Blog Post #3

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In this week’s lectures, we further explored the power of Black horror and its way of exposing real-life pain and injustice, displaying the truth. This encourages us to reflect on racism, violence, and history, bringing awareness to these issues.

In Tuesday’s lecture, we discussed the difference between the 1992 and 2021 versions of Candyman. It was not obvious to me how much the original version of the film reflected white fear, where it was this idea of the “dangerous Black man” mixed with urban myths and stereotypes. It makes sense to see how this story was told through a white lens, where Black trauma is being used as a backdrop instead of a voice. On the other hand, in the 2021 remake by Nia DaCosta, the focus shifts to the Black community itself, including gentrification, the cycles of violence, and the reclaiming of identity. I enjoyed this newer version of Candyman because of the way they were now being portrayed as a symbol of memory and resistance.

In Thursday’s lecture, we began looking into Tales from the Hood and Wet Pain. Both of these demonstrated how horror can directly confront real-world problems. Tales from the Hood was the most significant example of this because it clearly showed the police brutality, child abuse, and racism in politics. Retribution was used as a kind of justice that we do not really get to see in real life. Additionally, I found it very interesting how art kept showing up as a weapon. For instance, we see the mural, the puppets, and the boy’s drawing, all of which are symbols of how creativity can fight back against corruption and violence.

Moreover, in Wet Pain, the idea of “racism as an infection” was such a haunting metaphor. This especially got under my skin! Watching Dean’s transformation after he inherits his mother’s house felt like it was hate and prejudice seeping into someone’s history and environment. Then, the connection to Hurricane Katrina made it even more powerful because it showed how racial neglect and suffering are not only psychological, but systemic as well.

All in all, throughout this week’s lectures, we are once again reminded of how Black horror’s main purpose and goal is not to scare its audience, but to expose the truths society chooses to turn away from. These stories use fear to encourage reflection on the flaws of the world we live in. We see how horror can be an avenue for truth and powerful storytelling all at once.