips or songs and people in general use a lot of ad block. I'm just guessing as to the reasons why the channel isn't monetize so take what I say with a grain of salt. In theory, I agree with you. He puts so much effort I do wish he was getting compensation for them from all or most viewers
I definitely thought about it for a while. But in the end, I decided Patreon was the better fit, since I use so many copyrighted clips and songs, and it’s much easier to resolve copyright disputes when you’re not monetizing your content.
@@TheGingerburger Yeah, I love how copyright issues have this guilty until proven innocent mentality, which completely goes against the original fundamentals of law.
@@GabriellaVanTassel The Chef Aid episode of South Park always comes to mind when I hear how illegal copyright holders actions are. Record Exec from South Park: I AM ABOVE THE LAW! *uses hair glue to fix comb-over*
You see how it took him so long to kill her he was waiting on that night so they both died in that fire and their ashes were together so they could be legends and myths in Cabrini green
That's a VERY interesting point you made about sadness not being prevalent in horror, because for me, a lot of horror is directly adjacent to tragedy. Many horror films, even the cheaper slasher-horrors, lean heavily into the idea of inevitability - that we are ultimately unable to escape the boogeyman, or death, or an otherwise horrible fate, and the actions of the characters to get away from that fate often prove to be futile, or cannot be fully thwarted even if they do get away. This is a major theme in most Greek tragedies, and I personally find the idea immensely sad; even while watching a film like the Exorcist, I was struck by how tragic the humans' efforts to fight against a colossal evil that they could barely comprehend really was. Fear of inevitability plays directly into the pathos of helplessness, and more recent films like Hereditary make use of that quite brilliantly.
I agree, most horror is inherently tragic in that most victims are "innocent", sure annoying maybe but how many really deserve to be murdered? The survivor(s)will have to live with survivor's guilt, PTSD, etc... (unless they die in the sequel). We never get to see any of that but it's always there just beyond the screen. The closest is the Scream movies that reflect at least some of what might be the outcome of having something like this happen in real life.
You say "very interesting point"... I say "very bullshit point". He even shows The Fly'; a film that is as much horror as tragic. Absurd to say pairing horror with any other emotion is unusual. Every horror film has more themes in it than just Sp0oKy. Overall I found his emphasis on the "rules" of horror to be incredibly outdated... the rules of Scream for example are more of a joke than anything and apply mostly to the 80s slashers... so many horror films don't follow those rules. To treat those rules so seriously makes this video a bit of a joke.
@@KanonHara I think you missed his point. On his third rule, he didnt say it was unusual to combine emotions. He actually said it is common to combine fear with other emotions. What he said was unusual was with having sadness as a dominant emotion, because it works counter to the fear that a horror movie is supposed to raise. The fly was tragic and did raise sympathy in what happened to him, but the fly became a character known for arrogance, coldness, gore and terror from his actions more than sadness. I see what you're trying to say, but I believe this channels argument is still sound.
@@jodejack people dont go to movies to be bummed out. Love is something happy, even when the ending might be tragic, adventure and action are fun, and terror is exciting. Melancholy seems more for melancholy people to watch rather than being successful while making your average person melancholy.
"You couldnt make public housing look too affluent or nice or else the real affluent taxpayers would become too fussy...even if cheaper materials were used" hmph! 🤨
1:17 the dude with black hat is my dad 🤦🏾♂️ still can’t believe everytime I see this I when I was a kid they came to record my pop n my uncle mike n nem in tha movie this is dope how it last till this day
I absolutely adore the Candy Man films. The second one, Farewell To The Flesh is my favorite because it provides the incredibly tragic origins of the character, rooted in New Orleans. It feels very much like a true American tale. Tony Todd is an incredible actor with an amazing voice.
This is the most comprehensive, deep socio-historical analysis of Candyman that I had ever seen. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your beautiful work.
Candyman is taken from a short story by Clive Barker called 'The Forbidden' it is based in a Tower Block Estate in Liverpool though. In the story it was made clear why the Candyman killed, the Candyman existed as rumor or as he put it "To exist yet not to have to be" and the protagonist was making the estate question his existence, hence the killing to let the estate know that he was still around.
Your way of analyzing is really something else. I haven't seen Candyman and almost no horror movies so I expected not to understand much you're talking about. But with all the exposition and context the video still makes sense and now I'm actually exited to watch the movie even despite all the spoilers.
When I was way younger I used to live in Green(early 90s). It wasn't perfect but it was a ok place to live in from time to time. The housing rules highly discouraged father and mother being together just like you said, but my father was a vet. So he had more than enough money. The police raids actually did more harm than Good. They would take out the heads of gang leaders. That would break up the structure of the gangs. It also meant there was less old members around to enforce rules. The big one rule being you didn't terrorize people outside the gang life. With the old heads gone it's the main reason Chicago has a high muder rate today. They never provided actually programs for alternatives to the gang life. You add that with making the fathers who didn't get locked up, hard to live with the family. Yea you get today's troubles. Mayor Day was alway a corrupt asshole.
@@jamesjameson4566 Ah you're one of those huh? Thanks for clearing that up. There's multiple people like historians, law enforcement, economic experts,and government senators who all have come out record confirmed this. I also lived it. I don't need to convince you. Especially when you've clearly made up your mind. So why you here?
The cinematography , the score, Tony Todd's voice, and the superb acting made this movie a HIGH horror classic. I still get shivers from Helen's friend --- Bernadette's --- death. Hearing her last gasp as you hear her flesh rip like an old rag, even though you never see it actually happen on screen, & seeing her complexion going from black to having a blue face after she was gutted still haunts me. I still won't say Candyman in the mirror or otherwise. No M'am. Great analysis by the way. I love how you shed light on the real life social aspects this movie was based on. And the last line you said about "Learning what you don't know & shutting up and letting the people who don't know do the talking." Most people outside of the situation try to act like they know more than they do (if anything) and speaking from a place of speculation that actually hurts instead of helping. I agree that this film highlights white people's fear of black impoverishment as it relates to our neighborhoods. I'll go even farther to say that Candyman himself is the embodiment of that mythical/supposed "danger" that white folk believe looms over "The Hood" and why they're afraid to venture into it. They figure if they can gentrify the hoods, then they can demystify and "cleanse" the air of the evil that looms over such places. As long as you don't speak something, it tends to not make it real, even though you know it's still there below the surface. So when you say Candyman's name, it's like you're bringing back to life an old, shameful, family secret that everyone would just like to leave "resting." Kind of the same way people like to avoid topics regarding race relations. If we don't talk about it --- it doesn't exist and we can live in this fake 'Kumbuya ' state, though we know underneath the surface, the right trigger word can start an argument which can lead to a riot, which can lead to an all- out war. Although Candyman, didn't kill Helen in the traditionally sense with his hook, he did kill her in the end by holding her back so she couldn't escape the fire in time. He did assassinate her character by making her look like the perpetrator of the the murders in the movie and making everyone think she was crazy , even though in the end when she was hailed as a martyr; kind of the same thing that has happened to countless black figures (and revolutionary figures in general, but moreso blacks) in real history . . . When we have ideas that go against the mainstream, i.e. MLK Jr. and integration being one everyone knows, they're seen as crazy for thinking their ideas could ever work. Then they are assassinated, and only POSTHUMOUSLY are they seen for the genius they encapsulated. Even in everyday relationships whether romantic or otherwise --- most people don't value the other person until that person is gone --- or essentially, the relationship "dies." So this movie proves magnifies the point that in order (most times) to become a legend, one must have a tragic end, and ONLY AFTER that end, can they attain some degree of legendary status and be appreciated to any degree. The writer's using of a white protagonist (though I'm sure his doing so was totally unconscious) to make this point probably made white people see it more, though I'm sure it went over their heads how this happens to black people because, well --- it's a black people's problem, not a white people's problem and doesn't affect their world.
I agree! And really good points! Though I disagree with you a little. I feel the people writing and choosing the actors probably would have chosen a white actress for Helen deliberately. Even when the movie was made, I think they could have known the "shock value" of that particular combination. Personally, I do think Helen being a naive white girl out to "save" the black residents from their "superstitious beliefs" that turned out to be real fears in a real monster that actually kills people, (though probably less so than the gang leader emulating Candyman) is a pretty poignant theme. She is blind to the real problem, in the same way powerful white politicians were purposely ignoring issues for people of color at the time (and still are). Since I'm cynical, if they had cast a black or POC actress, it would have been seen as a "black" or "ethnic" movie, so less excuses for white people to go out and see it. I can't say if that would still be a necessary choice today, I certainly hope it wouldn't, but suspect it still applies. Both artistically and financially that could have been a deliberate choice even from the start of the writing process.
@@aazhie Well, the writer ---- Clive Barker --- is a white man, so I'm pretty sure it was at the least, a subconcious choice to make Helen white because white women are worth seeing . . . but, yes. From a marketability standpoint, at that time, I'm sure a black lead actress wouldn't not have flown with studio execs. Even though Virginia Madsen was originally cast to play "Bernadette," they still had another white actress set to play the role of Helen, so either way. But to me, Bernadette's death is more tragic BECAUSE she is black due to not just the whole "the black people always die first, or are the only ones to die at all" trope, but because she died trying to save her white friend, and was hardly given any acknowledgement for her sacrifice. I've seen it so many times in movies where the black person has enough sense not to want to go into certain situations that spell certain doom, but do so anyway to support their white, "more important" white co-star, and THEY are typically the ONLY one's that end up paying for their white counterpart's mistake, i.e. the black girl who got killed in Scream 2 after Sydney crawled out of the wrecked police car, Kelly Rowland's character "Tia" in Freddy Vs. Jason, --- hell --- even in Candyman 3: Day of the Dead the black girl got killed in front of her white friend who summoned Candyman. There are many more examples, but I'd be here all day. But I'm sure if Jordan Peele decided to cast a black female lead and had a white girl as the supporting character, people would go to see it in great #s, simply because there aren't many great horror movies that have come out in YEARS . Plus, Jordan has made quite a name for himself in such a short period of time, so that buys him a lot of automatic "faith." But I don't think I'll be going to see it if it's just a remake. As great a filmmaker as he is, Hollywood is ALL remakes and there are no original ideas anymore. And ever with all of the special effects nowadays, and with even as good a storytellyer as Jordan is, I'm not salivating for a rehash of an original that can never be added to or subtracted from. Now, if it's a re-imagining in the sense that it just involves the Candyman, but has a totally different storyline in the sense that it is a continuation from the 1st one, or the 2nd one, then maybe . . . but I could barely make it through the orginal without pissing my pants, so I don't know if I'll be able to watch a --- I'm sure to be --- much gorier version. Which is why I liked the original so much and think to remake or even re-imagine it could hurt the franchise cuz there was gore, but only in two brief pockets --- Bernadette and the psychiatrist's death. But even then, it was more blood than anything else. And technically, Bernadette was killed off-screen. Most of the fear was generated through the atmosphere of the scenes, that haunting score, and Tony Todd's voice as Candyman, even when he wasn't shown on screen.
