Get Out! How the Depiction of Slavery has Entered Modern Horror Films

The question of slavery as depicted in film has been heavily discussed in the humanities since the early 1990’s. Films like Roots (1977) and 12 Years a Slave (2013) heavily address the harsh life of slavery in dramas. Slavery and black story telling has even made its way into the world of horror films. Jordan Peele’s 2017 horror phenomena, Get Out, depicts the implications of slavery through a modern lens. Though it is a topic of debate, the idea of slavery in horror films is relatively new. But how does this film relate back to the notions of slavery? How might it relate to depictions from 19^th Century America art? This research aims to address the questions and more. This research addresses the notion of slavery in horror films, with special attention to the film Get Out. The paper will examine the connection to past representations of slavery and how Peele pulls from these depictions to create a modern form of slavery, a neo-slavery.