Candyman is a 1992 American supernatural horror film, written and directed by Bernard Rose. The film is based on the short story “The Forbidden” by Clive Barker.

The Candyman, a murderous soul with a hook for a hand, is accidentally summoned to reality by a skeptic grad student researching the monster’s myth.

The film stars:  Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, Xander Berkeley, Kasi Lemmons and Vanessa E. Williams.

Candyman is regarded in some critical circles as a contemporary classic of horror cinema. I have waxed poetic if you will, about my Stanship of this film and being a Tony Todd advocate many times. Surprise, here I go again. In the late 70s Michael Myers opened the door to the great Horror Villains era in the genre. He is soon followed by Jason Voorhees, Freddy Krueger, Pinhead, hell even the Chucky doll entered the chat. Finally in 1992 Tony Todd’s Candyman/Daniel Robitaille is a tall, dark, handsome black man and even in his most sinister moments manages to exude dare I say – grace arrives on the scene.  Candyman’s back story is compelling because it so rooted in the reality of African-American history. Then flash forward to the time in which the story is taking place, the racial overtones are still very present as Candyman is exacting his revenge using Helen, a white woman, to do so. Just a fuckin’ dope film with so many layers to explore and most of all a dude killing people with a hook.