@@dominiquedevereux7205 Clive Barker only wrote the original story, which was set in Britain. The director of the movie, Bernard Rose, is also the script writer. In the original short story, Candyman himself had origins as a white man who exists as a more broad symbol of class oppression. I'm not expert on this but systemic racism certainly exists in the UK, the class structure is heavily ingrained in society and not necessarily as racially stratified or codified as it is in the US. Public housing in Britain also isn't universally occupied by POC. I think Clive was generally writing what he knew. Helen is a privileged white woman in both renditions of the story, but she is also on the territory of an underclass that is both white and of color.
You made me realize how cheated we are for not getting sequels. Sure, a few Friday sequels are garbage but Jason is beloved and I feel Candyman could've gotten the same cult following.
@@dreamsicle3113 Candyman has two sequels but neither come close to the original, though Tony Todd reprises his role in both and in all fairness the first sequel in 1995 is at least worth a watch and gives you a lot of his backstory. The third movie's novelty is that it will make you want to gouge your eyes out with a hook while watching it.
That moment when he floated out from under the stretcher in the hospital, I knew this was one of the most under rated horror flicks I'd ever seen. I am a serious horror junkie and Candyman may in fact be my favorite.
This video can literally be the intro to a thesis for so many things (residential stratification in Chicago, racial disparities with superstition) it’s inspiring 👍🏼
Oh one thing to consider about Helen is that she wanted to exploit the urban legend because it was new and fresh. She was basically using it to get clout for her thesis, I really don't think what Helen says is what her character wants, just because she says "A whole community attributes to a mythical legend" isn't really what she seems to behave like, she seems like a rabid reporter who's hot for a story and doesn't care about the bodies or disruption she causes, her black friend has to keep tugging her arm and telling her to stop being so careless. She gets angry with her husband for using the premise to her thesis, she's desperate and explains to her friend "We can just go and do the same boring old thesis" or something right before she goes onto her philanthropist schtick. "We are going to bury you" as she says at the dinner, there is something egotistical here and she see's Cabrini green as nothing more than a cash machine. She put that boys life in danger taking down that drug dealer, the dealer who victimized so many but it took one white lady getting a black eye in order for the cops to even haul him in. She heard of a young boy being brutally hurt and yet she still brings a young boy to show her the place of this attack from the uncaught killer who's still operating? The way she tries to take Candyman's power away from him while trying to make the Black Legend her White Legend, by casting a powerful doubt in the process of "proving" aka "hijacking" he's bound to be forgotten and truly dead in the fears and eyes of the masses, his spirit lives through the power of the legend. So when she tries to gentrify him by taking his legend and power away, it's almost as if she's cutting off the hand of the artist, she's going to take away the new identity he created from the pain of his former self, so in a way he takes away her identity, by turning HER into a Black Legend of Cabrini Green, another face on the wall, personally I think people like her he paints whatever "connection" they want to. She thinks she's the descendant of his love but that could be her psychological pity she felt hearing his origin story, in that moment he needed someone and that someone could have been her. Candyman used her mental pity and lust for him and harnessed that to coax her further down the rabbit's hole. One of my all time favorite horror films. Gonna rewatch probably tonight.
@@SirGrimLockSmithVIII You are right, but I think what they are pointing out is that that isn't the case with this movie. If the story was "boring" or not a good read she would of still cared deeply and told the story anyway. I haven't seen the movie but if what the op says is true about the language she uses, it sounds like she wants to use the situation for her benefit first, not having the story being equal or more important to her.
@@SirGrimLockSmithVIII Good point, then we'd have to find another reason why. Like he said the other 2 deaths didnt summon him, so what would be his reason other than trying to demystify him?
Andre B why not both? Both could make very good motivation for what is essentially a collective poltergeist for the project. As a manifestation of fear, demystification by way of gentrification or documentation can both be problematic. Candyman could just be pushed father along by the fact that his ego is hurt by her trying to exploit his image for her gain. In doing so she isn’t giving him the respect he feels that he’s owed. In retaliation, Candyman goes about tying up loose ends to keep his cred up whilst also terrorizing her and seducing into giving him the respect he feels he’s owed. In a stroke of genius he also kills her to farther build up his notoriety. If all the above is true, that makes Candyman an incredibly complex villain, with multiple motives subtly interwoven, whist still remaining a simple boogeyman. This film is soooooooooo good. It would be hard for anyone to do it better. High art for sure!
And this is the genius of Candyman.....it created a deep discussion on the ills of neglect, poverty, and racism in America. Kudos to this video. Great history lesson as well as solid opinions of the film.
One of the best move reviews I've ever seen, simply because of the social commentary and research you put into it. I love the fact that you went to the actual geographic location of where the movie takes place and you explained the historical background. Thumbs up and a sub!
In the original the candyman was a deformed caucasian man. He also wasnt summoned in any way he just kind of existed in the fear of the occupants of the town.
the original short story”the forbidden” took place in Liverpool and dealt with Britain’s class system and the worst of urban poverty in post industrial northern Britain. Now to set that story in Liverpool the urban poverty is going to be white/Irish(scouser). To adapt that kind of story to America it’s much more realistic to address racism when it come to urban poverty in the post industrial Midwest.
@@mybirthnameful I'm listening to the radio adaptation of the story from 2013. It's fantastic, and actually helps make more sense as to why the American film version turned out the way it did.
i really loved this video! i feel like its also worth noting for the pairing of sadness and fear that candyman is ultimately a tragic figure too. after all, in life, he was essentially lynched for falling in love with a rich white girl and that's why he's tied to cabrini-green
LivanaFaolan Freddy Kruger’s mother was rapped by hundreds of insane inmates and gave birth to madness. That’s sad too. Godzilla was a product of nuclear bomb testing, that’s sad too. The evil that men do does not have racial or ethnic boundaries.
@@meeksde Freddy Kruegar's mother being a nun raped by hundreds of insane evil people resulting in an insane evil child, and Godzilla being a creature that was mutated by a nuclear bomb to become a giant monster with nuclear powers are both cartoonish and ridiculous. Innocent black men being tortured and murdered for their proximity to whiteness is something that happens and has happened in real life with a depressing frequency.
@@jjj7790 Godzilla being a byproduct of nuclear bombs is not cartoonish at all. The original film is heartbreaking. There's scenes of children in hospitals being treated for radiation poisoning. Godzilla isn't even evil himself. He's just... A monster whose very presence is toxicity and death. It's pretty sad to me... The anxiety and horror that an entire nation experienced, given physical form.
@@meeksde Nice try but Candyman was murdered because of RACISM. Racism is real violent and gory. Lets not to deflect or make false equivalencies. Candyman also looks at the typical ghost story origin- that a person who was done a grave injustice comes back as a ghost. If that were the case-how many enslaved ghosts would there be? Native people given smallpox blankets... That there aren't many Black ghost stories (Beloved by Toni Morrison is one) is telling in itself.
Candyman is also one of my favorites... I think it's also very unique of him how suave, well-spoken and overall charming he is... After years of not watching it that was what I remembered most, his poise and elegance, and the bees... I so love how he's literally filled with bees. Great video, man.
so the bit at the end had me afraid you were about to be really disrespectful but really handled the issues of the area really well and had clearly done enough research to talk about it. well done man
This is fabulous. Candyman is one of my favorite horror films, you articulated so much about what makes it work so well, and the political and social information is fascinating!
This morning is the first time that I have ever heard of you let alone seen any of your videos. Fortunately, you thumbnail caught my eye and my curiosity got the best of me...again and this time the outcome was much more favorable. I have to say that I was so impressed not only by your subject choice, but you obvious hard work, passion and attention to detail. I’ve been a fan of movies in general, horror movies in particular for most of life. Keep in mind, I don’t claim to be an expert though I’ve got a lot of views under belt and love finding out about the details, I’m just a very passionate fan. As an African American woman I have to say what really pulled me in was that you were pointing out many of the things that I have been saying for years about this film and I appreciate your honesty. In other words, your “real talk”. You pulled no punches and blended well researched facts well. This morning is the first time that I have ever heard of you let alone seen any of your videos. Fortunately, you thumbnail caught my eye and my curiosity got the best of me...again. I have to say that I was so impressed by your not only by your subject choice, but you obvious hard work, passion and attention to detail. I’ve been a fan of horror movies for most of life, not an expert though I’ve got a lot of views under belt and love finding out about the details, I’m just a very passionate fan. As an African American woman I have to say what really pulled me in was that you were pointing out many of the things that I have been saying for years about this film and I enjoyed your honesty and general presentation. In other words, “real talk”. You pulled no punches and blended well researched facts like If you don’t mind me saying so, your style reminds me very much of Cecil from Good Bad Flicks in that like you, he puts his all into his videos, are well researched, respect of material yet blends just the right amount of humor. So please take this as a very high level compliment as I’ve enjoy his productions for a few years now to the point that I get enjoyment just putting his playlist on autopilot. Not a bad one in the bunch. And after going over the titles in your list, I can almost see that same quality. So know that after viewing only one video, I’m hooked and Boom! You’ve got another subscriber. I’m looking forward to watching more of your videos. Keep doing you and thanks for the great work.
