day 9 of hooptober! we have horror noire: a history of black horror. very informative documentary on the history of not just black horror but also black history. i loved the way it walked through the chronology, letting experts break down decade by decade how black filmmakers, actors, and audiences were represented, misrepresented or erased in the horror genre.

i had no idea that one of the first black films ever made was centered on a black woman scientist. it’s wild and refreshing to see that foundation, especially knowing how much the genre later defaulted to stereotypes. 

love how they gave night of the living dead its flowers. i’d completely forgotten the lead was black until they showed clips, but the ending came rushing back to me and it definitely gives it a new meaning. very sad. night of the living dead hit differently when i first watched it in high school, and this doc reminded me how important and groundbreaking that representation was in 1968.

the 30s and 40s? almost no representation. then blacula and the wave of blaxploitation in the 70s. horror tropes like the “sacrificial” or “magical” poc were put under a microscope here, and it was satisfying to see them named and called out. i’ve already seen this play out in some of the horror films i’ve watched for hooptober already.

the 90s brought more meditative stories, and the 2000s gave us hip hop–inflected horror like talez from the hood. interestingly, the doc points out how something like the first annabelle slid backward with its portrayal of the “sacrificial negro,” while franchises like final destination leaned into “magical negro” tropes (and yes, that was tony todd, aka candyman, which is on my challenge list two weeks of shrieks!).

the build-up to jordan peele’s get out was excellent and justifiably framed as revolutionary. the doc makes clear how the ending of get out is a direct homage to night of the living dead, tying the history together in a full circle moment, but with a positive and empowering twist. peele himself is featured and comes across so visionary, well-spoken, and rooted in cultural context.

overall, black horror is just black history. and there’s something deeply terrifying about that simple and chilling fact. watching this laid out so clearly gave me a lot to chew on, and also a lot to dig deeper into, which i’ve added many of the films mentioned to my watchlist. very informative and engaging. i highly recommend horror noire: a history of black horror if you are a fan of the horror genre or black history, either way, it’s a must see!