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Candyman (character)

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For other uses, see Candyman.
Candyman
Tony Todd as Candyman in Candyman (1992)
First appearanceLiterature:
"The Forbidden" (1985)
Film:
Candyman (1992)
Created byClive Barker
Portrayed byTony Todd
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Michael Hargrove
In-universe information
Full nameDaniel Robitaille[N 1]
Alias"The Sweet"
SpeciesBoogeyman[1] ghost (formerly human)
Significant otherCaroline Sullivan
(lover)
Helen Lyle
(reincarnation of Caroline)
Descendants
  • Isabel Sullivan (daughter)
  • Octavia Tarrant (great-granddaughter)
  • Annie Tarrant (great-great-granddaughter)
  • Ethan Tarrant (great-great-grandson)
  • Caroline McKeever (great-great-great-granddaughter, reincarnation of daughter)
Year of birthc. 1865[N 2]
Primary locations
Signature weapon(s)
Superpower(s)
Supernatural ability

Daniel Robitaille, colloquially known as Candyman, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the Candyman film series. The character originated in Clive Barker's 1985 short story, "The Forbidden". In the film series, he is depicted as an African-American man who was brutally murdered for a forbidden 19th-century interracial love affair; he returns as an urban legend, and kills anyone who summons him by saying his name five times in front of a mirror. The character is played by Tony Todd in Candyman (1992), Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995), and Candyman: Day of the Dead (1999); Todd reprises the role in Candyman (2021), a sequel of the original 1992 film, with additional characters – souls of the Candyman "hive" – Sherman Fields (played by Michael Hargrove) and Anthony McCoy (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).

Appearances

Literature

The character originated in Clive Barker's short story, "The Forbidden", published in volume five of Barker's six-volume Books of Blood anthology collection. Candyman is described:

He was bright to the point of gaudiness: His flesh was a waxy yellow. His thin lips are pale blue. His wild eyes are glittering as if their irises are set with rubies. His jacket was patchwork and his trousers are the same. He looked, [Helen] thought, almost ridiculous with his bloodstained motley and the hint of rouge on his jaundiced cheeks.

Although the Candyman's iconic hook and bees are introduced in the story with Helen and other characters, his race, name, place of origin, and backstory are never mentioned; doubting his existence is enough to summon him.[2]

Films

Candyman's first film appearance was in Candyman (1992). The film follows Helen Lyle, a graduate student in Chicago, who investigates him as the central figure of an urban legend connected to a series of murders at the Cabrini–Green Homes.

Helen writes a thesis about how Cabrini-Green's residents attribute their hardships to this apparently-mythical figure. When she discredits the legend, analysing examples of his history and participating in the arrest of a criminal using the Candyman legend to intimidate the locals, Candyman appears and frames her for another series of murders to perpetuate the public's fear of him.

It is hinted that Helen is the reincarnation of Candyman's lover, Caroline Sullivan. He plots to have himself, Helen, and kidnapped baby Anthony McCoy immolated in a bonfire, but Helen escapes him and sacrifices herself to rescue Anthony. With Candyman apparently destroyed, Helen becomes a vengeful spirit and continues his behavior.[3]

In Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh (1995), set three years after Candyman, he appears in New Orleans. Candyman encounters Annie Tarrant, a descendant of his and Caroline's daughter Isabel, after her brother summons him; how he meets Caroline, as the artist Daniel Robitaille, before he is murdered (and becomes Candyman) is explored.[4]

Candyman: Day of the Dead (1999) is set in 2020. Candyman appears in Los Angeles during Day of the Dead celebrations, encountering Annie's adult daughter Caroline (his final descendant).[5][6]

In Candyman (2021), set in 2019, Candyman is summoned once more by a now adult Anthony McCoy. It is revealed that throughout the past, Candyman has maintained his presence by arranging for various African-Americans to be killed by the racist authorities in ways that resemble his own death.[7] Eventually, a disfigured and catatonic Anthony is gunned down by the police, thereby enabling Candyman to possess Anthony’s body and go on a killing spree.[8]

Development

Concept and creation

Granville T. Candyman [was] the scion of a rich black family in 1870s Chicago. Having gained fame for his portraits, Granville is commissioned to paint Helen, the ravishing daughter of a wealthy landowner. Granville demands that Helen pose in the nude as Venus, and her shock soon turns into love. This forbidden interracial affair brings the city's wrath down on Granville. Cutting his right painting hand off with a rusty blade, the lynch mob then covers his naked body with honey, cheering as he's stung to death by bees.

