Cinematography was top notch, but the movie was NOT scary to me. Not even a little. The attempts to build suspense just bored me. Sorry to say, I was disappointed.
You've missed a few bits out. The dolls were not found at the previous crime scenes so required the mother removing them. The farm scene where the priest also arrives, 'God tries to intervene' before the girl gets home, means she would also have been there and got 'busted' hence why the priest dies to stop them being revealed. The FBI chief's daughter, when talking with Lee in the bedroom when they first meet, also mentions a ball on her trophy having disappeared and I would query whether this means it was melted into 'her Ruby' ball as part of the preparation or is noticed by Lee as she is at the 'vague' beginnings of being conscious of her true story and noticing 'subconscious translations' around her as compared to 'psychic'. Longlegs has planned for Lee to have slow revelation of her true story via messages that require her effort of translation of letters, the effort and process of 'catching him' by understanding his process, the catatonic girl being revived to message Lee, indirectly via video, directly to her and witnessing the mother's involvement. He is 'progressively knocking on her door of consciousness' to get her ready for the reveal when it is opened by the ball being destroyed. Rather than bite a natural ball of apple to get forbidden knowledge and flung out of paradise into the real she has a technical ball of metal opened and sub-pressed knowledge and flung out of paradise of her false story into the real and has to chose ... by killing either her mother and/or Ruby and/or the doll. She could have broken the doll with the gun as an object even though as a techne it doesn't work for her purposes. In scenes shot from Lee's older point of view there were some shots with black shapes in the picture such as a cloaked or masked figure, like the dolls were initially cloaked, which may be her unreliable but true for her narrator point of view of being suppressed from view of longlegs even when visually obvious. He delivers tantalizing 'knocks'and 'messages' but is suppressed from view by the doll.
Loved when the detective said longlegs is right underneath her feet in the interview room but also that he's right underneath her moms house living in the basement
He lived under there for 20 years but the killings only happened every two or three. That's a lot of downtime. What did they do on a daily basis? Did longlegs and her mom hang out playing checkers and watching price is right? Did they go to the post office together? So many questions.
Just so that we're on the same page. Do we all know that this is a psychological thriller? And that FBI agent Lee Harker was actually killed when she was a little girl before her birthday? I've learned this: if you're watching a movie and you're confused about what's even going on, you're in a psychological thriller. Meaning everything that happens is happening in a character's mind. Lee Harker was killed by Longleg when she was a little girl. The first scene of the movie gave it away, and also the way her birthday happens to be a key component in the event. The doll is like a pyschological mirror of her. When we see her mother blowing up the doll's head, that's exactly what happened to Lee Harker when she was little.
In our theater everyone laughed cause it was like “damn this already socially awkward woman has to go to this bday now” so it went right over our heads lmao
Some interesting notions I have gathered after my second watch of the film: 1) With Longlegs having killed himself, there's no straightforward way to clarify the murders. Harker has to accept that no one will believe the supernatural elements actually occurred, and with her deep connection to the case, it's unclear how her life will proceed, especially given the ritualistic nature of the killings. 2) Lee frequently saw Longlegs, but the doll's demonic influences clouded her understanding of reality versus illusion. 3) When Lee arrives home at night, she hears a screeching sound that triggers the dogs to bark. This sound snippet is from T. Rex's "Chariot Choogle" from their 1972 album The Slide, indicating Longlegs' demonic influence. [Might also mean that Lee lives near her mother's place where Longlegs plays this track] 4) In the scene where Lee awakens in Longlegs' bed (after her mother shoots her replica doll in the head), the camera rotates upside down, indicating the triangle's completion. While Lee slept, her mother visited Carter's house to deliver his daughter's birthday doll, showing that the satanic influence was already established whilst Lee was out of it. 5) Carrie Anne received the doll at home but then had to go to school. She leaves, as shown in a flashback during the mental hospital visit, and looks back to see the doll inside the house. Her parents' strange behavior is due to being possessed by the Devil. The mother cuts her scar, losing her sanity, and Carrie Anne reveals her mother always hated her because she was born "wrong." The mother's scar is from a C-section. The father's behavior with the doll is due to it making the parents believe their daughter is the doll, so he treats it as his child. 6) In a 911 call referenced by the FBI, a father believes something is wrong with his daughter, stating "It's not her," before killing the real one. The dolls can speak, as noted by the coroner who heard one whisper his ex-wife's name. These dolls have a direct connection with the daughters they're modeled after. Carrie Anne mentions it felt like she was in a long dream in a dark world and returns to her senses after her doll is removed from the dark floor. 7) The scene where Lee screams in the car (which is Longlegs' car, hidden in their garage) mirrors a scene where Longlegs sings and then screams in the car. This parallel raises questions about Lee's mental state and whether she might become the Devil's future accomplice. 8) Lee's mother always asks if it's really Lee on the phone during their conversations, possibly implying that the Devil might be calling her, trying to deceive her into thinking it's Lee. 9)Carrie Anne suggested to Lee that she had her own doll, but Lee doesn't remember due to the foggy satanic influence she's under. 10) After witnessing her colleague's death, Lee undergoes a psychic visual test where she must quickly say the first word that comes to mind. When shown an inverted triangle, she responds with "father." 11) The clock in Lee's mother's kitchen has all three hands pointing to the number 6. 12) As Lee deciphers the letter left by Longlegs, a faint shadowy figure of the Devil can be seen in the top right corner, although it is difficult to notice. 13) The first shot of the film is from the doll's perspective (the Lee doll, carried by Longlegs as he drove). 14) The first time Lee's mother takes a long time to answer the phone (claiming she was checking on things), it turns out she was with Longlegs in the basement. 15) When Lee asks Carter where Longlegs is (at the police station), he tells her, "He's right beneath your feet," suggesting Longlegs has been there her entire life. 16) In the final party scene, a brief silhouette of the Devil is visible as Lee enters and Carter closes the door behind her, with the reflection seen on the glass door. 17) When Longlegs kills himself, his blood splatters everywhere except on Lee's shirt, somehow it might be symbolizing how her purity remained intact as she is still unaware of the satanic truth. 18) When Longlegs is apprehended, the officers watch his interview together on TV. Before singing "Happy Birthday" to Lee, Longlegs ominously states that he'll see her soon and says, "You'll be there, and you'll be there," while looking around as if he can see Agents Carter and Browning. This moment foreshadows how both officers will be implicated in the upcoming events.
Not to mention the real life Annabelle doll from that one scene, and she’s with her mother. Hugging one another. It may seem irrelevant. Probs an Easter egg since a lot of scary films have it that weird doll Every. Single. Time.
I congratulate you for giving it a second try. The cage singing and hilarious falsetto voice was making everyone laugh in the theater, like “is this supposed to be scary or funny?” And the investigation scenes got so boring I almost left. This sucked because I absolutely loved the first 20 minutes of it, with the narrow aspect stuff. Just can’t handle cage breaking the fourth wall and winking at the camera.
I liked the scene when he's been caught and the officers are all watching his interview together on the TV. Before Longlegs sings happy birthday to Harker, he says he'll see her real soon before saying "You'll be there, and you'll be there" while moving his head around to directly address Carter and Browning - like he can actually see them - foreshadowing how both officers are involved in the events to come.
@@rockeypockey6128 it was just one of the things that really stood out for me. Shows how everything happened how he planned it to. I want to watch it again as I know there are absolutely loads of Easter eggs and clues I missed.
Sorry, I'm obsessed with this movie. I've seen it three times already and every time I do, I catch even more hidden details, or stuff to expand the story. I love it. I hope there's a physical disc with deleted scenes or something. I'd love to see more of this movie. The line, "It seems I wore my long legs today" is so fantastic. Truly, I think it's genius how Perkins was able to make that the name of the movie, and make it somehow unsettling but also completely unique.
SAMEEEE OMG i’ve seen it 3 times too before i discovered there is a website for the birthday murders stayed on it for too damn long maybe we’re all affected already like Lee 😂
Same, three times as well. It gets better every time and I understand it better every time. I do have one question though. What’s with the red snakes visions?
My favorite part is when he finally gets his long legs like he wished for on that star, but realizes the real longest legs were the friends he made along the way.
old father longlegs cant say his prayers take him by the left leg and throw him down the stairs. from the nursery rhyme, goosey goosey gander. if this wasnt the inspiration for the name, its a pretty huge coincidence, considering lee's mother asks her if she still says her prayers, and longlegs himself keeps refering to the man downstairs
That’s interesting! Another thing I haven’t really seen mentioned is that another name for a daddy longlegs is literally a cellar spider, alluding to the fact that he lived in the basement the whole time.
