The Academy Awards are the highest honor bestowed upon films; each year the Oscars are given to movies in dozens of different categories. While horror films often appear in technical categories such as sound design, music, or visual effects, rarely do they receive a nomination in the Best Picture category. However, there are a few exceptions, with horror films occasionally receiving the recognition they deserve and being nominated for the iconic award. In this article, we will explore the top horror movies that have been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture throughout film history.
Highlight Reel: Top Horror Movies Nominated for Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
The Silence of the Lambs is a classic suspense thriller that combines horror, mystery, and psychological elements. Directed by Jonathan Demme and based on the novel by Thomas Harris, the film centers around Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) as she hunts down a serial killer nicknamed Buffalo Bill. The film earned Academy Awards for Best Picture, Best Actor (Anthony Hopkins), Best Actress (Jodie Foster) and Best Adapted Screenplay. In addition to its numerous awards, it was praised for the way it handled the sensitive topics of violence and sexual abuse against women.
Get Out (2017)
Get Out is a critically acclaimed psychological horror-thriller written and directed by Jordan Peele. The film follows Chris Washington, an African-American photographer, as he visits the family of his white girlfriend. While there, he discovers a conspiracy involving a cult-like organization. Get Out was praised for its exploration of racism, social justice, and the power of horror to tell meaningful stories. Although it did not take home the Oscar for Best Picture, Get Out did receive four nominations, including Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, Best Actor (Daniel Kaluuya), and Best Director (Jordan Peele).
Black Swan (2010)
Black Swan is a highly acclaimed psychological horror-thriller directed by Darren Aronofsky. The film follows ballerina Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman) as she tries to perfect her performance of Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake. As she progresses, her life begins to spiral out of control as her obsession with perfection takes over. Black Swan was praised for its unique blend of horror and art, as well as its exploration of mental illness. The film was nominated for five Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director (Darren Aronofsky), Best Actress (Natalie Portman), Best Cinematography, and Best Film Editing.
Jaws (1975)
Jaws is an iconic horror-thriller directed by Steven Spielberg and based on the novel by Peter Benchley. The film follows police chief Brody (Roy Scheider) and a team of fishermen as they try to hunt down a giant man-eating shark. Although it did not win any awards for its film craft, it is nonetheless remembered as a classic of the genre, and is credited with popularizing the “summer blockbuster”. It was also the first horror movie to ever be nominated for the Academy Award for Best Picture.
The Sixth Sense (1999)
The Sixth Sense is a critically acclaimed psychological horror-drama directed by M. Night Shyamalan. The film follows Cole Sear (Haley Joel Osment), a young boy who can see and talk to ghosts, and Malcolm Crowe (Bruce Willis), a child psychologist who tries to help him. The Sixth Sense earned several awards, including six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, Best Director (M. Night Shyamalan), Best Supporting Actor (Haley Joel Osment), and Best Original Screenplay.
Horror films often go unrecognized by the Academy Awards, but there have been a few that have come close. The five films we have just explored: The Silence of the Lambs, Get Out, Black Swan, Jaws, and The Sixth Sense, were all nominated for Best Picture during their release year. While none of these films won the coveted award, they remain in the minds of moviegoers as some of the greatest horror films of all time.