Do black people really die first in horror movies?

[moffeaton]

The black school teacher was the first to die in Red Dawn - and was the ONLY black actor in the whole film. In fact, I think most of the Cubans were white dudes with makeup.... ooof.

 

[CessnaDriver]

That means black actors are working and getting screen time with the coveted death scenes that actors seem to crave. Most characters get killed in horror movies.

Horror movies do not work without... horror.

A good death scene is critical.
These actors are doing one of the most important jobs for such films.
So are black actors hired more for horror movies? Might be a good thing to know for black actors when trying to find work.

 

[Solo4114]

Let's not forget Deep Blue Sea. Not only does LL Cool J survive the film, but the female lead/love interest gets eaten! :lol

Ah, but I think Sam Jackson being nommed in mid-inspirational speech offsets all that. Although he did NOT die first. I think the gal from The Sopranos in the radio tower did alongside the chopper pilot(s), followed by the Norweigian fellow (or maybe he's Swedish?).

 

[SSgt Burton]

The black school teacher was the first to die in Red Dawn - and was the ONLY black actor in the whole film.

Umm, the Cuban leader "Bella" was played by black actor Ron O'Neal- and survives the entire film.


Don't get me wrong though- I get what you mean that the teacher was the only black "character" in the film and dies the minute the shooting starts.

I wouldn't exactly call "Red Dawn" a horror film though.

Kevin

 

[SwampDonkey]

Yeah we can all name one or two but as a trent I dont think they always, or even often die first. Not in my experience with horror/ sci-fi films and ive seen lots fo them.

 

[CB2001]

He got on the helicopter, flew away with Fran. I'd say that counts as a survive.

I guess you didn't get the meaning of my message: Yes, he survived the film. But Fran and Peter's fate after they leave the mall is uncertain. Since the helicopter's fuel is low, it's possible they end up crashing and dying anywhere between a few minutes to half an hour after leaving the mall. And if they managed to survive the crash, then they risk attracting any nearby zombies without any shelter. And if they find shelter, then there's the lack of food and water issue, etc.


So like I said, "And the only other African-American character I can think of that "survives" is Peter in the original Dawn of the Dead, and his fate isn't fully certain at the end of the film." Meaning, that after they take off, you don't know if they continue to survive or not.

 

[Satxer]

Meaning, that after they take off, you don't know if they continue to survive or not.

I understood what you meant. I was going with the ideal that, they didn't die in the movie, so, with their helicopter low on fuel and they managed to fly away from the mall, that is why I consider it survived. "Not much" could mean an hours worth of fuel, maybe more, maybe less. It was enough to get them away from the mall and possibly land safely. Unless otherwise noted, or seen on screen, it wouldn't count as death.

 

[CB2001]

I understood what you meant. I was going with the ideal that, they didn't die in the movie, so, with their helicopter low on fuel and they managed to fly away from the mall, that is why I consider it survived. "Not much" could mean an hours worth of fuel, maybe more, maybe less. It was enough to get them away from the mall and possibly land safely. Unless otherwise noted, or seen on screen, it wouldn't count as death.

True, but its still hard to say if it was a couple of hours or if it was less than that (especially since Steven taught Fran how to fly the copter, which resulted up in using fuel). It's really hard to say how much they had.

Ironically, in the original script, Peter originally killed himself (in the way the theatrical cut implied, shooting himself in the head) and Fran also killed herself (by standing up into the blades of the copter). Basically at the end of the ending credits, it was written that we hear the sound of the copter's engine sputtering out and dying due to the lack of fuel.

 

[Sluis Van Shipyards]

One of the Scary Movie movies made fun of this. Someone says "Let's split up" and the only two black people end up together. They say something like "Well how do you like that?".

 

[Riceball]

While not a horror movie in ST II Capt. Terrell, played by Paul Winfield, dies and he's one of the only major black characters in the movie next to Uhura. Then in Aliens Frost & Sgt. Apone are amongst the first Marines to buy it although they weren't the very first.

Anyhow, I believe that the myth is that black characters never survive horror movies. Like LL Cool J put in "Deep Blue Sea" the brother always gets it.

 

[Cheeflet]

I believe it was created in the Scary Movie series by the wayne brothers

Its been around way longer than that. I remember Eddie Murphy joking about it back in the 80s. Either on one of his concert films or SNL. Also, Robert Klein used to joke about it in his standup, too.

 

[CTF]

i think this couple counts too

Hey, man, Australians deserve love, too.

And who wouldn't want that *****?

Meow.

 

[SSgt Burton]

Aliens vs Predator.

Black actress. Lives to the end.



Kevin

 

[Solo4114]

Doh! COMPLETELY forgot that one.

 

[Clutch]

Parker. Second to last killed in ALIEN.

 

[SSgt Burton]

Doh! COMPLETELY forgot that one.

Understandable as the entire movie was forgettable.


Kevin

 

[mvanwalks421]

In "Night of the Living Dead," (1968), the black guy, Ben, died last

 

[scarf man]

In "This Thread," (2011), the thread had a black background, died last.

 

[CessnaDriver]

Ignore.