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)
A young FBI trainee (played by Jodie Foster) consults a convicted, cannibalistic criminal psychologist (played by Anthony Hopkins) 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 director Jonathan Demme’s adaptation of Thomas Harris’ The Silence of the Lambs — the only Best Picture Oscar winner under the horror umbrella — had an influence on Longlegs and the similarities are quite clear.
- Stream The Silence of the Lambs on Amazon Prime
- Stream The Silence of the Lambs on Peacock
- Stream The Silence of the Lambs on Tubi
- Buy The Silence of the Lambs on Blu-ray on Amazon
Manhunter (1986)
A retired criminal profiler (played by William Petersen) consults the insane psychologist he caught (played by Brian Cox) for clues to identify a killer known as “The Tooth Fairy.”
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Before Demme adapted The Silence of the Lambs, writer and director Michael Mann adapted Harris’ first Hannibal Lecter novel, Red Dragon, into Manhunter, which is also a deeply unsettling crime thriller following an uncannily gifted FBI agent.
Memories Of Murder (2003)
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, which is one of Academy Award winner Bong Joon-ho’s most acclaimed early efforts.
Se7en (1995)
A rookie detective (played by Brad Pitt) and a veteran nearing retirement (played by Morgan Freeman) 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 one of director David Fincher’s best movies, Se7en, which also boasts an ominous tone, unsettling twists, and a menacing antagonist.
Zodiac (2007)
A newspaper cartoonist (played by Jake Gyllenhaal) becomes obsessed with helping a crime reporter (played by Robert Downey Jr.) and a police inspector (played by Mark Ruffalo) hunt a murderer terrorizing San Francisco 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, titular serial killer who inspired another David Fincher favorite called Zodiac, which is one of the most terrifying films of its kind, easily.
M (1931)
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 director Fritz Lang’s dark, suspenseful German-language classic, M, is a child murderer and bears similarities to Longlegs' grim intentions.
The Night Of The Hunter (1955)
A man (played by Robert Mitchum) claiming to be a preacher marries a widowed mother of two (played by Shelly Winters), 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 — director Charles Laughton’s dreamy, celebrated noir based on Davis Grubb’s novel — bear similarities to the story of Longlegs, including an antagonist with religious motivations.
- Stream The Night of the Hunter on MGM+
- Stream The Night of the Hunter on Pluto TV
- Buy The Night of the Hunter on Blu-ray on Amazon
Frailty (2001)
A man (played by Matthew McConaughey), whose father (played by Bill Paxton) forced him to help kill people he believed were demons, shares his story to an FBI agent (played by Power Boothe).
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: One of the best horror movies of the 2000s — Paxton’s directorial debut, Frailty — is another story about a serial killer with religious motivations that also boasts some thematic parallels to Longlegs and a bleak twist ending.
Don't Look Now (1973)
A married couple (played by Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie) grieving their daughter’s death seek 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.
- Stream Don't Look Now on Pluto TV
- Rent or buy Don't Look Now on Amazon
- Buy Don't Look Now on Blu-ray on Amazon
Peeping Tom (1960)
A film studio focus puller (played by Carl Boehm) uses a 16mm camera to film the deaths of the women he murders.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Perkins' use of the 4:3 aspect ratio at certain, immersive scenes in Longlegs calls to mind the voyeuristic purview of Michael Powell’s classic, 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)
An exterminator (played by Michael Rooker) reveals to his roommate (played by Tom Towles) his true preferred prey.
Why it is a great movie to watch if you like Longlegs: Director John McNaughton’s Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer — a serial killer movie based on true crimes — is yet another atmospheric and deeply unsettling serial killer drama, but is told primarily from the killer's perspective this time.
- 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)
A woman on the run (played by Marion Crane) takes refuge at a motel run by a seemingly mild-mannered man (played by Anthony Perkins) 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.
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 2022’s Top Gun: Maverick and Meet the Fockers, to name a couple of notable examples. Of course, they might not have quite the same emotional effect as the titles listed above.
