October is here and that means in-between our Saturday morning house cleaning music we are sneaking in Michael Jackson’s Thriller and we won’t judge if you know the choreography. And if you are a horror movie lover, it’s the best time of the year to get your scream, ghouls, and spooks on. Some are parodies based on some really scary classics, others are just plain disturbing.
From Eddie Murphy sporting a Jheri curl and Caribbean accent to the man responsible for traumatizing us as kids and still has us afraid to say that C-word in the mirror in our 30s, below is a list of the 10 best Black horror movies to watch this October. (Disclaimer: not all of us die in these movies, it’s still some of us left.)
1. The Blackening (2023)
The Blackening is a 2022 American Black comedy slasher film directed by Tim Story and written by Tracy Oliver and Dewayne Perkins. It stars Perkins, Grace Byers, Jermaine Fowler, Melvin Gregg, X Mayo, Antoinette Robertson, Sinqua Walls, Jay Pharoah, and Yvonne Orji. The film follows a group of African-American friends staying at a cabin in the woods where they are targeted by a masked killer during Juneteenth. The Blackening parodies different original horror movies and blends them with stereotypes from the Black community.
How to watch: Starz, Hulu, YouTube
2. Tales From The Hood (1995)
This flick is the reason we can’t our dolls in the closet. Tales from the Hood is a 1995 American horror anthology film directed by Rusty Cundieff. Clarence Williams III stars as Mr. Simms who turns out to be the devil himself. The movie features four short horror films that revolve around urban issues such as police corruption, domestic abuse, racism, and gang violence with a supernatural twist.
How to watch: Tubi, Peacock, YouTube
3. Get Out (2017)
You’ll never look at a teacup the same after watching this one. Get Out is a 2017 psychological horror film written, co-produced, and directed by Jordan Peele. It stars Daniel Kaluuya, Allison Williams, Lil Rel Howery, LaKeith Stanfield, Bradley Whitford, Caleb Landry Jones, Stephen Root, and Catherine Keener. The plot follows a Black photographer, who uncovers haunting secrets when he meets the family of his white girlfriend.
How to watch: Hulu, Netflix, Peacock
4. Us (2019)
Us is a 2019 psychological horror film written and directed by Jordan Peele and stars Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke, Elisabeth Moss, and Tim Heidecker. The film follows Adelaide Wilson and her family, who are attacked by a group of menacing doppelgängers and ironically are faced with the task of defeating themselves. Us is full of easter eggs, and thrilling moments.
How to watch: Hulu, Netflix
5. Candyman (1992)
The reason we can’t say this name in the mirror three times. Candyman is a 1992 gothic supernatural horror film, written and directed by Bernard Rose and starring Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd, Xander Berkeley, Kasi Lemmons, and Vanessa E. Williams. Candyman is based on a short story called Forbidden. The film follows a Chicago student completing a thesis on urban legends and folklore. Her investigation leads her to the legend of the Candyman, the ghost of an African-American artist and the son of a slave who was murdered in the late 19th century for his relationship with the daughter of a wealthy white man. OK, we already said this name three times let’s move on.
How to watch: AMC+, Peacock, YouTube
6. Candyman (2021)
A continuation of the 1992 original, the 2021 supernatural slasher film is directed by Nia DaCosta and written by Jordan Peele, Win Rosenfeld, and DaCosta.. The film stars Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Teyonah Parris, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, and Colman Domingo with Vanessa Williams, Virginia Madsen, and Tony Todd reprising their roles from the original film. The film follows an aspiring artist as he is investigating the Candyman tale. As he learns more about Candyman, he uncovers secrets about himself as well.
How to watch: Amazon Prime, MGM+, YouTube
7. Haunted House (2013)
A Haunted House is a 2013 American satirical horror comedy film starring Marlon Wayans. The movie follows a young couple who recently moved in together as they battle supernatural forces invading their home. Wayans described the film as “not exactly a parody but rather a movie with funny characters doing the opposite of what typical people do in similar horror films,” He picks at movies like Paranormal Activity and The Devil Inside.
How to watch: AMC+, Amazon Prime, Pluto TV, Tubi
8. Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
The only movie where you’ll see Eddie Murphy sporting a Jheri curl. Vampire in Brooklyn is a 1995 vampire black comedy film directed by Wes Craven. It stars Murphy, who produced and wrote the film along with Vernon Lynch and his brother Charles Q. Murphy. The film also co-stars Angela Bassett, Allen Payne, Kadeem Hardison, John Witherspoon, Zakes Mokae, and Joanna Cassidy. The movie is about a vampire arriving in Brooklyn to find his mate, who is half-vampire, half-human. But in doing so, he also ends up wracking some havoc or did the “flip-flop” as the late Witherspoon said.
How to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Paramount+, YouTube
9. Meet the Blacks (2016)
Meet The Blacks is a 2016 Black comedy horror film directed by Deon Taylor. It is a parody of the 2013 film The Purge and stars Mike Epps, Gary Owen, Zulay Henao, Lil Duval, Bresha Webb, George Lopez and Mike Tyson. The plot follows an African-American family in a suburban neighborhood as they try to survive the one night where all crime is legal.
How to watch: Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Hulu, Starz
10. His House (2020)
His House is a 2020 horror thriller film written and directed by Remi Weekes. It stars Wunmi Mosaku, Sope Dirisu and Matt Smith. The film tells the story of a Sudanese refugee couple struggling to adjust to their new life in an English town that has an evil presence lurking beneath the surface.
How to watch: Netflix
