The underlying focus of this blog is in regards to Jordan Peele’s striking rare horror film widely known as “Get Out.” I will mainly be delving into how my overall mindset of the film has organically changed throughout the time of participating in Professor Due’s course. Not only was I able to compare my original views of the film from the time I watched it live in theaters, but through re-watching clips and breaking down the deeper messages behind the film within Professor Due’s class has truly allowed me to gain a broader insight to Jordan Peele’s horror film. At the time, I had watched the film with my ex-boyfriend who’s father was a producer in the movie industry. This made watching films together way more interesting because he would always point things out to me and see things differently compared to the way I would have had initially interpreted it myself. I remember when we watched “Get Out” together in theaters, I kept on asking my former lover what was going on during certain moments of particular scenes. The difference was his explanations weren’t anything like the deep meanings and symbolisms that Professor Due educated the class on that are portrayed within black horror films. After breaking down the different representations of “Get Out”throughout the several in-class lectures I had realized how naive I was when it came to truly understanding black horror films, more specifically in this case “Get Out.” There were so many remarks and references throughout the film that alluded to different types of themes related to black horror.
The first scene in the film “Get Out” that I was able to gain a deeper understanding of was in regards to the protagonist Chris falling into this sunken place. When I first witnessed this scene I had no idea what the central message was that Jordan Peele was trying to convey to his audience. The only thing I remembered thinking during that scene was that I would never let any one form hypnosis on me. After Professor Due’s explanation I was able to understand how the sunken place metaphorically represented the notion of the prison-industrial system, also known as mass incarceration, intentionally referenced to those of color in the film. Another scene that we had gone into depth about is in regards to Georgina’s strong character and how when she is in the presence of Chris her true personality is triggered and tries to come out. Throughout the movie Georgina is seen fighting her autonomy and her individuality. This is portrayed during the scene when she is repeatedly saying “no, no, no” to Chris, but her eyes are the ones doing the true speaking trying to hint to Chris to run. Rose’s family uses the tactic of hypnosis on her to lurer Georgina in, than proceeds with the operation, and takes Georgina into the sunken place where she is voiceless. The thing is although she is voiceless Georgina is somewhat seen as a special case because although externally she presents herself the way she was in a sense programmed to be, internally she is battling with herself. Her true self. Georgina tries to break free and help Chris even though she can not directly tell him straight forwardly. In addition, Roses father Dean believes in his forward white thinking when he says to Chris “By the way I would have voted for Obama for a third term if I could. Best president in my lifetime hands down.” This underlyingly shows a smug scene of a white liberal mindset. How non-black Americans inflict environmental indignities that are both negative and insulting
towards those of color. This is what Jordan Peele intended on delivering through the white characters. Not only is Rose’s family horrified when their daughter comes home with an African American man, but throughout the whole film Dean and his family are in- prisoning African Americans; therefore, this statement, goes against the reality of Deans words and true colors.
Overall, I am immensely appreciative for being able to participate in Professor Due’s course this quarter and expand my knowledge in regards to the different themes that are the backbones to black horror films. By learning about the different messages within black horror films has made watching them even more exciting and enjoyable.
188A-Blog Assignments 