Since Halloween is around the corner, I thought I'd contribute to the spirit of the holiday with this blog. Halloween, being my favorite holiday - a time where I have an excuse to sit at home and watch Fear Fest for days on end and countless other horror flicks - I'd like to take the time to highlight some less popular, underrated horror films maybe in the hopes that some of you who haven't seen these yet will give them a shot.

I will continue to release a new somewhat brief installment every so often all the way through the Halloween holiday, every time detailing another horror movie that begs your attention. For this first installment, I will be talking about Clive Barker's Candyman.

Link to my second installment: #2 Videodrome

Link to my third installment: #3 Tremors

#1. Candyman (1992)

The premise:

Our main character, Helen, is a graduate student doing research for her thesis on urban legends. Her journey brings us to urban Chicago, where Helen is researching the legend of Candyman. An artist, and son of a slave, Candyman was attacked by a lynch mob during the era of the Civil War when they learned of his relationship with a local white woman. The mob cut off his hand (to which it was replaced with a hook) and killed him by covering him in honey and having bees feast on his flesh, thus earning him the name Candyman.

Why you should see it:

If that premise alone isn't enough to draw in a horror fan, I don't know much else that could. But just to be fair, I intend to provide a few more reasons why you should see this underrated masterpiece:

(1) Phillip Glass' soundtrack is incredible. All great films have a great soundtrack to accompany it. And here we have a truly brilliant, haunting sountrack that lifts this movie to immediate recognition. Here's a sample:

(2) Top notch make-up and practical effects. In this day and age we are constantly drowned out in the noise of endless CGI. It's overuse is apparent in action films, but even moreso in horror flicks these days. It's become a popular crutch for creators to go the cheaper, quicker route of computer effects instead of the creative, practical ones.

(3) A terrifying, original villain acted by Tony Todd. Many horror movie villains can seem fairly cookie-cutter anymore. But Candyman is a uniquely horrifying villain. The guy is enormous in stature, has a hook for a hand, has bees come out of his mouth, and invades your mind in the most disturbing ways. Not to mention his creepy voice. Tony Todd is utterly chilling.

Tune in for my next installment: #2 Videodrome...