Sara Moore
Science and Environment Editor
2026 is a very special year for the Oscars. For the first time in its nearly 100 year history, multiple horror films have been nominated for Best Picture. Prior to this year, only seven horror films had been nominated for Best Picture and only one, 1991’s “The Silence of the Lambs”, had ever won. This awards season, “Sinners” generated a lot of buzz with its record 16 Oscar nominations. “Frankenstein” and “Bugonia” also received an admirable amount of nominations with nine and four, respectively. Despite all of these nominations, some people do not believe that horror belongs at the Oscars, claiming it is unable to match the level of storytelling of films like “One Battle After Another” or “Sentimental Value.” Horror is thought of as nothing more than a platform for sex, violence and gore, but there is so much more to this genre that lies just below the surface.
Overall, horror is seen as a genre without any real substance, attracting audiences who only want to watch people suffer and be brutally murdered. Some films like “Get Out” (2017) or “They Live” (1988) are accepted as more “political films,” but non-horror fans might see these films as the exception and not the rule. It is so easy to say that horror movies don’t have a message or that “they’re not that deep,” but the messages they do share are more important now than ever, especially in today’s political climate. Art is political. Most films have something to say about the world, even if it is not explicit or even originally intended. “Night of the Living Dead” (1968) was one of the first mainstream horror films with a Black lead. Although the director, George A. Romero, did not write the character with a Black actor in mind, the choice carried an additional weight during the Civil Rights Movement, the era in which the film was released. “Black Christmas” (1974) was released two years after Roe v. Wade and featured a subplot about abortion and women’s choice. “Jennifer’s Body” (2006) was marketed towards men and bombed at the box office, but in the past 20 years has become a queer and feminist cult classic. I could go on, but my point is that horror has its finger on the pulse of society and is able to showcase the darker elements of the human experience.
When looking at the movies that are nominated for Oscars, you can begin to notice patterns in the films selected. Hundreds of movies come out each year, yet dramas, epics and war films constantly fill the Best Picture list. These genres are seen as explorations of the human psyche, but they often don’t capture the full picture of the character’s story. Horror explores our deepest fears and grapples with what it means to be human, often forcing characters to confront their own mortality. Thirteen-time Oscar nominee “Emilia Pérez” (2024) couldn’t achieve that and barely succeeded in being an enjoyable film or representing its subject matter accurately, according to many viewers.
The genre of a film shouldn’t matter when it comes to determining its worth. While not every horror movie is amazing or deep, there are so many incredible films that deal with a wide range of issues, from bodily autonomy to grief to the flaws of the American healthcare system (shoutout to “Saw VI” (2009)). If you are too afraid to watch scary movies or don’t like violence, I totally get it, but don’t discount the merit of horror movies just because you don’t enjoy watching them.