Warning: Major SPOILERS lie ahead for Longlegs!
Summary
As the movie gears up for its home release, writer/director Osgood Perkins is breaking down one ofLonglegs' unique set of cameos. The horror-thriller revolves around young FBI agent Lee Harker as she begins investigating the murders of a series of families throughout Oregon, with the sole connection or evidence being a note left by the titular serial killer. Led by Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage,Longlegshas proved to be a darling both with criticsand at the box office, becoming Neon’s highest-grossing film domestically and the highest-grossing independent movie of the year.
During a recent interview withVulture, Perkins offered some insight intoLonglegs' hidden Satan cameos throughout the horror-thriller. In reflecting on the cameos' actual purpose within the film, the writer/director explains that they’re meant to be a “wink at the idea of Satanic subliminal messaging”, and that more appearances occur as the story progresses because Lee is “snuggling up against the revelation”. Perkins also notes that the cameos are meant to be a playful inclusion in the film. See what Perkins shared below:
You’re with a bunch of people who are kind of grooving on making a crazy movie, and you try to find intelligent, sophisticated, and kind of artful ways to make it groovier.
How Satan’s Longlegs Cameos Fit Into The Horror Movie
In the first act of the movie,Satan makes a rare few appearances inLonglegs, generally appearing to Lee as she begins diving in to the investigation to find the titular killer. As Perkins explains, these appearances stem from it being “the first time that she’s engaging with these crimes”, particularly as her “analytical mind is being turned on by the evidence”. The first time Monroe’s character actually sees both Longlegs and Satan after the letter is dropped off at her house is meant to tease an “I’ll come too vibe” for the character.
One of the more important appearances by Satan inLonglegscomes when Lee is delivered the birthday card with the serial killer’s cipher, which Perkins says is meant to foreshadow the twist that her mother is connected to Longlegs and that Lee is “being initiated into the next ring”. As to Satan’s actual influence on Lee’s investigation, Perkins explains that he’s ultimately helping her because he “wants the worst thing possible to happen to an individual”, and as such is directing her towards every new reveal.
Another Satanic appearance meant to build towardsLonglegs' big reveal is the moment Lee sees a cockroach running into her mother’s basement, which is meant to indicate “the devil’s presence in that corner” and hint atCage’s serial killerliving in the basement, but that the actual shot didn’t come to the team until the editing room. When it comes to Longlegs' actual bedroom, the writer/director explains that Satan lives down there and is meant to be an homage toThe Silent of the Lambs, while also hinting at the killer having been a glam rock musician in the past.
Longlegs Ending Explained: What Happens To Lee Harker
Longlegs has a horrific ending that leaves Lee Harker in an interesting situation. We break down the horror film’s ending and what happened to Harker.
Following the big reveal of her mother’s connection to the killer,Longlegsbegins to ramp up the Satanic appearances in the film, including flashbacks to her childhood in which he watches over her and meant to be “an almost parental presence” to the protagonist. While some horror projects frequently include little Easter eggs like this, including the various hidden ghosts inThe Haunting of Hill House, the lengths Perkins took to find fitting narrative reasons for Satan’s cameos is a good sign of why the movie has proven so successful.
Longlegs
Cast
Longlegs is a horror thriller film by writer-director Osgood Perkins. When FBI agent Lee Harker is assigned to a serial killer cold case, their investigation leads them down a rabbit hole riddled with disturbing discoveries and the occult at the center of it all. When the trail of evidence reveals a personal connection, it becomes a race against time to prevent another murder.
