Director: Xavier Burgin
Cast: Keith David, Jordan Peele, Rachel True, Tony Todd
Runtime: 1h 23m
Black horror is a versatile and large part of horror history, but it’s so often ignored in favor of white films. Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror sets out to right this wrong. Based on the book Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present by Robin R. Means Coleman, this documentary follows the history of Black Americans in Hollywood horror through the movies that have been caricatured, sidelined, and exploited. The film boasts an impressive collection of Black horror icons including Keith David, Tony Todd, Rachel True, and Jordan Peele, who all come together to weigh in on the absence and presence of Black people in the history of horror films. The film also highlights the landmark Night of the Living Dead and its Black main character, lesser-known Black horror films like Sugar Hill and Ganja and Hess, as well as the progression of Black horror films in the ’90s with films like Candyman, Tales From The Hood, and Demon Knight, and finally touches upon the landmark release of Get Out in 2017. While by no means exhaustive, Horror Noire is a great starting point for appreciating Black horror, and will at the very least provide you with a lengthy watchlist.