Candyman (1992) Film Explained and Broken Down
August 28, 2021
Candyman (2021) Film Explained and Broken Down
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Candyman (2021) Film Overview
Impressions of the Film
Candyman (2021) is a beautiful revival and tidy bookend to when the series started almost 30 years ago. Candyman 2021, takes omages and elements of the original film and builds upon it organically. For me this is a horror picture that should be paired with the original Candyman (1992) in order to get the full effect.
And while Hollywood taste for Cinematography have matured from 1992, the Director of Photography, John Guleserian had an eye for framing a shot to evoke the same large sweeping shots reminiscent of the original. The large cheif difference being in 1992, the film shots would eagle eye and look down over Chicago in a voyeristic way. Our 2021 version has sweeping shots that are looking up the skyline into the clouds as though one could fall infiniately into an abyss.
The backbone of the music is preserved by specific calls to the iconic pieces originally authored by Philip Glass. And, as read in this Newsweek Article, A new composer introduced into this film is known for resonance performance. He visited the actual Cabrini-Green location and took natural sounds from there to work into the score. To Quote Robert Akiki Aubrey Lowe
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"I went to the row houses in Cabrini-Green taking ambient recordings of the location. I went inside certain buildings to get the natural sound of the empty spaces as well as the insects, the wind, the helicopters going overhead. It was important and necessary for me to be able to incorporate actual ambient sound from the locations as textural elements into the score."
Production
Budget and Monetary Performance
At the time of this publication the film has only been out for two days and it's already made back $15 Million of it's reported $25 Million budget. That's a very good sign.
I'm rooting for this film to do well. and want to tell others to go and celebrate it.
Directors and Producers
Producer Jordan Peele is no stranger to Hollywood horror since his Oscar winning Get Out (2017) film. Up through that point he was seen as the "funny-guy" from his work on Key and Peele. Thank heavens for Blumhouse seeing Jordan's Get Out (2017) script and telling him to go for it. Actors who have made thier bread and butter in comedy rarely get to work on projects that aren't what Hollywood believes they'll get a return on from them. Just ask Wayne Brady, he's an AMAZINGLY talented guy who has been shot down multiple times for more serious projects, or a singing career because he was funny.
Jordans production company named "Monkeypaw" is prophetic when I think of it's meaning of being careful what you wish for and pairing that with one of my favorite television episodes. The creator of Twilight Zone, Rod Serling, made a new passion project to tell more macabre moral tales after Twilight Zone was cancelled. This show was called Night Gallery (1970-1973).
One of my favorite episodes is directed by Stephen Speilberg and titled "Make me Laugh" (Aired Jan 6, 1971). In this episode a black stand up comedian is bombing his career. He drunkenly meets a man that tells him he can perform "miracles", but that his practice is rusty and they tend to go a little sideways. The Comedian wishes to make people laugh, and his wish is granted. The wish works so well in fact, he barely can get through a punchline at all before people are doubling over laughing in the aisles. He's given gigs, and money and becomes famous. But he feels empty. The laughs are unearned, and he's tired of not being appreciated for his wit and material. He finds the stranger once more desperate to make a different wish. He tells the stranger how he'd like to do drama, and how he'd love to be able to move people, and make them cry. The stranger grants the wish yet again. As the comedian walks down the street he pulls over random strangers who no longer find him funny. In his extacy he crosses the street only to be struck to death by a car. A woman selling flowers from her cart looks at his death and begins weeping deeply.
Director Nia DaCosta brings a fresh new perspective as a black female director. She is also a relatively newly discovered talent for Hollywood. She wrote a short film called "Little Woods" that eventually became a feature length film in 2019. She is also the youngest director to participate in a Marvel property with "Marvels "The Marvels" slated for 2022.
Cast of Candyman (2021)
Our main actor who steals the show is Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. He is undoubtedly a talented peron rising up in his career. His film credits really only started picking up in 2017, meaning he's been acting for roughly 4 years with major sucess. Projects like Black Mirror "Striking Vipers", Aquaman (2018), and another Jordan Peele blockbuster, Us (2019).
