Candyman

Name: Candyman
Genre: Thriller, Horror
Released: October 16, 1992
Duration: 99 min
Rating: 61
Cast: DeJuan Guy, Kasi Lemmons, Marianna Elliott, Mark Daniels, Ria Pavia

1992

METASCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 15 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Universal acclaim based on 193 Ratings

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8.5

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8.5	User Score Universal acclaim based on 193 Ratings

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Candyman

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Movie Details & Credits

Hoyts Distribution | Release Date: October 16, 1992 | R

Starring: DeJuan Guy, Kasi Lemmons, Marianna Elliott, Mark Daniels, Ria Pavia, Ted Raimi, Tony Todd, Vanessa Williams, Virginia Madsen, Xander Berkeley

Summary: 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.

Director: Bernard Rose

Genre(s): Thriller, Horror

Rating: R

Runtime: 99 min

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Empire Adam Smith

At its heart, Candyman terrifies because of its ideas. It sinks its horrific foundations very much in the real world of poverty and racial alienation. Read full review

IndieWire Oliver Lyttelton

One of the more original horror creations of the last few decades. Read full review

Staff (Not Credited)

Candyman is an upper-register horror item that delivers the requisite shocks and gore but doesn't cheat or cop out. Read full review

Roger Ebert

What I liked was a horror movie that was scaring me with ideas and gore, instead of simply with gore. Read full review

Janet Maslin

The film's spooky atmosphere is accentuated by Anthony B. Richmond's cinematography and Philip Glass's score. Ms. Madsen's performance is a lot more enterprising than what the material requires; the same can be said for Mr. Rose's direction. [16 Oct 1992, p.C10]

Richard Harrington

Madsen is a much better actress than is usually found in such a role. However, if you don't like splashes of blood or bees swarming out of bodies, you may want to think twice about this one. Read full review

Kevin Thomas

Candyman, the latest Clive Barker shocker, is his worst to date: an ambitious would-be morality play/thriller of the supernatural involving racism and mythology that seems merely pretentious and preposterous as it drowns in gallons of blood and guts. [16 Oct 1992, p.F6]

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User Reviews

Torah75

Dec 20, 2019

Candyman is one of the scariest movies ever. Candyman has brilliant acting from Tony Todd & Virginia Madsen. Candyman is a horror classic that's praised for its originality, eerieness and relentless intensity. He dares you to say his name in front of a mirror 5 times.

80 of 81 users found this helpful801

Liammather

Sep 19, 2021

23 of 23 users found this helpful230

Prolific

Apr 26, 2021

Candyman rules, one of the best of the 90's. .............................................

43 of 44 users found this helpful431

samspade23

Aug 30, 2021

This movie is so great! Compared to the recent sequel, it's sad the original still outshines the 2021 Candyman. It was scary, story is incredible, acting is incredible. Tony Todd is a great horror movie villain and Virginia Madsen is perfect in this film. Do yourself a favor, watch this andThis movie is so great! Compared to the recent sequel, it's sad the original still outshines the 2021 Candyman. It was scary, story is incredible, acting is incredible. Tony Todd is a great horror movie villain and Virginia Madsen is perfect in this film. Do yourself a favor, watch this and don't watch the recent sequel.… Expand

1 of 27 users found this helpful126

kyle20ellis

Mar 14, 2022

You'd think perhaps from the title that the film wouldn't be as good as it turned out to be. Based on Clive Barker's excellent, intelligent and very chilling book, Candyman is a very good film.

The production values are great and very stylish. The cinematography is beautiful, and theYou'd think perhaps from the title that the film wouldn't be as good as it turned out to be. Based on Clive Barker's excellent, intelligent and very chilling book, Candyman is a very good film.

The production values are great and very stylish. The cinematography is beautiful, and the setting and lighting is suitably atmospheric. The atmosphere also really helps, and the more disturbing bits do not thankfully come across as laughable or fake, thanks to the atmosphere and other factors it is genuinely chilling. Phillip Glass's hypnotic and goosebump-inducing score is also very effective, Bernard Rose directs brilliantly, the story is always gripping with Candyman's origins especially well done the dialogue is thought-provoking, intelligent and fits each scene accordingly.

The film is a good length and goes at a well-judged pace. The performances are impressive too, Virginia Madsen is simply terrific in a difficult role while Tony Todd is absolutely terrifying down from his posture to his voice. In fact, for me the only real downside was the ending, it was a sort of "it's not over" ending, and for me(I may be biased as I am not a fan of this type of ending) it felt tacky. In conclusion, an atmospheric horror film that delivers on pretty much every level. 8/10 Bethany Cox… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

tellmikeyy

Sep 12, 2021

Classic horror movie with an amazing performance by Tony Todd. Soundtrack is beautifully done and despite the classic plot of "people doing dumb things in horror movies" its still a well written film from start to finish.

1 of 22 users found this helpful121

RidiculousDeath

Jul 12, 2020

Interesting soundtrack, but the movie itself is pure trash. And more comic than scary.

1 of 70 users found this helpful169

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