At the Bottom of Both Worlds: Hierarchy of Speeches in “Blade” (1998)

Abstract

The present work seeks to observe the hierarchy of speeches in the first Blade (1998) movie. Since the black vampire hunter is half human and half vampire, we must analyze its complex existence in both groups. Due to the fact he is a black man, it is possible to see parallels between the existing racial prejudice in the off-screen world and the separation shown in the film. Besides, as a half vampire, he is also considered at the bottom of the vampire world hierarchy. Although he is portrayed as an outcast, living outside the margins of society, Blade is placed at the center of a myth as the one with the power to awaken an ancient vampire god. To understand the paradoxes of Blade’s identity, we intend to focus on the power dynamics presented in the movie through the lens of the decolonial studies framework, considering authors such as Achille Mbembe, Denise Ferreira da Silva and Homi Bhabha.