When I watched the Horror Noire documentary on Shudder, I kept wishing it would be longer and more thorough. I get why it wasn't, but this is a subject I wanted a deep dive on. The Black Guy Dies First is the thorough history of Black representation in horror films that I was looking for. I now have a list that's pages long of movies I need to watch or rewatch.

The Black Guy Dies First by Robin R. Means Coleman and Mark H. Harris was received directly from the publisher and I chose to review it. This book surprised me because I didn't know what to expect but what I got was much better than I expected. The book covers horror movies with lists, and anecdotes a reader may not have read anywhere else. While it covers, as the title explains, black "guys" dying in them, it does so in an entertaining and thought-provoking way. If you or someone you buy books for enjoys horror movies and wants to learn more about them, certainly give this book a read.

4 Stars

This book covers the history of Black horror films and is hilarious much of the time, but includes serious subjects. I recommend it highly, particularly for film buffs. I learned some things that surprised me and made me think. I had never thought of the impact of the Civil Rights Act on movies, for example, or realized that the Black comic relief person didn't die. Prissy in Gone with the Wind is an example of a comic relief person. ("I don't know nothing 'bout birthing no babies!") Incidentally, the first black person to win an Oscar was the woman who played Mammy from that same movie, in 1940.

One of the most interesting topics to me was censorship in the early years. The top executives of the film industry created their own self-censorship - a Production Code that set guidelines for how much violence/blood/gore, nudity and sex could be shown on TV and movies. That Production Code was used for 30 years, before the Supreme Court disallowed it - and didn't put anything in its place. According to the book, this is why we have film classics like 'Psycho' which would not have been possible before.

There are other sections where the author gives ratings. One rating was for actors who died in the movies, sometimes in gruesome and hilarious ways. In one example, a man was speared on a toilet while singing doo-wop. I also learned quite a lot, not just about black participation in movies, but about black history in the United States.

While the book made me laugh, it also made me think. One of the serious points that the book makes is that black experience - past and present - is the origin of black horror, that black history is about genocide. I had also never thought of the black experience as including diaspora, but of course it does - just not always voluntarily.

I received a review copy from the publisher Gallery Books via NetGalley, and voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

Coleman and Harris provide a great introductory text to Black folks (mostly American) working in horror film. This is an easy recommend if you're interested in horror as a genre, and what sort of representation Hollywood and independent films have had in the last 60 or so years. That said, the humor will be hit-or-miss (in my case, a miss) and if you are already familiar with the subject, not much new is explored here.

4.5 rounded up
As a big fan of Horror, I was fascinated with this book. It is an easy read, and very funny in places. There are a lot of lists snd it is well researched.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book

The Black Guy Dies First is such an eye catching title at first glance you can't help but want to dive in and consume all that it has to offer.

Now I will admit that I am not usually to gravitate towards non-fiction books, but I was given a copy of this book from the publisher to review and how could I pass up learning and reading about a topic that I am mostly unfamiliar with but also very interested in learning so much more about. I can safely say that I learned much more than I thought I would about stereotypical tropes and roles that black characters take in almost every horror film and the way the book displayed the information in a well thought out and sometimes humorous way was very enjoyable to read. Horror is such a broad genre that usually falls into a lot of very general tropes, but reading about films that I have watched and love through the eyes of a perspective that I wouldn't otherwise have at my disposal was very interesting and enriching.

I appreciated all the diversity in topics discussed whether it was talking about female inclusion and how they are often misrepresented in their portrayals or talking about the lack of and honestly, undesirable additions of black LGBT+ representation in the early days of horror films. I think the authors balanced the tone of teaching the reader while also entertaining the reader quite nicely and I have added many previously unknown films to my to-watch list to experience all that the authors spoke of so I could further experience all that I learned from reading this.

I know after reading this I will definitely keep in mind certain things while watching future horror films with a new perspective of harmful and tedious tropes that writers of horror films often lump black characters into throughout the history of the genre. At times I will admit the book was a touch repetitive, but I don't think it spoiled my overall enjoyment of the book and the message it was conveying.

