Ryan Coogler’s Sinners just officially stomped into the record books as the most-nominated film in Oscar history with a staggering 16 nods and 4 Oscar wins. Even crazier? It’s a horror movie. While the Academy usually treats horror like that one relative you don’t invite to Thanksgiving, Sinners is proving that the genre is finally getting the love it deserves. But if you want to see the “Grandaddy” of horror Oscar winners, you need to head over to Max (formerly HBO Max) and stream the 1931 classic, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.
The OG Record-Breaker: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (1931)
Almost a century ago, long before CGI and jumpscares, Fredric March did the impossible: he won Best Actor for playing a monster. It was a historic win, marking the moment when the Academy realized that horror could be prestigious.
Good Vibes vs. Very Bad Decisions
Dr. Henry Jekyll (March) is a Victorian overachiever with a hot fiancée and a nice house, but he’s got a bit of a “mad scientist” streak. He wants to prove that everyone has a dark side. So, naturally, he drinks a glowing concoction and transforms into Edward Hyde—a primitive, snarling beast who essentially acts out Jekyll’s intrusive thoughts.
How They Pulled Off the Magic
Even by 2026 standards, the effects in this film are jaw-dropping. We aren’t talking about digital face-swaps; we’re talking about cinematic sorcery.
Cinematographer Karl Struss used a series of colored filters on black-and-white film to make March’s makeup “appear” in real-time. It looks like he’s transforming from within, right before your eyes, without a single cut.
The opening of the movie puts you directly inside Jekyll’s head, a technique that was mind-blowing for a world where “talkies” were still a brand-new invention.
Fredric March doesn’t just put on a mask; he changes his entire physicality. Jekyll looks like a gentleman; Hyde looks like an apex predator.
Why It Matters Today
Watching Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde today is a reminder that horror has always been “elevated.” Without this film paving the way for monsters to win trophies, we might not have the 16-nomination dominance of Ryan Coogler’s Sinners.
