Candyman

Can there be any question who the best slasher is? Well, of course, that is why we are here. I have chosen the classy, dare I say posh Daniel Robitaille A.K.A. the Candyman.

Why do you ask? Out of so many awesomely horrible maniacal murders and slashing serial killers' do you choose him? Well, let me explain.

You have Freddy from the Nightmare on Elms Street franchise. The fowl mouth comedian, which I love because he makes me laugh. Then when you think about it, he comes to you when you are the most venerable. Where is the sportsmanship? I can clap for a villain but not a coward. I love a good teen slasher, but for me, there is an age limit. You just do not mess with young kids or babies.

There is Micheal Myers, the strong, brooding silent type, but after watching Rob Zombies movie. Well, the land shark just lost his mojo for me.

In the original, Dr. Samual Loomus specifically explains. "I met this six-year-old child, with a blank pal emotionless face. He had the blackest eyes, the devil's eyes. I spent eight years trying to reach him. I spent another seven trying to keep him locked up. Because I realized what was living behind that boy's eyes was evil, pure, and simple."

How can you mess that up? Jaws on land, a natural killing machine. Not a wah, wah cry baby trash story! Thats' how I always took it, sometimes a back story is just not necessary.

Then there is Jason Vorhes, a deformed child longing for his mommies lost love after witnessing her death. Become a traumatized and tortured soul throughout his life and afterlife. Maiming and killing anyone who dares step foot in his woods. Here we have another quite brooding, Mamas boy throwing a tantrum all while hiding in the woods, uh.

Do not get me wrong, you say something fowl about my mom, and the devil himself could not hide from me. In Jason's defense, a counselor beheaded his mom. So yeah, I guess he does have a bit of a machete to grind.

I am also thinking, being in the woods and just looking at him, as many times as he has died and came back his would-be victims might be able to smell him coming. I imagine him on the lines of a skunk ape.

I can not leave out Ghost-face from the Scream franchise. This film brings together every slasher story (mostly the ones mentioned above) rules to be followed; if one wants to survive. Here we have two squarely male teens protagonists clambering for fame. Claiming there is no real reason behind the murders, only we find out one of the killers blames the final girls' mother for breaking up his family.

So let me get this straight, his daddy cheated on his mother and it is everyone else's fault? Get over yourself junior!

Still, for me, these individuals do not carry themselves with the class and heavy torment that Candyman brings to the table.

It was a forbidden love that seen his demises. It is love that brings this tormented soul back for revenge. Not because he wants to mind you, but with just a stab of murder, the male version of Bloody Marry and Beatlejuice fantastically mixed, comes back from the dead, to victims that mock death (as most slasher victims usually do.)

Five times one has to say his name while looking into a mirror, you have four chances to not die at the end of his hook hand or by the suffocating stinging swarm of bees he now controls. (I get sidetracked after two calls of his name.) An individual must want to feel his touch to do it five times, inviting the wrath of his love on themselves. I have little to no pity for these individuals. They know his back story. It has been whispered, passed down through generations, being twisted, and turned into an urban legend.

Daniel Robitaille was a young black artist who is hired by a wealthy landowner to paint a portrait of his daughter. Daniel finds love with his muse, he impregnates her, for this Daniels' painting hand was cut off with a rusty saw and replaced with a metal hook by her father. The wealthy landowner and his gang of friends continue to beat poor Daniel. They take his torment even further when they destroy a nearby beehive and smearing the stolen bees honey all over him. They watch as the bees attack Daniel Robitaille, crawling in his screaming mouth and nose looking on while he bleeds out from his wounds. The mother of his child stands by helpless in saving him. Daniels, last vision is watching her running away from the scene in tears, holding her enlarged belly. This is just the beginning of the story!

The 1985 book (yes, there is a book) is an anthology, “The Book of Blood” the short story called, “The Forbidden,” written by Clive Barker is what the movie Candyman is based on. The story leaves out a couple of things that the movie had introduced. Things like Daniel Robitaille's real name, this was given to him by the original author Clive Barker with the help of Bernard Rose, his race was not identified in the story, where the incident took place, and even a real back story was introduced in the movie.

