Candyman UHD [Limited Edition] 1992 Review

5 star epic restoration of a gothic horror classic.

Candyman is inspired by the short story The Forbidden written by Clive Barker (Hellraiser, Nightbreed) as part of his horror anthology The Books of Blood: Volume 5.

Originally released in 1992, this film adaptation is written and directed by Bernard Rose (Boxing Day, Paperhouse) and is presented here newly restored on 4K UHD courtesy of Arrow Video.

“They will say that I have shed innocent blood. What is blood for if not for shedding?”

Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen – Dune, The Prophecy) is a grad student at the University of Illinois, Chicago. Alongside her friend and fellow student Bernadette (Kasi Lemmons – Drop Squad, Liars’ Dice) she is researching a paper on urban legends when she happens on the story of The Candyman (Tony Todd – The Final Wish, Hell Fest). He supposedly committed a series of murders in and around Cabrini-Green, a gang ruled area of the projects.

Skeptical, Helen and Bernadette follow the myth and speak his name in to the mirror five times, but unsurprisingly he does not appear. Her husband Trevor (Xander Berkeley – Transcendence, Taken) has a friend who researched the matter ten years previously and believes they will find nothing new on the subject.

Helen however has realised that her own apartment has the same design as Cabrini-Green, with the apartments only separated by the medicine cabinets and that this could be how he accessed the home of latest victim Ruthie Jean. They visit the crime scene, a dangerous undertaking and Helen does indeed find his hideout.

The investigation seems to be going well but have they bitten off more than they can chew and is Helen’s obsession becoming dangerous?

“We’ve got a real shot here Bernadette. An entire community starts attributing the daily horror of their lives to a mythical figure.”

Candyman remains one of the scariest horror films I have seen. Clive Barker has a way of getting under your skin unmatched by any other author and although the story has been changed in places, his voice is unmistakable throughout. There are no screaming teenagers here to ease the tension, this film is indisputably for adults. The acting is superb, Virginia Madsen is completely believable as Helen and Tony Todd is at his chilling best here.

Brilliantly remastered, the haunting soundtrack has as much impact today as it did the first time I saw the film at the cinema when it was first released. That version is on the disc, as well as the US R Rated version.

An absolutely fantastic release, featuring lots of special features and still looking great 30 years later, this one is well worth adding to your collection.

“Be my victim. I am the writing on the wall, the whisper in the classrooms. Without these things I am nothing.”

Candyman is available to buy now on Limited Edition 4K UHD.

4K ULTRA HD LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• New 4K restoration from the original negative, supervised and approved by writer-director Bernard Rose and director of photography Anthony B. Richmond
• 4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of two cuts of the film, the US R-rated version and the original UK theatrical version featuring alternate, more graphic footage, presented via seamless branching
• Original uncompressed stereo audio and optional DTS-HD MA 5.1 and Dolby Atmos surround options
• Audio commentary with writer-director Bernard Rose and actor Tony Todd
• Audio commentary with authors Stephen Jones and Kim Newman
• Be My Victim, an interview with actor Tony Todd
• It Was Always You, Helen, an interview with actor Virginia Madsen
• The Cinema of Clive Barker: The Divine Explicit, an in-depth interview with Clive Barker on Candyman and other adaptations of his work
• The Writing on the Wall: The Production Design of Candyman, an interview with production designer Jane Ann Stewart
• Forbidden Flesh: The Makeup FX of Candyman, interviews with special makeup effects artists Bob Keen, Gary J. Tunicliffe and Mark Coulier
• A Story to Tell: Clive Barker’s “The Forbidden”, an interview with writer Douglas E. Winter on Barker’s seminal Books of Blood and Candyman’s source story
• Urban Legend: Unwrapping Candyman, a critical analysis of the film with writers Tananarive Due and Steven Barnes
• Three rarely-seen Bernard Rose short films, restored in HD: A Bomb With No Name on It (1975), The Wreckers (1976) and Looking at Alice (1977)
• Original theatrical trailer
• Image gallery
• Limited edition 40-page perfect-bound booklet reproducing the original hand-painted storyboards by Bernard Rose
• Fully-illustrated collectors’ booklet featuring new writing on the film by festival programmer Michael Blyth
• 6 postcard-sized original UK lobby card reproductions
• Reversible sleeve and poster featuring original and new artwork by Gary Pullin