As a Chicagoan, a man, a Black man, a movie lover, a horror movie lover, you did a good job with this. I'd love to grab our favorite poison and watch movies from any era and genre at any time with ya'
I've read the original short story, and honestly the story is much more stronger emotionally in Chicago, instead of set in the poorer regions of England's southern cities, with a white Candyman it just didn't carry the same weight. And had a whole other meaning to him it felt like the only real thing was the seduction, the way he speaks in a sort of seducing manner, in both stories this part carries over, along with the jacket and hook-hand. Like some great and not so great Clive Barker short stories, it seemed like he was just rolling with a random story one night kinda drunk or high, and this one he never knew how to finish or fully realize what he was aiming for, so when the screenwriter got ahold of it, it was half built so they were able to insert this meaning without it seeming inorganic, the racially loaded subject matter changes the whole game and for the better. And I'm a huuuge Clive Barker fan but Candyman was definitely one of those entities that took on a life of it's own even after he created it. Not like Rawhead Rex or something where it totally feels like Clive Barker from head to toe, this one feels like Clive started a drawing but another artist was moved by it they wanted to finish it for him. Sorry I'm rambling away but yeah I totally agree.
I think Helen's transgression is one that is common in Clive Barker's work(s)--tempting the forbidden. In fact, the short story that "Candyman" is based upon is called "The Forbidden" and is set in a London housing project. As with "Hellraiser" and its Box, the easiest way to escape is to fear and avoid the supposed danger, rather than tempt or engage with this forbidden object or ritual. Don't say the name five times Don't open the puzzle box Don't watch the video cassette Etc....
Amazing video as always!! I wish my film teacher showed us this movie rather than 1408 for the horror part of our curriculum. Especially since we're in Chicago.
I can't be the only one who has Tony Todd's voice in his head when using the Bee Tonic in Bioshock? "I'm coming for you, Helen!" *sets the swarm on a splicer*
Candyman is definitely an underrated gem of a horror film. The piano score played in this film always intrigued me. Its beautiful and eerie at the same time.
Regarding "ghosts" in ethnic literature: It's not so much in black or latino communities as it is in developing v. developed countries. For example, Santeria and Voodoo are still highly practiced in third world countries, especially amongst the drug cartels. It doesn't have much to do with skin color as much as it has to do with the culture and socio-economics. On the other hand, cultic practices are often times seen in the much higher echelons of society, however they are more hidden and esoteric, as seen in the examples of Secret Societies, and Hollywood. Great video, BTW. Tony Todd is one of my favorite actors, especially in Star Trek. He goes from a warrior Klingon that is Kurn, to old and thoughtful as future Jake Sisko. His brief work on Prelude to Axanar was also another example of his range. And let's not forget X-Files, and The Rock!
**This comment has spoilers!** Instant like for talking about one of my favorite (and one of the most underrated) movies. Instant subscribe for talking about it in a fresh, intelligent way. The only thing that I can objectively disagree with when it comes to counterarguments against this movie is the claim that black people were portrayed as superstitious. The entire movie subverts that stereotype, because Candyman IS real. That's what makes it so different. The rest is pure opinion. As a black, woman-aligned person, I saw Helen's character as a definitive representation of white liberalism as well. Her desperate and ultimately fruitless attempts to "help the poor blacks see the truth" ended in her getting in over her head. White guilt/white saviors are useless, and so I feel that even though some critics see Helen as the hero of the movie, I couldn't disagree more, and her death couldn't feel further from white martyrdom for me. It symbolized the futility of "helping" people when they truly don't need help and your intentions aren't as good as you believe they are. Helen is a flawed and complicated protag at it's finest imo I could go on, but let's be real, this is the RUclips comments section, not a thinkpiece site Tl;dr - I'm a pretty big stickler about annoying movie tropes and how they're complicit in stereotyping, but as a black femme, Candyman gave me none of that.
Brilliant video! Candyman was one of the first horrors I saw and it has long been a favourite. I can't watch the high body count torture type of horror films, but the richness of Candyman is a film that is watchable on so many levels. (I was shown 'Hostel' once and still feel scarred by the experience!) Thank you as well for the social history commentary. I found that hugely interesting. It's a very unique and welcomed approach to a video essay to have that social/historical context. Thank you!
For some reason I watched these when I was like 8-12. Maybe younger, my dad had me into horror since Freddy and Jason were big in the 90’s. Anyway to me, the atmosphere of the films was very isolating , like you werent safe even with daylight and people around. It just made me feel cut off and alone. and was to me one of those films I had to dare myself to keep watching.
couldnt describe but i loved it for that..for some reason freddy and jason still spooked me as a 5 year old but i loved candyman and my grandpa always doubled down and egged on my mom and grandma who were horrified😂
Scared the hell out of me but in a realistic way. Real fears of unsafe places tend to move me more than cheesy jumpscares. The poverty and sadness was really well portrayed. It's scary because real people were isolated in the eeirie places she had to explore to encounter Candyman. I was freaked out as hell by the killing and spooky ghost stuff, but Candyman was also a well developed character. I felt bad for him and the main girl because it seemed like they were both fated to be tragic in totally different ways. Great writing and as he mentions in the movie, the suspense is drawn out for nearly the whole movie without feeling stale. It's haunting and atmospheric in ways few horror movies can nail.
oh its absolutely terrifying and still one of my favs..first horror movie i remember when i was like 5...i thought candyman was badass tho but freddy and jason still scared me
Candyman is also a love story, typical Barker...but beautiful....EDIT...this is the most likes I've ever, EVER GOTTEN...and what makes me most pleased it's not the amount was two weeks in is at 126 it's the fact that there are that many people who feel the way I do about this man's work. Stephen King may write a great story Anne Rice a wonderful tale this man is a fucking genius.... but hey I'm bias...
@@xONYXo1 my Favorite.... Cabal, Imajika, and Weaveworld, could duke it out...Cold Hearrt Canyon, the Great and Secret Show and Ever ville....Hells, even Galliee....not a bad one in the bunch..... a feat nor even Stephen , Anne Rice or any other writer of that genre I can name....has done for me...
I would like to point out that in Malcom in the middle they sing that song in the military school and the person who made them sing that song has a hook for a hand.......
@@noless "black communities" don't have a "no snitch" policy it's more about survival. If someone dirt poor living in the projects tells on a well off local drug lord whose going to protect that individual? No one not even the police so its better to just mind your business or end up another victim
Great analysis, and fantastic history tie-in. I love how you come at this from a very "matter of fact" point of view, in confronting your professor's lack of applying their analysis of Latin American literature to British literature, as well as the film's dramatization of the "white fear" associated with black poverty. Sub'd!
Night of the Living Dead very famously had a black protagonist who is shot at the end as part of a statement that the gun-toting characters didn't bother to check whether or not a black man was a "ghoul" or not. But yes, there needs to be a higher number of POC protagonists.
EXCELLENT video. I was incredibly disappointed with the reboot of Candyman. I felt sure with Jordan Peele as one of the screenwriters, he would incorporate the real horror of Candyman: Cabrini Green. There are some excellent documentaries about how horrific daily life was for the people unlucky enough to be stuck there-people really did come in through the bathroom mirrors to rob and murder the residences, most of the young men had to join a gang or get beaten and/or killed for refusing and the gangs literally ran the place. Nobody else cared. If your toilet stopped working, it could be three months before they fixed it. Never mind the rats and roaches that crawled on people at night. Honest to god, I would rather face Candyman himself than to have to live the way they did. And most of them were decent people whose poverty marginalized them into non-entities to the bureaucrats. The original Candyman was actually filmed at Cabrini Green and they had to negotiate with the gangs to get permission (their terms: they wanted to be in the movie. Those weren’t actors, they were actually gang members who lived there) and even then a sniper took a shot at them and almost hit Tony Todd. And yet they never even touched on this in the reboot. No flashbacks to visually show why the myth of Candyman was necessary, just some abstract conversation that didn’t even begin to convey the true horror. So thank you for bringing this up. It can’t be said enough.
I love the analysis here. This is a classic film and one of the greatest horror films of all time. I get confused when people say it's an underrated film. I think that the more people say it's underrated, it becomes treated as underrated. Just say that it's one of the greatest horror films of all time. I think when people say that it's underrated, they mean that they don't show it on television often and I think that is true. While growing up, I barely saw it on television. But Jordan Peele is definitely going to put Candyman back on the map and I expect that the new film does a service and compliments the first original installment.
To be honest, I watched this when I was about 10 years old and it took me about 6 tries to even get the courage to go past the intro and discuss this movie. That's how long the movie has scared me. I'm pretty sure it's not as scary as I thought it was back then, but I just haven't been able to re watch it. Ever. And I've seen some stuff. Thank you for a really great comprehensive review. I really appreciate how you went into all of the social aspects and the locations.
You can almost say that the basis for most monsters and fairys is metaphor for coping with the current fears of the time. Especially in Europe . Changeling baby's was a way of coping with a sickly baby. Were wolves was a way of coping with serial killers. Witchs and witch craft fear was a way of patriotic culture dealing with the fear of women some how having more control the men lol
Well insightful, I fear that perhaps it's too simplistic. As a neo-pagan I can tell you there is more going on than just patriotic fears or fears of women. But then again I'm a witch what would I be able to speak of it.
@@aimeem Various research and accounts taken during the witch trials throughout the world and history show that men were persecuted as witches more often than women were, in some places by a large margin. You should check out The Paranormal Scholar for more information on it, she made a very interesting documentary on the subject.
I think witches existed more as a part of religious fears about the devil and Hell more than being women. Both men and women made deals with Satan in the urban legends so I don't think it's a gender issue.
I often come back to this video. I have no real reason why, I just love what you have to say about one of my favorite film. It’s probably because I was traumatized by this film at one point of in my life. When I was 12 years old I bought the dvd blindly at local FYE, when I popped it In later that night, The minute the film starts I felt uneasy and I started to feel characters presence and actions prior to ever even seeing them. I never experienced a film quite like that and at that time and it scared me Oh and the dog scene/kidnapping was something I was not ready for and still aren’t regardless how many times I view the film, it’s so visceral and disturbing Hats off to you and thank you
This video was very different from what I normally see on RUclips, especially in the film review community. I was interested throughout the entire video, and enjoyed your perspective! The inclusion of the racial aspect of this film really had me thinking and I enjoyed every minute. Your honesty also made this video easy to enjoy. Keep up with this, I like this content.
Absolutely love your video! Candyman has always been one of my favorites (along with The Ring :) and I cannot understand why it doesn’t attract more attention in the horror/film community. (And shouldn’t everybody go nuts about the soundtrack?!) Thanks a lot!
