The horror noir genre has faced various criticisms, particularly concerning representation and race. Historically, the genre has often marginalized Black characters and depicted them in negative or stereotypical roles. For much of the early horror film landscape, Black actors were frequently relegated to servant roles or portrayed as comedic figures. This trend began to shift with films like "Night of the Living Dead" (1968), which featured a Black protagonist and highlighted social issues relevant to the Civil Rights Movement.^[1] More recent films, such as Jordan Peele's "Get Out" (2017), challenge these conventions by addressing racial tensions directly and subverting typical horror tropes.^[1]

The documentary "Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror" explores these themes by analyzing the evolution of Black representation in horror films. It discusses how the genre has often reflected societal attitudes towards race, including the problematic portrayal of Black characters as monsters or as expendable figures who often die first in horror narratives.^[1] More recent films, such as Jordan Peele's "Get Out" (2017), challenge these conventions by addressing racial tensions directly and subverting typical horror tropes.^[1] Critics argue that while horror noir can provide a space for exploring complex narratives, it must also confront its past and strive for more equitable representation. As awareness of these issues grows, there is a push for filmmakers to acknowledge and rectify historical misrepresentations and to tell richer, more nuanced stories that include diverse perspectives.[1] The criticism made was mainly for its depiction of Black characters and themes, often tied to cultural stereotypes and historical contexts. Scholars argue that this genre has long reflected and influenced societal perceptions of race, utilizing horror as a lens through which racial anxieties are projected and explored. For instance, Robin R. Means Coleman, author of Horror Noire: Blacks in American Horror Films from the 1890s to Present, contends that early horror films frequently portrayed Black characters as threats or “others” in ways that reinforced negative racial stereotypes, reflecting the dominant racial attitudes of their times. These portrayals are seen as both a reflection of and a response to the social climate, from depictions of “dangerous Blackness” to themes that emphasize Black invisibility or sacrifice (Coleman, 2013).^[2] Additionally, critics have noted that horror noir’s modern narratives often employ tropes like the “sacrificial Black character” or “magical Black character” who supports the white protagonist’s journey. This trend persists even in films with progressive undertones, such as Candyman or The Shining, where Black characters play limited or archetypal roles that reinforce rather than challenge existing stereotypes. Some critics argue that while recent films like Get Out have made strides in representing Black protagonists as central to the plot, the genre as a whole has yet to fully escape these embedded tropes and present a more nuanced portrayal of Black experiences in horror cinema (Culture Crypt, 2019).^[3][3]

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