If you’re into horror cinema, you’ve probably heard of Long Legs. Even before its wide release in the United States, it’s slated to arrive in Spain this Friday and has already earned the label of being the scariest movie of 2024. The bold promotional approach plus a string of highly positive early reviews spotlight its ability to overwhelm viewers with a pervasive atmosphere of menace and its unsettling commentary. The film marks a potential turning point in the director Oz Perkins’s career, positioning him for a new chapter in his work.
“When I was writing it, I wanted the story to immediately feel familiar through clear, surface-level parallels to The Silence of the Lambs, so viewers would be quickly immersed,” Perkins told El Periódico about the narrative strategy of his fourth feature. “As the saying goes, when you let a vampire into your house, you’re letting it do as it pleases with you; my film acts like a vampire for the audience.”
In its most concise form, Long Legs ties its plot to Demme’s classic while following a novice FBI agent, portrayed with nuance by Maika Monroe, as she investigates a string of murders and confronts the horrors of her own past. “But that’s only the starting point,” the director notes. “I like to think of the movie as Pop Art for fans of the genre—an assemblage of familiar ingredients. It features dolls, axe murderers, a Satanic presence, a memorable villain, coded messages, biblical allusions, and plenty of gunplay—it has it all.”
Complicated relationships
Beyond the surface thrills, Perkins emphasizes that Long Legs centers on the intricate bonds between parents and children and the heavy choices parents make to shield their children from painful truths. The director reflects on personal experience, noting a life shaped by thoughts about family dynamics. The film’s backstory explores themes of secrecy and the costs of silence in a family history that leaves a lasting imprint. The director’s body of work, including previous projects, has consistently reframed the sins of parents and the weight of hidden truths, shaping a distinctive voice in horror storytelling.
As a filmmaker, Perkins has crafted a distinct approach across his body of work. He explains that his goal is to tell stories that reflect his own experiences in some form. With Long Legs, he states, the film examines the lies parents tell to protect their children and the damage that can follow. He observes that his own family history contributed to the emotional texture of the story, where open secrets in the industry exist but remain unspoken in everyday life, affecting real people in tangible ways.
Some viewers may notice echoes of classic horror icons in Long Legs, particularly in the way the villain transforms and destabilizes the family unit. The director explains that the performance of the antagonist is a radical departure, one that stands out even among a prolific career. He describes the character as a strange blend of clown and rocker, a choice intended to heighten the unsettling energy at the heart of the film.
Perkins shares a personal observation about the character’s origin, recalling moments from his past and imagining the monster as a force that embodies rebellion and disruption. He notes that Satan’s allure in the story is compelling, witty, and mischievous, a shape that provokes both fear and curiosity. Yet he clarifies that religion itself is not his focus, only the way myth and temptation can influence behavior and perception.
Regarding the film’s future, Perkins hints at more work in the horror genre. He acknowledges that two additional horror projects are in development, signaling a continued commitment to exploring imaginative possibilities beyond familiar boundaries. He emphasizes that horror cinema allows for boundless creativity, inviting audiences to explore uncertain realms and the emotions they evoke. This is the space where legends, creatures, and vast landscapes of fear can flourish.
Time will reveal how Long Legs shapes the director’s trajectory, but the project already signals a bold direction that embraces the power of psychological tension and mythic imagery. The filmmaker remains open to future explorations within the genre, while continuing to push boundaries and explore the imaginative edges of horror storytelling. [Citation: Film interview analysis].