MovieChat Forums > Candyman (1992) Discussion > Why Cabrini Green?

Why Cabrini Green?

posted 4 years ago by RichN (3)
4 replies | jump to latest

According to the legend, Candyman was the son of a former slave who had gotten wealthy after the civil war. After falling in love with the daughter of a rich white guy and getting her pregnant, he was lynched by a mob.

The way I see it, these events must have taken place somewhere in the south. I’m not an expert on American history, but as far as I know there’s no way these events could have taken place in Chicago. So what sense does it make that, after his lynching, Candyman’s ashes were scattered at the location that later became the Cabrini Green housing project? Seems like sloppy writing to me. They somehow wanted to connect the slavery angle and the Cabrini Green location, without bothering to explain that connection. Maybe I’m missing something.

[–] Godchild21 (33) 4 years ago

You’re exactly right. I honestly thought the same thing at first. But racism was and still is rampant everywhere. Then I realized that Candyman was the son of a slave....not him himself so his murder still could’ve happened near Cabrini Green.

[–] legnadibrom (5719) 3 years ago

racism is rampant everywhere?
what a cynical outlook

[–] [deleted] 4 years ago

A lot of former slaves moved north to Chicago. And there were lynchings and race riots in Chicago.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chicago_race_riot_of_1919

[–] MrZoolook (442) 2 years ago

Not forgetting Chicago that is a hub of violent crime. It isn't unreasonable that in an effort to explain an increase in murders, the communities suffering those murders will turn to anything to give them some kind of closure. Thus residents of a ghetto in one of the most violent cities in the world, turn to folklore to explain why they are being killed.