It’s time to get spooky! With Halloween around the corner, I figured I’d give you a list of some of my favorite spooky movies that feature mostly Black Casts!
- Bones
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Snoop Dogg, Khalil Kane and Pam Grier star in this horror film. Jimmy Bones (Snoop Dogg), a gangster that was killed in the 70’s comes back from the dead to seek revenge for his murder. Bones acts as an homage to the 1970’s blaxploitation films and incorporates beautiful wardrobe, lighting and shots that were appropriate from that time. I, personally, love this movie because it does a great job at connecting two generations together. It’s amazing to see, blaxploitation legend, Pam Grier play both her younger and 20 year older self. Released in 2001, this is a film that is still talked about today. Bones is one of the only black horror films in the 2000’s. The film does a great job at showing black representation in the horror genre.
- Vampire in Brooklyn
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Eddie Murphy stars as Maximillian, a vampire that is looking for a half-human, half-vampire woman in Brooklyn. Rita (Angela Bassett), is the last of their kind, and Maximillian must convince her to fall in love with him to save their species. This is a light hearted comedy horror that is a great option for those who can’t handle a lot of gore. Angela Bassett does a great job as Rita and the film also stars the late John Witherspoon.
- Candyman
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Helen, a skeptical graduate student summons Candyman while researching superstitions in the Cabrini Green housing project. Candyman is an urban legend murderer. The film shows how Helen’s life falls apart into a downward spiral after taking Candyman as a joke. This film is another cult classic that used to scare my cousins as kids (I would just cover my eyes and leave the room as they watched). I’m looking forward to the sequel’s release, written by Jordan Peele.
- Us
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Speaking of Jordan Peele, Us is definitely on the list. I think that the 2019 film addressed one of our biggest fears: ourselves. Imagine if strangers appear in front of your house and look exactly like you and your family! It doesn’t get scarier than that! Peele continues to show that he is a horror genre genius with this fan favorite.
- Twitches
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Go twitches! You have to love this Disney classic, starring Tia and Tamera Mowry. This comedy is like Sister Sister, but with a little magic! Growing up, this was the only Disney Halloween movie that I saw with a Black lead. It felt so good to see a movie that made me feel seen! This is a movie that the whole family can enjoy!
- The First Purge
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Action packed, The First Purge rewinds back to the first year that the purge happened. The first purge was designed to test a theory that if given one night to be violent, it would push the crime rate down for the rest of the year. Of course the first ‘test’ took place in a low income neighborhood with Black and Brown people of color. I think that this action packed film has good horror elements and also pushes us to consider the way that the government treats people of color. Great movie!
These are just a few (of the few) horror/halloween movies that feature a mostly Black cast. These films do a good job in showing that Black people can be witches, zombies and mystical creatures, too. We do not have to limit Black actors to type-cast roles. Black creators are capable of exploring various genres and should be given the opportunity to do so! Let’s continue to enjoy, watch and stream these films so that we continue to see this representation! If you find yourself looking for more (which, trust me, you will) stream these new 2020 Black Horror releases: Bad Hair (Hulu), SPELL (Prime 10.30), Lovecraft Country (HBO), Black Box (Prime) and Antebellum (Prime).