Horror novelist Clive Barker may not be as ear catching as Stephen King, but he should be considered very much on the same level. Even though his creations would receive critical acclaim years after King’s adaptations, they were still well deserved. Despite having a rough start, having his licensed works being completely changed, it was his self-directed film Hellraiser (1987) that got him on people’s radars. And while the character of Pinhead was iconic by itself, Barker would help in creating another iconic horror figure in another feature, being this. With assistance from director Bernard Rose, who also spoke with Barker, the pair was able to recreate a short into a full length feature film based on a written work by Barker known as “The Forbidden”. The difference is, instead of originally taking place in England, the setting was moved to the US, more specifically Chicago.
The story for this film revolves around people living in the projects of Cabrini Green. There they are terrorized by a ghostly assailant known as Candyman (Tony Todd). Wanting to understand more so they could add credibility to their thesis is Helen Lyle (Virginia Madsen) and Bernadette Walsh (Kasi Lemmons). What they don’t realize is just how serious the matter is and how the locals feel about the situation that’s been going on. All the while tenants like Anne-Marie McCoy (Vanessa Williams) have nowhere to go despite the uneasiness of the subject. Adding to that is Helen’s husband Trevor (Xander Berkeley) having the usual female students flirting around for silly reasons. For this film, Bernard Rose directed and wrote the screenplay which can be difficult, but it looks like that wasn’t an issue for him.
What works really well in this horror film is the change up in the usual tropes witnessed in this genre. There are no dumb teenagers looking to fornicate every second. The area in which the story is based on is an actual place in the US. The lead characters are self-reliant and the overall story reflects on the historical context of the setting. That’s the big picture. From a more focused perspective, the actors who perform in this picture give quite a show. Virginia Madsen, known at the time from starting in films like Dune (1984) and Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), will really make the viewer sympathize with her character. The same could be said for the characters played by Vanessa Williams and Kasi Lemmons. There’s even DeJuan Guy in his first feature film giving a believable display.
Adding to that are supporting actors like Xander Berkeley better known as John Conner’s step father in Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991), and even appearances from Ted Raimi and Rusty Schwimmer. Last but not least, the film would not be so well known if it wasn’t for Tony Todd who brings in so much charisma into his role. His presence as Candyman feels very much just as imposing as Doug Bradley playing Pinhead. It’s that memorable. Unfortunately, the small weak points to the movie are predictable outcomes for side characters. That and the on screen violence isn’t as abundant as one might think. The gore and creep factor is there, but it’s all for the most part aftermath, which isn’t exactly the same. Nevertheless, it can get fairly intense.
When it came camerawork, it was another added benefit to the experience. Handled by Anthony B. Richmond, the scenes shot are able to give the audience a very clear picture how much Cabrini Green is in dire need of support. From the dilapidated building structures, the practically unusable facilities and dangerous gang members lurking around, how would anyone feel comfortable being there? Finally, the film score composed by Philip Glass is another key component to watching the film. Despite him not really being known for working on horror films, Glass managed to create chilling album. Using mainly organ and chanting choirs, Glass’ score haunts unlike other any horror scores. There are no stings either and thankfully, this work did get an album release which should be rightfully done. The main title sequence alone is a great track that isn’t even in the album!
Even though the film isn’t really scary and the side characters are more or less predictable, there’s so much more going in the movie’s favor that makes it stand out from the typical horror film. The actors in general give great performances, especially Tony Todd. The camerawork captures the environment well and the music is a new listening experience.
Points Earned --> 8:10
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