If you’re a horror fan,Oscar season is usually a time to be disappointed and upset, because it’s when the genre is always overlooked. Horror is so often looked down upon when it comes to awards, despite not only being popular with audiences but also how critically acclaimed horror movies have become.The Silence of the Lambsmight have ruled the 1992 Academy Awards, but that was the exception to the rule. (I’m still not overToni Collettenot even getting a nomination forHereditary.) However,the just-released Oscar nominations offered a great surprise, with horror nominated in several categories, from Best Picture to Best Director, and Best Actress.The SubstanceandDemi Moore’s performance are a big part of that, butNosferatu,Alien: Romulus, andThe Girl With the Needlewere recognized as well. It’s about time!
‘The Substance’ Is Nominated For Several Oscars
The Substancewas the most talked about horror movie of the year. Written and directed byCoralie Fargeat(Revenge), and starring Demi Moore,Margaret Qualley, andDennis Quaid,The Substance’s jaw-dropping, body horror storyabout the lengths an aging female star will go to stay relevantwas not only a critical darling but a box office success as well,making $76 million worldwide. All the attention led to several Golden Globe nominations, including a win for Moore,whose performance might be the best of her career. It was surprisingly her first-ever nomination, and now the Academy is noticing her too because Demi Moore has been nominated for Best Actress. Fans had hoped Qualley would get a nomination, but unfortunately, she didn’t make the cut.
The nominations don’t end with Demi Moore.The Substanceis also among the ten nominees for Best Picture(it’s the only horror movie on the list), Best Director and Best Original Screenplay for Fargeat, and Best Makeup & Hairstyling forPierre-Olivier Persin,Stéphanie Guillon, andMarilyne Scarselli. Usually, horror can’t even get recognized at the Academy Awards, but this year,The Substancereceived an impressive five nominations.
‘Nosferatu’ and ‘Alien: Romulus’ Get Their Recognition as Well
The Substancewas the talk of the horror world in 2024, butat the end of the year, the conversation turned toRobert Eggers’Nosferatu, starringBill Skarsgård,Lily-Rose Depp,Nicholas Hoult,Aaron Taylor-Johnson, andWillem Dafoe. Sadly, despite the praise it got, it wasn’t enough for a Best Picture nomination or Best Director for Eggers. However,Nosferatuwasn’t shut out.David White,Traci Loader, andSuzanne Stokes-Muntonwere nominated for Best Makeup & Hairstyling.WatchNosferatuand tell me you weren’t completely absorbed into the universe it created. Who knows,maybe Count Orlok’s mustache had something to do with it too!
Linda Muirwas nominated for Best Costume Design for how she was able to transport the viewer to the fashion of a bygone era. It also received a nomination for Best Production Design (Production design:Craig Lathrop, Set decoration:Beatrice Brentnerovà) because, like Muir’s work of how well it took us back to another world and made us feel like we were right there in it. All of that came together for a final nomination forJarin Blaschkein the category of Best Cinematography for the haunting visuals he put on screen.
‘The Substance’ Does Jekyll and Hyde Better Than Most ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ Movies
Remember, you are one.
There was even a surprise horror nomination at the Oscars for the Alien franchise.Fede Álvarez’sAlien: Romuluswasarguably the bestAliensequel since 1986’sAliens, but it didn’t necessarily scream award contender. That’s what it is though, asEric Barba,Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser,Daniel Macarin, andShane Mahanwere recognized for Best Visual Effects.With the determination to use practical effects instead of CGI for the xenomorphsand the horrifying hybrid in the final act, it’s a well-deserved nod for the crew. If you’re a bigTerrifier 3fan, sorry, but it didn’t make the cut. The Academy is making progress, but they’re not ready for super gory slashers just yet.
International Horror Will Be Represented by ‘The Girl With the Needle’
2024 was a great year for international horror too.With superb offerings likeThe Devil’s Bath,The Coffee Table, andExhuma, any of these films could have been deserving of a Best International Feature Film nomination, but with the category limited to five, horror fans were lucky to see one genre film among them.That went to Denmark’sThe Girl with the Needle, co-written and directed byMagnus von Horn. The black-and-white fright fest about a nun named Karoline (Vic Carmen Sonne) was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globe Awards but fell to France’sEmiliaPérez, which is this year’s most nominated title at the Oscars.
It’s always a proud year to be a horror fan, butin 2024, horror has finally climbed its way up from not only being big at the box office, but being considered for major awards too. Who knows how many they will win, because there is a lot oftough competition out there from other films likeThe Brutalist,Anora, andWicked.Still, when tens of millions of viewers tune in on March 2, they are going to see horror recognized on a large scale for the first time in a very long time. The genre is finally being seen at the highest level. For that, horror fans should stand up and applaud, no matter if our favorite’s names are called or not.
The Substanceis available to watch on Mubi.
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The Substance
A fading celebrity, Elisabeth Sparkle, turns to a mysterious drug that promises to restore her youth. The drug temporarily creates a younger version of herself, named Sue, who quickly ascends to the fame Elisabeth once craved.