— Tony Todd, outlining the Candyman's backstory[9]

When Tony Todd and co-star Virginia Madsen were cast as Candyman and Helen, original Candyman director Bernard Rose gave them free rein to flesh out their characters' backstories as part of the creative process.[10] Rose said, "The Candyman is not black in Clive's story. In fact, the whole back story of the interracial love affair that went wrong is not in the book. Everything that's in the book is in the film, but it's been amplified."[11] Todd came up with the character's backstory during rehearsals with Madsen. He called his character "Granville T. Candyman", who has a forbidden love affair with a white woman whose portrait he paints (leading to his lynching).[12] The name "Granville" is never used, and the character's name ultimately becomes Daniel Robitaille.

Characterization

The Candyman is largely driven by a need to sustain his legacy, killing those who doubt his existence. He has been described as a "ghoul fueled by the 'faith' of his believers. He is forced to deal with his followers to make them believe again and punish the interloper who leads them astray."[13] In Draculas, Vampires and Other Undead Forms: Essays on Gender, Race and Culture, the character is compared to a vampire: "[Candyman] possesses the capacity to hypnotize his prey such that they appear to desire their victimizations."[14]

Tony Todd compared his ability to invoke fear, suggestion and seduction to the DC Comics villain Scarecrow. Todd also compared his character to the Phantom of the Opera and the Hunchback of Notre Dame; all are "monsters", who use tenderness and terror in an unsuccessful attempt to win the love of a female protagonist.[12] Virginia Madsen confirmed that the Candyman was intended to be an "African-American Dracula", "appealing to the African-American community because they finally had their own Dracula".[15]

Bernard Rose said that the biblical story of Samson was an inspiration for the Candyman: "Samson dismayed his parents by taking a Philistine wife, pausing only to slay the young lion whose carcass bred bees and ran with honey. The Candyman outraged bigots by his love for a white woman and was murdered by being smeared with honey and staked out for the killer bees."[16]

In Day of the Dead, the lynch mob chants "Candyman" five times before he dies. Summoning a specter by chanting his name repeatedly in front of a mirror may be traced back to Bloody Mary.[17] In the short story, the character describes his existence as an urban legend: "I am rumor. It's a blessed condition, believe me. To live in people's dreams; to be whispered at street-corners; but not have to be".[2] According to the film version, "I am the writing on the wall, the whisper in the classroom. Without these things, I am nothing".[3]

Legacy

The Candyman was ninth on Fandango and Bloody Disgusting's list of top-10 slasher icons, and eighth on an older Bloody Disgusting list.[18][19][20] Based on a readers' poll, Rolling Stone ranked him tenth among horror villains.[21] JoBlo.com ranked the Candyman fifth on its list of horror bogeymen,[1] and ComingSoon.net ranked him seventh on its list of slasher villains.[22]

Merchandise

McFarlane Toys released a Candyman action figure as part of its Movie Maniacs Series 4 in 2001.[23] More action figures were scheduled for release in November 2019 by NECA.[24]

See also

Explanatory notes

  1. ^ The spelling of his name is according to the credits of Candyman: Day of the Dead.
  2. ^ Although no year of birth is given, according to Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh he was born immediately after the conclusion of the American Civil War (which ended in April 1865).

