View source for Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror


{{About|the documentary film|the film genre|Horror noir|the horror film|Horror Noire (film)|Black horror in general|Black horror}}

{{Infobox film
| name           = Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror
| image          = File:Horror Noire (2019) poster.jpg
| caption        = Promotional release poster
| director       = Xavier Burgin
| producer       = Ashlee Blackwell<ref>{{cite book|last1=Hafdahl|first=Meg|last2=Florence|first2=Kelly|date=2020|title=Science of Women in Horror: The Special Effects, Stunts, and True Stories Behind Your Favorite Fright Films|publisher=Skyhorse Publishing|isbn=978-1510751743|quote="We spoke to Ashlee Blackwell, creator of the site Graveyard Shift Sisters and writer and producer of the documentary ''Horror Noire'' (2019)[...]"}}</ref><br>Danielle Burrows
| writer         = Ashlee Blackwell<br>Danielle Burrows
| screenplay     = 
| story          = 
| based_on       = {{Based on|''Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present''|[[Robin R. Means Coleman]]}}
| starring       = [[Keith David]]<br>[[Jordan Peele]]<br>[[Rachel True]]<br>[[Tony Todd]]<br>[[Tananarive Due]]<br>Robin R. Means Coleman<br>Ashlee Blackwell
| narrator       = 
| music          = 
| cinematography = Mario Rodriguez
| editing        = 
| studio         = Stage 3 Productions
| distributor    = [[Shudder (streaming service)|Shudder]]
| released       = {{Film date|2019|02|01|[[Grauman's Egyptian Theatre]]|ref1=<ref name=amc>{{cite web|url=https://www.amcnetworks.com/press-releases/shudder-announces-horror-noire-a-history-of-black-horror-premiering-february-7/|title=Shudder Announces Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, Premiering February 7|date=January 7, 2019|publisher=[[AMC Networks]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608234145/https://www.amcnetworks.com/press-releases/shudder-announces-horror-noire-a-history-of-black-horror-premiering-february-7/|url-status=live}}</ref>|2019|02|07|United States}}
| runtime        = 83 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = 
| gross          = 
}}
'''''Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror''''' is a 2019 American [[documentary film]] directed by Xavier Burgin and based on the 2011 non-fiction book ''Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present'' by [[Robin R. Means Coleman]].<ref name=obenson>{{cite web|url=https://www.indiewire.com/2019/02/horror-noire-a-history-of-black-horror-1202043375/|title=For the Filmmakers Behind This Timely Documentary, Black History Is Black Horror|last=Obenson|first=Tambay|date=February 15, 2019|website=[[IndieWire]]|access-date=June 7, 2020|archive-date=March 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200311235114/https://www.indiewire.com/2019/02/horror-noire-a-history-of-black-horror-1202043375/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-black-horror-films-horror-noire-documentary-20190315-story.html|title=Shudder's 'Horror Noire' traces the history of black films and filmmakers in the genre|last=Kelley|first=Sonaiya|date=March 15, 2019|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|access-date=June 11, 2020|archive-date=July 17, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200717015743/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/movies/la-et-mn-black-horror-films-horror-noire-documentary-20190315-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The film examines the evolution of the genre of [[black horror]]. It features interviews with Coleman, along with such figures as actors [[Keith David]], [[Tony Todd]], and [[Rachel True]], director [[Jordan Peele]], and author [[Tananarive Due]].

''Horror Noire'' was produced by Stage 3 Productions for [[Shudder (streaming service)|Shudder]], and premiered at [[Grauman's Egyptian Theatre]] in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], California, before being made available for [[Streaming media|streaming]] on Shudder. It received critical acclaim, with critics praising its informativeness, entertainment value, and variety of interview subjects in the fields of both filmmaking and academia.

==Synopsis==
<!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summaries for feature films should be set between 400 to 700 words only. As of June 9, 2020, the word count for this plot summary is 484 words. -->
The documentary features interviews with a number of African-Americans with experience or expertise in horror films: Meosha Bean, Ashlee Blackwell, [[Robin R. Means Coleman]], [[William Crain (filmmaker)|William Crain]], [[Rusty Cundieff]], [[Keith David]], [[Loretta Devine]], [[Ernest Dickerson]], [[Tananarive Due]], [[Ken Foree]], Mark H. Harris, [[Richard Lawson (actor)|Richard Lawson]], [[Tina Mabry]], [[Kelly Jo Minter]], [[Miguel A. Núñez Jr.]], [[Paula Jai Parker]], [[Jordan Peele]], [[Ken Sagoes]], Monica Suriyage, [[Tony Todd]], and [[Rachel True]].