Plus the inability to say prayers was historically connected to witchcraft/demonic possession. Back in the days of the witch trials, people would order a person accused of witchcraft to recite the Lord’s Prayer. If they couldn’t say it, it proved they were a witch. So Lee being unable to say her prayers was probably a sign of Satanic influence.
@@codyashi_maru Also that many people find longlegs threatening but don’t actually produce venom/rarely bite humans, like how Longlegs seemed imposing but never actually did the killing himself.
i’m an idiot. i just realised that when carrie ann tells lee that she’s seen her before or someone who looks like her, carrie ann is referring to ruth dropping the dolls off to the house. because ruth is lees mother, of course lee has at least some resemblance to ruth 😭
and it was 8 years ago, so her mother would have looked younger and more like Lee! It's a very sneaky line that could easily give away the twist if people really listen, I'm glad I missed it the first time lol
yep, missed it during the movie, but the second he said it i caught it right before he finished.. im like yeah that makes so much sense, they even look fairly related which is obviously the point of casting
I went to see this movie in theaters completely blind as to what I was getting myself into. I have never seen a more disturbing/unnerving role played by Nick Cage. I loved this movie. This was a masterpiece that would make A24 jealous.
@@marinebymistakeit was to us. It was creepy in all the right ways, with a great and original story. And Nicholas Cage gave one of his best performances EVER!
Also, at the start of the film Longlegs tells young Harker that he's "put on his longlegs today". This ties in with the snake/serpent symbolism throughout the film. He could be referring to how he is now in 'human form' rather than slithering on his belly.
I think also he might have been her dad because she said "father" when she saw the inverted triangle when passing the psychic test. He might have signed all the letters Longlegs to remind Lee he is still around and never left. Some sort of a personnal message. Also some sort of protective father figure.
@@smiffyoh7894 exactly! So she probably was Satan's daughter hence she was protected and guided all the way through his sick murdering games keeping her close. Longlegs said that he would always come back and make their life hell. There was no way he could disappear from her life at all even after his death.
@@jmz2144 true. There's also that. Maybe Longlegs or Satan wanted to "father" Lee. But then why did she say "father" when she saw the inverted triangle. And what if he actually was Lee's father but Ruth was also under his spells not remembering she got impregnated by him. Maybe it is far fetch but i'm trying to dig in as much as I can. This movie leaves the audience with an unsolved mystery.
I loved that the girl in the hardware store (Perkins daughter!) basically mocked him and made him seem really insignificant, all the while he is doing what he's doing
it made me laugh so hard when he got all tragic after that asking mommy and daddy to unmake him, like man work on your self-esteem if you cant stand up to a teen girl💀💀
@@arcatnip He was literally praying to the devil to let him die. The reason he was shown as pathetic and insignificant during that scene is because he is just another puppet thats being used in a sick game. His plastic surgery makes him look like a doll and there is a scene transition that show's how similar he looks to the dolls. I believe this indicates he is also being manipulated if not outright controlled and may be as much a victim as a perpetrator himself.
Can you recommend contenders for scariest movie of the past 10 years? The Witch comes to mind. There's something so...hopeless about that movie. It's scary in a way that's hard to explain. As much as I love that movie I can't bring myself to watch it. Another movie that many people have not seen that I find genuinely terrifying is The Possession Of Michael King. Girl I was dating showed it to me, and I was blown away by it. I'll never forget the second time we watched it a couple years later. I was thinking... man I don't want to watch this anymore. Suddenly, she said to me "I don't think I wanna finish this movie." It was weird, and we turned it off. I don't recall being affected by it like that the first time through.
@@drownthepoor Got some good recommendations for ya, a movie called 'the dark and the wicked' it came out in 2018 I believe as well as a movie called 'last shift' in 2014. Both those two films feel genuinely evil. Go in blind don't look up anything about them just know they are highly critically acclaimed and will leave you with spine shivers for a while.
@@drownthepoor u seen "When Evil Lurks" its a really good movies also has something with the devil. I dont want to spoil it. a lot of death, i didn't really find it scary more gross but others have said it was scary. its a fast paced movie, and its spanish movie.
that's a good take, it's a thinker after watching it. The directors earlier film "The Blackcoats Daughter" scared the living shit out of me and left a bad print on me compared to this one.
My favorite detail is that when Lee has conversations with her mom through the phone, the mom questions if it's Lee who's speaking. Even though it's been repeated multiple time that they're pretty much isolated as not one single friend, family, or visitor comes to see them. Hinting that the mom has been talking to the devil through the phone. Their isolation can also be a reason why the devil preyed upon them. Because it's simply just Lee and her Mom. No one will check on them if anything happens making the devils work just easier.
I think the mother is asking because she knows that Lee can be possessed and has called that why before...that way she is questioning...are you Lee or the other.
There's a flashback scene where Lee's mother hears dog barking and sees light shining a corridor, she runs for the phone and tries to dial someone (maybe 911) and you can hear a voice in the static saying something. Although she doesn't react to it, she justs hangs up and grabs a shotgun and the scene ends. Wonder if she heard it or not
I love the association of longlegs with a 70’s glamrock artist as people back then and even know believe artists sell their souls to the devil in order to become famous, and the addition of the posters next to longlegs as he’s sitting in the basement.
Even early in the film when his daughter said, "Do you want to come to my birthday" I knew something bad was happening to that family. I would love to know what the metal balls are. Clearly, they have some effect on anyone who has proximity to them...the coroner stated that he thought it kept saying his ex-wife's name over and over. I guess they are designed to make you kill those close to you somehow. He, no longer married, immediately starts thinking of his former wife.
my best guestimate, there is electrostatic build up with a magnet inside.. if you know anything about how "those in charge" work today, there is some eerie distinctions between the earths magnetism, geoengineering(spraying of metals in the sky) and 5g.. call it a conspiracy, im not concerned with what you think there, but i know all of this to be related and true given its all based on actual patents by the military and cia etc.. so my guess, all it would take once these few ingredients pair up.. well an AI that can tap in to it.. 🤷♀🤷♀
One thing about Long Leg's demeanor is he seems like he's always terrified and forcing through his duty through screams of 'please let me go'. Like he's conscious that he's being commanded by the devil and is just defeated and knows he can't escape. And his voice is the only way his terror at this situation can be heard.
What I thought....he was both terrifying and sad. Cage actually said some of the mannerisms he used were inspired by his mother, who suffered from severe mental health problems.
Husband: "Would you like to join me in the kitchen honey?" Wife: "sorry, ill be right back" Husband: "No ill be right back, youll still be in the kitchen" That dialogue was badass. great movie, creepy as hell.
Would love to see a Longlegs prequel. Feel like watching a glam rock movie like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ slowly turn into a satanic horror film would be really eerie and cool.
@@RingsideTed yeah it did sound a bit like Maxxxine when I thought of it. But I think Longlegs is a very different character so could be a very different story with some commonalities.
I have some questions about the movie that I hope you may be able to answer: 1- Before Lee’s mother became the accomplice how was he getting the dolls into the homes? 2- Why did he target Lee’s family if there was no father in the home? It feels weird since it doesn’t fit the MO 3- The dolls are shown to also put the mothers in a trance. I don’t understand then why he attacked Lee’s mother and restrained her like he did. Did the dolls somehow not work on her? It feels weird that he suddenly decided to get his hands dirty when before it was always the fathers being influenced by the orb. 4- When Lee’s mom shoots the orb that releases Lee from the trance. Why is it then that the orb influencing the Camera girl got cut open but she didn’t get released from her trance and ended up killing herself as commanded by longlegs?
1- remember the cat in the one master bedroom murder scene? Those entities can have spirit realm legal right to use the animals attached to the families which means they can inhabit the animal though they don't like it as much as humans. Perhaps it was through the family pets/ animals. One scene showed a cow being slaughtered so it appears the animals do matter in some form. 2 - maybe because he knew he would be the Father. Some speculate he already was her biological father. 3- I don't think he had made a doll yet for Lee. At least it didn't show one at the initial scene. 4- I thought the asylum director said she was catatonic for 8 years and suddenly two days ago she's up and talking for the first time..? Also when Lee's doll was killed Longlegs was also dead. This was not the case with Carrie Ann where LL was still alive when her doll head was opened.