Bravo with this talk. I came for the discussion on the film but you did a great job referencing all of the related threads specific to race in the film. There are more but it's specific to the story. The Cabrini Green side of it, I hadn't known about, I always assumed that it was a fictional place. Nice job.
For some reason I'm reminded of Sinister in terms of the emotions this movie evokes. Every time I saw a family murdered in that film I rarely felt scared (aside from the occasional jump scare). The movie was just crushing in how inevitable the outcome was each time a family was introduced. Sadness in horror are a rare but potent combination. Also, I mainly comment in hopes of giving you some of that RUclips algorithm love because holy moly dude this was incredibly well done. The historical context on top of the analysis was an inspired move and I hope you get more traffic to this video. Great job! Time to check out your other stuff.
Same! It's not what I expected, but it's new info I didn't think of. Been a long while since I have seen the movie and I'm inspired to rewatch and take some notes :)
I'd never heard of this movie before, but thanks for highlighting its cultural significance and cultural context. I'm also white so it doesn't mean a lot for me to say that your video seems to be respectful to black people, but it's obvious that you're putting in the effort to understand a perspective that isn't yours and acknowledging that your position is flawed. (and so is this comment. But we're trying!)
@@ptahtao1950 there is still Hope, until the last man of conviction and open Mind and Heart fails to stand and speak his Truth, there shall be Hope....one person CAN change the World, they just can not do it alone.
Claire Hastings Uhh really don’t understand why you’re skin color makes your opinion invalid or worthless. Instead maybe say what you want to say and don’t worry about who you offend or what skin color or background they come from. You’re comment just felt weird like you’re tip toeing on thin and you didn’t say anything wrong...
It always struck me as odd that the real Candyman tolerated the gang leader using his name like that for intimidation purposes. You'd think he'd pay him a visit one night to have a word about it.
Yea I don't think this movie is as smart as this guy thinks. Plus the virtue signaling bit kind of ruined any chance this video had of convincing me otherwise.
I mean, the gang leader WAS spreading fear of the candyman and adding to the legend in a sense. If his power comes from the countless retellings of his legend and the fear they hold, and if the reason he went after the main character in the end really was because of her countless efforts to demystify the legend, I'd imagine that it would only be beneficial for a gang leader to also use their name for intimidation purposes, and even more of a reason to go after the main character as she got them put away
Great video man, I want to really thank you for mentioning Queen Marion Nzinga Stamps. I’m her oldest grandson. Thank you for that, not many people will mention her.
What made me so scared of candy man was that he came in the daytime and in semi public places.
That brakes some horror rules aswell i think , and didnt mentioned in video , so thumps up m8 !
Joshua and no one noticed
That scene in the public bathroom fucked me up
You would be terrified of me then. I do this on a daily basis.
That shot of him in the parking garage, just in the dark, head cocked back.... a beautiful yet haunting image
Since the bee population is dying we need Candyman more than ever now.
🤣
Agreed.
Hilarious 🤣😂
Umm I don’t think his bees are meant for pollinating.
Fuck no you can try that shit I'm good 😂
one of the things that struck me about candyman when i first saw it was how much of the story that took place during daytime and in daylight. There wasn't any dark and stormy nights in that movie and only near the end does it take place after dark.
@Brittany Bennett yes!! most recently exemplified by Midsommar. The bright cheery pastel color palette actually accentuates the horror.
Yeah I hate when movies use the dark just in an attempt to make things scarier
Darkness is primarily used because we associate it with evil and all things gloomy. We antagonize the dark out of fear of what will come out of it. And it takes away our most important and useful sense: sight. So I can see why it would be used for a setting, because barely anyone is frightened when the sun is out.
Just because something is done differently doesn't make it good just because it isn't the norm. If Candyman hadn't been executed well, the fact that it was daylight outside wouldn't matter.
Honestly, and I'm not criticizing anyone's opinions but asking a genuine question: What makes daylight being outside do to make a difference? Is it because it's subversive in some way?
@@UnfamiliarIntimacy I think we all have that feeling of safety when it's daytime. Candyman breaks this rule in our head, that nothing evil will ever come for us in broad daylight. He can show up anywhere, and anytime.
The scene when he first appears to Helen, is one of the most unsettling moments, because she should be safe. Safe familiar part of town. And he just shows up, and does whatever he wants with her. It's frightening to think.
damn that little history lesson had me so invested i forgot i was watching a video about a scary movie
Sameeee
ikr! the real beauty of a good video essay ;)
LOL fucking same!
I came across this looking for a specific doc on the candyman movie history but got this instead. Its not a bad video. He hits a lot of great points.
Fr fr I came here to learn about Candyman and learned about something very important as well
As a Black man who loves this movie, I feel like you really got my appreciation for this flick. Thank you.
Sounds racist
They just a sequel with Jordan Peele involved.
@@rickardkaufman3988 - which is going to be an identity politics infused pile of crap. The leaked script looked terrible.
@@ElectronFieldPulse what leaked script? Anyway the original film was political. Don't see the problem with the sequel doing the same but more subtlety.
And one of the most underrated actors really elevated the tension in this film - Tony Todd. THAT voice.
Yes, that voice has always been haunting. It was the scariest thing in the movie to me.
the candyman
Zoom
The Fallen
the admiral in BO2
he's been so many interesting villans
He needs to provide the voice for Spawn/Al Simmons
tony todd was the best actor in murder set peices by leaps and bounds
You should check out the voice work he did for the audio drama rendition of Dracula from Cadabra Records.
I'm not ashamed to ever say i'm from Cabrini Green i've survived & turned out fine thanks to my late mother who always wanted me home when the street lights came on
From what we saw it looked to me like a mini mega city one block.
@@Paul_The_Spaceman the row houses & are the only thing left from Cabrini Green
Chi Town baby!
From the low end. Used to go to the ickes and the greens to get bud.
From Roseland, parents are both from the Cabrini Green. Movie scared the shit out of me, also I thought Chucky was running around the city...
You missed a whole aspect of the movie. She couldn't prove her innocence. In effect she couldn't prove even to herself that she wasn't the murderer.
He's too busy talking about buildings
@@johnsmith-wx5fb The history lesson was nice to add to the movie experience though. I never knew this was a real place.
@@xunk16 sorry buildings and the numbers on the buildings.
@@johnsmith-wx5fb Ignorance is bliss.
Why do you make a movie on the aspects that interest you? There's plenty of interest. He's still talking about relevant info to the movie but anyone can present their own analysis or info on RUclips...
Wow, the reality of Cabrini Green is more sad than the fictional ghost of Candy Man. An impoverished area of residents with limited opportunities begging for help only to get booted from their homes and replaced with actual investments in the community. Sounds similar to Detroit.
AKA gentrification
If you want another black antagonist then, you can't go wrong with Blackula
Or Us
killmonger
black panther
EGGMAN ROCKS CULTURES ...Black Panther is not an antagonist.
Yeaa black panther isn't in that category. And we're talking horror movies, so, kilmonger doesn't count
@Shaun Asia I left him out because I was thinking straight horror but, comedic horror works too. That Eddie from Vampire in Brooklyn is a good one.
At the end, when he said that he wanted to get better at what he doesn’t know, sounded like a Segue into a skillshare sponsorship.
stop watching nerdwriter videos.
That sounds really interesting.
Just how like you can learn all sorts of interesting things with todays sponsor, skillshare!
Segue**
@C R ngl that error was quite embarrassing.
@@marcopivetta7796 don't forget adam ragusea
"And nothing happens." She never turned off the light. The story goes, say the name five times into a mirror and turn off th light and he will appear behind you.
My theory is that Candy Man took an interest in her because of this. She seemed to call on him directly, even though she doesn't believe in him, and then defiantly denies him entrance by refusing to finish the ritual. She proves that no matter how powerful he is, he can only be free to use that power only with others permission. Her power is then further proven by her lack of fear in bringing down the gang leader that worships him. He keeps saying that he was compelled to come. He needed to reclaim his power, both literally and figuratively.
👍👍
stretch a is That
@@willlauzon3744 he story is wrote in elastic. That's how much of a stretch it is. Nah it's an interesting theory though.
@metalgearhead99 That could be how she was able to stand up to him. Equal souls?
I honestly have no idea what I wrote. "Stretch a is That"? 3 likes though. I must have meant that is a stretch.
I feel like I need to say you should monetize your videos. You put a lot of effort into them and there is nothing wrong with being paid for that. If you earned more revenue from videos, you’d be able to post more videos possibly and I think your audience would support that. No hate, just wanted to let you know your work is worth something and thanks for the videos.
If it helps, he's got a Patreon page! Monetizing is good but it might also get him flagged constantly due to using copyrighted clips or songs and people in general use a lot of ad block.
I'm just guessing as to the reasons why the channel isn't monetize so take what I say with a grain of salt. In theory, I agree with you. He puts so much effort I do wish he was getting compensation for them from all or most viewers
I definitely thought about it for a while. But in the end, I decided Patreon was the better fit, since I use so many copyrighted clips and songs, and it’s much easier to resolve copyright disputes when you’re not monetizing your content.
The people who claim that you are infringing on their copyright need to learn what "fair use" is and then go fuck themselves
@@TheGingerburger Yeah, I love how copyright issues have this guilty until proven innocent mentality, which completely goes against the original fundamentals of law.
@@GabriellaVanTassel The Chef Aid episode of South Park always comes to mind when I hear how illegal copyright holders actions are.
Record Exec from South Park: I AM ABOVE THE LAW! *uses hair glue to fix comb-over*
Sorry dude. Sharing it. The one thing you left out was how well acted this was. For horror at the time? Very rare.
💯
That one kid was pretty damn good can't forget him.
i rlly wanna like your comment but its at 420 likes and i simply cant ruin that lol
Ohh he wanted to kill her because she was killing the fear.
Basically saying the boogeyman doesn't exist.
Xan dan and wanted her to be his “victim” to prove once again that the boogeyman DOES exist
ain't so boogey if someone proves you don't exist
He wanted to die with her I’m pretty sure he thought she was the reincarnation of Caroline who he loved before he died
You see how it took him so long to kill her he was waiting on that night so they both died in that fire and their ashes were together so they could be legends and myths in Cabrini green
She become the fear herself.
