Blaxploitation in Scream Blacula Scream
Keywords: The Black Avenger, Blaxploitation, Masculinity, Modern Day Slavery, Monster, Sexuality
Blaxploitation in films often follow the same tropes: they’re cheaply made with a low production value, target the urban working-class adolescent including young men, often use unknown performers, along with a rapid shooting time. More often than not, they films seem all too familiar due to reappropriating popular films with a predominantly white cast and replacing them with black actors. Some the most well-known are Foxy Brown (1974), Black Caesar (1973), Coffy (1973), Superfly (1972), Dolemite (1975) and of course, Shaft (1971).
Shaft (1971) movie poster
Due to the rise in popularity of The Shaw Brothers’ kung-fu films and Jim Kelly’s role in Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon (1973), there was also an influx of blaxploitation martial arts cinema with movies such as Black Belt Jones (1974), Three the Hard Way (1974), Black Dragon (1974), Cleopatra Jones (1974), and Black Samurai (1977). During this period there were also many blaxploitation films within the horror genre including Sugar Hill (1974), Blackenstein (1973), Blacula (1972), and its sequel, Scream, Blacula, Scream (1973). Scream Blacula Scream, specifically, is an interesting film because it not only embodies the blaxploitation tropes of the genre but also provides a commentary on the black experience in the United States.
Towards the middle of the film, Blacula walks down the streets of Los Angeles and comes across a sex worker who solicits sex from Blacula who denies her advances. Shortly after, her two sharply dressed African American pimps approach the title character questioning why Blacula doesn’t “dig” their “merchandise” and wondering if he “dig girls or if that’s the reason for the cape.” Blacula finally turns around to acknowledge him after one of the pimps calls him a “faggot” and responds to their derogatory questioning, proclaiming that they “made of slave of [their] sister and [they’re] still slaves imitating [their] slave masters.”
This single scene touches on many important topics within the black community: the sexualization and control of black women, homophobia, and the modern day embodiment of slavery. These pimps see nothing wrong with their actions, seeing women as sexual objects used only to fulfill the desires of men. However Blacula is quick to point out their problematic mindset as he views the exploitation of selling black women for sex as repeating the past injustices of the slave trade and slave owners. It is no secret that back during the times of slavery that females slaves were considered property, often raped by their white masters and sold for their ability to procreate with other slaves. Scream Blacula Scream commentates on the hypocrisy within the black community of black men not realizing or understanding of repeating this dark time in the history of the United States. Just because they themselves are not white, does not absolve them from the continuation of these past atrocities. In fact, many slaves were indeed sold by black slavers from Africa for white men across Europe and the United States. We also know that slavery in Africa (and across the globe) still exists today; it is not simply an issue of race or skin color.
This notion of slavery also alludes to the opening scene of the original Blacula (1972) film, which starts with Dracula being supportive of the slave trade and pointing out the “positives” it has brought to the world. Dracula himself, enslaves Mamuwalde (Blacula’s original name) into a life subjugated to killing and craving blood. This is the crux of Blacula’s character and his internal conflict. He does not wish to kill people but he is compelled to do so upon seeing blood. Being a black man himself, he understands all too well how his compulsion to feed on blood is reminiscent to slavery, in which he has no control over his actions. He must do as he is told by this mystical spell that has over him, and not only that but he also understands that Dracula in a sense, is his original slave master even though he is “free” to live the life he chooses, except for this curse that was placed upon him by a white man. Blacula is the personification of slavery within the horror genre.
Homophobia and toxic masculinity also play a role in the scene with the pimps as well, even if there is only one or two lines pertaining to it. The pimps automatically assume that Blacula’s denial of the sex worker’s advances and his fashion must mean that he is gay, even though his reasoning is much deeper than that. This scene provides a bit of insight into the preconceived nothing that men cannot possibly dress however they like or if they turn down an attractive woman’s advances that they must obviously be gay. This alludes to how homosexuality and masculinity were viewed as during the 70’s, however it is still problematic to this day, even with the advances of LGTBQ+ rights. Homophobia, toxic masculinity, women’s rights, and the exploitation of black and brown bodies are issues we continue to face today, fifty years later.
It is also not hard to view Blacula as a hero in this film, as black audiences can easily get behind and support his actions. Not only for his defense of women’s rights and his views of modern-day slavery, but also in his fight against the L.A.P.D. and cops in general. The police in Scream Blacula Scream are clearly portrayed as antagonists in this film, most notably when they question Pam Grier’s character, Lisa. Their line of questioning and suspicions are based on her practicing voodoo and stereotyping the religion as drinking blood, calling it “disgusting.” Here we have a black woman being accused of committing these crimes simply because of her culture and the cop’s racism towards black people. The cop’s stereotyping of Lisa’s culture and her obviously distressed mental state is something we have seen time and time again; police ignoring factual evidence and instead making preconceived judgements based on skin color, religion, and people’s associations. The viewer, especially black audiences, cannot help but root for Blacula when he fights back against the police in the film’s climax. They understand the struggles with having to deal with cops on a daily basis for crimes they have not committed, even if Blacula is supposed to be the “monster” of the film. He himself, can be seen as the “black avenger” “who justifiably fights against the dominant order,” exemplifying the black communities’ struggles with the police (Benshoff 37).
Lisa Fortier (Pam Grier) being interrogated by police.
Even though Scream, Blacula, Scream was released in 1973 and is focused on the blaxploitation horror film genre, the themes it critiques are still incredibly relevant today in 2023. The film is oftentimes cheesy, flamboyant, and a bit over the top in its portrayal of these characters, but instead of being simply a quick cash grab to exploit black audiences, the creators chose to speak upon important social issues plaguing our culture. Even though the film may not have been critically well received during its initial release, we can look back and analyze the importance of it in our culture. It may not be the most well-made or a blockbuster film that we are used to, but the messages Scream Blacula Scream conveys are still pertinent to the struggles the black community still faces to this day.