@@ShogunateDaimyo The opening shot is from Lee's doll's perspective in the car. It starts with a black veiled effect. When Lee looks at the car, there's a something black and veiled in the front passenger seat. He definitely had one made for her already. Carrie's doll's ball isn't opened, just the head. The coroner says to Agent Carter, you can cut it open, but it's hollow and the answer to your case is not likely in there. We never see the ball itself split open, so he does still have a hold over Carrie.
@@maryczerwinski2437 yes I recall now that's what the black object in the passenger seat was in the opening scene, though I couldn't see well enough or know what it was yet as it was my first time seeing any of it. Agent Carter told Lee the orb was eventually opened by the coroner and it was empty.
I thought it was so cinematically well done! Using silence/limiting even ambient noise, lingering shots to make it look like someone's watching, close ups for the claustrophobia effect. Really enjoyed the suspense all of those effects built up :) the reveal with the house situation near the end got me
Did anyone else pick up on the audio cue when Lee was in her mom's house the bass would always be thumping from below. I never experienced this in a movie before but it's such a good use of audio.
Another reason I thought for longlegs being the name is that show me a house that DOESNT have a daddy longlegs somewhere in their house without the family knowing.
@@a_Cynthia_Main This! because with all of the victims, It was the father that does the killing. Lee didnt have a dad, that why longlegs has to do it himself. Until her mom makes the deal.
Has anyone touched on the name Longlegs as a nod to the fact that "Daddy Longlegs Spiders" are misattributed as 'one of the deadliest spiders but can't hurt you because their fangs are too small'? Daddy Longlegs aren't even spiders and they arent venomous. Its the real spiders you have to worry about. The detectives thought for a while that Longlegs was the dangerous killer when in reality it wasn't him directly doing the killing, it was the evil forces possessing people.
I thought from the beginning of the movie they mentioned he wasn’t actually doing the killings? They knew he had some sort of influence, but they knew he was never actually at the crime scene.
Learning that the director also made the blackcoat’s daughter and was the slow guy from Legally Blonde just did something to my brain that I can’t quite put into words 😅😵💫
Thinking Longlegs is Lee’s estranged father. Would explain why he always chooses families who had a birthday on the 14th (same day as his daughter’s). It also explains why there was no father figure in Lee’s house and why her mother was in a unique position to make a deal with Longlegs…. Also - Daddy Longlegs.
This was a theory of mine too and it mostly fits, until we consider the flashback where mother Harker says "Who are you and why are you talking to my kid?" to Longlegs. However if we want to believe that flashback is unreliable then this theory can be a fun one. I have issue with the fact he targeted the Harker house that had no father in it. And this closes that hole at least. But I think it's more likely he just became more of a surrogate. And Lee's father is a mystery.
@@MadMorphMovieClub Yes you could well be right. However, the only thing that makes it not fit is the flashback scene you mentioned. But that could be explained by either Lee’s mother not recognising him or just hiding thd fact from Lee. Anyway, I guess there is no definitive answer to this question but it’s fun to hypothesise. :)
@@MadMorphMovieClub A great sequel could be that he is indeed lee's father, however she probably came about in a not so "loving" way. He could have been an aspiring and failing rock star, who was desperate and hungry for validation. Took advantage of a woman after one of his shows to feel in control. This could be lee's mom who moves away and tries to protect her which is why she was so strict on not letting anyone visit and never remarried. Also could explain her obsession with her daughter and holding onto things as it traumatized her. Also would explain the violent remarks against her mother. and we could see him turn into the creep he is now.
I think the movie is a metaphor for fragility of the nuclear house hold. No father figure makes a family vulnerable. At the same time a family can be vulnerable to a tyrannical patriarchal authority. Remember it's the fathers not mothers doing the killings.
One thing I noticed on my second watch, is when Lee is taking the psychic test, and is being shown various images, and being told to say the first thing that comes into her head. A simple image of an upside down triangle, which is of course referenced later in the film, with being the connection to the murders. However, she responds with “Father” after seeing that image. I wonder if that’s her genuine answer, or if there’s some control from the devil as to why she answered that.
He lived with them ! He was Mr. Downstairs from when she was 9 until she left for the FBI at 20 . I think he ended up being an inadvertent father figure in the most messed up family ever .
@@DLGT93 Upside down triangle symbolizes darkness/moon/feminine/hidden aspect in occult symbolism. Under her demonic “trance”, she probably subconsciously associates that symbol and what it entails with her concepts of authority/fatherliness due to Longlegs/Satan’s influence. Take what Longlegs says to her in the basement when she’s a child as an example: “I know you’re not afraid of the dark, because you are the dark.”
@@davidrowntree8250 There's also a piano next to the chest in her room and that's one of her answers, along with tiger (his pillow cases and rug are tiger print).
What I loved about this movie was the colors and shapes. There was constant triangles in the background and some of the characters would be placed in a frame so their head and arms would form a triangle. Also they kept cutting to long legs red aesthetic and Lee often was in a softer red light. I missed the first 10 minutes of the movie but it was so obvious to me that Lee was under longlegs control somehow because of all the red. A lot of things in frame were either red or blue, usually with blue being at the top and red at the bottom. This was later echoed by lees house having a blue roof and a red basement. The cinematography was just impeccable.
It's so nice to see someone who actually paid attention while watching the movie talking about it. There are so many videos complaining about this movie regarding elements that are either shown or told throughout the entirety of the movie. I've seen videos where the reviewer says they don't understand how Lee was able to "solve" the case or why she behaves the way she does.
I love that Nic Cage has had a second chance of sorts in the last few years. Even if some of the movies haven’t been box office smashes, some of them are already cult classics. This one however seems to be doing very well which makes me happy as someone who was a huge fan of his back in the day.
hope this can ressurect his career.. he definitely deserves better... so sad to see him starred few flops movies... but after longlegs, i can envision him play as "the old joker"
@@guitarman0365 national treasure is so bad that when I saw the first one I thought to myself genuinely "the only way this could get more stupid is if in the sequel they kidnap the president"... then they did that
I actually interpreted it as being the doll the priest saw in the chair at 22:26 . I think when he was further away he mistook the doll for the actual girl. You see his face recoil when he got closer almost like he just realized it was a doll not a girl.
also when the mother bends down to look at whatever it is, she doesnt say anything before she gets the axe in the back, just stares blankly at it, which would make sense if she's staring at a doll, not if she was looking at a real person.
I'm very open to this interpretation too, the film opens with us seeing through the eyes of the doll in the passenger seat with Longlegs as we drive up to the Harker house. So it would make sense we see through the doll's eyes again later.
Okay my thoughts about it was that the priest thought he saw the daughter and then realized it was a doll that looked like their daughter. The reason I don’t think the mom was there was because if I remember correctly this was the first kill. So she probably dropped off the doll and waited outside then was told to go back in to either bring three doll back or make sure everyone was dead. And since this is the only crime that had a survivor this is when the devil tells her no that she has to stay and watch what happens and make sure it happens like how he wants it to happen. The scene when the mom screams in her car and touches her face with her bloody hands I believe is after that murder. She is taking it in of what just happened.
Did people notice in the end when she finally makes it to her boss’ home, when she closes the door behind her, in the reflection was the ram demon? I love the little stuff like that!
@@BBC_KIKG I’m assuming they want Baphomet to represent Satan and in this story Satan is evil and wants to kills families. U.S. audiences in general still have Satanic panic over most non Christian imagery. Snoop Dogg can’t even wear a goat chain without people freaking out.
Something I see not mentioned. During the first interrogation, long legs said to harker, “when you when into law enforcement, we had the being laugh about it.” Referring to him and her mother.
this scene where lee met longlegs reminds me a lot when clarice sterling met hannibal lecter.... it's so creepy knowing the evil has the upper hand on you...
Even if this were true (which it isn't), why would this be significant? Like the daddy long legs spider reference. Aside from the title of the movie, what does any of his motivations have to do with spiders? Or is it just a creepy nickname?
Ok. WOW. I never knew about the "cuckooing" phenomenon. I watched an interview with Oz Perkins who said that Nic Cage's own mother used to like to jump scare her kids by sneaking up and saying "cuckoo"! So I thought it was just a Nic Cage character decision. If what you're saying about that phenomenon is also true it's extra brilliant.