The 1915 film ''[[The Birth of a Nation]]'', which portrayed African-Americans (many played by white actors in [[blackface]]) as sexually aggressive towards white women and the [[Ku Klux Klan]] as a righteous force, is discussed for its emboldening of racist depictions of black characters in later films.<ref name=obenson /><ref name=berlatsky>{{cite web|url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/1/18206521/horror-noire-review-black-horror-movies-jordan-peele-get-out-tananarive-due-tony-todd-candyman|title=The enlightening doc Horror Noire lays out black history through black horror films|last=Berlatsky|first=Noah|date=February 8, 2019|website=[[The Verge]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611035705/https://www.theverge.com/2019/2/1/18206521/horror-noire-review-black-horror-movies-jordan-peele-get-out-tananarive-due-tony-todd-candyman|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=lipsett>{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3545483/review-horror-noire-essential-viewing-horror-fans/|title=[Review] Shudder's 'Horror Noire' is Essential Viewing for Horror Fans|last=Lipsett|first=Joe|date=February 7, 2019|website=[[Bloody Disgusting]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=March 14, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200314162659/https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3545483/review-horror-noire-essential-viewing-horror-fans/|url-status=live}}</ref> The minimal representation of black people in horror films released between the 1930s and 1950s is considered, with them often being relegated to roles as servants or background characters, or perhaps implied in the form of lustful monsters like [[King Kong]] and the prominently-lipped [[Gill-man]].<ref name=berlatsky /><ref name=adjei-kontoh>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/feb/07/horror-noire-documentary-black-horror|title=From Blacula to Get Out: the documentary examining black horror|last=Adjei-Kontoh|first=Hubert|date=February 7, 2019|work=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=June 9, 2020|archive-date=February 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190210180826/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/feb/07/horror-noire-documentary-black-horror|url-status=live}}</ref> The 1968 film ''[[Night of the Living Dead]]'', which features African-American actor [[Duane Jones]] as its protagonist, is highlighted for its portrayal of a heroic black character amid a turbulent decade marked by significant events in the [[Timeline of the civil rights movement|civil rights movement]].<ref name=goldberg>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/horror-noire-review/|title='Horror Noire' Review: A Captivating Deep Dive into the History of Black Cinema and the Horror Genre|last=Goldberg|first=Matt|date=February 15, 2019|website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608232531/https://collider.com/horror-noire-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>

The [[blaxploitation]] genre which emerged in the 1970s is explored. Blaxploitation films such as ''[[Blacula]]'' and ''[[Abby (film)|Abby]]'' are discussed, along with the role of voodoo in films like ''[[Sugar Hill (1974 film)|Sugar Hill]]'', and the production and themes of ''[[Ganja & Hess]]''.<ref name=lipsett /> The role of African-Americans in 1980s and 1990s horror films is examined, with attention being given to [[tokenism]], the use of black characters as "sidekicks" for white leads, and [[Trope (cinema)|tropes]] such as black characters being the first to die (it is noted that a large percentage do not die first, though they often die at some other point nonetheless), black characters sacrificing themselves to help save white characters, and the concept of the [[Magical Negro]].<ref name=lipsett /><ref name=adjei-kontoh /><ref name=barkan>{{cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/288949/horror-noire-a-history-of-black-horror-review-a-celebration-of-horrors-unheard-voices/|title=Horror Noire: A History Black Horror Review – A Celebration of Horror's Unheard Voices|last=Barkan|first=Jonathan|date=February 6, 2019|website=[[Dread Central]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608232543/https://www.dreadcentral.com/reviews/288949/horror-noire-a-history-of-black-horror-review-a-celebration-of-horrors-unheard-voices/|url-status=live}}</ref> The film ''[[Candyman (1992 film)|Candyman]]'' is highlighted for its portrayal of [[Candyman (character)|the vengeful spirit of an African-American man]], and the film ''[[Tales from the Hood]]'' is regarded for its depictions of racism, [[gang violence]], and [[Police brutality in the United States|police brutality]].<ref name=berlatsky /> ''[[Eve's Bayou]]'', though not generally classified as a horror film, is also discussed,<ref name=berlatsky /> and ''[[Demon Knight]]'' is noted for featuring [[Jada Pinkett Smith]] as a black [[final girl]]. The intersection of horror films and [[hip-hop music]] is also covered.<ref name=lipsett />

