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Article
The article “Blaxploitation Horror Films: Generic Reappropriation or Reinscription,” written by Harry M. Benshoff, presents the perspective of the author on the problem of social and generic racism in this genre. It is reflected by the inclusion of African American characters identified as monsters by white filmmakers of the past. According to this source, the basis for such injustice was the perception of otherness evoking fears of the majority. Meanwhile, it contributed to the increase in race consciousness resulting in the tensions between various population groups and corresponding movements of minorities. Indeed, such sources of information are helpful in analyzing the state of society at the time. This conclusion connects the forms of artistic expression to politics and thereby affects the debates on the subject. Nevertheless, the process of attributing specific evil qualities to black actors adds to the controversial perception of such pieces.
The Portrayal of Race in Horror Films Today
At present, the situation regarding the portrayal of race in horror films remains relatively stable. It means that there are no significant shifts in this aspect and, therefore, the problems remain unsolved. The freedom of expressing ideas exercised by white directors is somehow unaltered by the time and is still accompanied by the transmission of stereotypes related to race, among other personal characteristics. However, the gradual change in this respect comes from greater participation of filmmakers from minority population groups willing to represent their version of what a horror movie should be. They select black protagonists suffering from various mysterious events. In this way, they are no longer victims but innocent people in the center of the narrative. This fact allows considering the created balance between the representations of characters of different backgrounds fragile, but the tendency seems positive in the long run.
Reference
Harry M. Benshoff. “Blaxploitation Horror Films: Generic Reappropriation or Reinscription”
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