October is Halloween month. It’s 31 days of frights and fun. Proof of the frights is all the Presidential debates. And the proof of fun is in just about everything else. One of the great things about Halloween is the love for horror, particularly horror movies. So, there’s a litany of articles devoted to the genre. Here’s another, dedicated to Tony Todd, a master of character acting who has featured in numerous horror films.
Short of copying and pasting his Wikipedia page, Tony Todd has appeared in more than 100 feature and television films. His career has taken him from the stage to video games. Tony Todd’s voice is a mix of James Earl Jones, stone and steel.
Candyman – 1992
Although already a seasoned actor by this point. Candyman put Tony Todd on the genre map. His portrayal of an urban-urban legend was creepy and worth watching in what is otherwise a pretty mediocre horror movie. Todd is captivating and his voice is haunting.
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“Your death will be a tale to frighten children, to make lovers cling closer in their rapture. Come with me, and be immortal.” – Candyman
Hatchet – 2007 – 2010
Fifteen years and MANY films, television shows, and video games later, Tony Todd plays Reverend Zombie in the Hatchet series alongside other horror film legends Kane Hodder (THE Jason Vorhees) and Robert “Freddy Krueger” England. Reverend Zombie meets a gloriously gory fate in Hatchet II that the Predator would enjoy.
“I don’t do night tours anymore, I’m not allowed to.” – Reverend Zombie, Hatchet
Final Destination – 2000 – 2011
Tony Todd rarely stars in a movie. As a master of his craft he only needs a limited amount of screen time to make a big impact. Evidence of this is all throughout his filmography and Final Destination is no different. Todd plays William Bludworth and appears for only minutes throughout three (out of five) of these Rube Goldberg-inspired horror flicks.
“Dead, yet still fresh.” – Bludworth, Final Destination 2
The Man From Earth – 2007
In a turn from his many horror roles, Todd is part of an ensemble cast in Man From Earth, a sci-fi film with smarts. Todd’s anthropologist, Dan, carves out his argument against self-proclaimed immortal caveman John Oldman. Todd shines in this indie film that questions science and religion.
“I’m going to go home and watch Star Trek for a dose of reality.” – Dan
Night of the Living Dead – 1990
A couple years before Candyman, Tony Todd starred as Ben in Romero’s 1990 made-for-several-legal-purposes remake of the horror classic. The faithful remake of the original featured color and some great effects from Tom Savini. Love or hate this remake (too many horror fans drink haterade), but Todd was a great choice for the role.
“You’re boss down there. I’m boss up here.” – Ben
There you have it, Tony Todd, aka Worf’s brother Kurn in Star Trek: The Next Generation, the voice of Icon in Young Justice, The Aeon Worm in Bravest Warriors, and The Fallen in Transformers 2.