Tony Todd Tony is no stranger to Hollywood Horror with feathers in his career cap such as Night of the Living Dead (1990), and Final Destination (2000). His reprisal as the Candyman in the 2021 remake is a solid choice. He was awesome as Candyman 30 years ago, and is still the forboding presence of a character today. When asked about possibly reprising his role (before it was official) Tony responded:
"I know that he [Jordan Peele] is a fan. I'm hoping that I will appear in the film in some form of fashion. Wouldn't that make sense? But, it's Hollywood so I won't take it personally if it doesn't work out." He added, "If this new one is successful, it will shed light back on the original. I think that the subject matter is more important than any individuals and I mean that."
Cinematography
The artistic choices to include story telling through shadow paper puppets communicates a consistent way of hearkening back to the core of the tale, without dilluding the modern camera work with old limited viewpoints from the film 30 years ago.
They instead are able to take echoes of that film's audio, and imagery translated into the paper shadow puppets. The director and DP took especial care to frame the camera wherein most of Candymans "killing" scenes are done in a limited view almost off screen for a kill.
Its a pet peeve of mine for overly excessive gore on screen. It's my biggest complaint about Ready or Not (2019). I had been worried that Hollywood today may find it necessary to turn up the "blood" factor by 6 compared to it's sister film from 1992. To be honest when I watched the 1992 film, outside of the occasional boob, and a few F-bombs it could reasonably pass as a PG-13 for today's audiences. honestly I liked that about the 1992 film.
I was so happy to see the filmmakers approach for 2021 in showing restraint for onscreen gore. Because the meaning of Candyman, is so much more important than his aftermath effect as a focus for the film.
Save The Cat Beat Sheet for Candyman (2021)
Opening Image: Shadow puppets with a man running from a cop.
Theme: Racism, despite modern efforts to erase it's history, is still in plain sight today.
Set-Up: A young artist and his girlfriend are in a wealthy apartment talking about Cabrini-Green and the crazy white woman from the first film 30 years ago (Helen Lyle). How she went looking for Candyman and went mad, kidnapping a baby and trying to sacrifice him to the neighborhood bonfire. The next day the Artist is told by a curator that his latest work is dull and uninspired. The Artist (Named Anthony) then tells the curator that he's considering doing an artistic piece about the now torn down high rise of Cabrini-Green.
Catalyst: Anthony goes to explore Cabrini-Green and the nearby housing street while derelict is still standing. While there a bee stings him. He meets a resident who was a young man when Cabrini-Green was still standing and lived there.
Debate: What is Anthony expecting to find in Cabrini-Green? How will Candyman manifest himself now that his name is being whispered five times again.
Break Into Act II: Anthony with his girlfriend whispers Candyman five times in the reflection of his window.
B Story: More expansion on Helen Lyle as factual apart from the Urban Legend as it has grown over the last 30 years. And that there was a resident of Cabrini-Green who was a nice old man with a prosthetic hand who gave out candy to children. A little white girl dies from candy that had a razor blade in it. The man with a prosthetic hand (hook) was hunted down by the police and beaten to death on the spot. Even after that man's death, more candy with razor blades are making their way around Cabrini-Green.
Fun and Games: Anthony creates an art piece of a mirror medicine cabinet that opens up a viewport in a red-lit room of brutal Cabrini-Green murder images based on photo's from residents who were victim to violence of the Cabrini-Green neighborhood. A pamphlet titles his art as "Say my Name" instructing the art viewer to interact with the art piece by saying "Candyman" five times. A high school white girl looks at the mirror shrugs it off and leaves. The head art critic there holds back no punches telling Anthony his work sucks. (She says it more eloquently in the film, but it was brutal). Candyman makes his first appearance and kills the art gallery curator and his girlfriend. Dragging their bloody bodies to the front of the art piece of "Say my Name". Buzz about the artwork controversy. Anthony's hand is becoming more infected from the earlier bee sting. Anthony's mental state begins to deteriorate as his obsession with Candyman continues to spiral. Anthony goes to the university that Helen Lyle used to attend and takes recorded tapes with him talking about Candyman. He briefly see's Candyman in his reflection in the ceiling of the elevator. The mean art critic from before invites Anthony over to her apartment to tell him now that the meaning of his piece has transcended (With the murders that happened right in front of it.) people's tastes are also evolving and want to know more of his work. Anthony tells the critic that he dares her to say Candyman 5 times into a mirror.
