SPOILER WARNING: This article drops some revealing hints about the ending of Longlegs, so just be careful as you read about how the following movies relate to the film.
There are few things I find more terrifying than serial killers, which is why I am surprised there are not as many movies about the topic that are considered “horror.” That is what makes writer and director Osgood Perkins’ Longlegs such a refreshing new entry into the genre — even if I was not totally sold on the ending — because there is absolutely no denying that this 2024 movie is a horror flick, based on its dread-inducing tone and startling twists and turns.
If you happened to love this new horror movie about a young FBI recruit (played by Maika Monroe) chasing a notorious occult murderer (played by Nicolas Cage) in the mid-1990s as much as CinemaBlend’s Alexandra Ramos loves Longlegs, there are more chills and thrills you should check out. The following are some great psychological thrillers that Longlegs reminded me of (including some great horror movies), along with how you can watch them.
The Silence Of The Lambs (1991)
Director: Jonathan Demme
Starring: Jodie Foster, Anthony Hopkins
What it's about: A young FBI trainee consults a convicted, cannibalistic criminal psychologist to help her find a murderer with a bizarre M.O.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Perkins has said in interviews that this classic adaptation of Thomas Harris’ The Silence of the Lambs — the only Best Picture Oscar winner under the horror umbrella, so far — influenced Longlegs and the similarities are quite clear.
How to watch The Silence of the Lambs
Manhunter (1986)
Director: Michael Mann
Starring: William Petersen, Brian Cox
What it's about: A retired criminal profiler consults the insane psychologist he once caught for clues to identify a killer known as “The Tooth Fairy.”
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Based on the Hannibal Lecter novel, Red Dragon, Manhunter is another a deeply unsettling crime thriller following an uncannily gifted FBI agent.
How to watch Manhunter
Memories Of Murder (2003)
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Starring: Song Kang-ho, Kim Sang-kyung
What it's about: A pair of detectives struggle to solve a brutal murder case involving multiple female victims in 1986 South Korea.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: When it comes to bleak, atmospheric period thrillers about a serial killer who chooses their victims by a specific pattern, you also cannot go wrong with Memories of Murder.
How to watch Memories of Murder
Se7en (1995)
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman
What it's about: A rookie detective and a veteran nearing retirement investigate a serial murder case of biblical proportions.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Perhaps the ultimate thriller about a serial killer with a specific pattern (as well as certain religious motivations) is Se7en, which also boasts an ominous tone, unsettling twists, and a menacing antagonist.
How to watch Se7en
Zodiac (2007)
Director: David Fincher
Starring: Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo
What it's about: A San Francisco newspaper cartoonist becomes obsessed with helping find the Zodiac Killer from the late 1960s to the early 1980s.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: The titular serial killer in Longlegs leaves behind coded messages for the people investigating him, much like the real-life serial killer who inspired Zodiac, which is one of the most terrifying films of its kind, easily.
How to watch Zodiac
M (1931)
Director: Fritz Lang
Starring: Peter Lorre
What it's about: When the search for a killer puts the authorities into overtime, a group of criminals join the hunt.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: The elusive killer in the dark, suspenseful German-language classic, M, is a child murderer and bears similarities to Longlegs' grim intentions.
How to watch M
The Night Of The Hunter (1955)
Director: Charles Laughton
Starring: Robert Mitchum, Shelly Winters
What it's about: A man claiming to be a preacher marries a widowed mother of two, hoping to find a stash of money her husband left behind.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Without giving too much away, certain plot points of The Night of the Hunter — a dreamy, celebrated noir based on Davis Grubb’s novel — bear similarities to the story of Longlegs, including an antagonist with religious motivations.
How to watch The Night of the Hunter
- Stream The Night of the Hunter on MGM+
- Stream The Night of the Hunter on Tubi
- Stream The Night of the Hunter on Pluto TV
- Buy The Night of the Hunter on Blu-ray on Amazon
Frailty (2001)
Director: Bill Paxton
Starring: Bill Paxton, Matthew McConaughey, Powers Boothe
What it's about: A man, whose father forced him to help kill people he believed were demons, shares his story with an FBI agent.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Frailty, one of the best horror movies of the 2000s, is another story about a serial killer with religious motivations that also boasts some thematic parallels to Longlegs and a bleak twist ending.
How to watch Frailty
Don't Look Now (1973)
Director: Nicolas Roeg
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Julie Christie
What it's about: A married couple grieving their daughter’s death seeks solace in Venice, where strange instances only cause more pain.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Don’t Look Now — also one of the best Donald Sutherland movies — is yet another tragic mystery thriller with a crazy ending and an ominous atmosphere throughout.
How to watch Don't Look Now
- Stream Don't Look Now on Paramount+
- Rent or buy Don't Look Now on Amazon
- Buy Don't Look Now on Blu-ray on Amazon
Peeping Tom (1960)
Director: Michael Powel
Starring: Carl Boehm
What it's about: A film studio focus puller uses a 16mm camera to film his murders.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Perkins' use of the 4:3 aspect ratio for certain, immersive scenes in Longlegs calls to mind the voyeuristic purview of the underrated classic, Peeping Tom.
How to watch Peeping Tom
- Stream Peeping Tom on Tubi
- Stream Peeping Tom on The Roku Channel
- Rent Peeping Tom on Amazon
- Buy Peeping Tom on Blu-ray on Amazon
Henry: Portrait Of A Serial Killer (1986)
Director: John McNaughton
Starring: Michael Rooker, Tom Towles
What it's about: An exterminator reveals to his roommate his true preferred prey.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer — a serial killer movie based on true crimes — is yet another atmospheric and deeply unsettling crime drama but is told primarily from the killer's perspective this time.
How to watch Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer
- Stream Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on Amazon Prime
- Stream Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on Tubi
- Stream Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on Peacock
- Buy Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer on Blu-ray on Amazon
Psycho (1960)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Marion Crane
What it's about: A woman on the run takes refuge at a motel run by a seemingly mild-mannered man and his mother.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Not only is Osgood Perkins’ father the star of Psycho but there are a few intriguing thematic parallels between Longlegs and the celebrated movie by Alfred Hitchcock.
How to watch Psycho
As a bonus, there are many other films predating Longlegs that feature T. Rex’s “Bang a Gong (Get It On)” in their soundtrack, such as Top Gun: Maverick and Meet the Fockers, to name a couple of notable examples. They might not have quite the same emotional effect as the titles listed above but I digress.