Increased positive representation of African-Americans in 21st-century horror films is examined, with films like ''[[Attack the Block]]'' and ''[[The Girl with All the Gifts (film)|The Girl with All the Gifts]]'' being mentioned.<ref name=berlatsky /> The 2017 film ''[[Get Out]]'' is discussed,<ref name=berlatsky /> with attention given to its black protagonist, its white antagonists, its themes, the state of American politics and the rise of the [[Black Lives Matter]] movement during the film's production, and the film's ending. The documentary concludes with its subjects holding that African-American-centered films have proved to be marketable and profitable, and hoping that positive African-American representation in horror films will continue in the future.<ref name=lipsett />

==Release==
''Horror Noire'' had its world premiere on February 1, 2019 at [[Grauman's Egyptian Theatre]] in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]], California.<ref name=amc /><ref name=millican>{{cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/editorials/318843/1-year-later-director-producers-reflect-on-the-impact-of-horror-noire/|title=1 Year Later: Director & Producers Reflect on the Impact of Horror Noire|last=Millican|first=Josh|date=February 18, 2020|website=[[Dread Central]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609001827/https://www.dreadcentral.com/editorials/318843/1-year-later-director-producers-reflect-on-the-impact-of-horror-noire/|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 4, 2019, the film was shown on a [[double bill]] with ''Tales from the Hood'' at the [[Brooklyn Academy of Music]].<ref name=amc /> ''Horror Noire'' was made available for [[Streaming media|streaming]] on the streaming service [[Shudder (streaming service)|Shudder]] on February 7, 2019.<ref name=amc /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3540428/trailer-shudder-original-documentary-horror-noire-history-black-horror-coming-next-month/|title=[Trailer] Shudder Original Documentary 'Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror' Coming Next Month|last=Squires|first=John|date=January 7, 2019|website=[[Bloody Disgusting]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609013947/https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3540428/trailer-shudder-original-documentary-horror-noire-history-black-horror-coming-next-month/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===TV series===
[[AMC (TV channel)|AMC]] greenlit an anthology sequel spin-off TV series based on the film. It premiered on their horror streaming platform [[Shudder (streaming service)|Shudder]] on October 28, 2021. The series later premiered on AMC on February 4, 2022 as part of [[Black History Month]].

==Reception==
===Critical response===
On [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critical consensus reads: "''Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror'' more than lives up to its title, offering a smart and entertaining overview of American film history through an overlooked lens."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/horror_noire_a_history_of_black_horror|title=Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date={{RT data|access date}}|archive-date=2020-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200614194658/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/horror_noire_a_history_of_black_horror|url-status=live}}</ref>