That's a VERY interesting point you made about sadness not being prevalent in horror, because for me, a lot of horror is directly adjacent to tragedy. Many horror films, even the cheaper slasher-horrors, lean heavily into the idea of inevitability - that we are ultimately unable to escape the boogeyman, or death, or an otherwise horrible fate, and the actions of the characters to get away from that fate often prove to be futile, or cannot be fully thwarted even if they do get away. This is a major theme in most Greek tragedies, and I personally find the idea immensely sad; even while watching a film like the Exorcist, I was struck by how tragic the humans' efforts to fight against a colossal evil that they could barely comprehend really was. Fear of inevitability plays directly into the pathos of helplessness, and more recent films like Hereditary make use of that quite brilliantly.
I agree, most horror is inherently tragic in that most victims are "innocent", sure annoying maybe but how many really deserve to be murdered? The survivor(s)will have to live with survivor's guilt, PTSD, etc... (unless they die in the sequel). We never get to see any of that but it's always there just beyond the screen. The closest is the Scream movies that reflect at least some of what might be the outcome of having something like this happen in real life.
You say "very interesting point"... I say "very bullshit point". He even shows The Fly'; a film that is as much horror as tragic. Absurd to say pairing horror with any other emotion is unusual. Every horror film has more themes in it than just Sp0oKy. Overall I found his emphasis on the "rules" of horror to be incredibly outdated... the rules of Scream for example are more of a joke than anything and apply mostly to the 80s slashers... so many horror films don't follow those rules. To treat those rules so seriously makes this video a bit of a joke.
@@KanonHara I think you missed his point. On his third rule, he didnt say it was unusual to combine emotions. He actually said it is common to combine fear with other emotions. What he said was unusual was with having sadness as a dominant emotion, because it works counter to the fear that a horror movie is supposed to raise. The fly was tragic and did raise sympathy in what happened to him, but the fly became a character known for arrogance, coldness, gore and terror from his actions more than sadness. I see what you're trying to say, but I believe this channels argument is still sound.
@@Ceares F13 pt 2 Alice is clearly suffering from PTSD
@@jodejack people dont go to movies to be bummed out. Love is something happy, even when the ending might be tragic, adventure and action are fun, and terror is exciting.
Melancholy seems more for melancholy people to watch rather than being successful while making your average person melancholy.
"You couldnt make public housing look too affluent or nice or else the real affluent taxpayers would become too fussy...even if cheaper materials were used" hmph! 🤨
White Fragility
@@mazzb305 *rich people fragility, no need to be a racist
@@mazzb305 your mom loves us whites...Nigel
1:17 the dude with black hat is my dad 🤦🏾♂️ still can’t believe everytime I see this I when I was a kid they came to record my pop n my uncle mike n nem in tha movie this is dope how it last till this day
Masheki Walker 😮
That's super cool. So they just approached them to use them as extras?
@@ovnigaz "prove that your dad was an extra in this old movie" goofy ass
@@ziggylamb the credits at the end...
Those are actual gang members ..not extras
I absolutely adore the Candy Man films. The second one, Farewell To The Flesh is my favorite because it provides the incredibly tragic origins of the character, rooted in New Orleans. It feels very much like a true American tale. Tony Todd is an incredible actor with an amazing voice.
I agree with everything you wrote! I used to watch part 2 often just to feel like I was in NOLA. These movies are just fantastic.
I'm looking forward to the new one that's out this year. It's back to the original locale, and even Helen Lyle comes back. I hope it's good.
This is the most comprehensive, deep socio-historical analysis of Candyman that I had ever seen. Thank you, thank you, thank you for your beautiful work.
That scene of her looking through her pictures and seeing that candyman was watching her...chills
Yup
another thing i forgot...candyman is too slick😂
Candyman is taken from a short story by Clive Barker called 'The Forbidden' it is based in a Tower Block Estate in Liverpool though. In the story it was made clear why the Candyman killed, the Candyman existed as rumor or as he put it "To exist yet not to have to be" and the protagonist was making the estate question his existence, hence the killing to let the estate know that he was still around.
Which is what Helen's Transgression was, questioning his existence.
Your way of analyzing is really something else. I haven't seen Candyman and almost no horror movies so I expected not to understand much you're talking about. But with all the exposition and context the video still makes sense and now I'm actually exited to watch the movie even despite all the spoilers.
When I was way younger I used to live in Green(early 90s). It wasn't perfect but it was a ok place to live in from time to time.
The housing rules highly discouraged father and mother being together just like you said, but my father was a vet. So he had more than enough money.
The police raids actually did more harm than Good. They would take out the heads of gang leaders. That would break up the structure of the gangs. It also meant there was less old members around to enforce rules. The big one rule being you didn't terrorize people outside the gang life. With the old heads gone it's the main reason Chicago has a high muder rate today. They never provided actually programs for alternatives to the gang life. You add that with making the fathers who didn't get locked up, hard to live with the family. Yea you get today's troubles.
Mayor Day was alway a corrupt asshole.
Wow man that's sad. Im glad you made it out bro
The housing makes the father's pump and dump, OK pal, its the housing 😆
@@jamesjameson4566
Housing was only part of it. It was a big part though
@@chosenfallen2024 excuses excuses
@@jamesjameson4566
Ah you're one of those huh? Thanks for clearing that up. There's multiple people like historians, law enforcement, economic experts,and government senators who all have come out record confirmed this.
I also lived it. I don't need to convince you. Especially when you've clearly made up your mind.
So why you here?
Another rule the film broke was that the horror doesn't wait until the sun goes down to strike
The cinematography , the score, Tony Todd's voice, and the superb acting made this movie a HIGH horror classic. I still get shivers from Helen's friend --- Bernadette's --- death. Hearing her last gasp as you hear her flesh rip like an old rag, even though you never see it actually happen on screen, & seeing her complexion going from black to having a blue face after she was gutted still haunts me. I still won't say Candyman in the mirror or otherwise. No M'am.
Great analysis by the way. I love how you shed light on the real life social aspects this movie was based on. And the last line you said about "Learning what you don't know & shutting up and letting the people who don't know do the talking." Most people outside of the situation try to act like they know more than they do (if anything) and speaking from a place of speculation that actually hurts instead of helping.
I agree that this film highlights white people's fear of black impoverishment as it relates to our neighborhoods. I'll go even farther to say that Candyman himself is the embodiment of that mythical/supposed "danger" that white folk believe looms over "The Hood" and why they're afraid to venture into it. They figure if they can gentrify the hoods, then they can demystify and "cleanse" the air of the evil that looms over such places. As long as you don't speak something, it tends to not make it real, even though you know it's still there below the surface. So when you say Candyman's name, it's like you're bringing back to life an old, shameful, family secret that everyone would just like to leave "resting." Kind of the same way people like to avoid topics regarding race relations. If we don't talk about it --- it doesn't exist and we can live in this fake 'Kumbuya ' state, though we know underneath the surface, the right trigger word can start an argument which can lead to a riot, which can lead to an all- out war.
Although Candyman, didn't kill Helen in the traditionally sense with his hook, he did kill her in the end by holding her back so she couldn't escape the fire in time. He did assassinate her character by making her look like the perpetrator of the the murders in the movie and making everyone think she was crazy , even though in the end when she was hailed as a martyr; kind of the same thing that has happened to countless black figures (and revolutionary figures in general, but moreso blacks) in real history . . . When we have ideas that go against the mainstream, i.e. MLK Jr. and integration being one everyone knows, they're seen as crazy for thinking their ideas could ever work. Then they are assassinated, and only POSTHUMOUSLY are they seen for the genius they encapsulated. Even in everyday relationships whether romantic or otherwise --- most people don't value the other person until that person is gone --- or essentially, the relationship "dies." So this movie proves magnifies the point that in order (most times) to become a legend, one must have a tragic end, and ONLY AFTER that end, can they attain some degree of legendary status and be appreciated to any degree. The writer's using of a white protagonist (though I'm sure his doing so was totally unconscious) to make this point probably made white people see it more, though I'm sure it went over their heads how this happens to black people because, well --- it's a black people's problem, not a white people's problem and doesn't affect their world.
I agree! And really good points!
Though I disagree with you a little. I feel the people writing and choosing the actors probably would have chosen a white actress for Helen deliberately. Even when the movie was made, I think they could have known the "shock value" of that particular combination. Personally, I do think Helen being a naive white girl out to "save" the black residents from their "superstitious beliefs" that turned out to be real fears in a real monster that actually kills people, (though probably less so than the gang leader emulating Candyman) is a pretty poignant theme. She is blind to the real problem, in the same way powerful white politicians were purposely ignoring issues for people of color at the time (and still are).
Since I'm cynical, if they had cast a black or POC actress, it would have been seen as a "black" or "ethnic" movie, so less excuses for white people to go out and see it.
I can't say if that would still be a necessary choice today, I certainly hope it wouldn't, but suspect it still applies. Both artistically and financially that could have been a deliberate choice even from the start of the writing process.
@@aazhie Well, the writer ---- Clive Barker --- is a white man, so I'm pretty sure it was at the least, a subconcious choice to make Helen white because white women are worth seeing . . . but, yes. From a marketability standpoint, at that time, I'm sure a black lead actress wouldn't not have flown with studio execs. Even though Virginia Madsen was originally cast to play "Bernadette," they still had another white actress set to play the role of Helen, so either way. But to me, Bernadette's death is more tragic BECAUSE she is black due to not just the whole "the black people always die first, or are the only ones to die at all" trope, but because she died trying to save her white friend, and was hardly given any acknowledgement for her sacrifice. I've seen it so many times in movies where the black person has enough sense not to want to go into certain situations that spell certain doom, but do so anyway to support their white, "more important" white co-star, and THEY are typically the ONLY one's that end up paying for their white counterpart's mistake, i.e. the black girl who got killed in Scream 2 after Sydney crawled out of the wrecked police car, Kelly Rowland's character "Tia" in Freddy Vs. Jason, --- hell --- even in Candyman 3: Day of the Dead the black girl got killed in front of her white friend who summoned Candyman. There are many more examples, but I'd be here all day.
