Candyman (character)
Daniel Robitaille, colloquially known as Candyman, is a fictional character and the main antagonist of the "Candyman" film series. The character originated in Clive Barker's 1985 short story, "The Forbidden". In the film series, he is depicted as an African-American man who was brutally murdered for a forbidden 19th-century interracial love affair; he returns as an urban legend, and kills anyone who summons him by saying his name five times in front of a mirror. The character is played by Tony Todd in "Candyman" (1992), "" (1995), and "" (1999); Todd reprises the role in "Candyman" (2021 ), a sequel of the original 1992 film, with additional formssouls brought into the Candyman "hive"Sherman Fields (played by Michael Hargrove), William Bell, Samuel Evans, George Stinney, James Byrd Jr., Gil Cartwright (played by Cedric Mays), and Anthony McCoy (played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). Appearances. Literature. The character originated in Clive Barker's short story, "The Forbidden", published in volume five of Barker's six-volume "Books of Blood" anthology collection. Fantasy Tales artist John Stewart’s own image in the book's illustration deviate from the author’s words – giving us a beastly man in silhouette with wild hair  and a far more elaborate hook hand than was shown in the later films; but in the pages, Candyman is described thus: He was bright to the point of gaudiness: His flesh was a waxy yellow. His thin lips are pale blue. His wild eyes are glittering as if their irises are set with rubies. His jacket was patchwork and his trousers are the same. He looked, [Helen] thought, almost ridiculous with his bloodstained motley and the hint of rouge on his cheeks. The Candyman's iconic hook and bees are introduced in the story with Helen and other characters . Although Candyman was described as a mysterious Caucasian male with long blonde hair, incredibly pale skin, and a brightly colored patchwork suit; his race, name, place of origin, and backstory are never mentioned; doubting his existence is enough to summon him. Films. Candyman's first film appearance was in "Candyman" (1992). Set in the present, the film follows Helen Lyle, a graduate student in Chicago, who investigates him as the central figure of an urban legend connected to a series of murders at the Cabrini–Green Homes. Helen writes a thesis about how Cabrini-Green's residents attribute their hardships  to this apparently-mythical figure. When she discredits the legend, analysing examples of his history and participating in the arrest of a criminal using the Candyman legend to intimidate the locals, Candyman appears and frames her for another series of murders to perpetuate the public's fear of him. It is hinted that Helen is the reincarnation of Candyman's lover. He plots to have himself, Helen, and kidnapped baby Anthony McCoy immolated in a bonfire, but Helen escapes him and sacrifices herself to rescue Anthony. With Candyman apparently destroyed, Helen becomes a vengeful spirit and continues his behavior. In  , set three years after "Candyman" in 1995, he appears in New Orleans. Candyman encounters Annie Tarrant (a descendant of his and Caroline's daughter Isabel) after she summons him. The movie explores how he meets Caroline Sullivan during his lifetime (as the artist Daniel Robitaille) before he is murdered and becomes Candyman. In "", set twenty-five years after "Farewell to the Flesh", in 2020, Candyman appears in Los Angeles during Day of the Dead celebrations, encountering Annie's adult daughter Caroline. In "Candyman" (2021), set twenty-seven years after "Candyman" (1992), in 2019, Candyman is summoned once more by a  now adult Anthony McCoy. It is revealed that the legend of Candyman has survived and evolved by being recontextualized throughout the years around similar tragic murders of African-Americans killed by racist authorities in ways that resemble his (Daniel Robitaille's) death, and that these figures become part of “the hive" of Candyman. The Candyman before Anthony was a mentally disabled man named Sherman Fields, who was accused of placing razor blades in children's candy before being beaten to death by the police for it, although he turned out to be innocent. Eventually, a disfigured and catatonic Anthony is  gunned down by the police, thereby enabling Candyman to assimilate Anthony and renew his legend. Other characters depicted as part of the Candyman hive include William Bell, Samuel Evans, George Stinney, Helen Lyle, James Byrd, Jr., and Gil Cartwright (in deleted scenes). Development. Concept and creation. When Tony Todd and co-star Virginia Madsen were cast as Candyman and Helen, original "Candyman" director Bernard Rose gave them free rein to flesh out their characters' backstories as part of the creative process. Rose said, "The Candyman is not black in Clive's story. In fact, the whole back story of the  interracial love affair that went wrong is not in the book. Everything that's in the book is in the film, but it's been amplified." Todd came up with the character's backstory during rehearsals with Madsen. He called his character "Granville T. Candyman", who has a forbidden love affair with a white woman whose portrait he paints (leading to his lynching). The name "Granville" is never used, and the character's name ultimately becomes Daniel Robitaille. Characterization. The Candyman is largely driven by a need to sustain his legacy, killing those who doubt his existence. He has been  described as a "ghoul fueled by the 'faith' of his believers. He is forced to deal with his followers to make them believe again and punish the interloper who leads them astray." In "Draculas, Vampires and Other Undead Forms: Essays on Gender, Race and Culture", the character is compared to a vampire: "[Candyman] possesses the capacity to hypnotize his prey such that they appear to desire their victimizations." Tony Todd compared his ability to invoke fear, suggestion and seduction to the DC Comics villain Scarecrow. Todd also compared his character to the Phantom of the Opera and the Hunchback of  Notre Dame; all are "monsters", who use tenderness and terror in an unsuccessful attempt to win the love of a female protagonist. Virginia Madsen confirmed that the Candyman was intended to be an "African-American Dracula", "appealing to the African-American community because they finally had their own Dracula". In "Day of the Dead," the lynch mob chants "Candyman" five times before he dies. Summoning a specter by chanting his name repeatedly in front of a mirror may be traced back to Bloody Mary. In the short story, the character describes his existence as an urban legend: "I am rumor . It's a blessed condition, believe me. To live in people's dreams; to be whispered at street-corners; but not have to be". According to the film version, "I am the writing on the wall, the whisper in the classroom. Without these things, I am nothing". Legacy. The Candyman was ninth on Fandango and Bloody Disgusting's list of top 10 slasher icons, and eighth on an older Bloody Disgusting list. Based on a readers' poll, "Rolling Stone" ranked him tenth among horror villains. JoBlo.com ranked the Candyman fifth on its list of horror boogeymen, and ComingSoon.net ranked him  seventh on its list of slasher villains. Merchandise. McFarlane Toys released a Candyman action figure as part of its Movie Maniacs Series 4 in 2001. More action figures were scheduled for release in November 2019 by NECA.