Which film was the first horror film to win an Academy Award for Best Picture?

In 1992, "The Silence of the Lambs" became the first — and only — horror movie to win the Oscar for Best Picture. The Academy Awards rarely acknowledge horror films outside of the technical categories.

"The Silence of the Lambs" is a story (adapted from the book by Thomas Harris). It is about an FBI trainee, Clarice Starling. She uses a convicted and imprisoned serial killer, Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter, to apprehend another serial killer, known only by the nickname, "Buffalo Bill". Dr. Lecter comes across as a compelling, riveting, and intelligent person.

Jodie Foster as Starling is a clever person and is asked to find and catch Buffalo Bill. Scott Glenn is the FBI Chief of Behavioral Sciences and Starling's superior. He is also a criminal profiler and doesn't always appear to help Starling. In his breakout role as the serial killer, Ted Levine nails the persona of the creepy psychopath, Jame "Buffalo Bill" Gumb. His demise doesn't come soon enough.

Also, to note another interesting fact about the Oscars and horror movies, Jordan Peele in his directorial debut, "Get Out" (2017) was able to acquire an impressive four Oscar nominations for this horror film (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Daniel Kaluuya as Chris Washington, and the winning Oscar for Best Original Screenplay). This occurrence made Oscar history for the 90th Academy Awards.