Owner, operator, and fuzzy retro feelers giver at NightmareNostalgia.com.
Worshipper of our Lord and savior Boo Berry, Patti is a seasoned pro having written for the top horror websites and magazines over the past few years until she decided to go balls to the wall and make her own focusing on pure feel-good nostalgia. Mom to two humans and three furballs.
There are three certainties in life: Death, taxes, and the absolute truth that no SANE kid from the 90s’ will actually say Candyman in the mirror five times without pissin’ their pants a little bit.
Candyman, based on a story by Clive Barker titled “The Forbidden”, is a cautionary tale of racism, betrayal, and revenge that formed both into a modern urban legend both on and off-screen. The 1992 film will all know so well that later spawned two sequels, stars the legendary Tony Todd as the “Candyman” and Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle as his opposite and ultimate “victim”. Helen, a bright student investigating the Candyman lore in rural Detroit for her thesis, discovers the shocking and very real horrors behind the “legend” while also becoming a bit of one herself. In one of the earlier scenes in the film in particular where Helen and her associate Bernadette are nosing around Cabrini Green, Helen takes off by herself in a crawl space and finds an “offering” to what is obviously Candyman- a pile of candy, that has razor blades in it. Yet, another urban legend in itself that was used cleverly in the film, and may have possibly served as the inspiration for Nia DaCosta’s version of Candyman herself.
In this fresh, new take on the story that keeps caused a shit-ton of sleepless nights for me personally in the 90s’, Michael Hargrove takes on the role Todd made infamous, as Sherman Fields, aka Candyman. Fields, before being brutally murdered by police, was a one-handed man who used to give sweets to the children of Cabrini-Green; which actually seems really nice! However, he is later falsely accused of putting razor blades inside the candy, resulting in a death that, especially now, holds a lot horrific truths into our own reality even today in 2021.
While it definitely isn’t a case of foreshadowing here, it certainly feels like DaCosta got some inspiration for the Candyman’s origins from the 1992 film. Kind of gives a new and twisted meaning to “sweets to the sweet”, eh?
Now, a possible SPOLIER. I have NOT seen the film yet, but I have a theory, much like others, that may ruin it for those who haven’t connected these dots yet. So stop here if you’d rather be surprised.
In the 1992 film, Madsen comes across a woman named Anne Marie in Cabrini Green, who has an infant son named Anthony- who is later taken by Candyman and used as a pawn in his game with Helen. Helen essentially saves his life, while sealing her own fate.
In the new film, one of the main characters is Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Anthony McCoy; a visual artist who becomes obsessed with the Candyman legend. In several plot descriptions of the 2021 film, it has been repeated that he has a connection with Candyman himself. Is it possible that Anthony is in fact, Anne Marie’s child that was in the 1992 film?
It’s a completely plausible theory.
Are you excited to see Candyman this weekend? Drop your own thoughts, reviews, and theories below!
Regarding gateway horror, Little Monsters ranks right up there with the best of them introducing a slice of horror to a young generation in some subtle, and some not so subtle ways. I mean, if you’re gonna tell me BOY didn’t scare the piss out of your apple juice as a kid, you just might be a sociopath.
In August of 1989, Little Monsters was unleashed in limited capacity to select theaters due to the film’s financial distributer Vestron filing for bankruptcy. I can only assume because of this, many kids like myself, caught their first viewing of Fred Savage and Howie Mandal fucking with Ronnie’s lunch via a stint of showings on the new Disney channel (totally me), or by a rental via their local video store. And oh man, did the studios really sell this movie to mom and pop video retailers across the US as we were up to our horns in promos for this national nostalgic treasure!