A cool detail I noticed is that when Lee is looking at the locked door in her moms house, the glass in the top of the door behind her briefly has a silhouette of a demon/satan, and later the full silhouette can be seen standing behind Lee when her mom shoots the agent in the car.
Good eye! Also, the author of this video is correct - Lee’s Mother’s face does warp into something demonic right before the camera shifts from her as she lunges toward the child.
I noticed that watching in the cinema last night, the door window is normal at first. Then there is a cut to something else, cuts back and the door window has changed, then another cut to something else and cut back, and it's normal again.
Am surprised nobody noticed and talked about this. The Director used a wide angle lens 16, 24 mm (against convention) for the entire moive. No zoom len close up shots. The enitre framing is very wide that captures more 'surrounding'. Many times, the camera was also focusing on the actress and actor and managed to really captured the emotions and terror. Really grounding breaking.
Another thing about the glamrock aspect, at the very beginning of the movie, the staticky sound effects are actually amp feedback and an electric guitar being plugged in.
Thank you! This was very well done. One thing that's bugged me that you might have insight about: What happened to all of the dolls of the girls who WERE murdered. Were they left at the house where the murders happened? That can't be right or the FBI would have found them and it would be in the case files. So Ruth must have taken them with her? What did she and Longlegs do with them? That would be another reason why she HAD to stay until it was all over. I was trying to remember the scene where she's leaving one of the houses, and I *think* she's carrying the big gift box, but couldn't remember for sure.
I've seen it twice now and while I don't believe it's all that scary I do think it's a masterpiece film and I'll look forward to Perkins future work for sure.
The scene after Longlegs leaves the hardware store and is screaming/singing in the car "Mommyy, Daddyy, save me from this life because living is Hell!" (paraphrasing) is seared into my brain now.
its great to see nick become a horror staple over this last decade, whod have thought the guy known for his action movies would become a horror icon, keep it coming
The title could also be a reference to what Kobble says to Lee in the opening scene. He says, "I brought my longlegs today" and then proceeds to squat down like he was trying to get on her level so he could interact with her better. That's what I took the title to come from, anyway. 😂 funny that the director didn't really mean it to have any kind of deeper meaning.
Hi there! Funny thing, "cuckoo" spelled "coucou" in French also means "hi" or "peekaboo!" It is a very friendly/childish way to greet someone. We also use it in the Peek-a-boo game, which Longlegs plays with the little girls. He hides to play, but he also hides because he's evil and evil hides under the appearence of innocence. I think it's a great match to Longlegs personality and universe as he uses, with perversion, childhood symbolism. Longlegs is like playing hide and seek and peek a boo with Lee and her investigation. His middle name is Ferdinand, which was a quite popular name in French families of the 20th century. It is a name of Germanic origin. Also, I can't help but to think about cuckoo clocks (also Germanic origin!) in which cuckoos appears through trap doors when the clock strikes, suddenly singing "cuckoo" and surprising the audiance (peek-a-boo!), but also telling them the time. They are like silly masters of time. Which again reminds me of Longlegs: "I'll Come Back Not Once Not Twice But As Many Times As I Like". This may be too far fetched, but still I find this funny and interesting.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guck-guck-Spiel It's a game about object continuity, I only found this German Wikipedia entry. You reveal sth/someone that was there all along but that the other person (in the original game a child between 6-18 months old) did not perceive (in the original game due to lack of object continuity).
there were a few scenes that really tripped me up. in the scene where she gets tricked into going outside by whatever figure that was, and then she turns around to see long legs in her house, it sounds like she said, "dad?" before running back inside. then there was the scene after she meets her boss' family and she talks to her mom, and her mom mentions the girl's birthday party that she had just been invited to, without lee ever having offered that information up to her. and then when she and her boss went to the barn and find the doll, there are a few moments where the camera lingers on the door, and if you pay attention to the edge of the doorframe, you could catch something invisible entering into the barn as well, watching them. like, invisible in the way elites are "invisible" in like, halo or something. either way it was a great movie, and while not outright scary, it was deeply uncomfortable and dreamlike and it stayed that way for the whole film. it was very impressive. it was hard to shake off the discomfort.
Yeah, is more disturbing than other thing, but not that scare. Still a great fucking movie tho (since hereditary I believe nothing has came even close to scary yet..)
Ehh more tense then scary or creepy felt like a crime movie I didn’t enjoy it to be fair …everything was very obvious and they made it seem like it was going to be some crazy new horror movie but naw
Longlegs reminds me so much of Him from Powerpuff girls! The way they sound, the androgyny, and the fact that they’re connected directly to the devil! I know Nick Cage said that he drew inspiration from his mother for the role, but I think it’s cool that I can also see Him in them.
I love that there’s no big significance to the title; the writer just thought it sounded cool. Not everything needs some deep multi-layered meaning! Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
But the entire filmed with the premise of things being just out of view due to this concept of longlegs. Lee is constantly and deliberately filmed in the center of the screen, so much so that when she leaves this inner frame it either cuts or she disappears behind a wall. The cover of the film depicts Lee reacting to something off screen, the term longlegs in general and how it's used in the film is to demonstrate how oblivious children are to things happening just out of their view which is something the director does commentate on significantly throughout the film.
@@MRHredsox5 I think he said that as a misdirection personally. There's just way too many subtle, meticulous details, both in this film and his other works, for there not to be at least some deliberation to everything.
I think there’s more to the last name Harker in the movie. “Hark” means to listen and in the Bible, angels are constantly telling people to “harken to my words”. There’s also the gospel song with the line “Hark! the heralds angel sing, Glory to the newborn king!” So what if the Harkers, along with Longlegs, were meant to bring the start or birth of a “newborn king” aka Satan? Maybe thinking too much into it? Just felt like there might’ve been more there
Harken = listening, and hark! = listen (vocative case). I think her name is about her ability to "listen" for signs, and ultimately, the devil. I think it's interesting that her mother told her to say her prayers, which she doesn't do, while her name (meaning "listen") is so accurate!
They literally explain every single thing in the movie outside of it being absolutely ridiculous and not based in reality they literally tell you exactly what’s going on verbally at like the one hour and 20 mark
I wondered why the interrogation scene was just Lee and Long Legs. Unless it is because Long Legs asked for only Lee and Lee didn’t want anyone else in the room with him but it didn’t seem right or within procedure.
Idk if anyone noticed but when she’s in the kitchen looking at the door that goes downstairs, you can see at the back door in the glass you can see the shadow of the devil in the window.
My favorite part of everything is that they backwards masked “give this movie a good score on rotten tomatoes” into the movie…and the movie just happens to be absolutely killing it with critics 😂
Great video! One of the things I noticed that I haven't seen maybe people talking about was that during the scene where Harker is doing the psychic testing and they are asking for what words she associates with the objects shown on the screen quickly. There is an upside down triangle that is shown in which she associates with mother. This I definitely think eludes to her mother being the accomplice. I think this is a subtle item that people may not have picked up on, but made sense once the upside down triangle was shown. What are your thoughts?
I think she actually said father for the upside-down triangle. She said mother for the box; maybe the hint being about the boxes the dolls are delivered in? Or that her mom was “trapped” in her choice to help Longlegs?
@@brueela She refers to the upside-down triangle as “father”, which I think is a subversion of the occult symbol since the inverted triangle symbolizes darkness/moon/feminine/ hidden aspects whereas the upright triangle symbolizes light/sun/masculine/apparent aspects. Since Longlegs/Satan - agents of darkness - are like the incidental father figures in her life, she subconsciously refers to that symbol as “father” (no doubt influenced heavily by the devil orb magic in her head).
Well done pal! You did a fantastic job of explaining the whole story. I have been to see it twice now and still had a few unanswered questions which you have explained. Really appreciate it 👍The more I watch and hear people talking about this movie, the more I think it will become known as a modern classic of the genre.
I grew up with Daddy longlegs all over my grandma’s house and never felt threatened so it makes sense lee would grow up with longlegs in her house but didnt feel threatened because of the influence of her doll or how they thought he staged all these deaths without ever leaving a trace of himself before they find out about the mom and the dolls
This film had a style and plot elements that were similar to the game Control. Things like the focus on the color red, the quick cuts to imagery, the psychic abilities, the FBI bureaucracy, and the metal balls that affect the world through sounds and resonance just like the main entities in Control. I could totally imagine Jesse Faden walking in and working this case alongside Lee Harker or following up on this case years later to track down the metal balls as an identified object of power.
