Robyn McCoy
Black Horror: An Analysis of Genre
From Candyman (1992) to Get Out (2017), Black Horror is a film genre that is known to respond to particular historical, cultural, and intergenerational issues of race, racism, and social inequality. But what constitutes Black Horror, and why did it proliferate at certain moments? Although some elements of the genre have been displayed on screens since the late 1890s, film directors like Jordan Peele have contributed to the genre’s more recent notoriety. This capstone seeks to define and analyze the Black Horror genre, including its timeline, contexts, and reception among Black and white audiences. Once written off as a part of the “Blaxploitation” genre, Black Horror now strives to comment on deeper social issues. Using a comparative lens, this capstone will ask: How do different contexts and experiences impact the reception––and ultimately the meaning of––Black Horror as a genre? Can Black Horror be exploitative, traumatizing, or re-traumatizing? In what ways does Black Horror use pain, trauma, and anxiety to comment on racism, classism, and oppression in America, and what effect do these methods of social commentary have on viewers?
Major: English and Literary Arts
Academic Advisor: Natalie Suzelis
Co-op Advisor: Richard Kraince
Languages: English, Spanish
Home City: Springfield, Ohio
Email: mccoy@antiochcollege.edu
Co-ops: Antioch College Coretta Scott King Center, Yellow Springs, OH - Black Women @ Antioch IG Coordinator - Friends Care Community- Yellow Springs, OH - Dietary Aide - Antioch College Coretta Scott King Center, Yellow Springs, OH - Coordinator - Wellness Center at Antioch College, Yellow Springs, OH - Front Desk Assistant