This is a quick read and one I would recommend for any horror fan who likes to take a deep dive into the history of horror films, but from a difference lens than what you would not normally be used to if you aren't black or familiar with the content. I think its always very important to enrich yourself with knowledge you wouldn't normally have so you can properly view criticize things you view with a more educated perspective of the content - and potentially help others understand learn things too. I will definitely be recommending this to a few of my horror buff friends!

Big thanks to Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

What a fascinating overview of Black history in US cinema!
Granted I'm not much of a cinema studies person but I really enjoyed diving into the history of Black actors in Hollywood. I think the way the authors write as well is really refreshing for a non-fiction novel. By adding segments of individual movies for each trope/category or "The Black Character Horror Movie Survival Guide" was a great take on tackling the main trope "The black guy dies first".
As a white person, I think this was a great read to understand the stereotypes and things we overlook in movies can reflect reality as well. Concepts of voodooism, Black magic, the black savior that dies for the white man, and all these other aspects weren't something I considered when watching some of the movies listed. Their details and well-constructed analyses of these movies make me really focus more on how characters are portrayed rather than just mindlessly enjoying something I'd consider entertaining.
I think it's important to address these issues and look at how cinema can reflect reality- how do we view Black people and is this a product of what we watch and what is portrayed?

I've also 100% added a lot of movies to my watch list, but I'm incredibly happy that Jordan Peele's movies are getting the recognition they deserve because they are masterpieces (F THE OSCARS FOR THE NOPE SNUB AS WELL).

If you like Black history and/or cinema, this is a wonderful book to explore!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for inviting me to review this book.

I’m a big fan of this kind of genre analysis. It’s easy to read and not bogged down with academic language. I could totally see this as a university film textbook for a course on horror or Black representation in film.

The authors go to great lengths to show when something fits their argument while at the same time showing where some films don’t fit. It helps to demonstrate that not everything fits into the cookie-cutter box of Black horror stereotypes and tropes.

Each argument is detailed which makes some of them long-winded but they get to the point eventually. However, I think it’s best that the reader has some familiarity with Black horror films before reading this. I’d recommend the documentary <i>Horror Noire</i> since there’s a lot of overlap with the films discussed.

There are lists upon lists for easy reference of topics such as who has the highest death count in a horror film. These topics would be spread thin if they were discussed in a chapter, but in a quick aside, they’re the perfect length.

This book is EXCELLENT. If you have read Coleman's previous book, Horror Noire, then you already know what to expect. This is an great expansion on the previous work and more updates for recent movies and diversifying of horror in Hollywood. I highly recommend this to anyone interested in horror or representation in film.

I loved this book. It was so funny to read. The author takes us on a historical and fun journey through black people in horror cinema. One of the chapters talked about the various tropes of black people in movies: the Spook (think Mike Epps in Resident Evil Apocalypse), The Ooga Booga (think the natives in King Kong), The Witch Doctor (think Lisa Bonet in Angel Heart), The Magical Negro (a favorite of Stephen King like Dick Hallaran in The Shining or John Coffee in The Green Mile), The Sacrificial Negro (think Charles S. Dutton in Aliens 3), and The Gangsta (think Ice-T in Leprechaun in the Hood). This author did a great job in showing how black horror cinema has gone from fodder to Oscar just like the title says. If you like horror cinema and want to learn more about these roles and movies, I highly recommend this book. I want to thank the author, the publisher, and Netgalley for giving me an e-copy of this book, in return for an honest review.

