Whoops somehow missed posting yesterday so I’ll need to post 2 today. Clive Barker came out with the most marvelous horror short stories when I was growing up. They were quite outrageous for their time and were collected in the Books of Blood. Later he branched out into novels but I’ve always enjoyed his earlier edgier work more. He has several movie adaptations of his work of which Hellraiser is the best. Candyman is the only current film of his on instant Netflix.

WATCH: Candyman (1992) – “While researching urban myths, grad student Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) learns about the Candyman (Tony Todd), a hook-handed creature who’s said to haunt a Chicago housing project. In this creepy film based on a Clive Barker story, the Candyman is made flesh by other people’s belief in him. Not surprisingly, Lyle manages to summon him. Soon, the Candyman has committed a series of murders, and the cops are holding Lyle responsible.”

Candyman covers the topic of urban myths far better than the later Urban Legend series of movies ever did. Clive Barker’s short story forms the basis for this movie adapted and directed by Bernard Rose. Rose takes Barker’s fanciful tale and grounds it in reality. The notorious Cabrini-Green housing project is actually filmed for the movie (exterior shots) as are gang members from the area. Tony Todd is marvelous as the eponymous Candyman even though it is very much a supporting role. By the way he really did have bees in his mouth. Bernard Rose does well showing how the Lyles live versus life in the projects while still keeping the horror story as the focus. The movie isn’t perfect – Candyman’s backstory and motivation could have been better expressed and some of Helen’s early decisions, such as venturing unprotected into Cabrini-Green dressed in upscale clothing, seem brain-dead even for someone with a sheltered life. Overall though this is a nice effective chiller.

People watchers: look for the ever-delightful Ted Raimi in a small role at the start of the film.