That all changed Sunday when Guillermo del Toro won the Golden Globe for Best Director for The Shape of Water, beating out the likes of Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, and Christopher Nolan, patron saints themselves of sci-fi.
The victory was not just a triumph for del Toro, but for the entire genre altogether.
"Since childhood I've been faithful to monsters — I have been saved and absolved by them," he told a cheering audience.
Video of Guillermo del Toro Wins Best Director at the 2018 Golden Globes.
In that moment, del Toro was not only accepting the first major award for directing a movie about monsters, he was making a major contribution to the legitimization of a scorned genre.
Video of Guillermo Del Toro on his latest film, Shape of Water | SYFY WIRE.
There have been several indications that the industry is starting to respect the monster movie for more than its earning power. »