Look into a mirror, preferably alone at night, and say "candy-man" 5 times and...uh...see what happens. Little known Bernard Rose directed this terrifying horror/suspense/thriller set and filmed in Chicago. The story is adapted from a novel by horror master Clive Barker. Two attractive female graduate students research an urban "myth" only to discover it may not be a myth, or is it? That's the premise of this tightly written and directed film, which does for looking into mirrors what Psycho did for taking showers. This is a thinking man's horror film that scares the daylights out of you at times while still leading you to think beyond what's on the screen.

It's much more than just a horror film with a creepy man goring people to death. It exploits many of our deepest fears about society and in ourselves, such as: what can happen in a run down public housing complex (Chicago's notorious Cabrini-Green projects), and can our fears remove the certainty of what we know to be untrue? Rose expertly weaves in Hitchcockian themes of being wrongly accused, emotional vulnerability, and psychological exploitation, while maintaining interest and building a high level of tension throughout the film. Philip Glass' quasi-religious score consistently provides an eerie companion when the camera takes us into seemingly normal locations, like a public restroom for instance. Truly one of the very best horror films of the 90's that can disturb your thoughts, penetrate your sense of security, and still provide disturbing gore and violence. This film is not for the faint of heart. Virginia Madsen stars as the main character and doesn't strike a false note. Tony Todd is the candy-man, and he doesn't appear to deliver gumdrops. Don't look behind you! *** of 4 stars.

A strong contender for the title of best horror film of the 1990's, Bernard Rose's "Candyman" is a very faithful (and therefore truly scary) adaptation of Clive Barker's skin crawling short story. This film features a very rare and successful combination of both creepy atmosphere and visual ingeniousness. Whereas most movies (especially during the 90's) can hardly focus on any of these essential horror elements, Bernard Rose masterfully succeeds in stuffing his film with genuine tension as well as shocking gore-images. The plot centers on doctoral student Helen (underrated actress Virginia Madsen in her best role) who becomes obsessed with the urban legend of a hook-handed killer that terrorizes the pauperized ghettos of the nearby Cabrini Green. Needless to say that the Candyman-myth gets a little too realistic for Helen, as everyone she comes into contact with ends up being brutally killed with a hook. The script is intelligent and always several steps ahead of you, the eerie musical guidance is brilliant and the make-up effects are fantastically gruesome. Tony Todd is ideally cast as the bogeyman, with his strong posture and – above all – incredibly frightening voice. The legend behind his character is staggering and it's beautiful to see how director Rose plays with the realism and surrealism of Barker's basic idea. Not many horror films of the 90's decade come with my highest possible recommendation, but this one definitely does. And don't forget, the Candyman CAN…rip you to pieces!