A captivating and eye-opening study of the black experience of horror films (from within the industry and as viewers), which charts the progress over the last century.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Feb 3, 2021

A powerful reminder how something as seemingly lowbrow and disposable as horror cinema can be a surprisingly successful vehicle to address broader social issues that have very real relevance.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Oct 21, 2020

It all adds up to a most entertaining and enlightening history of Black culture and racism, along with a history of the movies. This is essential viewing.

| Original Score: 4/4 | Jul 25, 2020

Horror Noire is pure fun for horror fans both experienced and new, but I have no doubt that it's also going to become a go-to informational gateway.

| Jul 15, 2020

orror Noire is an impressive accomplishment, that does more than just discuss representation in horror. The film's academic approach to its subject matter, born of a true love of the genre, will have you looking at these films with a fresh perspective.

| May 29, 2020

Burgin smartly allows most of his interviewees to sit amongst each other in pairs throughout a cinema set. As they watch clips, they revisit filmmaking anecdotes and discuss film themes that add so much dimension to its narrative.

| Original Score: B+ | Feb 27, 2020

Horror Noire is easily the best horror documentary I've seen in a very long time. It tackles my favorite genre with pathos and intelligence...

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Jul 20, 2019

Horror Noire (as both a documentary and book) needs to be added to every film studies syllabus.

| May 16, 2019

The thing that blew me away the most was what the documentary's spectacular insight revealed to me about the genre, even beyond the representation.

| Mar 18, 2019

People go to horror films to scream and squirm and have a good time. "Horror Noire" shows that to many, horror films are more than just blood and guts. It's a matter of life and death.

| Original Score: B | Mar 15, 2019

Dense with both trenchant observations and revelatory 'forgotten lore,' such that even horror obsessives will learn something new.

| Original Score: B- | Feb 26, 2019

What's most interesting about 'Horror Noire' is its unconventionally holistic approach to the subject.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Feb 23, 2019

Treat yourself to this enlightening documentary and then go watch some horror films with new eyes. And kudos to Shudder for backing a documentary like this.

| Feb 23, 2019

I envision that Horror Noire will become a canonical work for film history buffs and horror aficionados alike.

| Feb 21, 2019

Horror Noire isn't just a documentary, it is a snapshot of Black American history through the lens of horror.

| Original Score: 5/5 | Feb 21, 2019

Xavier Burgin's documentary is not only a terrific look at black characters in American cinema, but also the importance of cinema studies.

| Original Score: A | Feb 15, 2019

Shudder has assembled a team of experts to document black history in horror cinema.

| Feb 13, 2019

It's a painfully overdue education in cinema that should be essential viewing for film students and film buffs alike.

| Feb 12, 2019

Sleekly produced, internally cohesive, and wildly overdue, Horror Noire offers up some much-needed diversity in the long line of horror documentation.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Feb 8, 2019

Without a doubt, Horror Noire is one of the most important entertainment documentaries to ever come along, genre or otherwise.

| Original Score: 4.5/5 | Feb 8, 2019