Analysing the opening to 'Candyman'

The American horror film Candyman (1992), directed by Bernard Rose is based on the short story 'The Forbidden' by Clive Barker, staring Virginia Madsen as Helen Lyle, Tony Todd as Candyman and Xander Berkeley as Trevor Lyle.

The plot of the film consists of Helen Lyle, a graduate student conducting research for her theory on urban legends. Helen goes to the university to question students about legends they have heard about. The most popular and haunting of all these legends is the story of "Candyman". 'Candyman' gives the well-known horror film essence of the supernatural as Candyman is a mysterious ghostly killer, whom appears from the mirror or comes through the walls when summoned by saying his name 5 times and killed with a hook implanted in a bloody stump where his hand had been cut off, similar to the Bloody Mary tale.

The opening scene consists of an Ariel shot combined with a horizontal tracking following a seeming normal road which could display the normal aspect of the film, the starting of a normal day, driving to work. The non-diegetic music of an organ with an eerie tone, combined with vocal like choir shows how they have given the message of the church.  This means the film will have something to do with religion which connects to heaven and hell- horrors usually portray hell to give the audience the significance of the supernatural and devils.

The titles in the opening are all in capitals to show the boldness of the film, CANDYMAN is the only title that has sharp rather than rounded edges this is to portray the idea of how Candyman is a sharp man; he has a hook which he uses to kill and he was stung to death by bees- The name candy man is given by that bees’ killed him as he was smothered in honey, the honey is sweet like candy.

Helen Lyle is a university graduate who has a taste for urban legends and wants to continue her research when she hears about local legend of Candyman as she is a very curious, outgoing woman. The props of masks in her house show that she has a sense for ancient legends. She is a pretty, well presented woman, in horror woman are portrayed to be the damsel in distress to show that they may be killed off during the film, however with our protagonist shows that this is being challenged as she is too intelligent shown be the props of the folder and sheets, the setting of the university and the red jumper which shows danger yet power. The audience get the sense of terror by their fear for her.

The scene then changes with a cut to a close up plus a zoom of a bees’ nest, with a non-diegetic voice over of the "Candyman" talking. This gives the audience an edgy scene, to make them want to carry on watching to see what the bees resemble such as stinging and danger as people fear of being hurt. The scene then changes to a long-shot of the suburbs of the city of the bees then swarming through the sky like a plague, with the sound of one single scream to fill the silence this creates shock for the audience.

Then it changes to a close up of Helen's face, portrayed to be the protagonist in this story. The flashbacks or scene changes back to the story the girl Helen is talking to is telling are to show the audience the function of this film.

In the flashback or story scene most of the shots are handheld as they are close up to the characters, in the bathroom there is an over shoulder, two-shot of the characters in the mirror, the close ups are used to show the characters emotions as horrors are run on emotions, mainly fear.

Later that night, Helen had found more toward the "Candyman" legend and with her friend Bernadette jokingly call Candyman's name in her bathroom however nothing happens, as of yet giving the audience that idea of mystery and terror.

The most effective device used in a horror I would say is sound. The non-diegetic sounds of the dramatic music gives the audience that heads up that something might be coming but it can also trick them, as a horror wants to make its audience jump and to build tension.