The 1992 movie Candyman stars Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd and Xander Berkeley. It was directed by Bernard Rose and is based on a short story by Clive Barker, though the film's scenario is switched from England to the USA.

Synopsis

Helen Lyle (Madsen) is a Ph.D. student who is researching Urban legends, and is married to her supervisor, Trevor (Berkeley). Following reports of child abductions, she investigates the story of the 'Candyman', a figure originating with a slave story linked to a run-down housing project. The 'Candyman' (Todd) is a figure both of fear to the community and some veneration as a type of avenger. Candyman was an ex-slave wrongfully accused of assaulting a white woman. He had his hand cut off and then was killed by being covered in honey and stung to death by bees - as a result, his presence is accompanied by an intoxicating sweet smell. Helen learns that anyone looking into a mirror and saying 'Candyman' five times in a row can summon him to right an injustice or have themselves taken to hell.

Helen befriends a young mother, but then becomes implicated in the disappearance of her child. Helen becomes obsessed with finding the infant that she believes has been taken by Candyman. However, she also starts to doubt her own sanity. Her best friend is also killed by 'Candyman', and after discovering that her husband is having an affair she summons 'Candyman' to confront him. 'Candyman' offers Helen the chance to leave behind her troubles and join him (it is suggested that the white, blonde-haired Helen reminds him of the woman for whose love he was murdered).

Rejecting this, Helen discovers the infant in the heart of a giant bonfire built by the project's residents. Helen is fatally burned but manages to rescue the child and in the process defeats Candyman. A grief-stricken Trevor is later seen in his apartment with a new girlfriend. Looking into the bathroom mirror, he intones, "Helen, Helen, Helen, Helen, Helen." Helen, reincarnated as the new Candyman, appears behind him.

A sequel was made in 1995, entitled .

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