Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror (2019), directed by Xavier Burgin, is a documentary that puts respect on Black filmmakers’ names. It also opened the doors to dark truths in the horror and filmmaking community that were often silent, but known. The documentary gives us an opportunity to listen to Black filmmakers, actors, and others from the industry discuss Black horror and their experiences with it. They were able to be vulnerable in a Black space, and that authenticity bled through the entire documentary. Horror Noire should be the next horror documentary on your list, because it is poignant, yet humorous at times. It is necessary homework for any horror fan. Unfortunately, it is not currently streaming on Shudder, which is funny because it’s a Shudder original. You can rent it for $9.99 on VOD (which is outrageous).
Who Tells Our Stories?
“Black History is Black horror” is the first quote that stuck with me. It’s fitting because Horror Noire starts by pointing to historical films and times that wouldn’t normally be categorized as horror or horrific by non-Black people. Birth of a Nation is highlighted for its role in reinforcing negative Black stereotypes to audiences who may not have known any Black people. It sullied many blank canvases that would have been available and open to humanize and empathize with Black people. It was endorsed by a president and considered based on a true story!
From that point in history and onward, Horror Noire analyzes how movies, ideas, and the industry were shaped, with societal norms and Blackness at the forefront of the conversation. It verbalizes how movies like Son of Ingagi planted the seed for movies like Night of the Living Dead (1968).
I love how Horror Noire takes time to give Night of the Living Dead its flowers. The cast hone in on how a Black man was depicted onscreen and how it was received, especially during the Civil Rights movement. Then the documentary swerves into Blaxploitation and how our representation increased, but was mostly problematic. Even with all the problematic stereotypes, we got gems like Blacula, Abby, Ganja & Hess, and Sugar Hill (1974). I wouldn’t have seen any of those films without seeing Horror Noire.
And Some Homework For the Road
It’s important work to pull the Black horror gems from every era and discuss their impact on the genre. The documentary also explores Black horror tropes that persisted throughout the decades. A great companion text to Horror Noire (outside of the actual textbook, Horror Noire: A History of Black American Horror from the 1890’s to present, written by Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman) is The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar. It is also written by Dr. Coleman and co-written by Mark H. Harris. Both texts go into more detail, show timelines, and give more examples of films about race and Black tropes. Horror Noire should be seen by every horror fan because it will reshape how you see horror films.