But I'm sure if Jordan Peele decided to cast a black female lead and had a white girl as the supporting character, people would go to see it in great #s, simply because there aren't many great horror movies that have come out in YEARS . Plus, Jordan has made quite a name for himself in such a short period of time, so that buys him a lot of automatic "faith." But I don't think I'll be going to see it if it's just a remake. As great a filmmaker as he is, Hollywood is ALL remakes and there are no original ideas anymore. And ever with all of the special effects nowadays, and with even as good a storytellyer as Jordan is, I'm not salivating for a rehash of an original that can never be added to or subtracted from. Now, if it's a re-imagining in the sense that it just involves the Candyman, but has a totally different storyline in the sense that it is a continuation from the 1st one, or the 2nd one, then maybe . . . but I could barely make it through the orginal without pissing my pants, so I don't know if I'll be able to watch a --- I'm sure to be --- much gorier version. Which is why I liked the original so much and think to remake or even re-imagine it could hurt the franchise cuz there was gore, but only in two brief pockets --- Bernadette and the psychiatrist's death. But even then, it was more blood than anything else. And technically, Bernadette was killed off-screen. Most of the fear was generated through the atmosphere of the scenes, that haunting score, and Tony Todd's voice as Candyman, even when he wasn't shown on screen.
This is really Interesting. Thanks for sharing.
@@mbee6256 Thanks 4 listening.
@@dominiquedevereux7205 Clive Barker only wrote the original story, which was set in Britain. The director of the movie, Bernard Rose, is also the script writer.
In the original short story, Candyman himself had origins as a white man who exists as a more broad symbol of class oppression. I'm not expert on this but systemic racism certainly exists in the UK, the class structure is heavily ingrained in society and not necessarily as racially stratified or codified as it is in the US. Public housing in Britain also isn't universally occupied by POC. I think Clive was generally writing what he knew. Helen is a privileged white woman in both renditions of the story, but she is also on the territory of an underclass that is both white and of color.
Rule No. 1: The first character to die in a horror film was always....
Asian
The best person
british. oh wait no sorry that was just alien.
Black
Black
Candyman is so overlooked! It’s sad. It deserves to be up there with A Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday the 13th.
You made me realize how cheated we are for not getting sequels. Sure, a few Friday sequels are garbage but Jason is beloved and I feel Candyman could've gotten the same cult following.
@@dreamsicle3113 Candyman has two sequels but neither come close to the original, though Tony Todd reprises his role in both and in all fairness the first sequel in 1995 is at least worth a watch and gives you a lot of his backstory. The third movie's novelty is that it will make you want to gouge your eyes out with a hook while watching it.
Elm Street movies are more very overrated than Candyman movies.
it really does..he was a hero to me as a kid and my first horror movie i remember😂
That moment when he floated out from under the stretcher in the hospital, I knew this was one of the most under rated horror flicks I'd ever seen. I am a serious horror junkie and Candyman may in fact be my favorite.
I just watched that scene to see what you mean and it showed it float down from the ceiling
This video can literally be the intro to a thesis for so many things (residential stratification in Chicago, racial disparities with superstition) it’s inspiring 👍🏼
Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Man, Candy Man.........
Bloody Mary.
Candyman's still one of the scariest horrors I saw.
Let them fight.
Pussy....
n word n word n word
Candlejack. Candle jack. Candle j.
Candyman's coat is a very dark purple, emulating a certain candyman of a different kind (Willy Wonka).
Anna Hanson The only person that gets close to Candymans terror, is Willy Wonka. That boat ride plus his singing was haunting.
Or a pimp.. Selling candy on the block.
OMG, I had never considered that! You're right! 🤯
Oh one thing to consider about Helen is that she wanted to exploit the urban legend because it was new and fresh. She was basically using it to get clout for her thesis, I really don't think what Helen says is what her character wants, just because she says "A whole community attributes to a mythical legend" isn't really what she seems to behave like, she seems like a rabid reporter who's hot for a story and doesn't care about the bodies or disruption she causes, her black friend has to keep tugging her arm and telling her to stop being so careless.
She gets angry with her husband for using the premise to her thesis, she's desperate and explains to her friend "We can just go and do the same boring old thesis" or something right before she goes onto her philanthropist schtick.
"We are going to bury you" as she says at the dinner, there is something egotistical here and she see's Cabrini green as nothing more than a cash machine. She put that boys life in danger taking down that drug dealer, the dealer who victimized so many but it took one white lady getting a black eye in order for the cops to even haul him in.
She heard of a young boy being brutally hurt and yet she still brings a young boy to show her the place of this attack from the uncaught killer who's still operating?
The way she tries to take Candyman's power away from him while trying to make the Black Legend her White Legend, by casting a powerful doubt in the process of "proving" aka "hijacking" he's bound to be forgotten and truly dead in the fears and eyes of the masses, his spirit lives through the power of the legend. So when she tries to gentrify him by taking his legend and power away, it's almost as if she's cutting off the hand of the artist, she's going to take away the new identity he created from the pain of his former self, so in a way he takes away her identity, by turning HER into a Black Legend of Cabrini Green, another face on the wall, personally I think people like her he paints whatever "connection" they want to. She thinks she's the descendant of his love but that could be her psychological pity she felt hearing his origin story, in that moment he needed someone and that someone could have been her.
Candyman used her mental pity and lust for him and harnessed that to coax her further down the rabbit's hole. One of my all time favorite horror films. Gonna rewatch probably tonight.
Excellent!
Love this~!
@@SirGrimLockSmithVIII You are right, but I think what they are pointing out is that that isn't the case with this movie. If the story was "boring" or not a good read she would of still cared deeply and told the story anyway. I haven't seen the movie but if what the op says is true about the language she uses, it sounds like she wants to use the situation for her benefit first, not having the story being equal or more important to her.
@@SirGrimLockSmithVIII Good point, then we'd have to find another reason why. Like he said the other 2 deaths didnt summon him, so what would be his reason other than trying to demystify him?
Andre B why not both? Both could make very good motivation for what is essentially a collective poltergeist for the project. As a manifestation of fear, demystification by way of gentrification or documentation can both be problematic. Candyman could just be pushed father along by the fact that his ego is hurt by her trying to exploit his image for her gain. In doing so she isn’t giving him the respect he feels that he’s owed.
In retaliation, Candyman goes about tying up loose ends to keep his cred up whilst also terrorizing her and seducing into giving him the respect he feels he’s owed. In a stroke of genius he also kills her to farther build up his notoriety.
If all the above is true, that makes Candyman an incredibly complex villain, with multiple motives subtly interwoven, whist still remaining a simple boogeyman.
This film is soooooooooo good. It would be hard for anyone to do it better. High art for sure!
And this is the genius of Candyman.....it created a deep discussion on the ills of neglect, poverty, and racism in America. Kudos to this video. Great history lesson as well as solid opinions of the film.
can we take a moment to apreciate the earily macarbe piano music that shit gets me all the time
Philip Glass claims he was "Duped" into creating the score.
One of the best move reviews I've ever seen, simply because of the social commentary and research you put into it.
I love the fact that you went to the actual geographic location of where the movie takes place and you explained the historical background.
Thumbs up and a sub!
Totally agree. This is very well written! Kept me so engaged.
this "social commentary" is racism
@@jpeg.600x2 HOW
@@man.6618 he doesn't know. Hes just spouting shit because he's mad at the facts
In the original the candyman was a deformed caucasian man. He also wasnt summoned in any way he just kind of existed in the fear of the occupants of the town.
The good thing is they recreated the story in a different setting with different characters at least
the original short story”the forbidden” took place in Liverpool and dealt with Britain’s class system and the worst of urban poverty in post industrial northern Britain. Now to set that story in Liverpool the urban poverty is going to be white/Irish(scouser). To adapt that kind of story to America it’s much more realistic to address racism when it come to urban poverty in the post industrial Midwest.
@@mybirthnameful Good point!
@@mybirthnameful I'm listening to the radio adaptation of the story from 2013. It's fantastic, and actually helps make more sense as to why the American film version turned out the way it did.
I love when a fellow reader adds more backstory 💜
i really loved this video! i feel like its also worth noting for the pairing of sadness and fear that candyman is ultimately a tragic figure too. after all, in life, he was essentially lynched for falling in love with a rich white girl and that's why he's tied to cabrini-green
To me, the saddest thing about, "Candyman," is the fact that he was tortured and murdered.
LivanaFaolan Freddy Kruger’s mother was rapped by hundreds of insane inmates and gave birth to madness. That’s sad too. Godzilla was a product of nuclear bomb testing, that’s sad too. The evil that men do does not have racial or ethnic boundaries.
@@meeksde Freddy Kruegar's mother being a nun raped by hundreds of insane evil people resulting in an insane evil child, and Godzilla being a creature that was mutated by a nuclear bomb to become a giant monster with nuclear powers are both cartoonish and ridiculous.
Innocent black men being tortured and murdered for their proximity to whiteness is something that happens and has happened in real life with a depressing frequency.
@@jjj7790 Godzilla being a byproduct of nuclear bombs is not cartoonish at all. The original film is heartbreaking. There's scenes of children in hospitals being treated for radiation poisoning. Godzilla isn't even evil himself. He's just... A monster whose very presence is toxicity and death.
It's pretty sad to me... The anxiety and horror that an entire nation experienced, given physical form.
@@meeksde Nice try but Candyman was murdered because of RACISM. Racism is real violent and gory. Lets not to deflect or make false equivalencies. Candyman also looks at the typical ghost story origin- that a person who was done a grave injustice comes back as a ghost. If that were the case-how many enslaved ghosts would there be? Native people given smallpox blankets... That there aren't many Black ghost stories (Beloved by Toni Morrison is one) is telling in itself.
@@jaydub4661 fair enough. I’ll look into my ancestry and see if there are any Jewish vengeful ghost stories
Candyman is also one of my favorites... I think it's also very unique of him how suave, well-spoken and overall charming he is... After years of not watching it that was what I remembered most, his poise and elegance, and the bees... I so love how he's literally filled with bees. Great video, man.
Probably one of the best-written horror films ever made, highly underrated.
MRH I mean of course it’s Clive Barker and Clive Barker is the true horror master
Am I the only one who thinks that The Candyman has a voice like...well...honey?
Sorry...that was a bad joke.
I’ll go back to my corner.
Yeah, that was bad...so bad it cracked me the fuck up!🤣🤣🤣 funniest shit I've heard all day!!!
yeah! go back to your corner blake! How many times do we have to teach you this lesson old man?
ikr?? goddamn blake
Yeah step it up blake
Cmon man get your shit together 🤦🏿♂️
This was well made, man, I did NOT expect this great of an analyst of... Candyman.