Midpoint: Anthony sees himself as the being Candyman in the mirror of the critic, and runs away. The critic alone in her apartment is killed by Candyman.
Bad Guys Close In: Anthony seeks out the Cabrini-Green resident who told him the real story of Helen Llyle. The resident (Named Will) then expands on the original lore we know about Candyman from the 1800's. that he was a prolific black painter who fell in love with a white daughter who became pregnant. The townspeople chased him down in Cabrini-Green field. Beat him, sawed off his right hand, jammed a meat hook into its stump, then took a bee hive and smothered him in honey. The bees stung him to death. His body is burned and his ashes spread over Cabrini-Green.
All is Lost: Anthony's girlfriend finds the disturbed paintings in his studio. She pleads with him to tell him that Candyman isn't real and would prove it by saying it into a mirror five times right then. Anthony smashes any mirror she tries to look into and she leaves upset. A group of white teenage girls decide to try to say Candyman's name into the mirror five times at school. They are killed, Candyman's power is back in full force.
Dark Night Of the Soul: Anthony discovers from the local Cabrini-Green hospital that he was born there. A fact he didn't know. Anthony goes to his mother to confirm his worst fears. He was the baby that Helen Lyle saves from the fire. Saved him from Candyman. Candyman had a plan for him then, but he lived. Anthony distraught, leaves his mothers apartment.
Break into Act III: The girlfriend comes back to her apartment to gather her things and becomes worried when she realizes that Anthony has been missing for hours since talking to his mother. She finds a business pen from Will's laundromat and decides to go to Cabrini-Green to find him to see if he knows where Anthony is.
Finale: Anthony's girlfriend is knocked out and tied up. When she wakes up she is inside the old Cabrini-Green condemned church. Anthony in a bewitched haze sits still as Will dresses Anthony in a long coat (Reminiscent garb for Candyman), and saws off his right hand jamming the original metal hook into his stump. He’s a psychotic believer of Candyman and is placing this ritual to fully convert Anthony into the new Candyman. Anthony’s girlfriend is able to untie herself and run away. Will gives chase as does Anthony into the derelict Cabrini-Green housing that is still standing. Anthony kills Will as he attacks his girlfriend. Anthony then collapses on the floor in his girlfriends arms on the verge of death. A policeman enters the building and fires two shots off screen into Anthony killing him instantly. Anthony was in no position to be of danger to anyone in the room. Anthony’s girlfriend is then placed in cuff’s in the back of a cop car. The officer in the front seat begins talking to her asking her what story she wants to go with. The one where Anthony stood up and attacked the officer who shot him dead, or the one where they tell others that she was a collaborator to Anthony’s violent nature. She asks the officer to turn the rear view mirror to her to see herself and she’ll tell any story he wants. The officer does so and she says Candyman five times into the mirror. Anthony now as a full cursed entity emerges and kills the unruly policeman. He free’s his girlfriend, and is now perceived as a protector of his people.
Final Image: Anthony now enveloped as Candyman with bees around him.
The Ending of Candyman(2021) Explained
Our main character Anthony is a spiritual successor to the original Candyman who was beaten to death on the land of Cabrini-Green in the 1800’s. Anthony was hand picked as a baby when the original horrors of Candyman were being explored in the 1992 film. Candyman (Whose true name is no longer known) had fallen in love with a white daughter of a wealthy man. Decades later after immortal death, He pined for his family and to have them back. Later lore explored in the sequels of Candyman expressed that Helen Lyle was a descendant of that white girl he loved and had been searching for her and a child they could immortally be bound together in.
Anthony was the child that was saved from Candyman and the fire by Helen Lyle. However it would seem that Anthony’s freedom from his calling set by the original Candyman was prolonged. Candyman in 1992 referred to his believers as his congregation, a young boy who lived at Cabrini Green as a child continued to believe in the original Candyman stalwartly.