Joe Lipsett of [[Bloody Disgusting]] wrote that "''Horror Noire'' is always entertaining, but more importantly, it is an opportunity to acknowledge and advance the narrative about the contributions of Black talent in front and behind the camera", and suggests the documentary as "essential viewing for horror audiences".<ref name=lipsett /> Similarly, Richard Newby of ''[[The Hollywood Reporter]]'' called the film "essential viewing for the genre fan. But more than that, for the black horror fan it's a historical document that charts our place in the genre".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/horror-noire-documentary-primes-viewers-a-year-black-horror-1182654|title=How 'Horror Noire' Primes Viewers for a Year of Black Horror|last=Newby|first=Richard|date=February 7, 2019|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|access-date=June 9, 2020|archive-date=June 9, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200609063221/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/horror-noire-documentary-primes-viewers-a-year-black-horror-1182654|url-status=live}}</ref> Jonathan Barkan of [[Dread Central]] called the film "always informative, and expertly crafted", as well as "a triumph of masterful execution, engaging storytelling, and brutal honesty."<ref name=barkan /> [[Noah Berlatsky]] of ''[[The Verge]]'' called the documentary "enlightening", and wrote that its "greatest strength may be the way it manages to embrace the viewpoints of scholars and fans at the same time."<ref name=berlatsky /> [[Bilge Ebiri]] of [[Vulture (website)|''Vulture'']] referred to it as "an excellent example of how to make cinema history accessible, informative, and even moving for a broader audience", and "an essential reclamation project."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/horror-noire-review.html|title=Horror Noire Is a Lively, Essential History Lesson|last=Ebiri|first=Bilge|author-link=Bilge Ebiri|date=February 11, 2019|website=[[Vulture (website)|Vulture]]|access-date=June 11, 2020|archive-date=October 25, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201025002057/https://www.vulture.com/2019/02/horror-noire-review.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Collider (website)|Collider]]'s Matt Goldberg gave the documentary a grade of "A", writing that it demonstrates that "the horror genre is perhaps most worthy of study because of how it shows us how black people are depicted in American popular cinema."<ref name=goldberg /> ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]''{{'}}s Jenna Stoeber also gave the film a positive review, calling it "a timely and engaging perspective on black representation in American cinema."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/7/18212417/horror-noire-documentary-shudder|title=Shudder's Horror Noire provides a timely look at black horror history|last=Stoeber|first=Jenna|date=February 7, 2019|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608232533/https://www.polygon.com/2019/2/7/18212417/horror-noire-documentary-shudder|url-status=live}}</ref> Rathan Krueger of ''[[Consequence of Sound]]'' called the film "a fantastic history lesson", and wrote that it "crams a lot within its short time frame, but it's always entertaining".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2019/02/film-review-horror-noire/|title=Film Review: Horror Noire Sinks Its Teeth into the Genre's Sordid History of Representation|last=Krueger|first=Rathan|date=February 8, 2019|website=[[Consequence of Sound]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 11, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200611100917/https://consequenceofsound.net/2019/02/film-review-horror-noire/|url-status=live}}</ref> Kieran Fisher of [[Film School Rejects]] called it "powerful" and "an accessible, informative, and important addition to film discourse."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://filmschoolrejects.com/horror-noire-review/|title='Horror Noire' Is a Powerful Documentation of Black Film History|last=Fisher|first=Kieran|date=February 7, 2019|website=[[Film School Rejects]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=August 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230817123804/https://filmschoolrejects.com/horror-noire-review/|url-status=live}}</ref> Bob Chipman of ''[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]'' commended the film's structure and concluded that "if you've got even a little bit of interest in film history, especially if you like horror, it's definitely worth your time."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/horror-noire-review-escape-to-the-movies/|title=Horror Noire|last=Chipman|first=Bob|date=February 22, 2019|website=[[The Escapist (magazine)|The Escapist]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=June 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200608232533/https://www.escapistmagazine.com/v2/horror-noire-review-escape-to-the-movies/|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Accolades===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Result
! class=unsortable | {{Tooltip|Ref(s)|Reference(s)}}
|-
| 2019
| [[Detroit Film Critics Society Awards]]
| Best Documentary
| {{nom}}
| <ref name=millican /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://detroitfilmcritics.com/the-2019-detroit-film-critics-society-awards-nominations/|title=The 2019 Detroit Film Critics Society Awards Nominations|date=December 9, 2019|publisher=[[Detroit Film Critics Society]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517144802/https://detroitfilmcritics.com/the-2019-detroit-film-critics-society-awards-nominations/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2020
| [[Online Film Critics Society Awards]]
| Best Non-Theatrical Releases
| {{won}}
| <ref name=millican />
|-
| [[Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards]]
| Best Documentary
| {{won}}
| <ref>{{cite web|url=https://rondoaward.com/rondoaward.com/blog/|title=Here are the Winners of the (Gasp!) 18th Annual Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards|date=April 6, 2020|publisher=[[Rondo Hatton Classic Horror Awards]]|access-date=June 8, 2020|archive-date=March 21, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321133720/https://rondoaward.com/rondoaward.com/blog/|url-status=live}}</ref>
|-
|}

==Podcast==
''Horror Noire: Uncut'', a six-episode [[podcast]] featuring extended interviews from the ''Horror Noire'' documentary, premiered on Shudder on February 7, 2020.<ref name=millican /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-video/3602009/shudders-new-arrivals-february-include-bloody-valentine-remake-return-living-dead-3/|title=Shudder's New Arrivals for February Include 'My Bloody Valentine' Remake and 'Return of the Living Dead 3'|last=Squires|first=John|date=January 23, 2020|website=[[Bloody Disgusting]]|access-date=June 13, 2020|archive-date=June 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613194925/https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-video/3602009/shudders-new-arrivals-february-include-bloody-valentine-remake-return-living-dead-3/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/movies/valentines-day-streaming.html|title=What to Stream on Valentine's Day|last=|first=|date=February 13, 2020|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 13, 2020|archive-date=June 13, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200613194926/https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/13/movies/valentines-day-streaming.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[Racism in horror films]]
* [[History of horror films]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last=Coleman|first=Robin R. Means|year=2011|title=Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present|publisher=[[Routledge]]|isbn=978-0415880206}}

==External links==
* {{IMDb title|9567548}}
* {{Metacritic film}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes|id=horror_noire_a_history_of_black_horror}}

{{Shudder films and documentaries}}

[[Category:Documentary films about African-American people]]
[[Category:Documentary films about horror]]
[[Category:Documentary films about United States history]]
[[Category:2019 documentary films]]
[[Category:2019 films]]
[[Category:American documentary films]]
[[Category:2019 English-language films]]
[[Category:2019 American films]]
[[Category:Shudder (streaming service) original programming]]

{{Wikipedia attribution|original_title=Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror|access_date=2026-03-03}}