Waterstones The Black Guy Dies First
9 ratings
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Price: £9.99
Brand: Waterstones
Description: A definitive and surprising exploration of the history of Black horror films, after the rising success of Get Out, Candyman, and Lovecraft Country from creators behind the acclaimed documentary, Horror Noire. The Black Guy Dies First explores the Black journey in modern horror cinema, from the fodder epitomized by Spider Baby to the Oscar- ● winning cinematic heights of Get Out and beyond. This eye-opening book delves into the themes, tropes, and traits that have come to characterize Black roles in horror since 1968, a year in which race made national headlines in iconic moments from the enactment of the 1968 Civil Rights Act and Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination in April. This timely book is a must-read for cinema and horror fans alike.
Category: Books
Merchant: Waterstones
Product ID: 9781982186531
Delivery cost: 2.99
ISBN: 9781982186531
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Author: V. O'Regan
Rating: 5
Review: “Somewhere in the pit of your stomach … you know his fate as soon as he walks on-screen. It’s not because you’ve read the script or watched an overly thorough trailer … you just know. It’s because he’s Black, and you’re watching a horror movie.” - ‘The Black Guy Dies First: Black Horror Cinema from Fodder to Oscar’ by Robin R. Means Coleman and Mark H. Harris. Written with tongue firmly planted in cheek, I found this overview of the history of Black Horror Cinema both informative and entertaining. As the opening quoted above indicates, the idea of the demise of the prototypical “Black Guy,” often the token minority in the cast, has become a running gag within the horror genre. Yet they also point out that socially conscious messaging has long been part of horror cinema, despite their reputation as ‘shallow entertainment’. Many examples are provided. Its authors’ backgrounds indicate that they were ideal for this project, blending an academic and popular approach. Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman is an internationally prominent scholar, who focuses on media studies and the cultural politics of Blackness. She has written a number of books and articles on film. Lifelong horror fan Mark H. Harris is an entertainment journalist, who created a website in 2005 that chronicles the history of Black representation and achievement in horror cinema. The text is accompanied by a number of photos from various films and Notes. As a long time fan of horror films, I quickly purchased both its digital and audiobook editions. The style of the book was very conversational, which made it perfect for the audiobook format. The narrator’s comic timing was perfect. While reading I was making a note of films mentioned in the text that were not previously known to me. It enhanced my appreciation of horror films that I was familiar with bring a new perspective even to the satirical ‘Scary Movie’ franchise. I also was pleased that a few television horror series were mentioned. Overall, I feel that ‘The Black Guy Dies First’ is a must-read for horror film fans.
Author: GeekyPhotogMomSings
Rating: 5
Review: Let's start at the beginning. I'm already a serious fan for Mark Harris, from his website Black Horror Movies. He's super tongue-in-cheek snarky all the time and it makes me like reading about horror although I actually don't enjoy watching it, except for psychological horror, ghost or other supernatural stories. The thing about it is that it's just a metaphor for actual racial relations in the United States. Horror movies are as reflective of Black progress and ascension in the US as boxing ever was, but in a more revealing and entertaining way - unless you like seeing real humans bashing each other's brains in. I wish I'd had this type of book in college when I was minoring in film studies at Howard University. This should be a standard textbook for all university film departments! I've also read and enjoyed Robin Means', "Horror Noire" and saw the companion documentary (also starring Mark Harris, Jordan Peele, Candyman Tony Todd, Keith David, etc.) Again, it's an intellectual look at a topic that doesn't at all seem as smart as it is until you really look at it. Art reflects life. Horror reflects it and makes fun of it. Great book!