One thing that I’m still confused about is Lee’s mother being the proxy to get the families guard lowered. The Harker’s weren’t Longlegs first victims. How was he infiltrating the homes prior to his teaming up with Lee’s mother?
@@chadwick336 I think in the movie it mentioned he was still able to infiltrate but it was much harder to convince people of accepting a gift from the church when you’re a creepy old dude vs. a gentle-looking nun. So the mother made his work significantly easier.
I believe in the video they noted that her mother was the 7th helper. So he has done this to other women before, who beg to save their child and he makes them his helper.
Looking at all the details of this movie in hindsight make everything so clear and makes it that much better of a movie. I did have a lot of questions on the first watch, but I saw the movie a second time and everything makes so much sense. The little details are so so clever and the story is just incredible. Loved this movie so much, definitely one of the strongest horror movies we've been blessed with in a long long time.
My Man you need to have at least 100k subs this was one of the best explained videos I have watched in a while!!!!!!!!! These days "explained videos" are literally just retelling the movie they don't come close to the depth of your video!!! SUBBED
Where was it mentioned that longlegs was a rocker??? That explains so much of it for me! I was honestly taken out of the film when I finally saw a good look at Cage. That explains so much
in the marketing there was a website (made by NEON) that was used to discuss the murders (like a mystery blog in the realm of the world) and it would go through the details of the murder and stuff, at the bottom there are links you can download which turn into files. the names of the files can be decoded with the cryptic coder (people figured it out thoughout marketing) and it would open the files. some of these passwords and cryptic messages were lyrics from glam rock songs!! hope this helps :)
I feel like they kinda overhyped what Nicholas Cage’s character was gonna look like. When his face flashes on screen in the opening scene I had a way more demented version of what he looked like in my brain. But then his face gets shown in a way that felt kinda random, and the “fear” I felt around him kinda disappeared. He seemed way less scary once I actually saw his face. Not that he didn’t look and act creepy effectively, but I feel like it was underwhelming. That’s just me though
The movie repeatedly builds up events just to not resolve them, the movie itself has no resolution so I think the by playing up cages characters just for him to be average is another example of this
I think they did that on purpose. They wanted the audience to expect a horrifying monster, but he just ended up being a (somewhat) normal looking guy. I think they wanted to tie in how longlegs creeped into peoples lives because he *does* just look like a normal person. Like the director said in the interviews; they pulled somewhat of a “Se7en” to really push the narrative of a normal man committing heinous crimes. But yes, I too was expecting Nic to look a little more scary LOL
At the end of the movie she tries to shoot the doll 3 times but it clicks three times. Cowboys can also be called "six shooters" because they carry around revolvers with six bullets (the same gun our hero had). click*6 click*6 click*6
One way the title might be interpreted as is in reference to the long term, maybe even generational, affects the parents’ actions have caused in pursuit of doing what they believed was the only way to protect their child. I love how versatile words can be. It’s beautiful
PART 2: More Longlegs Explained - th-cam.com/video/5tJlxQQsJq4/w-d-xo.html
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i really enjoyed your analysis of Longlegs. it was detailed and well explained and i am looking forward to more videos on your channel
Cinematography was top notch, but the movie was NOT scary to me. Not even a little. The attempts to build suspense just bored me. Sorry to say, I was disappointed.
Loved it. LOVED how it was shot. Good creepy score, too. A sense of dread throughout. ❤
You've missed a few bits out. The dolls were not found at the previous crime scenes so required the mother removing them. The farm scene where the priest also arrives, 'God tries to intervene' before the girl gets home, means she would also have been there and got 'busted' hence why the priest dies to stop them being revealed.
The FBI chief's daughter, when talking with Lee in the bedroom when they first meet, also mentions a ball on her trophy having disappeared and I would query whether this means it was melted into 'her Ruby' ball as part of the preparation or is noticed by Lee as she is at the 'vague' beginnings of being conscious of her true story and noticing 'subconscious translations' around her as compared to 'psychic'. Longlegs has planned for Lee to have slow revelation of her true story via messages that require her effort of translation of letters, the effort and process of 'catching him' by understanding his process, the catatonic girl being revived to message Lee, indirectly via video, directly to her and witnessing the mother's involvement. He is 'progressively knocking on her door of consciousness' to get her ready for the reveal when it is opened by the ball being destroyed. Rather than bite a natural ball of apple to get forbidden knowledge and flung out of paradise into the real she has a technical ball of metal opened and sub-pressed knowledge and flung out of paradise of her false story into the real and has to chose ... by killing either her mother and/or Ruby and/or the doll. She could have broken the doll with the gun as an object even though as a techne it doesn't work for her purposes.
In scenes shot from Lee's older point of view there were some shots with black shapes in the picture such as a cloaked or masked figure, like the dolls were initially cloaked, which may be her unreliable but true for her narrator point of view of being suppressed from view of longlegs even when visually obvious. He delivers tantalizing 'knocks'and 'messages' but is suppressed from view by the doll.
@@aaronblank2318Completley agree with you.
Loved when the detective said longlegs is right underneath her feet in the interview room but also that he's right underneath her moms house living in the basement
Yep, he was underneath her feet nearly her entire life!
Yup and it of course ties into that constant ‘down stairs’ theme with the devil. Evil is always just right beneath us.
He lived under there for 20 years but the killings only happened every two or three. That's a lot of downtime. What did they do on a daily basis? Did longlegs and her mom hang out playing checkers and watching price is right? Did they go to the post office together? So many questions.
Just so that we're on the same page. Do we all know that this is a psychological thriller? And that FBI agent Lee Harker was actually killed when she was a little girl before her birthday? I've learned this: if you're watching a movie and you're confused about what's even going on, you're in a psychological thriller. Meaning everything that happens is happening in a character's mind. Lee Harker was killed by Longleg when she was a little girl. The first scene of the movie gave it away, and also the way her birthday happens to be a key component in the event. The doll is like a pyschological mirror of her. When we see her mother blowing up the doll's head, that's exactly what happened to Lee Harker when she was little.
Im a dick. Just watched the film and didn't realise this was where he was living. For fricks sake
Its worth mentioning that when she's shown an inverted triangle during her ESP test she identifies it as "Father".
Love that
i remember pointing that out when i was watching it and then i saw the triangle again later and i was like OOOOO SHIT
Ohhh good pick up!
Did you notice that Satan's sigil is upside down. Triangle
When she sees the rectangle she says “mother” because of the box for the dolls.
The birthday party invitation early in the movie felt like such a giveaway that the boss' family would be targeted.
For me it was just seeing that they had a daughter around that age honestly.
In our theater everyone laughed cause it was like “damn this already socially awkward woman has to go to this bday now” so it went right over our heads lmao
Yeah that was a bit heavy handed
@@MonsterEats3Yooo, at our theatre everyone laughed on that part, we were all shocked at the end so it definitely went over our heads too lol
Yeah it was kinda annoying how obvious it was. I can kinda understand why Lee wouldn't say anything about it but the boss should've said something
The visual of the doll covered with the black veil and the devil eyes really creeped me out for some reason
For sure, that imagery was creepy as hell, that was the most unsettling thing I saw in the whole film.
I’ve had so many nightmares with this image. I LOVE this movie
same and i never have to look away from scary movies and i had to
Looked like the nun 😢
And they kept showing it too spooked me so much
Some interesting notions I have gathered after my second watch of the film:
1) With Longlegs having killed himself, there's no straightforward way to clarify the murders. Harker has to accept that no one will believe the supernatural elements actually occurred, and with her deep connection to the case, it's unclear how her life will proceed, especially given the ritualistic nature of the killings.
2) Lee frequently saw Longlegs, but the doll's demonic influences clouded her understanding of reality versus illusion.
3) When Lee arrives home at night, she hears a screeching sound that triggers the dogs to bark. This sound snippet is from T. Rex's "Chariot Choogle" from their 1972 album The Slide, indicating Longlegs' demonic influence. [Might also mean that Lee lives near her mother's place where Longlegs plays this track]
4) In the scene where Lee awakens in Longlegs' bed (after her mother shoots her replica doll in the head), the camera rotates upside down, indicating the triangle's completion. While Lee slept, her mother visited Carter's house to deliver his daughter's birthday doll, showing that the satanic influence was already established whilst Lee was out of it.
