I Watch Films: Candyman (2021)
Candyman (2021)
In the 1970s in a Chicago housing project there’s a homeless black man suspected of giving a kid a piece of candy with a razor blade in. When he’s found he’s beaten to death by the police.
In 2019 Anthony McCoy is a black artist in Chicago, living with his art gallery director girlfriend Brianna. Brianna’s brother Troy tells folktales about the projects which include the plot of the film Candyman (1992). Looking for inspiration he goes down there, is stung by a bee, meets Burke who was a witness to it. He tells McCoy about the Candyman; McCoy promptly says Candyman five times in front of a mirror.
Inspired by it McCoy creates an elaborate piece called “Say My Name” but it’s not well received, especially by a local critic and also Clive, who runs the gallery with Brianna. Later that night Clive and his girlfriend are killed by the Candyman.
McCoy paints hideous pictures of the Candyman, sees himself as him in the mirror, has hallucinations. The bee sting causes a rash, or something. He is interviewed by the critic, who says Candyman five times. At a dinner where Brianna is being bigged up by people in the art world who think she might do more prestigious things they find out the critic has been killed. He goes to see Burke who tells him about the original Candyman Daniel Robitaille, and suggests that other black men who have been lynched add to the hive of souls.
In the meantime though the deaths at the gallery, and the Candyman legend that McCoy put in his exhibit have caused the story about saying Candyman five times to spread, leading to some teenage girls summoning him and being killed in a school bathroom. As ever Candyman spends some time in bathrooms because that’s the usual place to find mirrors, but doesn’t really seem to have anything to say about it. The police are on edge, again, just like in the 70s.
Just like when Burke saw them murder an innocent man.
Watch This: Stylish horror, recontextualising the series
into the 21st century
Don’t Watch This: Gentrification, racist police, lynching,
bees, candy, hook make up your mind, pick something
See Also: Candyman: Farewell To The Flesh
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