The biggest promotion to coincide with the film’s release on VHS, was obviously the “Dial M For Monsters” campaign; which had consumers flocking to their rotary phones and potential ass-whoopings’ in an attempt to win a grand vacation to Hawaii, among other prizes like a sweet Little Monsters glow-in-the-dark t-shirt and a pin-ball machine. The visual promo, seen below, is a two-minute long rap that was featured on the VHS to get pumped up about the contest, along with spreads in several Teen- targeted magazines like SuperTeen and Loudmouth to get the word out. Not sure who, or if anyone actually won these things, but damn it would be nice to know who owns that Black Knight pinball machine now!
At only $89.95 per cassette purchased for a VHS store, the retailer kit included with said contract was pretty sweet, and clever for bringing kids into the store looking to win this contest as the Little Monsters stand-dees and displays provided much needed clues for the game. Mom and Pop shops themselves had a shot at winning the sweepstakes with a picture puzzle delivered directly to them along with their purchase, and if they solved it, were eligible for the grand-prize themselves.
While it was, a radical promotional hype for the movie indeed, the best promos for this movie at the end of the day were all the prank ideas we got from the film as kids. That being said, I absolutely stuck peanut butter to our rotary phone, and saran wrapped the top of our toilet bowl just to see if it would actually work. That being said, my dad hated that movie and still does to this day because he ended up being the victim in both of those scenarios.
Anyway, enjoy this extended VHS retailer VHS promo, and at this time, you can get the Blu-Ray from Amazonfor only $7.50 if you wanna relive the fantastical world of monsters under your bed and cat-food sandwiches!
They will make cemeteries their cathedrals and the cities will be your tombs… in 4K UHD and remastered Blu-ray!
Regarded by horror fans the world over as two of the greatest Italian horror films ever made, Lamberto Bava’s Demons films are not only major cinematic nightmare fuel, but also hugely entertaining splatterfests of the highest order. Synapse’s 2013 Blu-rays remain two of their most popular releases, and now they’re bringing these favorites to 4K UHD and remastered Blu-ray in brand-new spectacular 4K restorations! These horrific splatter classics produced by Dario Argento (Suspiria) have never looked or sounded better and are packed with hours of special features, making this the ultimate home video release of these horror favorites.
In Demons, a masked man offers tickets to a horror movie sneak preview at the mysterious Metropol cinema. When a patron is scratched by a prop displayed in the theatre lobby, she transforms into a flesh-ripping demon! One by one, the audience members mutate into horrible creatures hell-bent on destroying the world! Can anyone escape this gory orgy of terror? In 1986’s ambitious sequel Demons 2, the apocalyptic terror continues! A televised horror film spells doom for the residents of a luxury high-rise apartment, as demons are unleashed through the TV screen at a young girl’s birthday party. As more and more residents are infected and transformed into blood-thirsty demons, a young couple fights to survive as they try to escape Hell on Earth.
DEMONS 1 & 2 – LIMITED EDITION 4K (2160p) TWO-DISC UHD BLU-RAY THIS 6000 PIECE LIMITED EDITION CONTAINS:
New 4K restorations of both Demons and Demons 2 from the original 35mm camera negatives!
