25 Best Vampire Movies Ever Made

The opposite of the Blaxploitation films of the 70s, Bill Gunn’s experimental horror Ganja & Hess is praised as a landmark in African American cinema.

Leaning on surrealist mood and atmosphere, the film revolves around successful anthropologist Dr Hess Green (Night Of The Living Dead’s Duane Jones) researching an ancient, blood-drinking African tribe. But when he’s stabbed by his assistant with the tribe’s dagger, he awakens with a thirst for blood.

Despite the film receiving a standing ovation at Cannes Film Festival, it was sold to another production company who drastically recut the film against Gunn’s wishes where it would go on to be screened under various titles. Thankfully, though, Gunn gave a print of his version to the Museum of Modern Art where it continued to be screened.

And in the mid-90s (after Gunn’s death), the film was finally restored for audiences to see for themselves.