7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Helen Lyle scoffs at superstition, but when she hears about Candyman, a slave spirit with a hook hand said to haunt a notorious housing project, she has a new twist for her graduate thesis. To prove Candyman doesn't exist, Helen heads to the site of a brutal murder to call for him by saying his name five times. To her horror, he appears, igniting a string of gruesome murders.
Starring: Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, Xander Berkeley, Kasi Lemmons, Vanessa Williams (I)Horror | 100% |
Thriller | 21% |
Supernatural | 20% |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
All Dolby Atmos tracks are at (48kHz, 24-bit) not (48kHz, 16-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
In 2021, “Candyman” was released, which was a sequel to…“Candyman,” a 1992 gothic horror feature adapted by writer/director Bernard Rose from a short story by Clive Barker. While stylishly made and thematically purposeful, it wasn’t a scary movie, more interested in developing social and racial issues introduced in the original film. What makes Rose’s picture at least somewhat commanding is its attention to the power of fear, with the production generating an impressively pressurized viewing experience that pulls scary business from a number of sources, contributing to a fantastically realized nightmare realm at times. The first “Candyman” remains the best in the series (this includes two other sequels), presenting a driving sense of doom that feels genuinely suffocating, with Rose using real-world agony to fuel something sinister, reaching effective points of terror.
Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray release.
"Candyman" was previously released on Blu-ray in 2018, from Shout Factory. They return to the title in 2022 with a UHD release, which contains the
Unrated Cut, which is sourced from "the original negative with HD inserts for the uncut footage from an archival film print." Changes to "Candyman" are
extremely brief, and while there's a slight dip in resolution (see screencap #5), the difference isn't too noticeable. The rest of the Dolby Vision
presentation captures the cinematic qualities of the production, with fine and film-like grain. Detail is fresh, exploring facial particulars and textured
tours of Cabrini-Green areas. Gory additions are also quite vivid and costuming is fibrous. Exteriors retain dimension. Colors offer a colder, autumnal
atmosphere for the endeavor, while warmer hues are found with clothing choices and lighting. Deep blacks preserve the mysterious aspects of
apartment tours and Candyman's presence, and red blood is distinct, along with greenery. Skintones are natural. Highlights are tasteful, dealing with
roaring fires and elements of apartment and office lighting.
The UHD release of "Candyman" offers a 7.1 Dolby TrueHD track, supporting a production that put an extraordinary amount of care into its sound design. Dialogue exchanges are crisp and subtle, ranging from softer emotional exchanges to the booming ways of Candyman, who fills the soundstage with his echoed presence. Scoring is also rich, offering a wide sense of Philip Glass's piano and organ score, which emerges with complete authority, retaining distinct instrumentation. Atmospherics are circular and engrossing, delivering a sense of crowd movement, insect buzzing, and room tone. Low-end offers some rumbly pressure points.
UHD:
"Candyman" has its highlights, including Tony Todd's portrayal of the complex monster of the movie, creating a romantic figure of pure menace, paired well with Virginia Madsen. Special effects are fascinating, including the use of bees to amplify Candyman's torment. And there's a hall-of-fame score by Philip Glass that does a lot of the heavy lifting in the picture, contributing a rich foreboding sound for the endeavor, helping Rose achieve his desired level of intimidation. "Candyman" isn't perfect, with a few clumsy scenes and uninspired writing hurting the feature in the final act, but it carries immense presence in a way few horror productions do, launching a new genre icon with unusual grace and palpable tension.
Collector's Edition
1992
Deluxe Limited Edition | Limited to 2000
1992
Collector's Edition / Deluxe Limited Edition / Limited to 2,000 | Includes Standard Slip + Exclusive Bonus Alternate Slipcover + 2 Exclusive Posters
1992
Unrated Director's Cut
2009
1986
2018
1987
2019
Unrated Collector's Edition
2007
Collector's Edition
1988
2021
40th Anniversary Edition
1974
2015
2010
2014
2012
Collector's Edition
1982
1988
2012
Unrated
2010
2016
2016
Uncut
2013