Mesmerising menace a horror icon

Last year’s sequel-reboot was perfectly adequate but doesn’t come close to this seminal original.

Tony Todd’s titular antagonist is a mesmerising menace; don’t be fooled by the smooth voice, Candyman is not to be trifled with.

I still refuse to say his name five times in front of a mirror just in case he pops up and commits the type of gruesome kill in fulsome supply here.

Virginia Madsen has never been better and her plight becomes unbearably tragic as the film progresses, while Xander Berkeley’s sleazy cheating husband is almost as reprehensible as the Candyman.