5) Carrie Anne received the doll at home but then had to go to school. She leaves, as shown in a flashback during the mental hospital visit, and looks back to see the doll inside the house. Her parents' strange behavior is due to being possessed by the Devil. The mother cuts her scar, losing her sanity, and Carrie Anne reveals her mother always hated her because she was born "wrong." The mother's scar is from a C-section. The father's behavior with the doll is due to it making the parents believe their daughter is the doll, so he treats it as his child.
6) In a 911 call referenced by the FBI, a father believes something is wrong with his daughter, stating "It's not her," before killing the real one. The dolls can speak, as noted by the coroner who heard one whisper his ex-wife's name. These dolls have a direct connection with the daughters they're modeled after. Carrie Anne mentions it felt like she was in a long dream in a dark world and returns to her senses after her doll is removed from the dark floor.
7) The scene where Lee screams in the car (which is Longlegs' car, hidden in their garage) mirrors a scene where Longlegs sings and then screams in the car. This parallel raises questions about Lee's mental state and whether she might become the Devil's future accomplice.
8) Lee's mother always asks if it's really Lee on the phone during their conversations, possibly implying that the Devil might be calling her, trying to deceive her into thinking it's Lee.
9)Carrie Anne suggested to Lee that she had her own doll, but Lee doesn't remember due to the foggy satanic influence she's under.
10) After witnessing her colleague's death, Lee undergoes a psychic visual test where she must quickly say the first word that comes to mind. When shown an inverted triangle, she responds with "father."
11) The clock in Lee's mother's kitchen has all three hands pointing to the number 6.
12) As Lee deciphers the letter left by Longlegs, a faint shadowy figure of the Devil can be seen in the top right corner, although it is difficult to notice.
13) The first shot of the film is from the doll's perspective (the Lee doll, carried by Longlegs as he drove).
14) The first time Lee's mother takes a long time to answer the phone (claiming she was checking on things), it turns out she was with Longlegs in the basement.
15) When Lee asks Carter where Longlegs is (at the police station), he tells her, "He's right beneath your feet," suggesting Longlegs has been there her entire life.
16) In the final party scene, a brief silhouette of the Devil is visible as Lee enters and Carter closes the door behind her, with the reflection seen on the glass door.
17) When Longlegs kills himself, his blood splatters everywhere except on Lee's shirt, somehow it might be symbolizing how her purity remained intact as she is still unaware of the satanic truth.
18) When Longlegs is apprehended, the officers watch his interview together on TV. Before singing "Happy Birthday" to Lee, Longlegs ominously states that he'll see her soon and says, "You'll be there, and you'll be there," while looking around as if he can see Agents Carter and Browning. This moment foreshadows how both officers will be implicated in the upcoming events.
Awesome synopsis
Is there a source for 14?
There was a couple other times my son and I saw the Devil silhouette, I think they were sprinkled all throughout
Not to mention the real life Annabelle doll from that one scene, and she’s with her mother. Hugging one another. It may seem irrelevant. Probs an Easter egg since a lot of scary films have it that weird doll Every. Single. Time.
I congratulate you for giving it a second try. The cage singing and hilarious falsetto voice was making everyone laugh in the theater, like “is this supposed to be scary or funny?” And the investigation scenes got so boring I almost left. This sucked because I absolutely loved the first 20 minutes of it, with the narrow aspect stuff. Just can’t handle cage breaking the fourth wall and winking at the camera.
I liked the scene when he's been caught and the officers are all watching his interview together on the TV. Before Longlegs sings happy birthday to Harker, he says he'll see her real soon before saying "You'll be there, and you'll be there" while moving his head around to directly address Carter and Browning - like he can actually see them - foreshadowing how both officers are involved in the events to come.
I didn't notice that first watch! That's a really cool detail
@@rockeypockey6128 it was just one of the things that really stood out for me. Shows how everything happened how he planned it to. I want to watch it again as I know there are absolutely loads of Easter eggs and clues I missed.
When she asks where is longlegs and they say he is right below your feet, he was also right below her feet as in living in her mother's basement
I noticed that too! I wasn’t sure if I was tripping but this confirms it for me
I noticed that and thought the exact same thing. It was like he was speaking to all three characters in the room from the screen.
I think it’s important to mention that whenever Lee has her “visions,” she looks over her left shoulder where the devil is supposed to sit.
This comment just made me realize that’s why you throw salt over your left shoulder when u spill it lol that’s kinda cool
@@madisonthomas8625 I was raised Catholic, so you can imagine how many times I was told to throw salt over my left shoulder 😭
I think your reaching because you wanted to comment something
@@bryangalster7647 I’m not lol
@@bryangalster7647projecting
Anyone notice the clock in the background of her mother’s home? All three hands are pointing at 6
Oooh, good eye!
Nice catch!
how u notice that!!!!???? 🤣🤣
Nice spot dude
Watched 666 times?
Sorry, I'm obsessed with this movie. I've seen it three times already and every time I do, I catch even more hidden details, or stuff to expand the story. I love it. I hope there's a physical disc with deleted scenes or something. I'd love to see more of this movie. The line, "It seems I wore my long legs today" is so fantastic. Truly, I think it's genius how Perkins was able to make that the name of the movie, and make it somehow unsettling but also completely unique.
so tell me: why lee parks knot's car next to her mom's, but when she go inside carter's house she is surprised to see her mommy in there?
SAMEEEE OMG i’ve seen it 3 times too before i discovered there is a website for the birthday murders stayed on it for too damn long maybe we’re all affected already like Lee 😂
Same, three times as well. It gets better every time and I understand it better every time. I do have one question though. What’s with the red snakes visions?
@@chancegriffin3322 it’s the devil whispering to lee
@@chancegriffin3322 The book of revelation Lee mentioned had a serpent a huge snake called Satan
You know what’s even more crazy? The only crime longlegs is accused of is trespassing
He's like zodiac suspects. Might have a lot to prove it but nothing fool proof
My favorite part is when he finally gets his long legs like he wished for on that star, but realizes the real longest legs were the friends he made along the way.
Shut upppppp dude lol
SPOILERS dude! Gimmie a warning😊
The real message is that in the end he didn't need long legs at all, because he had long legs inside himself all along.
What?
Never happened
old father longlegs
cant say his prayers
take him by the left leg
and throw him down the stairs.
from the nursery rhyme, goosey goosey gander. if this wasnt the inspiration for the name, its a pretty huge coincidence, considering lee's mother asks her if she still says her prayers, and longlegs himself keeps refering to the man downstairs
WOW THANK YOU!!!
That’s interesting! Another thing I haven’t really seen mentioned is that another name for a daddy longlegs is literally a cellar spider, alluding to the fact that he lived in the basement the whole time.
Plus the inability to say prayers was historically connected to witchcraft/demonic possession. Back in the days of the witch trials, people would order a person accused of witchcraft to recite the Lord’s Prayer. If they couldn’t say it, it proved they were a witch. So Lee being unable to say her prayers was probably a sign of Satanic influence.
The director openly said he just liked the name and it has no significance so unless he was fibbing you have a great theory there.
@@codyashi_maru Also that many people find longlegs threatening but don’t actually produce venom/rarely bite humans, like how Longlegs seemed imposing but never actually did the killing himself.
i’m an idiot. i just realised that when carrie ann tells lee that she’s seen her before or someone who looks like her, carrie ann is referring to ruth dropping the dolls off to the house. because ruth is lees mother, of course lee has at least some resemblance to ruth 😭
and it was 8 years ago, so her mother would have looked younger and more like Lee! It's a very sneaky line that could easily give away the twist if people really listen, I'm glad I missed it the first time lol
This makes sense, I was thinking it was because all of the dolls were meant to resemble Lee in some way.
I think it’s because the carrie ann’s doll’s eyes shot open in the scene in the barn. She saw Lee through the eyes of her doll
yep, missed it during the movie, but the second he said it i caught it right before he finished.. im like yeah that makes so much sense, they even look fairly related which is obviously the point of casting
In all likelihood, it refers to the doll seeing Lee in the barn since Carrie Ann wasn’t at home when Ruth dropped the doll off at her house
Lets just say the marketing team should get an Acadamy Award.
💯 Not gonna lie I was more scared by the trailers compared to the actual film. Good movie but didn’t give me scares I thought I was gonna get.