Same. I was blown away and immediately wanted him to analyze every movie lol
so the bit at the end had me afraid you were about to be really disrespectful but really handled the issues of the area really well and had clearly done enough research to talk about it. well done man
Holy shit thank you bro for your research like I almost choked up that you actually did the research and had a open mind about it
This is fabulous. Candyman is one of my favorite horror films, you articulated so much about what makes it work so well, and the political and social information is fascinating!
I am so glad there is a new video from this channel.
Great subject matter and video. Candyman is a very underrated horror movie.
This morning is the first time that I have ever heard of you let alone seen any of your videos. Fortunately, you thumbnail caught my eye and my curiosity got the best of me...again and this time the outcome was much more favorable. I have to say that I was so impressed not only by your subject choice, but you obvious hard work, passion and attention to detail. I’ve been a fan of movies in general, horror movies in particular for most of life. Keep in mind, I don’t claim to be an expert though I’ve got a lot of views under belt and love finding out about the details, I’m just a very passionate fan.
As an African American woman I have to say what really pulled me in was that you were pointing out many of the things that I have been saying for years about this film and I appreciate your honesty. In other words, your “real talk”. You pulled no punches and blended well researched facts well.
This morning is the first time that I have ever heard of you let alone seen any of your videos. Fortunately, you thumbnail caught my eye and my curiosity got the best of me...again. I have to say that I was so impressed by your not only by your subject choice, but you obvious hard work, passion and attention to detail. I’ve been a fan of horror movies for most of life, not an expert though I’ve got a lot of views under belt and love finding out about the details, I’m just a very passionate fan.
As an African American woman I have to say what really pulled me in was that you were pointing out many of the things that I have been saying for years about this film and I enjoyed your honesty and general presentation. In other words, “real talk”. You pulled no punches and blended well researched facts like
If you don’t mind me saying so, your style reminds me very much of Cecil from Good Bad Flicks in that like you, he puts his all into his videos, are well researched, respect of material yet blends just the right amount of humor. So please take this as a very high level compliment as I’ve enjoy his productions for a few years now to the point that I get enjoyment just putting his playlist on autopilot. Not a bad one in the bunch. And after going over the titles in your list, I can almost see that same quality.
So know that after viewing only one video, I’m hooked and Boom! You’ve got another subscriber. I’m looking forward to watching more of your videos. Keep doing you and thanks for the great work.
You mean indigenous woman
Wow, you did a good job
@@tjnaptown91 I didn't think she was mean, and I'm sure African Americans are no more indigenous to North America than European Americans...
Agree!
As a Chicagoan, a man, a Black man, a movie lover, a horror movie lover, you did a good job with this. I'd love to grab our favorite poison and watch movies from any era and genre at any time with ya'
90's Chicago was a very appropriate setting and backdrop for this movie.
💯
I've read the original short story, and honestly the story is much more stronger emotionally in Chicago, instead of set in the poorer regions of England's southern cities, with a white Candyman it just didn't carry the same weight. And had a whole other meaning to him it felt like the only real thing was the seduction, the way he speaks in a sort of seducing manner, in both stories this part carries over, along with the jacket and hook-hand. Like some great and not so great Clive Barker short stories, it seemed like he was just rolling with a random story one night kinda drunk or high, and this one he never knew how to finish or fully realize what he was aiming for, so when the screenwriter got ahold of it, it was half built so they were able to insert this meaning without it seeming inorganic, the racially loaded subject matter changes the whole game and for the better.
And I'm a huuuge Clive Barker fan but Candyman was definitely one of those entities that took on a life of it's own even after he created it. Not like Rawhead Rex or something where it totally feels like Clive Barker from head to toe, this one feels like Clive started a drawing but another artist was moved by it they wanted to finish it for him. Sorry I'm rambling away but yeah I totally agree.
I think Helen's transgression is one that is common in Clive Barker's work(s)--tempting the forbidden. In fact, the short story that "Candyman" is based upon is called "The Forbidden" and is set in a London housing project.
As with "Hellraiser" and its Box, the easiest way to escape is to fear and avoid the supposed danger, rather than tempt or engage with this forbidden object or ritual.
Don't say the name five times
Don't open the puzzle box
Don't watch the video cassette
Etc....
Amazing video as always!! I wish my film teacher showed us this movie rather than 1408 for the horror part of our curriculum. Especially since we're in Chicago.
Oh, man. You could do a whole course on Chicago-based horror alone! Candyman, Child’s Play, Primal Fear, The Relic....
Dead by Daylight should add the candy man as another killer for there roster
Maybe a swarm killer since we don't have any of those in the game
I've been hoping for that since I started playing DbD.
I can't be the only one who has Tony Todd's voice in his head when using the Bee Tonic in Bioshock?
"I'm coming for you, Helen!"
*sets the swarm on a splicer*
Candyman is definitely an underrated gem of a horror film. The piano score played in this film always intrigued me. Its beautiful and eerie at the same time.
Phillip Glass!
Regarding "ghosts" in ethnic literature: It's not so much in black or latino communities as it is in developing v. developed countries. For example, Santeria and Voodoo are still highly practiced in third world countries, especially amongst the drug cartels. It doesn't have much to do with skin color as much as it has to do with the culture and socio-economics. On the other hand, cultic practices are often times seen in the much higher echelons of society, however they are more hidden and esoteric, as seen in the examples of Secret Societies, and Hollywood. Great video, BTW. Tony Todd is one of my favorite actors, especially in Star Trek. He goes from a warrior Klingon that is Kurn, to old and thoughtful as future Jake Sisko. His brief work on Prelude to Axanar was also another example of his range. And let's not forget X-Files, and The Rock!
**This comment has spoilers!**
Instant like for talking about one of my favorite (and one of the most underrated) movies. Instant subscribe for talking about it in a fresh, intelligent way.
The only thing that I can objectively disagree with when it comes to counterarguments against this movie is the claim that black people were portrayed as superstitious. The entire movie subverts that stereotype, because Candyman IS real. That's what makes it so different.
The rest is pure opinion.
As a black, woman-aligned person, I saw Helen's character as a definitive representation of white liberalism as well. Her desperate and ultimately fruitless attempts to "help the poor blacks see the truth" ended in her getting in over her head. White guilt/white saviors are useless, and so I feel that even though some critics see Helen as the hero of the movie, I couldn't disagree more, and her death couldn't feel further from white martyrdom for me. It symbolized the futility of "helping" people when they truly don't need help and your intentions aren't as good as you believe they are. Helen is a flawed and complicated protag at it's finest imo
I could go on, but let's be real, this is the RUclips comments section, not a thinkpiece site
Tl;dr - I'm a pretty big stickler about annoying movie tropes and how they're complicit in stereotyping, but as a black femme, Candyman gave me none of that.
I know this is off topic but the actor playing Candyman is one of the most good looking man I have ever seen. Gorgeous!
His name is Tony Todd and he's been a regular staple in the horror genre for decades.
@@Dilligff Thanks! Tony Todd deserves more. He looks like royalty.
Check out Night of the Living Dead (1991 remake)! He and Patricia Tallman are a delight.
I didn't know it till years later but he played a Klingon in star trek ruclips.net/video/NAlsz62Lu5k/видео.html
He is the only human I am afraid off doesn’t matter where I see him , if I ever meet him I think I would just die of a heart attack
Brilliant video! Candyman was one of the first horrors I saw and it has long been a favourite. I can't watch the high body count torture type of horror films, but the richness of Candyman is a film that is watchable on so many levels. (I was shown 'Hostel' once and still feel scarred by the experience!) Thank you as well for the social history commentary. I found that hugely interesting. It's a very unique and welcomed approach to a video essay to have that social/historical context. Thank you!
I don't like _Hostel_ type horror films, either. For me, they're way too possible to be enjoyable. Give me a good old supernatural horror any day.
For some reason I watched these when I was like 8-12. Maybe younger, my dad had me into horror since Freddy and Jason were big in the 90’s. Anyway to me, the atmosphere of the films was very isolating , like you werent safe even with daylight and people around. It just made me feel cut off and alone. and was to me one of those films I had to dare myself to keep watching.
Ditto....
couldnt describe but i loved it for that..for some reason freddy and jason still spooked me as a 5 year old but i loved candyman and my grandpa always doubled down and egged on my mom and grandma who were horrified😂
Candyman is the scariest movie I've ever seen, and sooooo good. Not sure I dare revisit.
More sad than scary
Scared the hell out of me but in a realistic way.
Real fears of unsafe places tend to move me more than cheesy jumpscares. The poverty and sadness was really well portrayed. It's scary because real people were isolated in the eeirie places she had to explore to encounter Candyman. I was freaked out as hell by the killing and spooky ghost stuff, but Candyman was also a well developed character. I felt bad for him and the main girl because it seemed like they were both fated to be tragic in totally different ways. Great writing and as he mentions in the movie, the suspense is drawn out for nearly the whole movie without feeling stale. It's haunting and atmospheric in ways few horror movies can nail.
oh its absolutely terrifying and still one of my favs..first horror movie i remember when i was like 5...i thought candyman was badass tho but freddy and jason still scared me
The history of how that place started really made me so happy. Like it's so nice that they really did make it really well
Candyman is also a love story, typical Barker...but beautiful....EDIT...this is the most likes I've ever, EVER GOTTEN...and what makes me most pleased it's not the amount was two weeks in is at 126 it's the fact that there are that many people who feel the way I do about this man's work. Stephen King may write a great story Anne Rice a wonderful tale this man is a fucking genius.... but hey I'm bias...
I still think of it as such. Beautiful and macabre.
Yeah
Bigfoot Clive Barker’s writing is so fucked up and grotesque yet beautiful at the same time
@blasion15 it is an accomplishment, and the fact you don't know it, says all...
@@xONYXo1 my Favorite.... Cabal, Imajika, and Weaveworld, could duke it out...Cold Hearrt Canyon, the Great and Secret Show and Ever ville....Hells, even Galliee....not a bad one in the bunch..... a feat nor even Stephen , Anne Rice or any other writer of that genre I can name....has done for me...
Clive is the man.
Hellraiser
Handyman
Lord of Illusions
Midnight Meat Train
Anyone else think that Clive Barker could be H.P. Lovecraft's Bastard son?
