To begin, I feel I need to revisit some things I've said about the vampire genre:
Vampires are the embodiment of repressed sexuality. They represent the ideas we are drawn to--those figures whose attention we crave but are not supposed to crave. There is a reason that some of the biggest fans of vampires are queer people/people of color. There is also a reason that everyone else (for the most part) thought vampires were scary until Stephanie Meyer stripped them of their queer coding for a while.
(Spoilers ahead for those who have not watched either version of Candyman.
Trigger Warning: Black Trauma under cut.)
I bring this up, because Candyman (1992) shares similarities with the classic Hollywood vampire (emphasis on Hollywood, not classic literature). Candyman chases after Helen believing her to be his reincarnated lover in a similar fashion that many versions of Dracula chase after Mina. He doesn't die (at least, in the traditional sense...he is a vengeful spirit). He murders Helen's best friend, Bernadette, just as Dracula kills Lucy (we could argue that he is "killing the competition" if we want to believe there is some queer subtext in these friendships--which is worth its own post).
But what repressed sexuality does Candyman represent?
I think the answer to this question is clear when you consider the fact that Candyman '92 is told from a white woman's perspective. Helen's story is an illustration of a white woman's fear and attraction to Black men.
If you are familiar with several takes from Black critics about this movie, many will agree that Helen is a likeable protagonist. However, Black critics and audiences alike have noted her behavior reflects that of white people who do not mind their business. Candyman begins as an urban legend that fascinates her enough to write a thesis surrounding the myth, but as she continues her research, she realizes that he is, in fact, very real to the Black residents of Cabrini-Green. Bernadette (who is Black) is hesitant to even go near the area, but ends up going along after being convinced by Helen. As the movie progresses, we kind of see Helen's goal expand to disproving the myth, and for a short period, she believes she does after she is attacked by a gang leader using the name "Candyman" who is then booked after she identifies him to the police. It is only after all of this that she is confronted by the real Candyman. It is here where we see the trope we so commonly associate with vampires. The trance:
From the above picture, we can see that Helen's expression is one that isn't completely terrified. There is a dazed look in her eyes and her lips are curled the slightest bit upward. We can only imagine what is going through her head--She is married (to a man who we will soon find out is cheating on her). She is also white (in the 90s). And here comes this devastatingly handsome Black man with a hook for a hand. She should be scared, but she's not.
It should also be noted that the majority of Candyman 92's victims are Black, despite the fact that his backstory has him killed by whites angered over his relationship with a white woman that resulted in pregnancy. For many of us, this does not make any sense--until we realize, again, that this movie aligns more with the 'forbidden fantasies' of white women than it does with said fantasies of Black audiences. Candyman '92 is not a revenge fantasy. It's a tragic love story that centers around an interracial relationship from the perspective of the white woman involved.
Candyman '21 treats him more like a mythical being. First off, his true backstory is unclear. First, there is the Candyman from the original '92 movie, Daniel Robitaille, the son of a slave murdered for impregnating a white woman he was supposed to paint. Additionally, one Candyman is said to be a young boy wrongfully accused of assaulting a white woman and sentenced to death (likely inspired by the stories of Emmett Till and George Stinney). Another Candyman is said to be a character by the name of Sherman Fields who was killed by police for being thought to be the person hiding razor blades in children's candy. However, after his death, the razors continue to be found in candy. It is also implied during the credits through shadow puppetry that another Candyman is someone inspired by James Byrd Jr. who was brutally murdered by white supremacists after accepting a ride from them. Throughout the movie, as our main protagonist Anthony (the baby Helen rescued from Candyman in the original) learns more about the legend, we see a bee sting infection slowly progress and cover his body. All the while, character William Burke (who was there as a child when Sherman was murdered by police) is devising a plan to turn Anthony into the next Candyman. He believes that by removing his arm and setting him up to be gunned down by police, he could recreate the image of Candyman to symbolize vengeance. In the end, Anthony does transform. His girlfriend is there when he is gunned down by police and is put into one of the vehicles to be arrested. She then summons Candyman who arrives to kill all the officers. We now see that he has completely transformed into Daniel Robitaille, the face we all associate with Candyman, and he instructs Brianna to "tell everyone."
