MovieChat Forums > Shark Night 3D (2011) Discussion > Clarifying the cliche of ''Black Guy dyi...

Clarifying the cliche of ''Black Guy dying first''

posted 12 years ago by alirioaguero2
11 replies | jump to latest

In this particular movie, Black Guy died fifth.

Otherwise, the calculation is very simple: African-Americans rarely get to play the lead in this kind of horror flicks. And besides the main girl (and sometimes her boyfriend), EVERYONE DIES! It's kinda exhausting, vapid, predictable horror cliche, but it's like that most of the time.

Black person/people lived in Candyman, Frankenfish, Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3 and Creature , as I know of.

Of course that Holywood is racist when it comes to casting the leads, but they also have 100 other prejudices, like no fat people, no guys with glasses, braces, short, balding, ect. So, all people fitting that description usually play sidekicks and die. ALL. Not ONLY Black people.

[–] jawsfan007 12 years ago

they had the one guy wilt glasses, but he took them off and apparently had 20/20 vision. Guess he wore them as a fashion statement.

[–] twilliams76 12 years ago

I don't care about race here ... anybody dumb enough to get back into the water after ONE person was attacked in a lake deserved to get eaten.

I think sharks are non-discriminatory :)

[–] jawsfan007 12 years ago

Malik also went back in despite him missing his arm and the amount of blood he lost.

[–] RidiculousPasta 12 years ago

I lol'd at the part where you included a bunch of random things that could apply to anyone of any race and then said "not only black people" as if the apples are oranges.

[–] joakim_joensson 11 years ago

Since black or African American people makes 12% of the United States population, it would be quite logical if one of ten characters in every movie would be African American. It would be interesting to see the percentage of lead characters in holywood productions that are actually casted by African Americans, and if that number also corresponds to the 12%. I doubt it. But then again, are the 16% Hispanic and Latino group equally represented? Hardly. Sorry for not entirely sticking to the topic.

The black guy always dying first thing is a myth.

[–] theoriginalleepierce-1 11 years ago

Deep Blue Sea- black guy lived.

[–] ScorpionTDC 11 years ago

Don't forget the leads aren't allowed to have sex/act slutty, do drugs, or, really, be anything but goodie-goods (and occasionally stuck up prudes)

The black guy rarely dies FIRST, he just dies. They have the highest survival amount out of racial minorities in horror though, I can name even more than that...

I am sick of cliched leads though. The two main characters of Shark Night weren't likeable at all IMO; I would've rather seen Beth (Katharine McPhee) and Blake (Chris Zylka) live! (I liked Gordon more than Blake, but Blake seemed more like a survivor IMO)

Death Awaits you (Horror forum)
http://w11.zetaboards.com/Death_Awaits/index/

[–] CCRider01 10 years ago

Yep, the rule of teen slasherdom or horrordom is the couple who has sex or even just makes out in the beginning of the film, gets offed first. Next is typically the black guy (or some minority) and then the rest of the cast in order of their stupidity. The main female actress (and sometimes her male crush) almost always survives.

[–] umiryuzaki26 9 years ago

The "(insert your minority of choice here) 'Black' Guy Dies First" trope exists because it is a glaringly recurring narrative choice in horror films. Just because you can name a few exceptions off the top of your head, it does not negate it's impact on pop culture.

Malik being hurt but not actually dying until there were only three (including Blake, who got eaten by the flying shark... what, two minutes after?) of his friends left alive, was actually a nice little subvertion of the trope.

Interestingly enough, Malik's role is not reduced by his fatal injury, either. He manages to kill a hammerhead shark, and later sacrifice himself to give Blake a chance... all the while bleeding to death BECAUSE OF THE LOSS OF HIS RIGHT ARM.

If there is one thing this movie got right, it's their treatment of Malik. He is a badass character in his own right, not just a mere token.

[–] draftdubya 8 years ago

Keke Palmer(should've been the lead) in Animal died towards the end trying to help her dipshiat friend.

[–] heyteegs (1207) 2 years ago

My first thought when he went was that he died a hero's death as he wasn't taking Blake with him. Then I thought he wasn't the first either although he was the first of the group injured.