Forbidden ‘Candyman’ Tattoos

Say his name all you want while standing in front of the mirror, but you’re forbidden from copying any of these tattoos.

Upon the release of Candyman in 1992, the lore of the Candyman became entwined with that of Bloody Mary. Growing up in the ’90s, it was his name – and not Bloody Mary’s – we would stand in front of a mirror and say. Was this the same for you? It was through this silly (and scary) school bathroom activity that we were first made aware of Candyman, well before I knew the films existed.

Based on Clive Barker’s short story The Forbidden, Candyman was written and directed by Bernard Rose and released in cinemas in October 1992. The setting was changed from Liverpool, England to Chicago in the US, with Tony Todd cast as the terrifying, bee-covered, hook-wielding title character; with his stature and (post-production) distorted voice, he was the perfect choice for the role.

The supernatural horror film became a trilogy with Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh released in 1995, followed by Candyman: Day of the Dead in 1999.

The films transcend generic horror and gore genres as they deal with the very real societal issues of race and class. I suggest that you take some time to watch some YouTube videos and read some articles to get a new perspective on the Candyman franchise.

In the original film, Tony Todd was apparently paid an additional thousand dollars for each bee sting sustained during filming, while his co-star, Virginia Madsen is allergic to bees, likely making filming even more terrifying for her.

In terms of horror movie villains, the Candyman is in my top three of most unnerving characters, along with Chucky and Freddy Krueger. I would always secretly wonder if my toys would suddenly come to life like Chucky, or upon falling asleep, I would hope not to find Freddy in my nightmares. But it was looking into a mirror daily, when I was just waiting for the day that the Candyman would come bursting through.

The Candyman remake was released two years ago, after being delayed by the pandemic. I’ve yet to see any tattoos inspired by the 2021 movie, but there’s plenty creepy pieces on fans of the original.

Do you dare get a Candyman tattoo?