When Candyman '21 was released in theaters months ago, I had expressed that I wasn't interested in any negative reviews white critics might have had about the film, because honestly, I was pretty sure that this installment was going to treat themes of racism in ways that aren't known to appeal to white audiences. As I pointed out earlier, Candyman '92 was told from the perspective of a white woman (a well-meaning white woman, but a white woman all the same). In some ways, we can even say that it can be treated as an escapist fantasy for white women to have such a dark and enticing figure (who just so happens to be Black) pursue her, overcoming his spell, and *still* being revered as a hero among Black people. His victims are mostly Black because while he is meant to be scary, he cannot be too scary for the white woman. Candyman '21, I feel, was more representative of how myths and legends change over time and adapt with the people who give them power. We see this all throughout the world and throughout time with different beliefs and spiritualities. Unfortunately, we also see beliefs get demonized by oppressive forces. Closed African American spiritual practices are grossly misunderstood by the masses, and as a result, are feared even by Black Americans. However, thanks to the internet, there is wider access to information and there is a younger generation of Black people learning that these practices are not evil. These spiritual beliefs are being reclaimed, just as we see Candyman get reclaimed at the end of the '21 sequel/reboot.
In the end, both of these movies are entertaining, but the original appeals more to a white audience seeking a tragic gothic romance involving a Black man. Candyman '21 gave the figure's power back to the Black characters and the Black audience in a way that it's more likely for white viewers to walk away with nightmares than Black viewers.
Wow, if I had a nickel for every time I’ve watched a horror movie with two protagonists who watch all their friends die due to a supernatural entity, go crazy, get their hair turned gray while battling those mysterious evil entities, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice, right?
i dont think enough otgw fans talk about the exploration of complex family dynamics that the show manages to weave through pretty much every episode. like the relationship between wirt and greg seems so innocuous in the beginning, just normal aloofness due to the age gap, but as the episodes go on it becomes clear that wirt full on resents greg and actively dismisses him as “his stepdad’s kid,” while greg openly admires/loves wirt and doesnt understand why he wont spend time with him. theres so many little moments that make the lack of reciprocity in their relationship obvious, and it literally takes almost DYING for wirt to understand that he needs to treat his brother better. like holy fuck man ill be shocked if the person who wrote their backstory doesnt have a step/half-sibling cause WOW they got it right
nah i got more to say about this cause i genuinely think this show handles this kind of relationship in such a refreshingly honest way. whenever you see a step/half-sibling relationship in kids media its always such overdramatic nonsense with one character screaming “I HATE YOU!!!” and a whole big dramatic crying scene but we dont get that here. wirt doesnt hate greg. the resentment is there, absolutely - but more than anything, wirt is INDIFFERENT to greg. he doesnt even think of greg as his brother, which his song makes pretty clear given his wording:
and the disconnect between them is made plain through small, but notable actions throughout the show. on more than one occasion, wirt leaves greg behind (one time after “jokingly” telling the frog cops to take greg instead), doesnt seem that bothered when he goes off by himself, is slow to humor him but quick to pass the buck onto him, and just generally, is so busy wallowing in his own fear and misery that he allows greg to get into some really dangerous situations for a pure lack of concern. the only time we see wirt really get angry at greg is in the flashback scene, and because greg was trying to HELP him. to really rub salt in the wound, that scene is immediately followed by wirt jumping out of the way of the train - and leaving greg behind.
thats not to say that wirt really wanted greg to get hurt or anything like that. i think its more that wirt doesnt truly understand the position hes in, nor what the woodsman told him in the first episode - “you are the elder child; YOU are responsible for you and your brothers’ actions!” - until greg is taken by the beast. greg is willing to sacrifice himself for wirt without a second thought, but wirt would never have done the same because he is self-absorbed to such an extent that he doesnt understand his responsibility - and failure - to protect greg until its almost too late.
over the garden wall is a GREAT coming-of-age story for a lot of reasons, but i think the development of wirt and gregs relationship is my absolute favorite part of it. wirt goes from thinking of greg as some kid hes stuck with to immediately asking for greg after nearly dying, and the path they took to get there is crafted so perfectly. i fuckin love this show bro ksdfhjkdsf
I love this post. I noticed this first rattle out of the box. You’ve articulated very clearly a point I’ve tried to make to friends and family many times lol
[ID: Meme format of the point of a media property going over someone's head. The person is looking at a poster of the movie Jennifer's Body saying "The objectification, control, and expections of being a teenage girl are hell, like a demon is controlling you", while of the words "Indie Rock fucking sucks" are flying over their head /end ID]
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