Celebrating Black Directors in Dark Fiction Films
Today we’re highlighting a group of Black Directors who have created some of the most iconic works of Black Cinema in the Dark Fiction genres of film. We’re traveling back in time to the 70s all the way up through to current film offerings. Check out the trailers for more info and where to stream each one.
“Blacula” (1972)
Directed by William Crain
An African Prince is turned into a vampire by the infamous Count Dracula after failed negotiations to end the slave trade. He awakens from his slumber in 1970s Los Angeles, California thanks to a pair of queer interior decorators. Blacula is now alive and on the lam in glitzy, glamorous LA while attempting to pursue a woman who looks just like his wife, and leaves a trail of blood and mayhem in his wake! A pinnacle entry into the 1970s Blaxploitation genre of cinema.
“Ganja and Hess” (1973)
Directed by Bill Gunn
After anthropologist Hess Green is stabbed several times with an ancient ceremonial dagger by his research assistant gone mad, he develops an insatiable bloodlust. When his late assistant’s wife pays a visit, the two discover they have immense chemistry and soon the pair embark on a journey together, intertwined with love, lust, addiction, and vampirism. Gone are the goofy, campy vibes from fare like Blacula. No, this is an exercise in art house filmmaking and most certainly qualifies as slow-burn horror. It’s hazy, dreamy, and full of incredibly sensual, steamy imagery.
Now streaming on Hulu/Showtime.
Watch Spike Lee’s “Da Sweet Blood of Jesus” updated adaptation on TubiTV.
“Tales from the Crypt: Demon Knight” (1995)
Directed by Ernest Dickinson
Seven keys which contain the blood of Jesus Christ himself have been flung to the far corners of the universe, and Brayker carries the last of them. He must keep the key safe lest it fall into the wrong hands and spell the end of days as the world succumbs to evil forces. An evil villain known as “The Collector” (Billy Zane!) is on the hunt to capture the last key so he can begin his reign of terror! Brayker must work together with a trusted few to save the world.
“Kuso” (2017)
Directed by Flying Lotus
An anthology body-horror, dark comedy film chronicling the events which unfold after an earthquake devastates Los Angeles. Various characters who have survived the aftermath of the quakes begin broadcasting their experiences over a network of discarded, wonky televisions. It’s ridiculously low brow and campy and features an abundance of bodily functions and fluids as a humor mechanism. Expect the offensive and disgusting in this hallucinatory, perversely demented wild ride, which will either leave you wholly delighted or truly appalled. A blend of live-action, stop-motion, traditional animation, and puppetry depending on the segments with a wildly intriguing and wholly original film score.
“Atlantics” (2019)
Directed by Mati Diop
This one’s a supernatural romantic dark fantasy with an edge of social commentary. Ada is in love with Souleiman, a construction worker employed by a suburban building project in the city of Dakar in Senegal. Despite the fact that she is betrothed to another man, she knows that the heart wants what it wants. When her lover goes missing after an unfortunate accident at sea, Ada soon fears he may be dead. When the bodies of his friends begin to wash ashore in Senegal, and their ghosts take possession of their former girlfriends, things begin to take a dark turn. This film was noticed at Cannes for its unpredictability and documentary style aesthetic and fantasy blended elements as it tackles refugee issues, death and grief, and other poignant societal issues.
“His House” (2020)
Directed by Remi Weekes
Rial and Bol are South Sudanese refugees recently arrived in the English countryside. The pair has fled their war-torn home with hopes and promises of beginning a new life, simultaneously attempting to hold onto their culture but also find ways to fit in. As they attempt to navigate their personal traumas and grief, something dark and sinister begins to rear its ugly head in both socioeconomic form and supernatural. Blending the religious and spiritual along with the terror of being an immigrant in a strange land, it deftly weaves mystery, thrills, and chills of horror into a social commentary film. It’s utterly captivating and a truly haunting film rife with symbolism and imagery. It lingers with you long after the credits stop rolling.
List by Ellen Avigliano
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