"Gonna"? Why write like a child? It's "Going". Just as many letters. 😮@@TheWillStrikeOfficial
@@Avid_Fan you're a freak shut up
@Avid_Fan Not gonna lie is a well known phrase that's why, no-one really says 'not going to lie' in the same context.
I fell asleep two times during the movie... 😴😴
I went to see this movie in theaters completely blind as to what I was getting myself into. I have never seen a more disturbing/unnerving role played by Nick Cage. I loved this movie. This was a masterpiece that would make A24 jealous.
The best way to see any movie really. I enjoyed the movie a lot but had I not hear anything about it I am sure I would love it more.
@@fabiopma I concur
I didn’t even realize it wasn’t a24 😅
How is this a masterpiece? lmao
@@marinebymistakeit was to us. It was creepy in all the right ways, with a great and original story. And Nicholas Cage gave one of his best performances EVER!
Also, at the start of the film Longlegs tells young Harker that he's "put on his longlegs today". This ties in with the snake/serpent symbolism throughout the film. He could be referring to how he is now in 'human form' rather than slithering on his belly.
I think also he might have been her dad because she said "father" when she saw the inverted triangle when passing the psychic test. He might have signed all the letters Longlegs to remind Lee he is still around and never left. Some sort of a personnal message. Also some sort of protective father figure.
@@stephanerobert6137 'daddy' goes pretty well before Longlegs too
@@smiffyoh7894 exactly! So she probably was Satan's daughter hence she was protected and guided all the way through his sick murdering games keeping her close. Longlegs said that he would always come back and make their life hell. There was no way he could disappear from her life at all even after his death.
@@stephanerobert6137not her father with her mom's reaction when he was talking to her
@@jmz2144 true. There's also that. Maybe Longlegs or Satan wanted to "father" Lee. But then why did she say "father" when she saw the inverted triangle. And what if he actually was Lee's father but Ruth was also under his spells not remembering she got impregnated by him. Maybe it is far fetch but i'm trying to dig in as much as I can. This movie leaves the audience with an unsolved mystery.
I loved that the girl in the hardware store (Perkins daughter!) basically mocked him and made him seem really insignificant, all the while he is doing what he's doing
it made me laugh so hard when he got all tragic after that asking mommy and daddy to unmake him, like man work on your self-esteem if you cant stand up to a teen girl💀💀
@@arcatnip He was literally praying to the devil to let him die. The reason he was shown as pathetic and insignificant during that scene is because he is just another puppet thats being used in a sick game. His plastic surgery makes him look like a doll and there is a scene transition that show's how similar he looks to the dolls. I believe this indicates he is also being manipulated if not outright controlled and may be as much a victim as a perpetrator himself.
You're evil af for doing that EXTRA zoom in on the black cloak. Im gunna have nightmares now. 💀
Man! So creepy
literally
That part sent me and then questioned myself like why am I here at 3am 😂
that cloak was the scariest part of the movie ngl
literally! Its, 12:30 am i'm not going to sleep tonight 😵💫😭
There was a scene when the mom asked if Lee still did her prayers and Lee said no “because they scared her” that’s because they were evil prayers
It was definitely not the “scariest movie in the past ten years” but it was certainly one of the best horror films in past ten years
Can you recommend contenders for scariest movie of the past 10 years?
The Witch comes to mind. There's something so...hopeless about that movie. It's scary in a way that's hard to explain.
As much as I love that movie I can't bring myself to watch it.
Another movie that many people have not seen that I find genuinely terrifying is The Possession Of Michael King.
Girl I was dating showed it to me, and I was blown away by it. I'll never forget the second time we watched it a couple years later. I was thinking... man I don't want to watch this anymore. Suddenly, she said to me "I don't think I wanna finish this movie." It was weird, and we turned it off. I don't recall being affected by it like that the first time through.
@@drownthepoor Got some good recommendations for ya, a movie called 'the dark and the wicked' it came out in 2018 I believe as well as a movie called 'last shift' in 2014. Both those two films feel genuinely evil. Go in blind don't look up anything about them just know they are highly critically acclaimed and will leave you with spine shivers for a while.
@@drownthepoor u seen "When Evil Lurks" its a really good movies also has something with the devil. I dont want to spoil it. a lot of death, i didn't really find it scary more gross but others have said it was scary. its a fast paced movie, and its spanish movie.
that's a good take, it's a thinker after watching it. The directors earlier film "The Blackcoats Daughter" scared the living shit out of me and left a bad print on me compared to this one.
@@drownthepoor "Hereditary" 2018 and "Midsommar" 2019
My favorite detail is that when Lee has conversations with her mom through the phone, the mom questions if it's Lee who's speaking. Even though it's been repeated multiple time that they're pretty much isolated as not one single friend, family, or visitor comes to see them. Hinting that the mom has been talking to the devil through the phone. Their isolation can also be a reason why the devil preyed upon them. Because it's simply just Lee and her Mom. No one will check on them if anything happens making the devils work just easier.
So was it the devil who called lee and said she was late for the birthday ?
I think the mother is asking because she knows that Lee can be possessed and has called that why before...that way she is questioning...are you Lee or the other.
@@kanezovoi8629yes! That what I thought
@@kanezovoi8629yes. And if you look close.. it’s there before Carter closes the door
There's a flashback scene where Lee's mother hears dog barking and sees light shining a corridor, she runs for the phone and tries to dial someone (maybe 911) and you can hear a voice in the static saying something. Although she doesn't react to it, she justs hangs up and grabs a shotgun and the scene ends. Wonder if she heard it or not
I love the association of longlegs with a 70’s glamrock artist as people back then and even know believe artists sell their souls to the devil in order to become famous, and the addition of the posters next to longlegs as he’s sitting in the basement.
Why did he look the same in the 70's? That was the glamrock era, surely he should have been out glamrocking.
He did sell his soul he says it in every movie he’s in nowadays
@@anarche4900proof???
He’s partly inspired by tiny tim as well.
Lou reed caught my eye… walk on the wild side was not by accident,
Even early in the film when his daughter said, "Do you want to come to my birthday" I knew something bad was happening to that family. I would love to know what the metal balls are. Clearly, they have some effect on anyone who has proximity to them...the coroner stated that he thought it kept saying his ex-wife's name over and over. I guess they are designed to make you kill those close to you somehow. He, no longer married, immediately starts thinking of his former wife.
devil orb
The orbs gave Twin Peaks tulpa vibes when I first saw them.
my best guestimate, there is electrostatic build up with a magnet inside.. if you know anything about how "those in charge" work today, there is some eerie distinctions between the earths magnetism, geoengineering(spraying of metals in the sky) and 5g.. call it a conspiracy, im not concerned with what you think there, but i know all of this to be related and true given its all based on actual patents by the military and cia etc.. so my guess, all it would take once these few ingredients pair up.. well an AI that can tap in to it.. 🤷♀🤷♀
@@johnlombardo7816 don't worry, we'll definitely 'call it a conspiracy' 😅
@@johnlombardo7816 i want what youre smoking
Why is nobody talking about the super loud knocking!? Like that scared the shit out of me!! 😭😭
Edit: thank you all so much for the likes!! 😁
Facts💀
3 knocks too. That’s some evil shit lol
I was sat next to the wall as well where the speakers are so my heart fell out my fucking ass at the theatre
Is that what he was mentioning in the stomping up and down the steps by long legs?
lol that was a great scene. Who was that? Devil or Longlegs?
One thing about Long Leg's demeanor is he seems like he's always terrified and forcing through his duty through screams of 'please let me go'. Like he's conscious that he's being commanded by the devil and is just defeated and knows he can't escape. And his voice is the only way his terror at this situation can be heard.
What I thought....he was both terrifying and sad. Cage actually said some of the mannerisms he used were inspired by his mother, who suffered from severe mental health problems.
could that be why he cries when lee goes to speak with him after being taken in?
Husband: "Would you like to join me in the kitchen honey?"
Wife: "sorry, ill be right back"
Husband: "No ill be right back, youll still be in the kitchen"
That dialogue was badass.
great movie, creepy as hell.
Im stoned while watching longlegs at cinema. Fuckin hell bro, im trippin when this scene come up 😂
My entire theater gasped when he said that
@@majorasmask9150 I laughed out loud THEN everyone in my theater gasped 🤦🏾♀️🤘🏾
that line was insane i loved it
Movie was ass y’all overplaying all of it
Would love to see a Longlegs prequel. Feel like watching a glam rock movie like ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ slowly turn into a satanic horror film would be really eerie and cool.
