‘Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror’ producer Tananarive Due believes Hollywood "doesn’t understand the degree to which black people have loved horror".
The UCLA educator – who teaches in the Department of African American Studies at the University of California, Los Angeles – acted as one of the executive producers on the new documentary which explores the work of black filmmakers and impact of black characters in the genre along with ‘Horror Noire’ author Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman and Fangoria editor-in-chief Phil Nobile Jr.
Due is also interviewed for the doc – which is airing on Shudder – and in it she theorises that Hollywood has missed the cultural significance of the horror genre for the African-American community.
Due said: "Hollywood doesn’t understand the degree to which black people have loved horror and how that love has been passed down to many of us from our parents. I watched these movies with my mother, Patricia, who bought me my Stephen King novel. She just loved horror films."
Due – who teaches ‘The Sunken Place: Racism, Survival, and Black Horror Aesthetic’ at UCLA – believes that the civil rights struggle is directly connected to the cultural importance of the horror genre for her community.
She added: "My mother was a civil rights activist who experienced [racial harassment and violence] that didn’t end with the movement. And while I’ve never asked her, I believe that, somehow, horror films allowed her, with all of her scars, anger and fear, a way to heal and help us visualise trauma to prepare us for the actual fears of the world."
Among the interviewees that appear in the documentary are director Jordan Peele and directors and cast members from classics like ‘Tales from the Hood’ and ‘Dawn of the Dead’ and it investigates how horror storylines have been used to as societal commentaries on race issues.
Peele received much critical acclaim for his 2017 film ‘Get Out’ which focused on African American character Chris Washington who is targeted by a racist community in a wealthy neighbourhood.
He is following that movie up by co-writing and producing the new ‘Candyman’ film.
The 1992 original was, like ‘Get Out’, centered around an African/America character – the murderous Candyman played by Tony Todd, who features in ‘Horror Noire’ – and was inspired by author Clive Barker’s short story ‘The Forbidden’.
Horror Noire shows Hollywood ‘doesn’t understand’ Africa-Americans’ genre love