I was given a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I've always enjoyed the horror genre whether its movies or books or other forms of media. I read a book last year about how one can see societal implications from what was popular in horror. Whether it is talking about virginity and purity ideas in Victorian England or serial killers and slasher movies of the 80's. Viewing horror through a social history lense has always been fascinating to me. That is exactly what the project of this book is and it succeeds wonderfully. I learned so much more than I thought I would. Whether it was discussions about obvious racial stereotypes of the past or more covert ones that on the surface seem like good representation but are often lazy or rooted in racism that are found today. Even while watching two horror movies this weekend, I was able to watch with a different perspective. The book was also often funny which made such dark topics at times have levity. The only downside for me is that the book could be repetitive at times. This book is a must read for any horror fan. Especially ones who also want to be aware of what they're consuming and spotting some problematic elements.

Thanks to NetGalley and Gallery Books for the e-ARC.

This is not the type of book I would normally pick for myself, but as a lover of horror movies I am so glad I read it.
This book is a long overdue gaze into horror cinema and the role Hollywood and the audience have often slated black characters into. The authors waste no time pointing out the tropes we assign to black characters often reflect the way we other POC in real life. I enjoyed following this cinematic journey from the rise of the slasher to the current state of horror.

I would really recommend this to any horror movie lovers, it will not only broaden your horizons, but possibly add some good horror recommendations to your list.

This book tackles a really interesting topic balancing facts and figures with not taking itself too seriously. If you love horror, you'll LOVE this book. Read a little like a textbook, but in a good way, if that makes sense. Can't wait to grab a physical copy of this when it's available!

I never knew that horror movies and black history were so closely related. This was an informational read from the beginning of the genre through the growth of black horror. Horror I've learned is campy, satirical, and dark. As time goes by like societal changes black representation grows within. The writing was witty and fun but very culturally appropriate. May everyone grow to accept the knowledge that history is horrific and horror is based off reality.

Thank you to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and give my honest opinion. Unfortunately, I couldn’t finish this book. I felt like I was in school being forced to read an unwanted book…really tried to get through it but couldn’t.

I really liked this book, it's not the best non-fiction I've ever read, but it was decent and educational. I liked learning about the history of black cinema throughout the decades. The section about Jordan Peel was my favorite part. I absolutely adore his films, especially "Us". Great writing and thoughtfully researched.

The documentary, Horror Noire, is in part based on a book by Dr. Robin R. Means Coleman. I've planned to read the book for too long, and when The Black Guy Dies First popped up on NetGalley, I couldn't click "request" fast enough. This non-fiction book is a fast read, so if part of the reason someone might not pick this up is because of pre-conceived notions about the pace of non-fic, those fears should be put at ease.

From the comprehensive coverage that starts with Spider Baby and The Night of the Living Dead to the last section on Representation Matters, Coleman and Harris leave no stone unturned as they dissect and inspect a multitude of subjects on and about Black horror stereotypes, tropes, characters, and movies. Interspersed throughout, readers will find additional information outside of the regular chapter content with informative and engaging lists such as "Types of Black Horror Movie Deaths", "The Black Character Horror Movie Survival Guide", and the personal top ten movie lists for each author.

There is so much more to be said about this book and the topics it covers. I encourage everyone to pick this up, not only for the education, but for the delight in reading a book so clearly written by two people who truly love the genre.

A fantastic look into one of horror's most common clichés: the black guy dies first. As a horror fan, I am always looking into ways to analyze every plot point, and the information in this book is the foundation on how to do so. I'm also really happy that this book focused on films that were unfairly ignored from the mainstream for obvious reasons. With amusing commentary and well-explained analysis, I recommend this book to anyone who has a Shudder account. I have so many movies to watch now.

(The version I read was an ARC. Thank you, Netgalley.)

This is a Buzzfeed article and listsicles in book form, and alas, it is pretty terrible. The stream-of-consciousness style, lists, trivia, and name-drops (without context) left me really disappointed in this book, whose topic is important and deserves better treatment.

5/5 stars! This book was insightful, humorous, and eye-opening in equal measure. Any cinephile will love this commentary on the social divides and stigmatization in the history of cinema. I learned so many movie facts as well, but I was hooked most on the unfairness that has brewed under the surface in movies for years being brought to the surface. Such an engrossing and enjoyable read.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily