‘Longlegs’ director Oz Perkins admits he aimed to capture the feeling of ‘The Silence of the Lambs’ with this movie.
Speaking to IGN, Perkins explained that he wanted ‘Longlegs’ to feel familiar and safe, like ‘The Silence of the Lambs.’ He admits he used this feeling to draw in the audience and make them feel comfortable before surprising them with unexpected twists:
“‘The Silence of the Lambs’ stuff, it’s like your admission ticket. It gets you through the door. It’s like a vampire. Once a vampire crosses the threshold, then anything’s fair game at that point. You invited the vampire and you f*cked up. Now, the vampire is going to do what they want. Once you’re inside and you can go in these different directions, it’s liberating and it’s freeing and it’s fun and you can always refer back to, ‘Oh, but don’t forget it’s a police procedural.'”
Perkins directed other horror films like ‘The Blackcoat’s Daughter’ (2015), ‘I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House’ (2016), and ‘Gretel & Hansel’ (2020). However, he wanted to make ‘Longlegs’ more accessible to a wider audience. He drew inspiration from the 1991 classic ‘The Silence of the Lambs,’ which he calls ‘totally perfect.’
You Can Watch ‘Longlegs’ In Theaters
‘Longlegs’ stars Nicolas Cage as a brutal serial killer and Maika Monroe as a young FBI agent. Monroe’s character investigates a series of unsolved murders, all marked by strange occult symbols that may reveal the identity of the killer.
‘Longlegs’ isn’t a supernatural horror film, but Perkins included some supernatural elements to make it more disturbing. He combined the idea of a serial killer with an unknowable, supernatural universe. This makes the film more unsettling.
Nicolas Cage’s character in ‘Longlegs’ is actually inspired by his own mother. Perkins also based some ideas on his experiences as a father. He says he was inspired by seeing shabby birthday performers at his kids’ parties. These performers made him think about a character who might be hiding something dark behind their appearance.
‘Longlegs’ is now showing in theaters.
