Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror

Probably my biggest criticism of "Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror" is one I don't like in other movies: the length.

This fantastic documentary needed to be longer!!

Still, at only 83 minutes, it's incredibly paced, well shot and includes so many WONDERFUL movies and performances that the mainstream audience may never have heard of or seen without a mention here. To that/them I say: BRAVO. One in particular was Jada Pinkett Smith.

Just to give an example, way back in the day, I first saw her in Demon Knight on the big screen and LOOOVED her. Thought that very little known actress would go far after this horror movie. And she did. And they mentioned this movie/role in a nice little segment. If the rest of the doc didn't impress me (and it did,) this definitely was high on my list.

I've seen at least one, maybe a couple or more documentaries on Queer representation in cinema. It's nice to hear from another, very predominate group in horror films and their evolution. While I did see it with my own eyes, it's really nice to hear many different and important points of views. From incredibly well spoken experts in this field to actors/directors that I definitely admire.

Again, I just wish there was more. Here's hoping to probably the first ever documentary sequel for more content!*

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Final thoughts: *I did NOT research that. So maybe there's already a documentary sequel. But, I'd still love to see one to this and learn even more and hear more intimate stories!

Look I'm a big fan of horror, especially when it has to do with the history for horror. And I also enjoy documentaries that dive into the behind of making such a film, and how it came to be whatnot. And "Horror Noire" does that properly, describing the history moments what the predominant black people went through. Although, there's few of these interviewees that sounded so sour, like a someone yapping, complaining. I mean I guess some film directors didn't want black people to come out in films or I guess these "monsters" were interpreted as blacks. Why not just think of those creatures, just creatures. All these subtext and metaphors that they're trying to dive in too deeply. How come when it comes to black movies, why's it all the time it revolves around racism, slavery, gang, absent of parent?? Just like what Jordan Peele said about not being stuck in a bubble anymore, okay, then use that analogy of talking about something else besides slavery, racism. There's other things that are as important to dive in like sexual abuse, child trafficking, sicknesses etc.

I enjoyed the overview of black people in horror films, and being introduced to a couple of films that I missed when they were released. From scary black voodoo practitioners through "black guy who dies first" to (of course) Night of the Living Dead and on up to Get Out, a group of academics, directors, and actors talk about what the changes meant and how they reacted to it.

Why I don't rate it higher is that while the academics and screenwriters and directors had interesting things to say, the actors did not and said basically, only "man, I loved this." Not insightful. I suppose being able to have name actors in the cast means more people might watch the film, but if we're watching a film analysis documentary, maybe we care less about actors and more about the people who have insights they can better articulate.

Good info, half-wrong cast.

An interesting, insightful & informative documentary about the African-American experience & representation in American horror films, in addition to the evolution of the genre itself over the years, Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror presents an extensively researched, expertly dissected & effortlessly entertaining account of the contribution that black artists have made to the world of horror & Hollywood cinema as a whole.

Directed by Xavier Burgin, the documentary includes interviews from several black artists & scholars and begins by first acknowledging the watershed event that Jordan Peele's Get Out was only a few years back, for it broke down all barriers & smashed doors wide open for new n fresh voices to enter the industry, before harkening back to the early days when Hollywood often painted a disturbing picture of the whole race to advance the nation's propaganda.

The film chronicles their awful depiction in The Birth of a Nation, their relegation to background roles in the decades ahead, the implied racism in films they were not even a part of, a revival of sorts through the blaxploitation genre, caricature roles in subsequent years, increased acceptance in the 21st century, and the influential roles that horror films such as Night of the Living Dead, Blacula, Candyman, Tales from the Hood & more played in righting the wrongs one step at a time.

Overall, Horror Noire is captivating & illuminating in equal measure and offers an essential overview of the demographic whose contribution to mainstream horror remains vastly unacknowledged. While there is an air of change in the Hollywood industry of lately, it is only made possible by the countless black voices that kept going despite endless setbacks over the years until the breakthrough at last happened. And with new talents & fresh voices entering the American horror scene, the future at least for now sure looks promising. A must for horror aficionados.

Great commentary and interviews by respected actors, filmmakers, writers and intellectuals on the history of Blacks in cinema and the horror genre. Fun to watch too.