Candyman - Farewell to the Flesh

The word 'carnival' in Latin means ‘farewell to the flesh’ and it is with this in mind we have this second film in the Candyman triptych. Finding its feet in its own right as a story, and more removed from Clive Barker’s original storyline than ever, Farewell to the Flesh is a very nice follow-up to the sleeper horror hit of Candyman. Detailing more of the Candyman’s creation and the hows and whys of his anvil of evil, this film appears to have been created to put a cap on the Candyman thing for good. However, the almighty dollar overpowers everyone and four years later we were granted Candyman: Day of the Dead. Now, in case you don't yet know; the Candyman can be called by saying his name five times into a mirror...

"Candyman"

Let’s take a walk into New Orleans at Mardi Gras...

A renowned author has just launched a book about the Candyman’s legend, detailing the life and death of Daniel Robitaille, a black slave who was in love with the white daughter of a landowner. When the white folks find out she’s a little ‘in the family way’, they go nuts and hack his arm off then smear him with honeycomb, attracting bees to sting him to death (originally, in Candyman, he was burned to death after the stinging, though this isn’t mentioned here).

When the author calls Candyman and is murdered, the brother of Annie Tarrant is blamed for it, along with several other ‘hook-handed murders’. She begins to investigate and discovers some startling truths about herself and unwittingly calls the Candyman to her, sparking a bloody nightmare that will call the past into the present in a fight for her very destiny.

"Candyman"

This time around we are granted a bigger budget and a better script, being borne of itself and not in a skewed version of the Barker original. It’s a tighter story with better writing and much deeper levels that not only compliments the original film, but outshines it in many ways. With nearly all loose ends left over from the first installment tied up neatly, it would seem they had closed the book on this franchise. However, this underestimates the powers of Hollywood magic that can create something new from something considered finished (I give you Highlander 2 or Weekend at Bernie’s 2).

"Candyman"

This is a classy horror film and one I enjoyed perhaps just a little more than the first one. There are some awesome artworks showcased here and some amazing portraits of Tony Todd’s great face that keeps with the artistic theme that has run through both.

The nearest thing to razor sharp is this very clear and crisp picture. There are a few film artefacts floating about, but there isn’t anything too major or distracting. In some of the special effects shots there are some noticeable instances of light grain, but these too aren’t distracting and don’t last long.

Flesh tones are natural and even, especially Tony Todd’s which is always well lit or underlit accordingly without any loss of detail. On that note, the shadow detail throughout the film flutters around the mid-range, with some being very clear and others being deep and black. The special effects shots, though, have been handled with a sweeter budget and the modified use of computer animation, so the film looks more recent at any rate. It’s delivered in 1.85:1 with 16:9 enhancement and does look very nice generally.

The film starts and ends with voiceovers of a radio Deejay named Kingfish. He has a very soulful and excitable voice, yet it sounds very clear throughout. All other dialogue is relatively easy to understand and has been delivered well, although the dude who plays Annie’s husband is a bit weak.

"Candyman"

Sound effects are always important to a horror film and in this instance have been treated fairly kindly. Coming in strong, yet not overpowering, and sometimes running under both dialogue and music, they always sound even and just the right volume. The scenes in the floodwater are worth an extra mention here, as they sound pretty awesome considering the sound is only in Dolby stereo. As to the music, it holds many different moods throughout and suits each scene in which it features strongly. For much of the film there is a choral lyric under the action, lending the film a gothic feeling that ably brings the mood alive. Creepy, eerie, menacing or reflective all get featured here (among others), and are spot on each time. Very effective score work indeed by Philip Glass.

Just a handful of trailers here that includes Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh. This runs for 1:54 at 1.85:1 with 16:9 enhancement. Unfortunately it has a dud voiceover.

The others are Umbrella Propaganda and feature Shallow Grave, The Step-Father, Witchfinder General and (deliciously!) Candyman the original.

Not as many as on the first DVD for Candyman, but notables all the same, particularly the inclusion of the original Candyman.

For anyone digging on horror, you could do much worse than pick this baby up for a rip. A classy and tight script with some well paced scenes and obligatory splatter do justice as a sequel to what I thought was a pretty good film in Candyman, the original. Adding a lot more depth to the story where leftover holes existed from the first, Farewell is a classy thriller as far as horror films go and one that fans of the genre will no doubt find at least as enjoyable as the first and perhaps even a little bit more.

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