4K (2160p) UHD Blu-ray presentations of both films in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible)
Limited edition o-card/slipcover packaging featuring new artwork by Juan José Saldarriaga and Chris MacGibbon
Reproduction of the original movie ticket from Demons
A special Demons 2 birthday party invitation
Included fold-out poster of Demons artwork from Wes Benscoter
Reversible cover art
4K UHD All-region playback
DISC 1 (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY) DEMONS
● Two versions of the film: the full-length original cut in English and Italian, and the shorter U.S. version featuring alternate dubbing and sound effects
● Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English & Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes on the original cut derived from the archival audio masters
● Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 U.S. theatrical mono audio newly remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films
● New audio commentary by critics Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain, co-hosts of the Hell’s Belles podcast
● Audio commentary with director Lamberto Bava, SPFX artist Sergio Stivaletti, composer Claudio Simonetti and actress Geretta Geretta
● Produced by Dario Argento: a new visual essay by author and critic Michael Mackenzie exploring the legendary filmmaker’s career as a producer
● Dario’s Demon Days: interview with writer/producer Dario Argento
● Defining an Era in Music: interview with Claudio Simonetti
● Splatter Spaghetti Style: interview with long-time Argento collaborator Luigi Cozzi
● Carnage at the Cinema: Lamberto Bava and His Splatter Masterpiece
● Dario and Demons: Producing Monster Mayhem● Monstrous Memories: Luigi Cozzi on Demons
● Profondo Jones: The Critical Perspective
● Splatter Stunt Rock: interview with Ottaviano Dell’Acqua
● Stivaletti Q & A at the 2019 UK ‘Festival of Fantastic Films’
● Original Italian and English international theatrical trailers● U.S. theatrical trailer
● Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version
● Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian version
DISC 2 (4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY) DEMONS 2
● Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 5.1 & Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes derived from the original archival audio masters
● Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 true stereo theatrical mix remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films● New audio commentary by film critic Travis Crawford
● Bava to Bava: interview with Luigi Cozzi on the history of Italian horror
● Creating Creature Carnage: interview with Sergio Stivaletti
● Demonic Influences: Federico Zampaglione Speaks
● The ‘Demons’ Generation: Roy Bava discusses a legacy in lacerations
● The New Blood of Italian Horror featuring Sergio Stivaletti
● Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of DEMONS 2 with Lamberto Bava
● A Soundtrack for Splatter: interview with composer Simon Boswell
● Together and Apart: a new visual essay on the space and technology in DEMONS and DEMONS 2 by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
● Original Italian and English theatrical trailers
● Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version
Bonus Material included:
DEMONS: Two versions of the film: the full-length original cut in English and Italian, and the shorter U.S. version featuring alternate dubbing and sound effects
DEMONS: Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English & Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes on the original cut derived from the archival audio masters
DEMONS: Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 U.S. theatrical mono audio newly remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films
DEMONS: New audio commentary by critics Kat Ellinger and Heather Drain, co-hosts of the Hell’s Belles podcast
DEMONS: Audio commentary with director Lamberto Bava, SPFX artist Sergio Stivaletti, composer Claudio Simonetti and actress Geretta Geretta
DEMONS: Produced by Dario Argento: a new visual essay by author and critic Michael Mackenzie exploring the legendary filmmaker’s career as a producer
DEMONS: Dario’s Demon Days
DEMONS: Defining an Era in Music
DEMONS: Dario and Demons: Producing Monster Mayhem
DEMONS: Splatter Stunt Rock
DEMONS: Original Italian & English International Trailers and U.S. Trailer
DEMONS: Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version
DEMONS: Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian version
DEMONS 2: Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 5.1 & Italian 5.1/2.0 audio mixes derived from the original archival audio masters
DEMONS 2: Uncompressed DTS-HD MA English 2.0 true stereo theatrical mix remastered in 2021 by Synapse Films
DEMONS 2: New audio commentary by film critic Travis Crawford
DEMONS 2: Creating Creature Carnage: interview with Sergio Stivaletti
DEMONS 2: The ‘Demons’ Generation: Roy Bava discusses a legacy in lacerations
DEMONS 2: Screaming for a Sequel: The Delirious Legacy of DEMONS 2 with Lamberto Bava
DEMONS 2: A Soundtrack for Splatter: interview with composer Simon Boswell
DEMONS 2: Together and Apart: a new visual essay on the space and technology in DEMONS and DEMONS 2 by author and critic Alexandra Heller-Nicholas
DEMONS 2: Original Italian and English theatrical trailers
DEMONS 2: Newly translated optional English SDH subtitles for the English version
DEMONS 2: Newly translated English subtitles for the Italian version
Limited Edition O-Card/Slipcover packaging featuring new artwork by Juan José Saldarriaga and Chris MacGibbon
Reproduction of the original movie ticket from Demons
A special Demons 2 birthday party invitation
Included fold-out poster of Demons artwork from Wes Benscoter
