Black characters in horror cinema history continue to evolve beyond the unintelligible, fill-in friend killed in the first 15 minutes (despite being the only person with the common sense to run). In addition to being the focal point of scare tactics and antagonist fodder, the genre has effectively elevated discussions on racism, gentrification, and self-hatred. Though most memorable performances have come from abject fear, some have integrated comedy into their storytelling while maintaining nuances of Blackness.
With Halloween approaching, it’s a good time to pull out a comfort blanket, make some popcorn, and turn out the lights to watch your favorite Black-casted thrillers. In honor of the spooky season, here are five horror films, in no order, featuring Black actors with optimal powers of survival and more lines than “I know you better quit playing” right before getting slashed, dashed, and buried.
Tales From the Hood (1995)
Though not a Halloween movie, this scare-fest features Clarence Williams III (Hoodlum, Purple Rain) as Mr. Simms, a quirky, somewhat frightening mortician with a penchant for storytelling. When three drug dealers enter the funeral home looking for drugs to sell, their encounter with the Shaherazad-esque Simms is more than they bargained for.
What Tales from The Hood does well in utilizing horror to illuminate modern-day ills affecting Black people. Told as four short stories that shine the light on police corruption, domestic abuse, racism, and gang violence, Williams’ iteration of Mr. Simms is a compelling history lesson before the ultimate horror pay-off closes things out.
Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
Directed by one of the horror genre’s most notable figures, Wes Craven, Vampire in Brooklyn, though scary in parts, ultimately delivers a comedic punch thanks to performances by Eddie Murphy and Kadeem Hardison (A Different World, K.C. Undercover). Featuring a who’s who of Hollywood royalty, including Angela Bassett, John Witherspoon, and Kadeem Hardison, Murphy stars as a Caribbean-born vampire searching for an extraordinary lady with whom he shares some common lineage. More fun than fright, half of the fun comes from the array of accents Murphy has from start to finish. Think Prince Akeem hops on the F train and transforms into Maximillian, a regal creature of the night.
Candyman (1992)
Say it three times while looking into the mirror and be prepared for what happens next.
Set in Chicago‘s north side, this supernatural thriller intersects fear, racism, and urban legends with Tony Todd (The Rock, Destination), at the helm as Daniel Robitaille. As the son of an enslaved person born in the 1800s, who ultimately becomes a talented and sought-after painter in the city, he breaks the cardinal sin of becoming entangled with a white woman.
Ultimately, her racist father assembles a mob that dismembers his hand and smears him with honey, leading to the horrific death of a million bee stings in the town square, ultimately becoming the Cabrini Green housing project. The trauma of his death leaves his spirit unsettled in the afterlife, thus leading him back to earth to wreak havoc in the projects, leaving a trail of death that the city attributes to Black-on-Black crime. But the residents know better.
His House (2020)
America has long ground zero for popular horror movies. However, His House shatters the mold with supernatural storytelling, jump scares, and a sense of dread a family feels when life forces them to confront the dark aspects of life, all while living in dreary conditions.
His House is a psychological somber thriller starring Sope Dirisu (Gangs of New York) and Wunmi Mosaku (Loki, Black Mirror) as a family fleeing war-torn Sudan for England in search of a more peaceful existence. Instead, they face racism, discrimination, and slum lord practices. Beyond the societal ills, the absolute horror lies within the four walls they’ve attempted to make a home.
What ultimately connects His House to spooky season are jump scares that are subtle in real. Many scenes load up with such a dark dread that the most jaded person’s neck hairs stand up at attention.
People Under the Stairs (1991)
This underrated thriller, also written and directed by Wes Craven, features Brandon Quentin Adams (The Sandlot) and Ving Rhames (Baby Boy, Mission Impossible) alongside many familiar faces of the era. Inspired by a true Los Angeles crime story, the film centers on a trio of robbers, two adults, and a boy who break into a wealthy landlord’s house looking to come up on some money and jewelry. While there, they discover something sinister at play just below the stars.
In addition to the frightful nature of discovering something darker at play, the film also examines the ill effects of gentrification, race relations, and the wealth gap. Themes that anyone from the inner city can relate to.
Honorable mentions: Blacula (1972), Get Out (2017), The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster (2023)
Happy Halloween!
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