References

  1. ^ a b Jake Dee (January 13, 2017). "Top 10 Horror Movie Boogeymen!". Arrow In The Head / Joblo.com. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  2. ^ a b Barker, Clive (1985). The Forbidden (Paperback). Books of Blood. Vol. 5. Gallery Books (published February 1, 2001). ISBN 074341733X.
  3. ^ a b Bernard Rose (director/writer) (October 1, 1992). Candyman. United States: TriStar Pictures.
  4. ^ Bill Condon (director) (March 17, 1995). Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh. United States: Gramercy Pictures.
  5. ^ Turi Meyer (director) (July 9, 1999). Candyman: Day of the Dead. United States: Artisan Entertainment.
  6. ^ Cherry, Brigid (2009-04-04). Horror. Routledge Film Guidebooks. Routledge. ISBN 0415456681.
  7. ^ "Candyman review – BLM horror reboot is superb confection of satire and scorn". the Guardian. 2021-08-25. Retrieved 2021-08-29.
  8. ^ Nia DaCosta (director) (August 27, 2021). Candyman
  9. ^ Schweiger, Daniel (1992-10-01). "Razors in the "Candy"". Fangoria. No. 117. Park Avenue South, New York City: Starlog Communications Inc. pp. 24–28, 62.
  10. ^ Schweiger, Daniel (1992-11-01). "Everything's Coming Up Rose's". Fangoria. No. 118. Park Avenue South, New York City: Starlog Communications Inc. pp. 42–45, 68. ISSN 0164-2111.
  11. ^ Dan Scapperotti (December 1992). "CANDYMAN - a sweet, scary return to classic horror form". Cinefantastique. Vol. 23, no. 4. pp. 18–19.
  12. ^ a b Schweiger, Daniel. "Tony Todd: Hooked on Horror/Candyman". GoreZone. Fangoria. No. 25. Park Avenue South, New York City: Starlog Communications Inc. pp. 20–26. ISSN 0896-8802.
  13. ^ Austin Vashaw (November 22, 2018). "Scream Factory's CANDYMAN Blu is a Sweet Serving of One of Horror's Most Thoughtful Films". Cinapse. Retrieved January 24, 2019.
  14. ^ Picart, Caroline Joan S.; Browning, John Edgar (April 8, 2009). "The Compulsions of Real/Reel Serial Killers and Vampires". Draculas, Vampires, and Other Undead Forms: Essays on Gender, Race and Culture (1st ed.). Scarecrow Press. ISBN 978-0810866966.
  15. ^ Caprilozzi, Christine (December 14, 2012). "Twenty Year Retrospective of Candyman with Virginia Madsen". Horror News Network. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  16. ^ Bernard Rose (subject), Kevin Jackson (interviewer) (March 13, 1993). "INTERVIEW / The sweet smell of excess: Bernard Rose has an oral fixation: Kevin Jackson talked to him about the appetites behind his new horror film, Candyman". The Independent. Archived from the original on March 11, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2020. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  17. ^ Muir, John Kenneth (September 2, 2011). Horror Films of the 1990s. McFarland. ISBN 978-0786440122.
  18. ^ Barkan, Jonathan (2015-04-12). "Who's The Best Slasher Killer?". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
  19. ^ Solomon, Brian (2009-02-05). "13 Days of Friday the 13th: The Top 13 Slashers in Horror Movie History". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
  20. ^ Hougland, Stacie; Walton, Chuck. "The Top 10 Best & Worst Slasher Villains". Fandango. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
  21. ^ Andy Greene (2014-10-29). "Readers' Poll: The 10 Best Horror Movie Villains". Retrieved 2019-06-04.
  22. ^ Perkins, Nick (October 30, 2018). "Top 10 Horror Movie Slashers". ComingSoon.net. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
  23. ^ "Candyman (Candyman 3 - Day of the Dead) - Movie Maniacs, Series 4 - DASH Action Figures". DASH Action Figures. Retrieved 2019-06-04.
  24. ^ John Squires (May 3, 2019). "NECA Says 'Candyman' Five Times and Conjures Up a Tony Todd Action Figure!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved July 20, 2019.
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