The following article contains SPOILERS for Longlegs.
Longlegs is one of the biggest surprises of the year. The horror film directed by Oz Perkins is receiving spectacular reviews, including CinemaBlend's Longlegs review giving it a perfect score, and it's leaving audiences unsettled even after the credits roll. The movie is being lauded for a lot of things, from Longlegs’s controversial twist ending to the incredible performances by standout actors Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage. The marketing for the film also has been top notch, and Neon just released the recording of Cage’s bone-chilling song from the movie. Honestly, it wasn’t something I needed to hear again.
While there are a number of buzzy 2024 horror films landing in theaters this year, Longlegs is having an impressive box office run, and seemingly came out of nowhere. Part of this can be attributed to the clever marketing, which has released posters on X calling the film “Number One” at the box office, with an addendum for Despicable Me 4. Trailers for Longlegs have also purposefully obscured Nicolas Cage’s appearance, creating more anticipation for the horrifying transformation the actor makes.
Now Neon has upped its game and released the unsettling song performed by Cage in the film. You can check it out from YouTube below:
The song is titled “Fire, Fire, Fire, Hiss,” which is creepy enough before you even start listening to it. There are some traditional sonic elements, but the lyrics and muttering make the song hard to listen to. The film called the song the “last known musical recording by Dale Ferdinand Kobble before the voices took over.”
For context, Kobble is Cage’s character in the film, who calls himself Longlegs when he leaves clues for the police after committing gruesome murders. Before becoming a serial killer, Kobble was a musician who later suffered a psychotic break, leading him to kill.
Even though Neon is saying the song was written “before the voices took over” the character was definitely suffering when releasing the song. It is terrifyingly creepy and not something I would casually listen to in my free time. However, it is perfectly fitting for the film, using glam rock influences in the chorus. Songs from the genre run through Longlegs, helping to set the tone, so it's in line with the musicality of the movie. It’s definitely an achievement creatively, but I can’t get over how eerie it sounds. Certifiably nightmare fuel.
However, this creepiness is precisely why horror fans everywhere are turning out to see Longlegs. The serial killer subgenre of horror is something less explored by today’s filmmakers, despite being incredibly popular in the '90s. Longlegs feels reminiscent of films like Se7en and The Silence of the Lambs that seek not only to scare, but also intrigue in the form of a mystery. Longlegs feels incredibly refreshing, and people are returning to the theaters to see it. If you love a good scare, this song should convince you to check it out, as the tone of “Fire, Fire, Fire, Hiss” is sustained throughout the film.
You can see Nicolas Cage in Longlegs in theaters nationwide now. It features one of the Raising Arizona actor’s best performances, so definitely check it out on the big screen while you can. For more information on other exciting titles heading to cinemas this year, make sure to consult our 2024 movie release schedule.