Jay Black lovecraft was pretty racist so probably not unfortunately. Brilliant writer though
U forgot Nightbreed 👍
5 minutes in: likes video
15 minutes in: "don't like this video"
well...too late now buddy
agreed
R/boneappletea
Hydraulic Fracturing Rig that’s the wrong usage, he simply made a spelling error, sorry sir no internet points for you today
fixed it, thanks.
Indeed I had no idea I walked into the Church Of the Negro Worship.
I watched this at a very young age and it scared the living bejeesus out of me. Still gives me the creeps.
It's too late - I've already liked the video, but I won't share it.
Who else thinks of this movie every time they watch the beginning of the Willy Wonka musical?
"The candy man can..."
I would like to point out that in Malcom in the middle they sing that song in the military school and the person who made them sing that song has a hook for a hand.......
Damnit now if I watch willy Wonka I probably will
I wonder how many serial killers operated in that area from 85-95 and if the activity was even noticed
GreatSkyTroll AntiDrama too many
Since black communities have a "no snitch code" most where probably never caught.
@@noless "black communities" don't have a "no snitch" policy it's more about survival. If someone dirt poor living in the projects tells on a well off local drug lord whose going to protect that individual? No one not even the police so its better to just mind your business or end up another victim
noless They abide by the same code as that thin blue line.
k g it’s not that, no snitching only applies to those living the life, not civilians
“Don’t drink and teleport.” - words I live by 🤣
Great analysis, and fantastic history tie-in. I love how you come at this from a very "matter of fact" point of view, in confronting your professor's lack of applying their analysis of Latin American literature to British literature, as well as the film's dramatization of the "white fear" associated with black poverty. Sub'd!
Night of the Living Dead very famously had a black protagonist who is shot at the end as part of a statement that the gun-toting characters didn't bother to check whether or not a black man was a "ghoul" or not. But yes, there needs to be a higher number of POC protagonists.
@John Doe He did at that. Indeed.
EXCELLENT video. I was incredibly disappointed with the reboot of Candyman. I felt sure with Jordan Peele as one of the screenwriters, he would incorporate the real horror of Candyman: Cabrini Green. There are some excellent documentaries about how horrific daily life was for the people unlucky enough to be stuck there-people really did come in through the bathroom mirrors to rob and murder the residences, most of the young men had to join a gang or get beaten and/or killed for refusing and the gangs literally ran the place. Nobody else cared. If your toilet stopped working, it could be three months before they fixed it. Never mind the rats and roaches that crawled on people at night. Honest to god, I would rather face Candyman himself than to have to live the way they did. And most of them were decent people whose poverty marginalized them into non-entities to the bureaucrats. The original Candyman was actually filmed at Cabrini Green and they had to negotiate with the gangs to get permission (their terms: they wanted to be in the movie. Those weren’t actors, they were actually gang members who lived there) and even then a sniper took a shot at them and almost hit Tony Todd.
And yet they never even touched on this in the reboot. No flashbacks to visually show why the myth of Candyman was necessary, just some abstract conversation that didn’t even begin to convey the true horror.
So thank you for bringing this up. It can’t be said enough.
I love the analysis here. This is a classic film and one of the greatest horror films of all time. I get confused when people say it's an underrated film. I think that the more people say it's underrated, it becomes treated as underrated. Just say that it's one of the greatest horror films of all time. I think when people say that it's underrated, they mean that they don't show it on television often and I think that is true. While growing up, I barely saw it on television. But Jordan Peele is definitely going to put Candyman back on the map and I expect that the new film does a service and compliments the first original installment.
That old-timey saloon piano music in Candyman always gives me the chills.
To be honest, I watched this when I was about 10 years old and it took me about 6 tries to even get the courage to go past the intro and discuss this movie. That's how long the movie has scared me. I'm pretty sure it's not as scary as I thought it was back then, but I just haven't been able to re watch it. Ever. And I've seen some stuff.
Thank you for a really great comprehensive review. I really appreciate how you went into all of the social aspects and the locations.
This era produced a ton of brilliant horror movies. I'd recommend Fallen as a double feature with this one.
I’ve seen bits and pieces of “Fallen.” Putting it on my Netflix queue now!
You can almost say that the basis for most monsters and fairys is metaphor for coping with the current fears of the time. Especially in Europe . Changeling baby's was a way of coping with a sickly baby. Were wolves was a way of coping with serial killers. Witchs and witch craft fear was a way of patriotic culture dealing with the fear of women some how having more control the men lol
Well insightful, I fear that perhaps it's too simplistic. As a neo-pagan I can tell you there is more going on than just patriotic fears or fears of women. But then again I'm a witch what would I be able to speak of it.
*cough* I think you mean patriarchal.
@@aimeem Various research and accounts taken during the witch trials throughout the world and history show that men were persecuted as witches more often than women were, in some places by a large margin. You should check out The Paranormal Scholar for more information on it, she made a very interesting documentary on the subject.
@@LucianCorrvinus Imagine actually being a neo pagan loser
I think witches existed more as a part of religious fears about the devil and Hell more than being women. Both men and women made deals with Satan in the urban legends so I don't think it's a gender issue.
I often come back to this video. I have no real reason why, I just love what you have to say about one of my favorite film. It’s probably because I was traumatized by this film at one point of in my life. When I was 12 years old I bought the dvd blindly at local FYE, when I popped it In later that night, The minute the film starts I felt uneasy and I started to feel characters presence and actions prior to ever even seeing them. I never experienced a film quite like that and at that time and it scared me
Oh and the dog scene/kidnapping was something I was not ready for and still aren’t regardless how many times I view the film, it’s so visceral and disturbing
Hats off to you and thank you
We don’t have to worry about Demystifying the candyman The sequels did that already
This man has never seen the Snoop Dogg Classic horror film, "Bones"
man that's a classic, alongside tales from the hood
Bones scarred me 😂
Maggots! (In nicki minaj’s voice)
@@farfrompleasant Which one of her voices? :P
Keone Robinson the one when she was screaming about roaches
Ah yes Candyman. Such a fantastic film with a great soundtrack.
Ok wow that ending was super creepy and made me super uncomfortable
This video was very different from what I normally see on RUclips, especially in the film review community. I was interested throughout the entire video, and enjoyed your perspective! The inclusion of the racial aspect of this film really had me thinking and I enjoyed every minute. Your honesty also made this video easy to enjoy. Keep up with this, I like this content.
"whoh breaks the cardinal rule of science - don't drink and teleport". well done, sir. that tickled me.
Probably one of the most well constructed, thoughtful, and articulate things I've seen on RUclips. You're doing this very right.
Absolutely love your video! Candyman has always been one of my favorites (along with The Ring :) and I cannot understand why it doesn’t attract more attention in the horror/film community. (And shouldn’t everybody go nuts about the soundtrack?!) Thanks a lot!
Bravo with this talk. I came for the discussion on the film but you did a great job referencing all of the related threads specific to race in the film. There are more but it's specific to the story. The Cabrini Green side of it, I hadn't known about, I always assumed that it was a fictional place. Nice job.
For some reason I'm reminded of Sinister in terms of the emotions this movie evokes. Every time I saw a family murdered in that film I rarely felt scared (aside from the occasional jump scare). The movie was just crushing in how inevitable the outcome was each time a family was introduced. Sadness in horror are a rare but potent combination.
Also, I mainly comment in hopes of giving you some of that RUclips algorithm love because holy moly dude this was incredibly well done. The historical context on top of the analysis was an inspired move and I hope you get more traffic to this video. Great job! Time to check out your other stuff.
Augury: a sign of something that will happen in the future, an omen
This video kept getting recomend to me so i finally watched it, I'm glad i did
Same! It's not what I expected, but it's new info I didn't think of. Been a long while since I have seen the movie and I'm inspired to rewatch and take some notes :)
I'd never heard of this movie before, but thanks for highlighting its cultural significance and cultural context. I'm also white so it doesn't mean a lot for me to say that your video seems to be respectful to black people, but it's obvious that you're putting in the effort to understand a perspective that isn't yours and acknowledging that your position is flawed. (and so is this comment. But we're trying!)
Efforts that are assigned to compassion and empathy, are never wasted even the smallest...
It's comments and replies like this that remind me that there is still hope for the internet (specifically YT comments lol).
@@ptahtao1950 there is still Hope, until the last man of conviction and open Mind and Heart fails to stand and speak his Truth, there shall be Hope....one person CAN change the World, they just can not do it alone.
Claire Hastings Uhh really don’t understand why you’re skin color makes your opinion invalid or worthless. Instead maybe say what you want to say and don’t worry about who you offend or what skin color or background they come from. You’re comment just felt weird like you’re tip toeing on thin and you didn’t say anything wrong...
It always struck me as odd that the real Candyman tolerated the gang leader using his name like that for intimidation purposes. You'd think he'd pay him a visit one night to have a word about it.
Yea I don't think this movie is as smart as this guy thinks. Plus the virtue signaling bit kind of ruined any chance this video had of convincing me otherwise.
I mean, the gang leader WAS spreading fear of the candyman and adding to the legend in a sense. If his power comes from the countless retellings of his legend and the fear they hold, and if the reason he went after the main character in the end really was because of her countless efforts to demystify the legend, I'd imagine that it would only be beneficial for a gang leader to also use their name for intimidation purposes, and even more of a reason to go after the main character as she got them put away
@@gavensedgwick6516 Maybe you're not as smart as you think, and it went right over your head.
@@daniellevaughn4598 Not an argument.
@@daniellevaughn4598 Maybe. Do *you* think you could explain why it's a smart movie?
Phillip Glass’s score is so beautiful yet haunting at the same time.
So fucking good.
As a fellow Chicagoan, well done, sir....and thank you.
Hey no there were 3 deaths the doggo counts :(
Omg the dog 😭😭
I like this video essay. Expected to learn about just another horror film, came away learning about something more thought provoking.
Great video man, I want to really thank you for mentioning Queen Marion Nzinga Stamps. I’m her oldest grandson. Thank you for that, not many people will mention her.
Thank you so much!!!
Stay compassionate and sincere
I couldn't agree more with Chicago being one of the most segregated cities ever. I lived there for 6 years and I said the same thing.
Who else came back here after watching the new trailer?! Looks incredible :-)