Bloodydisgusting.com reports that unassuming Get Out writer/director Jordan Peele is in talks to bring one of my favorite horror movies, Clive Barker’s Candyman, back to the big screen. Mixed feelings about this one. I loved Get Out. The film was disturbing, thought-provoking, and in some instances humorous (the dark kind). I think I even voted for it in the SAG awards. If anyone will do a good job bringing this story back to the big screen it’ll be Peele. That all being said… do we really need a remake of this?
Candyman came to theatres in 1992 and is one of those atmospherically disturbing pictures that stays with you long after the final credits roll. Based (loosely) off of Clive Barker’s short story “The Forbidden“, the film takes place in a Chicago housing project called Cabrini-Green (a supporting character in the film if you ask me). A mysterious murder leads our heroine (Virginia Madsen) down a path of folklore and urban legend – resulting in her discovery of Candyman (played by the iconic Tony Todd). An apparition that appears when you say his name five times while looking in the mirror (remember Bloody Mary?) – oh, and he has a bloody hook for a hand. I’m not going to give you the full synopsis, however you can imagine there’s lots of slicing, dicing and some really eerie mythology.
I introduced my wife to it a few years back, and I have to say that even after twenty years, it still holds up! The film spawned two direct to video sequels, the first of which wasn’t entirely awful – the second… well, we can just forget that one.
I’ll be interested to see if Peele does pick this up and where he takes it.
Here’s the trailer for the original film… if you can find it streaming somewhere you should absolutely check it out for a good creep out!
