Horror Movies Are Snubbed, But The Documentary About Them Wasn't

The documentary Chain Reactions itself isn’t really the point here. Instead, the message I want to drive home is the absurdity of the film world today.

I first saw Chain Reactions in the nomination list for for Best Documentary at this year’s Venice International Film Festival. When I saw it on the list, my immediate thought was, “Has a horror film finally gotten some major recognition?” But no—Chain Reactions is a documentary. Nonetheless, it’s not just any documentary, but one about how horror masters like Tobe Hooper , Takashi Miike , Karyn Kusama, Alfred Hitchcock , and other big names in the genre create their terrifying masterpieces.

If you’re a horror fan like me, these legendary names might ring a bell. Their works have reshaped the landscape of horror cinema. But if you’re not really into horror and just skim through ratings on Peliplat or IMDb, you’d probably dismiss them as creators of low-rated, schlocky B-movies.

But if you dig deeper into their films, you’ll realize the amount of creativity and effort that goes into every frame.

Take Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, for instance. When it came out, it was criticized for being “too violent,” but here’s the thing—it isn’t about blood and dismemberment. The true terror lies in the seemingly inescapable, raw, and gritty atmosphere, where the dread feels so thick you could almost taste it. Regardless of whether it’s because of budget constraints or Hooper’s ingenuity, the chase scenes have this brutal beauty, full of harsh lighting and a relentless tension, amplified by that buzzing chainsaw that seems to be coming for you too. Hooper doesn’t rely on the conventional jump scares prevalent in most horror movies; instead, he traps you psychologically in a suffocating sense of hopelessness and helplessness stemming from your inability to break free. This movie was a success because it drags you into the same nightmare the characters are in, instead of purely trying to scare you.

Despite its brilliance, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre sits at a respectable but unremarkable 7.8 on Peliplat and didn’t win any major awards.

Then there’s Takashi Shimizu’s Ju-on: The Grudge. The scene where the ghost girl slowly crawls down the stairs is unforgettable. Shimizu doesn’t use fast cuts or loud noises to jolt the audience; instead, he leans into this unbearably slow buildup, tightening the knot of dread in your stomach with each frame. You feel a mounting terror as the ghost girl approaches, because you know what’s coming but are powerless to stop it. That’s the beauty of Miike’s meticulous horror—it digs deep into your psyche and feeds your fear of the inevitable, sparing you from cheap “scares.”

Despite all that, Ju-on only has a 6.8 rating on Peliplat. And awards? None.

Moving on, we have Kusama’s The Invitation. This isn’t your typical horror film filled with supernatural creatures or over-the-top gore. In fact, it starts out more like a psychological thriller. But as the dinner party unfolds, the characters start behaving ridiculously, and the eeriness slowly builds, creeping up on you until you realize you’re neck-deep in something terrifying. Kusama drops a series of hints that gradually envelop viewers in an omnipresent sense of fear. She doesn’t rely on clichés to scare you; she steers off the beaten track to meticulously construct an atmosphere of unease and paranoia, and by the time you’re fully submerged in it, there’s no way out. This psychological manipulation is what makes your skin crawl when you watch The Invitation.

And yet, its score on Peliplat? A measly 5.9.

Of course, I can’t leave out Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece Psycho. It’s not just a horror film, it’s one of the most influential movies in cinema history. The shower scene? Iconic. The music, the knife, and Janet Leigh ’s scream—they have been seared into the collective memory of film fans and inspired countless filmmakers. Yet, did you know Psycho didn’t win Best Picture at the Oscars? And Hitchcock himself? He never won an Academy Award for Best Director. A movie that rewrote the rules of horror didn’t even get the recognition it deserved. That’s absolutely outrageous.

So why are horror films always snubbed by the mainstream and big awards? I think it has a lot to do with human nature. We’re hardwired to prefer things that are bright, beautiful, and comforting. Dark, unsettling things? Not so much. And this isn’t just limited to film—it’s true across other art forms too. Look at paintings: people flock to admire Vincent Van Gogh’s The Starry Night or Claude Monet’s The Water Lilies—because of the radiant colors that catch our eyes. But Francisco Goya’s dark, disturbing depictions of humans in intimidating situations? Not exactly as popular.

It’s the same in literature. Edgar Allan Poe’s The Black Cat and The Fall of the House of Usher are now hailed as classics of horror, but back in the day, they didn’t win any big literary awards. People prefer uplifting stories filled with warmth and redemption.

This theory extends to music as well. Take Krzysztof Penderecki ’s “Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima.” It’s one of the most haunting, anxiety-inducing, and distressing pieces ever composed. It literally screams horror. While it has been recognized within niche circles, it never gained the widespread cultural acclaim it deserved. People just don’t gravitate towards the dissonant and the terrifying.

So why do the big film awards keep ignoring horror? Most argue it’s because horror movies are “shallow” or “gimmicky,” designed to rack up ticket sales through fearmongering. But films like The Exorcist offer so much more than just scare tactics—they explore themes of faith, fear, and human nature. Yet even this movie that is considered one of the greatest horror films of all time only managed to snag a few Oscar nominations—not nearly the accolades it deserved.

Here’s the irony: a documentary about horror directors can win awards, but the groundbreaking films these directors created continue to be ignored by the mainstream. Isn’t it time we reflect on this? Horror films have made massive artistic contributions, and they deserve to be recognized. Maybe it’s time they finally get their due.

Catch you later for more movie musings!