Horror Films For The Culture

It’s October..the leaves are falling..it’s a little chill in the air..and for some folks pumpkin spice is available. October of course brings with it Halloween, costumes, candy, spooky decorations, and movies! Lots of Horror marathons to get you through the month of October, we all know the staples like Jason, Freddy Krueger, and Michael Meyers. In this article I’m going to break down 5 Horror films for that culture that you should watch. Some are straight up horror films, others are more thrillers, and some are just campy.

5. Blacula

Released in 1972 during the Blaxploitation era. The film follows a vampire who has been dormant for centuries and awakens in 1970’s Los Angeles to wreak havoc. The film was one of the first Horror films to focus on Black characters and has its place in history because of it. It contains the common tropes of a 1970’s Blaxploitation film and has it’s fair share of gore in it as well. It spawned a sequel in 1973 “Scream Blacula Scream”

4. Bones

Turn on BET during the month of October and you’re bound to find this movie on. Starring Uncle Snoop, Pam Grier, Bianca Lawson, and Clifton Powell. This film was released in 2001 and directed by Ernest Dickerson (Juice, Never Die Alone, The Wire, Dexter, The Walking Dead, The Purge). Snoop Dogg stars as Jimmy Bones, a street hustler murdered by people he trusted the most. He returns from the dead years later to enact his revenge. The film is a homage to the Blaxploitation era, while the production values may scream B-movie but is actually a decent film with its fair share of gore.

3. The People Under The Stairs

Directed by Wes Craven (Nightmare on Elm Street) and starring Brandon Adams, Ving Rhames, Bill Cobbs, and Kelly Jo Minter. The film was released in 1991 and while classified as a horror and depicting killings it isn’t gory but more disturbing. Disturbing along the lines of “Black People don’t do that shit”. Brandon Adam stars as a kid who finds himself trapped inside the home of a very strange family and finds out just how strange the family is and how their behavior has affected other people. The film touches on subjects that are still relevant today such as gentrification, child abduction and abuse, and class warfare. 

2. Tales From The Hood

You should know this anthology film or at least seen clips of it. Released in 1995 and directed by Rusty Cundieff with Spike Lee executive producing. The film stars Clarence Williams, David Alan Grier, Paula Jai Parker, Joe Torry and several others. Among the different topics covered throughout the film are domestic and child abuse, police brutality, slavery and racism, inner city gang violence and more. All with a horror twist that’s truly entertaining and provides social commentary. A sequel followed years later in 2018 that was rather lackluster, skip this sequel and watch this classic over and over again. 

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1. Candyman

Released in 1992 and starring a guy who is frightening just by standing Tony Todd. The film follows the urban legend of The Candyman  a ghost who was brutally killed in the 19^th century. Say his name five times in a mirror and he’ll kill those who speak of his name. The film is very gory and Candyman as I mentioned is frightening, add the setting of the notorious Cabrini-Green projects in Chicago. This film was a horror film made just for the culture and it delivers on all cylinders. It spawned two sequels “Candyman: Farewell to the Flesh” and “Candyman: Day of the Dead” with a remake scheduled for release in 2020 co-written and produced by Jordan Peele. Candyman the character is a legend in the Horror genre along with the Michael Myers, Freddy Krueger’s , etc. If you enjoy horror movies and have never seen this film do yourself a favor and check it out.

These are just the top five Halloween films for the culture, but there are several more out there, What are some other great Halloween movies for the culture?