Contemporary Black Horror Films: Reinventing Representations of Blackness to Question Post-Racial America

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is exploring four contemporary Black Horror films in which African American filmmakers reinvent 20th century horror stereotypes of Blackness, to address an active critique of the “Post - Racial” myth and affirm the inclusion of Black life within American society. The first section draws on R. Means Coleman’s Horror Noire and historically outlines the problematic involvement that Blackness has endured in 20th century horror cinema. Indeed, monstrous depictions of Blackness originated in the 19th century Blackface minstrelsy, and became evident in 1930s Hollywood films Ingagi (1930) and King Kong (1933). This part also explains the distinction between “Blacks in Horror” and “Black Horror” genres, vital to identify the value of horror movies that are instead based on and supportive of Black perspectives. As a matter of fact, the 1970s era of “Blaxploitation Films” is a time of representational achievements for Black filmmakers, who produce their own horror visions in the wake of the Civil Rights political movement. The second section focuses on four Black Horror movies of the contemporary era: Get Out (2017) and Us (2019) by J. Peele, The First Purge (2018) by Gerard McMurray, and Amazon Prime’s Them: Covenant (2021) by L. Marvin. It will be demonstrated that these films create innovative horror stories through an authentic Black vision and purpose, either subverting racist and grotesque images of Blackness of the 20th century or advancing and empowering previous Black Horror achievements. By making provocative counter narratives, these productions utilise the frightening effects of this genre to reflect on the ambiguity of the “Post Racial” ideology, and actively criticise the invisible discriminations still pervading the American political system.