This essay will analyze the horror genres approach to race in a variety of ways. Depictions of race in horror have changed and developed over time, one of the most influential modern interpretations being Jordan Peeles Get Out (Peele, 207). The film displays how the genre has moved in recent years to improve its racial depictions and Peeles work uses the genres conventions to effectively approach modern racism. The premise of the film surrounds a black man meeting his white girlfriends family, inspired by the classic Look Whos Coming to Dinner (964, Kramer). Unlike its inspiration, however, Peeles Get Out takes a sinister turn and becomes a commentary on race in modern society.
Consistently within the horror genre, there has been a lack of representation of black people as leading or even prominent characters. This is supported by the 209 Hollywood Diversity Report where Darnell Hunt claimed that most horror films are not about the humanity of the black characters, its about the humanity of the lead, whos typically white, and everyone else in the film is there to sort of support that lead character in his or her story.Â’ (Hunt, 209). Hunts claim amplifies the need for more representation of black people within horror. This is also confirmed historically by the genre, due to the famous trope the black character dies first (Ebert, 997). Ebert identified a recurring trend in the genre in which black characters are deemed expendable and are often sacrificed the earliest in the film therefore prohibiting substantial characterisation. One notable example of this trope can be found in The Shining in which the only death is a black janitor Dick Hallorann who also dies for his white counterparts (Kubrick, 980). Another example is Scream 2s black character Phil Stevens (Craven, 997), who dies before the opening credits. Peeles Get Out, however, entirely subverts this genre trope (Peele, 207). The filmÂ’s protagonist Chris is anything but expendable, despite being a black man in a horror movie, instead he guides the audience through the film. Due to watc
hing the film through Chriss eyes, the audience recognizes racism more coherently in contrast to if it were a white protagonist. Textually this is shown through the dialogue in the party scene, in which partygoers approach Chris with racially charged comments. Peele uses music with ominous undertones and close-up shots of Chriss face, displaying uncomfortable reactions to create a sinister atmosphere. Comments such as is it better (referring to having sex with a black man as opposed to a white man), black is in fashion and I do know Tiger may seem harmless, however, it display that this is a gathering of people who cannot see Chris as a person past his race. The film makes it clear these comments are an example of necrophilia which is defined as an obsession with black culture in a way that fetishizes it (Landsberg, 208). The partygoers are tokenizing Chris hidden behind the guise of white liberal acceptance. Additionally, Peele claims he views Get Out as a documentary and that these comments are based on real comments that people have said to him, displaying that we are far from a post-racial society(Sangkadila and Fadlilah, 208). The device Chris uses to escape these interactions is his camera, he claims in response to a comment Pardon me, Im going to take some pictures(Peele, 207). Yet again the audience is placed watching the film through Chris lens, and using that same lens he uncovers the racist plot around him. It is his camera that exposes the body snatch plot by taking a photograph of Andre. Landsberg comments that Chris camera, is the instrument that will break the trance and make visible to Chris and to us, the audience, the reality of what is happening at the Armitage house, and by extension, metaphorically, in liberal, post-racial American society (Landsberg, 208). The camera plays an influential role as through its use racism in contemporary America is exposed. A further metaphor is that watching through the lens of black people, both metaphorically and through more representation will uncover the horror of racism within society.