The original Candyman film was released in 1992. It was based on a story by Clive Barker called “The Forbidden”. The film follows a grad student named Helen Lyle, played by Virginia Madsen, researching urban myths. One that catches her attention is the story of Candyman. Legend says that if you say his name five times in a mirror, he will appear and kill the one who summoned him, using a hook on the stump of his right hand. As she investigates, she exposes a group of thugs using the legend of Candyman to silence their victims. Thinking the worst is over, she is confronted by the true Candyman, played by Tony Todd, who begs her to become his victim, so that the legend can live on.
NECA has released a new 8″ scale clothed figure of Candyman. The figure itself is based on the second film in the trilogy, Farewell To the Flesh. It includes a fabric coat, interchangeable portraits, and a removable rotting chest. I picked up the figure from sponsor Entertainment Earth. Read on to check out my thoughts, and a full photo gallery.
Related Entertainment Earth links: Candyman Figure, Ghostface Figure, Creepshow Figure
Candyman: Farewell To The Flesh – 8″ Scale Candyman Clothed Retro Figure by NECA
Pros
- Outstanding head sculpts
- Wired clothed coat
- Removable chest is a nice touch
- Solid articulation
Cons
- Odd paint transition on the head
Overall
The Candyman figure is packed on a resealable clamshell packaging. It features art by Devon Whitehead of Cavity Colors. The figure includes a fabric outfit, two portraits, and a removable chest of bees. For those wondering, you can easily open this type of packaging. Along the edges of the card are small tabs that are heated to seal the clamshell. Simply slide a razor blade or box cutter between the two pieces of plastic and carefully cut those tabs. Move slowly and they’ll cut fairly easily, leaving the full clamshell intact.
Candyman is a great use of the retro clothed format. For the most part, the character is hidden behind his long, fur lined coat throughout the movie. It isn’t until you learn of the characters origins that you see his outfit from the late 19th century. That outfit is represented well here, with clothing that doesn’t look to baggy. But most will choose to keep the coat closed. As a surprise touch, the bottom of the coat his wiring hidden inside, making it easy to position it correctly. On the whole, the fabric elements compliment the character. There are two head sculpts included with the figure. The main portrait features an outstanding likeness to actor Tony Todd. Paint work is mostly great, with lifelike skin tones, and sharp edges around the hair and eyes. The second head sculpt features an open mouth portrait, with bees pouring out, which is one of the ways Candyman would attack his victims. To go with this, there is a rotting chest of bees that can attach over the clothing. It’s a fun addition, and looks appropriately gruesome, as does the blood covered hook hand.
The only real oddity here is the way the face paint transitions near the ears. It’s not a glaring color shift, but it is a noticeable color difference when looking at it closely. Outside of that, I ran into no issues with the figure itself. Joints moved with no trouble, ankles were fairly strong, and the head sculpts swapped out quite easily.
With Candyman, you get another of the modern classic horror icons to fill your shelves. It’s great to see more diverse character selection in the line, and even better to see how well the figure turned out. For horror fans, I would say this is a must buy. Check out a selection of photos below, and the full gallery after that.
Some of the backgrounds featured in pics below are from Extreme-Sets.com. Enter code TOYARK at checkout and get 15% off your order!