By Reece Goodall
Horror films have always held an interesting place in cultural and cinematic circles. Despite proving consistently profitable and boasting a considerable fanbase, the genre has also been the target in several moments of cultural crisis. Think the video nasties of the 1970s and 80s, or the implied conservatism of the violence in torture porn films of the 2000s.
Though the genre has been one
of the industry’s most profitable genres since the 1930s, due to its perceived
low status, horror has largely been unrecognised by award bodies, mainstream
critics and the gatekeepers of more “legitimate” cinema. There’s an implied
sense that the genre is somewhat different from respectable film-making – that
it is low status, trashy and in some cases outright nasty.
Only seven horror films have
been nominated for best picture at the Oscars since the first ceremony in 1929.
Two of those nominations were in the last decade, and there was widespread
conversation about the bias against the genre after Toni Collette failed to
receive an Oscar nomination for her performance in the 2018 film Hereditary.
Even then, Collette’s excellent
performance was in an auteur film released by indie studio A24. Far from the
more conventional forms of horror that tend to be overlooked year on year by
bodies recognising the year’s achievements in film-making. However, if we leap
ahead to 2025 and look at the horror films that took the past year by storm –
The Substance, Nosferatu, Terrifier 3 – all forms of the genre are represented.
The Substance and Nosferatu
could both be described as “elevated horror”, a sub-genre that focuses on
negative moods rather than explicit gore (although both films certainly get
bloody, especially in The Substance’s monstrous climax).
On the other end of the scale,
Terrifier 3 is particularly brutal, aligning itself more with grindhouse and
slasher films and celebrating the practical effects that bring violence to the
big screen. In another era, there is no doubt that Terrifier 3 would have been
a target of censors and the cultural critics over its depictions of violence,
with brutal deaths and the murder of several children. But in 2025, it is
celebrated by genre fans and an object of serious academic interest.
The films were all successes.
Both The Substance and Nosferatu received multiple nominations at the 2025
Academy Awards. Along with Alien: Romulus, the horror genre picked up ten
nominations, its best performance since 1974.
Elsewhere, Terrifier 3 broke
records as the highest-grossing unrated film (a movie not given a rating by
film censors, normally because of offensive content) of all time. Terrifier 3
never seemed likely to receive an Oscar nomination, even despite its success
and a sustained and entertaining marketing campaign. Nonetheless, both fans and
industry figures alike have suggested that its practical make-up effects
warranted recognition.
So why is horror becoming more
widely appreciated in the 21st century? The “elevated horror” dimension is
certainly one factor, presenting works that align more with the conventions of
art cinema, which is essentially easier to sell as legitimate.
Alongside this, we have the
political dimension. Horror films have always been political, representing the
fears and marginal identities of a particular country and time period. But in
an era characterised by increased instability, pandemics, wars and all manner
of social crises, the need for the genre might be more prevalent than ever.
In light of the industry’s
continuing struggle with declining cinema attendance numbers, horror remains
one of the rare genres that consistently draws audiences to theatr. Although
films like Terrifier 3 might be looked down on by the cinema establishment, it
was event cinema and widely discussed in a way that few films in the past five
years have managed to be.
Audiences have always loved
horror, and in a tough period for the cinema industry, the genre continues to
prove financially stable and appealing to film-goers. That the gatekeepers of
the industry are tentatively starting to recognise the genre is a new
development, and although it remains to be seen whether this recognition will
be sustained in future years, we’re in a moment when horror of all varieties is
being praised like never before.
Reece Goodall - Director of
Student Experience and Progression for the Faculty of Arts, University of
Warwick
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