Ideas | Why are Oscars afraid of horror movies?

The continued snubbing is confusing. The appeal of horror now extends far beyond the weirdos who flocked to double shows and crazy midnight screenings. The genre has proven to be one of the few that can be relied upon to entice audiences to watch non-franchise prime time fare on the big screen. Consider the success of last year’s “Longlegs,” an homage to “Silence of the Lambs,” which rode a clever marketing campaign and a great performance from Nicolas Cage to the return of box office of over 125 million dollars worldwide. independent film.

Last year also confirmed the emergence of a new generation of horror filmmakers, such as Robert Eggers, who received four Oscar nominations for the dark film “Nosferatu”, but in the category of techniques in cinematography, costume design, makeup and hair and production design. Director Jane Schoenbrun presents the dark house genre, “I Saw the TV Glow”, which is as good as any movie that came out last year, and is a perfect example of the original horror genre. which is typical of the Oscars. don’t care “I Saw the TV Glow” used Lynchian surrealism to explore gender dysphoria and the film’s difficulty in making pop culture speak to queer youth feel profound and essential. But as far as the Academy is concerned, “I Saw the Shining on TV” was not only inappropriate but invisible — an oversight that was more prominent than the death of David Lynch, Ms. Schoenbrun’s new inspiration. quickly.

Fortunately, the species is thriving worldwide. Danish period drama “The Girl With the Needle” earned Oscar nominations for best international drama, Canadian thriller “Red Rooms” won critical acclaim and Korea’s “Exuma” South became popular. And the nomination of Ms. Moore as an actress for “The Substance” is a long-standing recognition that horror is a genre that includes the most memorable and memorable performances. With Ms. Moore, last year brought Mr. Cage in “Longlegs” and Hugh Grant in “Heretic”. But when Ms. Moore and Mr. Grant were nominated for Golden Globes, they were in the music or comedy categories, the kind of gratuitous snub that shows awards season’s lack of tools to to honor the meritorious work of the horror genre.

In 2018, when “Get Out,” a hybrid horror satire that won the Best Picture nomination and won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay, it seemed to herald an era. new appreciation of the art of horror. (Although some of the traditional Academy voters complained anonymously that it was “not an Oscar movie.”) Mr. Peele’s picture introduced mainstream audiences to horror’s ability to deal with the issues of race and class. However, as horror films continue to evolve and gain prominence, additional award recognition has been rare. This year’s nominations confirm that the Academy will occasionally recognize those scary movies, such as “Get Out” or “The Substance,” that serve as tools for overt social commentary — an appropriate move. the kind of film the Oscars love to celebrate, but that’s why the institution is blind to the art of other exceptional horror films.

As horror fans — a growing and expanding group — already understand, the thrill of a great scare comes from a deep, primal place. Horror has already staked its claim as a popular genre these days. It’s time for Academy voters to stop turning a blind eye.