I love this movie. Maybe it is the actor Tony Todd's soft deep voice or how he speaks so eloquently. There is a longing in his words that he whispers into his victim's ear. I mean, I can feel the pain oozing from him. Or maybe it is the sadness of the story of a forbidden romance. A young life snatched before he had the chance to be a father. Who would protect his new family? Poor Daniel Robitaille could not even protect himself, not in life anyway. I liked to think he was able to come back at some point and take his revenge on the wealthy landowner. Kind of like a Bell Witch haunting thing, just with hooks and bees.

I did mention that that was just the beginning of the story above. On October 16, 1992, the residents of Cabrini-Green in Chicago still spoke about Candyman while hiding behind there locked doors. Even the hungry jaws of their large dogs could not hold back his murderous rage or his mind games.

Here we are introduced to Helen Lyle. She is a student who decides to write a paper on Candyman myth and urban legend. Helen goes to Cabrini-Green, a run-down old apartment complex where there are people who are just trying to survive in low-income housing. Unfortunately, Cabrini-Green sadly is infested with drug dealers and gang members.

After hearing about a particularly gruesome murder from two housekeepers that matches up with Helen's thesis, she and a friend Bernadette Walsh (her friends call her Bernie) go to one of the recently empty apartments of murdered victim Ruthy Jean. They find that in the bathroom, the medician cabinet can comes out of the wall. This is where they believe the murder came through, killing Ruthy Jean. Helen and her friends believe the apartment complex is both using the legend to deal with their hardships. The drug dealer and gang members are using it to control those living there.

This nonbelief is what indeed brings Daniel Robitaille out of hiding. Of course, Helen has to call his name to prove he does not exist. He comes with retribution, tormenting Helen killing her friends, family, and even her doctor, Dr. Burk. Whom she is forced to see after being blamed for the kidnapping of baby Anthonie, and the deaths.

It was an act of redemption because she blamed herself for her friends' and families' death. Helen pleads with Candyman for the stolen baby. He agrees to tell her where baby Anthony is with the one catch. She gives in to him, agreeing to give herself to him. Helen is told where baby Anthony is, Daniel Robitaille has set him in the very center of a bone fire woodpile built by the residents of Cabrini-Green as to ward off evil intentions.

Helen climbs to the very center and finds baby Anthony. The occupant of the apartment complex witness movement and think it is Candyman. They decide to light the bone fire ahead of schedule. Helen a flamed crawls' out of the burning pile and safely gives baby Anthony to his mother Anna-Marie McCoy. Helen succumbs to her wounds. Daniel Robitaille wins, Helen is now a part of the urban legend. Daniel Robitaille does not just kill you. He mentally attacks you and ruins your name. Helens' cheating husband hiding from his new girlfriend in their home restroom calls Helen's name five-time while in the restroom. Having flashbacks as he appears to grieve over his late wife. She appears and then kills him, getting a little revenge of her own.

I am super excited that Jordon Peele has not remade but extended the story to Candyman. I hate remakes so much.

This go-round, we have a Visual Artist Anthoney McCoy. Yes, this is baby Anthony. He has been haunted by stories of how he was almost killed as a baby by Helen. The crazed woman obsessed with the Candyman legend. I honestly can not believe no one has told him the truth! Anthony McCoy is struggling with his work, hitting an artist's block when it comes to his work.

Cabrini-Green is no more. The dilapidated run-down old buildings have been torn down and rebuilt into townhouses and condos. The whole area has been gentrified and is now unrecognizable. Most of the residents are long gone scattered to other homes, dead or even in jail. After twenty some odd years, there are bound to be some major changes. One thing is still the same though; the ghost story of Daniel Robitaille, the Candyman is still around. An original resident Coleman Domingo is still hanging around and in a chance encounter meets Anthony McCoy. He tells him the old stories. Anthony McCoy steps into Helen's shoes and decides to do an investigation of his own. Of course, unintentionally dragging along loved ones for the ride.

It has been moved back a couple of times, but I have read that it will be out in the year 2021. On Hulu, there is a new movie called, The Book of Blood. It is based on the anthology book I spoke about in the beginning. That was a crazy coincidence that I came across that.

Candyman is the best slasher movie ever it has everything. There is a great back story. It has lost love and tells how our decisions affect those around us. The story makes you think and look at the people around you. There are many slasher stories out there, but none compare to this one. This is a timeless story about how the past does affect the future. How there is a bit of truth in myths and urban legends. It still holds today, don't tempt death in any form or it will come.