Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder

Set in a Chicago housing project, the 1992 horror movie “Candyman” features a deadly ghost who can be summoned by chanting in a bathroom mirror. But some plot points were inspired by a real life robbery homicide in which the killer broke into an apartment through a hole in the medicine cabinet. A reporter found the flawed design of the bathroom walls were a contributing factor into Ruthie Mae McCoy’s 1987 death. The exposé raised questions about City Hall’s indifference to violence in the projects and the dangers faced by its Black residents. By the time the supernatural retelling made it into theaters, the creature in the mirror did not reflect those systemic issues.From CBS News and 48 Hours Production comes the podcast “Candyman: The True Story Behind the Bathroom Mirror Murder.” Host Dometi Pongo explores not only McCoy’s homicide. He dives into the larger issues around race, safety in the projects, and the ways they shaped the Hollywood narrative. The series asks how a mainstream audience can find big screen horror in the hallmarks of poverty.OUR SPOILER-FREE REVIEWS OF "CANDYMAN" BEGIN IN THE FINAL 12 MINUTES OF THE EPISODE. For exclusive podcasts and more, sign up at Patreon.Sign up for our newsletter at crimewriterson.com.This show was recorded in The Caitlin Rogers Project Studio. Click to find out more.About the show: Crime Writers On… is the original true‑crime review podcast, covering the best in true‑crime podcasts, documentaries, TV, film, journalism, and storytelling.From Partners in Crime Media — creators of These Are Their Stories, the Law & Order aftershow and Netflix's You Can't Make This Up.Keywords: true‑crime review, podcast review, documentary review, TV review, media criticism, pop‑culture commentary, crime documentaries, journalism, storytelling, Partners in Crime Media Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.