If any subgenre of horror could encapsulate how I feel about Halloween, it would be anthologies. They’re the heart and soul of the holiday, bringing horror and nostalgia together into one beautiful piece of art. We have the tried and true favorite, Trick ‘r Treat. Then we have Tales of Halloween and All Hallows’ Eve. And I was just recently acquainted with Bad Candy, which popped up on my Prime Video recommendations list. I was certainly in for a treat!
Like most anthologies, Bad Candy is a series of scary stories told by a team of radio personalities (the over-arching story) on Halloween night. New Salem, where these stories take place, is wrought with local legends all surrounding October 31st, from magical drawings coming to life, to ghost hunters and mysterious arsons, to tainted Halloween candy and more. Our radio hosts, “Chilly Billy” and Paul, spin yarns every year of the ghoulish and grim that happen in town; little do they know that with each story they tell, the closer they (and many of the townsfolk) get to becoming part of the tradition.
Like I before, I love anthologies. They’re a little slice of many different stories all wrapped into one feature film — kind of like a basket of assorted hand pies; there’s something for everyone! Like stories about trick-or-treaters? Bad Candy has it. Local legends and ghost hunters? Got it. A crazed killer on the loose? Check. And there are some I haven’t seen as well, like a down-on-her-luck mortician who finds both Heaven and Hell when she’s called in for a late-night body examination. As much as I love other anthologies, the stories tend to blend together and I can’t remember which movie I saw what in. Bad Candy, though, creatively and innovatively brought new stories to the table, for which I am appreciative.
But no movie is without its faults. Bad Candy most likely didn’t have the budget of say, Trick ‘r Treat, but it made due and made every dollar count. There are portions where effects are not the best and clearly computer-generated. But there are others where we get magnificently-large practical work, or gallons of blood and viscera that you can almost smell in the air. It’s a give and take situation, but I’m honestly not too mad at what the filmmakers chose to put their money into because at the end of the day, I got almost 2 hours of Halloween spirit to help me get through the summer heat.
Not only that, but the stories felt genuine. In one story, a woman comes home from a party to find her home being ransacked. She tries to sneak through unseen, but is spotted and must escape the danger unscathed. In one scene in particular, she’s caught and beaten up; I was legitimately frightened for her, and that’s not an easy task to accomplish! Bravo!
Watching Bad Candy accomplished exactly what I thought it should have done: scare me, entertain me, make me wonder about who or what lurks in the dark, and be a more-than-decent Halloween flick. Bad Candy made me all the more excited for the Halloween season, especially now that stores are starting to put out their spooky wares for sale. Will I be coming back to this once October hits? most definitely!
What’s your take on Halloween anthologies? Let us know in the comments!