He has prepared himself for decades for the called child of Candyman to naturally come back to Cabrini-Green and see’s Anthony’s slow transformation as a fulfillment of prophecy. The murder of Anthony by the policeman may sadly have been the last needed ritual in order for him to come back immortal as it has parallel ties with the original mob killing of Candyman from the 1800’s.
Will has prepared lollipops with razors in them and refers to them as a “sacrament.” But the true ending of Candyman (2021) that comes to light is the animation motif during the credit scenes. It shows a series of events of different individual black women, men and children experiencing racial bias that ultimately lead to a horrible outcome. And in this paper puppet motif the end shows them rising up again in death. That they are all Candyman in a way.
Their memory and experiences should be feared, heeded, and given pause. That “Candyman” is not a single person and entity as the film messages, but rather a systemic horror we continue to perpetuate even today. Candyman began in 1992 a year after the Rodney King viral video, and Candyman (2021) comes a year after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor met horrible murderous ends at the hands of careless officers in 2020.
Story Themes for Candyman(2021)
Read the below in a compassionate tone, as that is how I would read it aloud to you if we were in the same room together
Candyman (2021) naturally has themes surrounding racism as there are not so subtle nods to societal recognition pieces. For example the character Anthony has an art exhibit that is called “Say His Name”, which shows parallels to “Say Her Name”. This phrase within the last year on social media is correlated to the murder of Breonna Taylor. Culturally Americans were encouraged to say her name so people will not forget the atrocity that happened inside her own home. A swath of police officers used a no-knock warrant to enter her home in the middle of the night on a suspected drug issue. Of which Breonna had no record doing so, it was later discovered the officers swept into the wrong address all together shooting her in her bed, and killing her boyfriend who went to defend his home from the intruders (Officers) who did not announce themselves.
There are also comments within the film I’d like to highlight. As Anthony and Will are discussing Candyman’s origin story from the 1800’s and talking about how he was a wanted and celebrated painter until it’s discovered he was dating a white girl and she became pregnant. Will makes the comment “They love what we make, but not us.” implying that culturally America celebrates black community members that can express artwork or entertainment that white audiences like, yet when it comes to simple presence of self in a community, black people are somewhat still overshadowed. I feel there are hundreds of examples where this is exactly the case.
Hollywood is rampant with “White Savior” films. Period films in which the hardships of a black community are eased by someone with white privilege who sees that black person with dignity. Films like Green Book(2018), Hidden Figures (2016), The Help (2011), & The Blind Side (2009). These films are meant to soothe a white ego. I didn’t realize this until it was directly pointed out to me by another film critic whom I respect. Many of the films listed above were given Oscar recognition no less. That they were marketed as a bridge of offering an olive branch between racial biases, when in reality they often serve to make a black or minority person in a victimized position who can never change their circumstance without a white person’s help.
I am not belittling the hardships many of these stories were based on. But often these films only highlight how the hardship of a black person is overcome with a white person’s help is toxic in it’s own right.
Black artists and experiences should be celebrated, period. Never framed in a way that positions a white woman like myself as a hero to their story. Their stories are rich and don’t need a white person’s help, let more black artists voice rise to the top of our melting pot culture. I want to hear them. I was happy to see that within the credits of the film is a web page dedicated to black artists you can support. You can find that here on the Candyman Film Website.
Another theme is that our culture tells itself a story today that “Racism” isn’t a thing anymore. In conjunction with the previous theme regarding Black artistry, America says that racism is over now that we’ve had a black president, and now a female Vice President. I live in the middle of white-people country in Utah and even I understand racism isn’t dead. This is a story we want to tell ourselves without wanting to see the upclose horrors and after effects that systemic racism has grandfathered into my home's culture. From passing laws that make voting insultingly restrictive and difficult for specific sects, to the generational wealth gaps that are so hard to reconcile at this point.
Rules for the Candyman (2021) Universe
- Summoning Candyman by saying his names 5x in a reflective surface.
- Acknowledging Candyman can bring bad omens in your life.
- Lore is created in the minds of a "congregation"
- Candyman appears within reflective surfaces and not in a physical space.
It’s actually pretty close to the original universe rules established from the 1992 film. The only item that really is different is that instead of Candyman appearing only to a selected personage, he is really present within the reflection only.
