8 Great Horror Movies Unfairly Snubbed At The Oscars
Poor Pazuzu.
When it comes to artistic recognition, horror has always been the black
sheep of movie genres. This is especially true in the eyes of The Academy –
those who bestow that most coveted of Hollywood awards: The Oscar.
If we exclude The Silence of the Lambs (1991), which, strictly speaking is a psychological thriller with horrific elements, in the 87-year-history of the Oscars, not a single horror movie has been deemed worthy of the Academy Award for Best Picture, and only a small handful have received Oscars in lesser categories. This is reflective of the conservative and skittish mindset of the Hollywood elite.
Horror movies are not the reserve of social deviants. There have been numerous instances where filmmakers have elevated the genre to high art, meticulously crafting products that stand the test of time
and fill a deep psychosocial need to explore in a safe environment –and even to
exorcise– the darker aspects of our human condition.
Still, the Academy usually shies away from the supernatural and otherworldly, perhaps because these areas are deemed too 'silly' and fantastical to be culturally significant, or because they are seen as less 'serious' and therefore less worthy than the more Earthly historical subjects that typically serve as Oscar bait.
While the Hollywood establishment continues to avert its eyes, here, in order of release, are eight great horrors that were snubbed or sidelined by the Academy.
8. The Innocents (1961)
Shot on location at a Gothic mansion in Sussex, England, this stunning adaptation of The Turn Of The Screw sees a governess, Miss Giddens (Deborah Kerr), hired to watch over the niece and nephew of an absent uncle at his country estate. Little is shown explicitly, but much is implied, and soon Miss Giddens comes to believe the children are possessed by the sprits of their recently-deceased governess and valet.
With a beautifully crafted screenplay co-written by Truman Capote, The Innocents is a film of creeping dread and deep psychological complexity with Freudian overtones. It’s also a feast for the eyes thanks to director Jack Clayton and cinematographer Freddie Francis, who generated their chills through the use of deep focus and subtle lighting techniques. Editor Jim Clarke’s hypnotic use of dissolves and crossfades intoxicates the viewer, planting us into the hazy mind of the haunted and the possessed.
The Innocents failed to connect with audiences at the time of its release, but it is today recognised not only as an all-time-great horror, but as one of the best British films ever made. It was nominated for two BAFTA Awards: Best British Film and Best Film from any Source. Jack Clayton received the National Board of Review Award for Best Director. It was comfortably worthy of a nomination for the Best Picture Oscar, but the Academy felt otherwise.
Oscars: 0