Halloween weekend is here! There are many classic films to relive over the weekend, such as “Scream,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” or “Friday the 13th,” but now is a great time to be introduced to some movies in the horror genre that feature black actors and black directors.
Today, black creators have created a wide variety of horror films in a genre that has typically been underrepresented onscreen and in the director’s chair. The recent success of directors like Jordan Peele and Nia DaCosta has helped shine a spotlight on horror films released by black creators.
Below is a list of some of the best, must-see horror movies created by black directors to watch over the Halloween weekend:
1. Candyman (2021)
The classic 1992 film “Candyman” remake was directed by a black woman, Nia DaCosta.
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Released during the summer of 2021, the film’s story centers around the vilification of a black man and the gentrification of a black community, all while touching on themes such as police brutality and injustice.
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2. Get Out (2017)
Jordan Peele’s directorial debut employed classic horror movie tactics like jump-scares and masked villains.
Still, the film also received praise from critics and filmgoers alike for its critique of modern American race relations.
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3. Us (2019)
Horror flicks featuring black actresses have been rare in the past. Still, Jordan Peele’s “Us,” starring Lupita Nyong’o, is one of the handfuls of
recent horror movies changing what a typical horror movie cast looks like.
4. Blacula (1972)
“Blacula” stars a black actor named William Marshall and is directed by a black director named William Crain. The movie takes place in the 18th century and tells the story of a prince sent to Transylvania to enlist Dracula’s help in ending the slave trade.
Blacula is well-known for giving rise to the “Blaxploitation” film genres of the 1970s, a subgenre of films catered to black audiences and featured black casts and protagonists.
5. The Girl With all the Gifts (2016)
Based on the novel by Mike Carey, “The Girl With All the Gifts” is known for being one of the first horror films to star a young black actress. In the movie, Melanie (played by actress Sennia Nanua) is a zombie child who tries to restrain her urges for human flesh.
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6. Horror Noire (2019)
"Horror Noire" is not a horror film but a documentary by filmmaker Xavier Burgin detailing the evolution of black people’s roles within horror movies. The documentary includes several of the movies listed above and other iconic horror movies throughout history.
7. Ma (2019)
Oscar-winner Octavia Spencer stars in “Ma” as a woman who decides to seek revenge on the now-adults that bullied her in high school, along with their children. The film floundered and received low-scoring reviews by critics, but the film has become a popular meme and may be considered a cult classic in due time.
8. Ganja and Hess (1973)
"Ganja and Hess" has recently acquired a reputation as one of the best independent horror movies of the ’70s, thanks to a new Blu-ray release and a recent remake by director/filmmaker Spike Lee.
The original film is directed by playwright Bill Gun and stars actress Duane Jones. Ganja and Hess is an eerie love story about a rich anthropologist vampire and the widow of a man that he has just killed.
Gunn was given full creative control over the film during the height of the 1970’s “blaxploitation” craze, resulting in an oblique, haunting, and unconventional film that deals with race, class, and religious hypocrisy.
