8 Films & TV Shows Based On Internet Horror Stories

Gory, intense, and criminally underrated, Candyman is essentially the male version of Bloody Mary, appearing when summoned to wreak havoc on those that call him. Say his name five times in the mirror, and you'll get a swift hook to the guts - which you'd think would be fair enough warning not to do it.

For skeptical student Helen however, searching out the Candyman is a compulsion. Much like those that indulge in testing out the Bloody Mary legend, Candyman's appeal is its sheer gory ridiculousness, a man that can be conjured from another dimension simply by calling him out. Bloody Mary is definitively one of the widest known and played upon creepypastas, spanning from oral legend into the written realm over many years of building her legend.

Whilst the film was based on the book 'The Forbidden' by Clive Barker, the parallels to the urban legend are impossible to ignore. Much like Mary, Candyman is born of revenge, as the original tale sees Bloody Mary conflated with Queen Mary I who suffered through numerous miscarriages and ruled with violence. Taunting the woman based on her life leads to the evil apparition to take her vengeance, much as the Candyman must for his own wrongful death in a past life. Just deciding not to conjure evil spirits in your bathroom mirror seems to be the best option here.