The late, great Tony Todd became synonymous with villains; we look at the incredible legacy he leaves behind…
Cinema was dealt a blow with the news that Tony Todd has passed away. A prolific veteran of predominantly genre films (with over 250 credits), Todd was never less than memorable. For one, he just dominated a frame, standing at 6’5 “with that inimitable intense stare. The growling bass of his voice also left an indelible impression on every Dolby set-up he’s ever cut through like a hot knife through butter. Todd’s presence was unique and impressive but paired with masses of charisma.
In some ways, he was hard to cast outside of heavies, supernatural villains and general bad guys. It may have limited his opportunities to branch out but he hit every role with gusto and was one of those actors whose mere presence immediately made something better, even in some of the less-than-stellar films he appeared in (and often elevated).
Todd was somewhat late to the business, making his break in his 30s with Platoon and the underrated Sleepwalk from 1986. A few years later, after a string of TV appearances and bit parts in movies, Todd was given the key role of Ben in Tom Savini’s excellent remake of Night of the Living Dead. It was a turning point for his career but also part of that significant shift toward genre films. The 90s really broke Todd out.
In The Crow, he was one of a roster of really impressive villains. The kind of villain roster most modern MCU films lack and Alex Proyas’ classic gothic comic book movie was packed to the gills. As he would always manage to do, Todd was an impressive and imposing presence. He’s a standout villain in Michael Bay’s magnum opus The Rock and as a reliable villain for hire, Todd elevated the almighty hell out of plenty of straight-to-video films of the era, like the Mark Dacascos and Carrie-Anne Moss starrer Sabotage. It’s a stylish and underrated little action thriller (by Tibor Takacs) where Todd has a whale of time.
He also became a regular fixture in the popular Final Destination franchise, appearing in three films and as a voice in another. The enjoyably macabre franchise and the relentlessly inventive deaths also needed a little horror royalty within the casts, and as Bludworth, Todd provided that with atypically scene-stealing turns in the first, second and fifth instalments.
Todd’s ability to deliver memorable performances consistently is reflected by his prolific credits and someone deemed a real coup when low-budget genre films managed to snag him in their cast list. Take away his most iconic role and his CV would still have left an indelible impression on audiences. In much the same way as you could say of Rutger Hauer, even minus Blade Runner. For Hauer and Todd, their qualities deservedly gave them something timeless and for Tony Todd, it’s Candyman, Bernard Rose’s classic gothic horror.
The iconic movie based on Clive Barker’s original story spawned sequels and a modern reboot (where Todd all too briefly appeared) which is a testament to how effectively chilling the original film was. Sure, Bernard Rose gives it deft direction and it oozes an unsettling atmosphere. It’s also blessed with a superb score by Philip Glass that beautifully mixed melancholic themes with gothic darkness.
Virginia Madsen was also excellent as the grad student studying the myths and folklore surrounding the titular figure. The whole notion, lifted from the old Bloody Mary folklore, of unleashing a malevolent force by saying his name five times also works incredibly well. To this day I’m not sure I’ve been able to bring myself to say Candyman five times in the mirror. Why? The most significant reason is Tony Todd.
In actuality, his presence in the film is rationed carefully but effectively after Madsen makes the very mistake of uttering his name five times. Yet whether he’s standing silently, or his presence is only heard with that unique voice, Todd gave it so much gravitas. The beauty of the film too, aside from its prescient social commentary, was in giving an interesting and tragic back story to the villain and Todd manages to imbue the role with that underlying depth too, making him fascinating as well as terrifying. Ultimately as a horror film, it’s that side which needs to be most effective and Todd’s imposing stature and intense stare are utilised perfectly.
Cinema has lost a legend but undoubtedly, Tony Todd’s legacy will be timeless as films like Candyman, Final Destination and The Crow continue to lure new generations of fans and whether he’s a supporting act, or in the case of Candyman, the titular star, his performances always stand out. As a filmmaker myself Todd was an actor I’d always had high on a wishlist for people to work with. I wish I’d had that chance.
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