Coming Soon...HORROR at the Oscars!

Over the past seven months, I have embarked on a Best Original Song project, reviewing all 82 years of that Oscar category's nominees. I don't plan on tackling another adventure like that for a while, not until the coming awards season is wrapped up. I have, however, very much wanted to do one more project before exclusively focusing on the 2016 horse race (in addition to my usual film reviews) and October, with Halloween not too far off on the horizon, is the perfect month to do it.

During October, I will be taking a fond look back at the Oscar history of my very favorite film genre...horror.

As a film buff who was raised on horror - and whose parents somehow had no qualms about renting R-rated slasher films for him as a young lad (in addition to milder mainstays like Attack of the Killer Tomatoes and Killer Klowns from Outer Space) - I have long been enamored with this genre. My father got me into the classics - the Universal monster movies and Hammer horror flicks (which, let it be known, also sported some of the most drop-dead gorgeous women to ever grace the big screen) - while my mom was all about the '70s horror, plus Freddy Krueger, Chucky, Leprechaun and so on.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences of course, unfortunately, did not opt to recognize any of the films of those horror franchise legends. Looking back, however, there are a number of surprises and eyebrow-raisers in terms of what horror pictures the Academy did nominate. Awards buffs know the critically acclaimed likes of The Exorcist and Jaws were embraced but just wait 'til you see which of the Universal monster movies the Academy honorned in technical categories - and no, it ain't Dracula or The Bride of Frankenstein.

During this small-scale Oscar Flashback, which I plan to break down in four chapters over four weeks, I'll be looking back at every single horror film nominated for an Oscar, including the well-known, Oscar-winning contenders, the nominated short subjects of the genre and the real duds that made it into Oscar night with a single nomination. I'll also discuss the horror films that struck out with the Academy, despite precursor attention, and the unimpeachable classics that failed to make any awards dent at all.

Note that it's entirely possible, if not likely, that I will gloss over a film that was nominated or a true juggernaut of the genre that deserved Oscar love. That's what the comments section is for - enjoy and respond away!

But just remember, on my blog, no one can hear you scream...