[IMG:L]Horror movies were once the stomping grounds for wannabe actors who couldn’t do much more than shriek loudly and run around scantily clad. But things have changed. Although the Academy often turn up their noses at scary movies — some surprising nominations and/or awards have gone to some pretty frightening films.
“I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice chianti…”
The biggest horror Oscar winner of all time is The Silence of the Lambs, which, in 1992, swept the Academy Awards with wins for Best Picture, director Jonathan Demme, writer Ted Tally, stars Jodie Foster and Anthony Hopkins, for his supremely creepy portrayal of serial cannibalist Hannibal Lecter.
KEEP READING: “… exorcism.”
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“What an excellent day for an exorcism.”
And who’d have thought that a 15-year-old brat who spits out pea soup and does obscene things with a crucifix could earn an Oscar nomination? The Exorcist did just that in 1973, garnering 10 nominations, including Best Picture. Jason Miller (Father Damien), Ellen Burstyn (the mom) and Linda Blair (little foul-mouthed Regan) also all got nominations.
KEEP READING: “… you BITCH!”
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“Get away from her, you BITCH!”
On the other hand, the sequel Aliens in 1986 landed seven Oscar nominations, including a nod to Sigourney Weaver for playing the kick-ass heroine Ripley. The film won two awards for sound effects editing and visual effects. The first Alien won for visual effects and was nominated for art direction while Alien3 was nominated for visual effects.
KEEP READING: ” … ask to be forgiven.”
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“Go to your closet and pray, ask to be forgiven.”
The 1976 Carrie earned a pair of nominations for a frightening cinematic mother-and-daughter team. The young Sissy Spacek got a Best Actress nod for portraying a highly sheltered high school student with telekinetic powers, who kills her graduating class at the prom (including John Travolta). Piper Laurie, as Carrie’s oppressively religious mother, earned a Supporting Actress nomination.
KEEP READING: “… dead people.”
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“I see dead people.”
The eerie The Sixth Sense also scored six nominations in 1999, including Best Picture, and was supported by another familial duo–Haley Joel Osment, as the kid who sees dead people, and his baffled mom, Toni Colette. They both earned Oscar noms. The movie did not, however, win any awards.
KEEP READING: “… 12 vacancies.”
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“Oh, we have 12 vacancies. 12 cabins, 12 vacancies…”
Alfred Hitchcock‘s classic Psycho, which has to be listed as one of the top five scariest movies ever, earned only four nominations, including a Best Supporting Actress nod for Janet Leigh. Hitchcock, the master of suspense, was nominated as Best Director five times but only ever took home an honorary award from the Academy.
KEEP READING: ” … bigger boat.”
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“You gonna need a bigger boat.”
And finally, there’s the mother of all shark movies, Jaws, which was nominated for Best Picture, but ending up winning for Best Sound, Best Film Editing and Original Score — thank you, John Williams, for forever keeping THAT tune in our heads.
