Summary
There aren’t many films exactly likeLonglegs. The brand-new investigative horror stars Maika Monroe and a nearly unrecognizable Nicolas Cage in one of the most terrifying cat-and-mouse games ever seen on film. However, there is a history, albeit not a long one, in cinema of films that have emulated at least parts of this style.
So, if fans are craving more after seeingLonglegsin theaters, there are some great options for how to follow up on the terrifying experience. From more outright horror movies to serial killer investigations and slow-burning mysteries,Longlegswill open the door to a whole different side of cinema for many fans.
7The Blackcoat’s Daughter (2015)
IMDB Score: 5.9
If fans ofLonglegswant to see where director Oz Perkins got his start, they would need to go back nearly a decade toThe Blackcoat’s Daughter. Featuring a great cast like Kiernan Shipka, Lucy Boynton, and Emma Roberts, this intriguing horror focuses on a pair of girls left behind during winter break at a Catholic boarding school.
The girls have to work together when suspicions about the nuns who run the school make them believe that there may be satanism afoot. Split into three parts, the film is an intriguing one that put Perkins on the map, along with his other early filmI Am The Pretty Thing That Lives In The House. But it wasThe Blackcoat’s Daughterthat felt more like a precursor in style toLonglegs, and it is this one that fans of Perkins' work should start with if they are intrigued.
6The Empty Man (2020)
IMDB Score: 6.2
If fans are looking for a long, slow-burn horror with more of a supernatural aspect,The Empty Manwas released in 2020 and is based on a graphic novel that isbizarre and fascinating in equal measure. It begins with one of the most terrifying sequences in horror and focuses on a former detective searching for a missing girl, which leads him to a cult that worships a demonic entity.
The Empty Manmanages the blending of investigative film and outright horror movie extremely well, making for a perspective on genre-blending that felt almost unique untilLonglegsachieved a similar feel. This makes it a great hidden gem for fans ofLonglegsto check out if they are looking for other films with a similar style.
5Watcher (2022)
IMDB Score: 6.3
If what fans loved most aboutLonglegswas Maika Monroe, there is plenty of history between her and the horror genre to explore. Monroe shot to prominence inIt Follows, which has become a modern classic, but she has also starred in several other horror projects, including the recentWatcher.
This film focuses on a young woman (Monroe) who has recently moved to Bucharest with her boyfriend. She finds herselfbeing watched by a strangerand believes him to be the serial killer she keeps hearing about, who is supposedly loose in the city. The slow-burn style, a great leading performance from Monroe, and the excellent Burt Gorman as the creepyWatchermake this a great and similarly styled film to check out for anyone who enjoyedLonglegs.
4Disturbia (2007)
IMDB Score: 6.8
If cinema-goers found themselves wanting something similar toLonglegsbut with a little less of the outright horror aspect, they could tone it down tocreepy and intense withDisturbia. This film starred Shia Lebeouf right before his major blockbuster breakout in Transformers, as a teenager who began watching his neighbors and soon realized that he was witnessing a serial killer.
If fans ofLonglegswant more serial killers on their screens, they’ll loveDisturbia’sintensity. While the “Rear Window” has been done many times,Disturbiais one of the best modern examples of this style of film, and it will be a great addition to the library of PG-13 horror movies for fans who want something slightly less intense thanLonglegs.
3Zodiac (2007)
IMDB Score: 7.7
There are few directors that can outmatch the power ofLonglegsfor dark investigative thrillers with horror elements, but that style almost perfectly describes several of the films of David Fincher. After becoming famous with films likeFight Club, Fincher madeZodiac. Thistrue story investigation focuses on the Zodiac killerwho worked in San Francisco in the 1960s and 70s.
The film is centered on a cartoonist who becomes obsessed with the killer and works alongside crime reporters and police investigators in his attempts to help solve the identity of the killer. Without as many horror elements but producing one of the best mystery thrillers in history,Zodiacis a phenomenal film that will literally leave fans guessing.
2Seven (1995)
IMDB Score: 8.6
Long beforeZodiac, David Fincher also created an absolutely incredible film that put him on the map, as well as elevating everyone who starred in it.Se7enchanged the investigative genreof films forever and was truly horrifying at the same time.
The film followed a pair of detectives trying to track down a serial killer who was using the seven deadly sins as inspiration for his gruesome killings. The noir style, the slow-burn investigation, the utter horror of some sequences, and the amazing cast makeSe7ena great follow-up afterLonglegsfor any fans fortunate enough to get to experience this legendary film for the first time.
1The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
IfLonglegscan be described as anything, it is a “Silence of the Lambs” and not just because of the unique blending of genres. It’s because this classic of cinema and horror is a masterpiece based on the relationship between the two leads,one a cannibalistic serial killernamed Hannibal Lecter, the other a young female detective, played by Jodie Foster.
The similarities betweenLonglegsandThe Silence of the Lambsare no coincidence. The style ofLonglegsshows inspiration from the story of Lecter and Clarice Starling shining through. The horror, the serial killer on the loose, the slow-burn style, and the focus on theterrifying, strange relationship between two polar oppositesmakeThe Silence of the Lambsthe dream watch, or re-watch, for anyone who thoroughly enjoyedLonglegs.
