#heyprofessor

Candyman follows a grad student creating a dissertation on the urban legend of ‘Candyman’, a murderer based in a run down New York apartment building called “Cabrini Green” who appears out of thin air and guts anyone who says his name five times into a mirror. Although not as commercially successful, any fan of Horror has likely seen this cult classic. What I found particularly intriguing about Candyman's behavior.. Helen’s encounters with Candyman were unique, in that unlike his other victims he takes care to ruin her reputation that lead up to his ultimate act: burning Helen along with himself to keep the pair immortally intertwined. I find it interesting how the effects of a damaged reputation can parallel the murder of an individual. Ruining Helen’s credibility ensured no one would entertain her encounters with Candymam, while also creating severe psychological strain as she watches her life fall apart. In comparison, Candyman 2 lacks the urgency and stakes that are exhibited in the first film. The Candyman remake centers on an artist named Anthony, who is struggling to create his next hit following his first critically successful exhibition. He hears of the legend of Candyman, speaking it into a mirror and setting off a chain of events that lead to the death of those in his outer circle. The remake's take on a “big twist” is commendable, with the plot revealing Anthony is the child who Helen saves from the Candyman at the end of the first film. However, much is left unsaid that creates difficulty when trying to fully invest in the story. Anthony’s eventual descent into Candyman differs from Helen’s, primarily due to a lack of motive. Helen herself becomes a vengeful spirit after dying in the aforementioned fire that kills the original Candyman. Her rage is understandable, she’s lost close friends, her fiancé, her career, reputation and life. Anthony’s descent into Candyman seems to evolve from his obsession with ‘being great’, grasping at straws for an exhibit with a message that will connect with the masses. His use of the Candyman murders as a way to shock and compel audiences without regard for the victims real life traumas may be meant to represent an immortal retribution, hence his dissent into becoming the murderous figure. However, his villainous arc is a bit too scattered, and there is no consistent theme that ties the entire story together in a satisfactory way.