I told my wife the sequel will most likely be a prequel.
THIS
Bruh
Meh, that sounds a little too Ti West for me.
@@RingsideTed yeah it did sound a bit like Maxxxine when I thought of it. But I think Longlegs is a very different character so could be a very different story with some commonalities.
Finally someone acknowledging the mom saying "dont call me that"
That part was fairly obvious
I completely missed that part and I'm SO upset. I must have been covering my eyes lol
Time stamp?
@@inesfreire913514:26
@@inesfreire9135right before Lee shoots her
I have some questions about the movie that I hope you may be able to answer:
1- Before Lee’s mother became the accomplice how was he getting the dolls into the homes?
2- Why did he target Lee’s family if there was no father in the home? It feels weird since it doesn’t fit the MO
3- The dolls are shown to also put the mothers in a trance. I don’t understand then why he attacked Lee’s mother and restrained her like he did. Did the dolls somehow not work on her? It feels weird that he suddenly decided to get his hands dirty when before it was always the fathers being influenced by the orb.
4- When Lee’s mom shoots the orb that releases Lee from the trance. Why is it then that the orb influencing the Camera girl got cut open but she didn’t get released from her trance and ended up killing herself as commanded by longlegs?
Great questions / points that I didn’t even think about
They said the first murders were in 75 and he met lee in 74
1- remember the cat in the one master bedroom murder scene? Those entities can have spirit realm legal right to use the animals attached to the families which means they can inhabit the animal though they don't like it as much as humans. Perhaps it was through the family pets/ animals. One scene showed a cow being slaughtered so it appears the animals do matter in some form.
2 - maybe because he knew he would be the Father. Some speculate he already was her biological father.
3- I don't think he had made a doll yet for Lee. At least it didn't show one at the initial scene.
4- I thought the asylum director said she was catatonic for 8 years and suddenly two days ago she's up and talking for the first time..? Also when Lee's doll was killed Longlegs was also dead. This was not the case with Carrie Ann where LL was still alive when her doll head was opened.
@@ShogunateDaimyo The opening shot is from Lee's doll's perspective in the car. It starts with a black veiled effect. When Lee looks at the car, there's a something black and veiled in the front passenger seat. He definitely had one made for her already. Carrie's doll's ball isn't opened, just the head. The coroner says to Agent Carter, you can cut it open, but it's hollow and the answer to your case is not likely in there. We never see the ball itself split open, so he does still have a hold over Carrie.
@@maryczerwinski2437 yes I recall now that's what the black object in the passenger seat was in the opening scene, though I couldn't see well enough or know what it was yet as it was my first time seeing any of it.
Agent Carter told Lee the orb was eventually opened by the coroner and it was empty.
Every scene with longlegs is hilarious, people in theater started laughing everytime he does something extraordinary
I was dying when he was singing let me in now 😂
hail satan lmao dumbest movie ever
It was funny 😂
It really is! He is both unhinged yet hilarious through the whole movie!
I thought it was so cinematically well done! Using silence/limiting even ambient noise, lingering shots to make it look like someone's watching, close ups for the claustrophobia effect. Really enjoyed the suspense all of those effects built up :) the reveal with the house situation near the end got me
If you liked this movie Dead silence would another one id recommend, it has really cool scenes and saturation
Did anyone else pick up on the audio cue when Lee was in her mom's house the bass would always be thumping from below. I never experienced this in a movie before but it's such a good use of audio.
Wonderful analysis
the liminal shots esp at the start were creepy as!!!
They got me to jump a few times just with the sound. It really is a great testament to how important sound is to these movies.
Another reason I thought for longlegs being the name is that show me a house that DOESNT have a daddy longlegs somewhere in their house without the family knowing.
It’s actually cause he’s her daddy and she don’t know it slow boy
He's not literally her daddy, but more of a hidden surrogate.
@@a_Cynthia_Main This! because with all of the victims, It was the father that does the killing. Lee didnt have a dad, that why longlegs has to do it himself. Until her mom makes the deal.
I know, and I’m quite good friends with them. They hang out in the corner of my shower
Familes with someone who works in pest control?
Has anyone touched on the name Longlegs as a nod to the fact that "Daddy Longlegs Spiders" are misattributed as 'one of the deadliest spiders but can't hurt you because their fangs are too small'? Daddy Longlegs aren't even spiders and they arent venomous. Its the real spiders you have to worry about.
The detectives thought for a while that Longlegs was the dangerous killer when in reality it wasn't him directly doing the killing, it was the evil forces possessing people.
Woahhhhh
Yup, also the whole “dwelling in the basement” thing helps reinforce the idea since they’re also called cellar spiders.
i think this actually is quite brilliant, thanks!
I thought from the beginning of the movie they mentioned he wasn’t actually doing the killings? They knew he had some sort of influence, but they knew he was never actually at the crime scene.
Damn
Learning that the director also made the blackcoat’s daughter and was the slow guy from Legally Blonde just did something to my brain that I can’t quite put into words 😅😵💫
Woah the directors backstory and trauma explains some things. Just mind blowing.
Thinking Longlegs is Lee’s estranged father. Would explain why he always chooses families who had a birthday on the 14th (same day as his daughter’s). It also explains why there was no father figure in Lee’s house and why her mother was in a unique position to make a deal with Longlegs…. Also - Daddy Longlegs.
This was a theory of mine too and it mostly fits, until we consider the flashback where mother Harker says "Who are you and why are you talking to my kid?" to Longlegs. However if we want to believe that flashback is unreliable then this theory can be a fun one. I have issue with the fact he targeted the Harker house that had no father in it. And this closes that hole at least. But I think it's more likely he just became more of a surrogate. And Lee's father is a mystery.
@@MadMorphMovieClub Yes you could well be right. However, the only thing that makes it not fit is the flashback scene you mentioned. But that could be explained by either Lee’s mother not recognising him or just hiding thd fact from Lee. Anyway, I guess there is no definitive answer to this question but it’s fun to hypothesise. :)
@@MadMorphMovieClub She doesn't recognize him because of the disfigurement of his plastic surgery and the heavy makeup.
@@MadMorphMovieClub A great sequel could be that he is indeed lee's father, however she probably came about in a not so "loving" way. He could have been an aspiring and failing rock star, who was desperate and hungry for validation. Took advantage of a woman after one of his shows to feel in control. This could be lee's mom who moves away and tries to protect her which is why she was so strict on not letting anyone visit and never remarried. Also could explain her obsession with her daughter and holding onto things as it traumatized her. Also would explain the violent remarks against her mother. and we could see him turn into the creep he is now.
I think the movie is a metaphor for fragility of the nuclear house hold.
No father figure makes a family vulnerable.
At the same time a family can be vulnerable to a tyrannical patriarchal authority.
Remember it's the fathers not mothers doing the killings.
One thing I noticed on my second watch, is when Lee is taking the psychic test, and is being shown various images, and being told to say the first thing that comes into her head. A simple image of an upside down triangle, which is of course referenced later in the film, with being the connection to the murders. However, she responds with “Father” after seeing that image. I wonder if that’s her genuine answer, or if there’s some control from the devil as to why she answered that.
He lived with them ! He was Mr. Downstairs from when she was 9 until she left for the FBI at 20 . I think he ended up being an inadvertent father figure in the most messed up family ever .
@@DLGT93 Upside down triangle symbolizes darkness/moon/feminine/hidden aspect in occult symbolism. Under her demonic “trance”, she probably subconsciously associates that symbol and what it entails with her concepts of authority/fatherliness due to Longlegs/Satan’s influence. Take what Longlegs says to her in the basement when she’s a child as an example: “I know you’re not afraid of the dark, because you are the dark.”
Also she sees a shape that looks list like her chest at home where she finds the picture of longlegs and her answer is "legs"
@@davidrowntree8250 There's also a piano next to the chest in her room and that's one of her answers, along with tiger (his pillow cases and rug are tiger print).
Seems like everyone noticed that
We need longlegs themed birthday cards like hereditary themed mothere day cards
Na thats satanic symbolism gross.
@pablo4yu it's not real bro
wtf is wrong with you. It’s a movie it’s not supposed to be implemented in your real life
thats so fucked up 😂😂😭😭😭
@@GraniteShakerthats what they want you to believe
What I loved about this movie was the colors and shapes. There was constant triangles in the background and some of the characters would be placed in a frame so their head and arms would form a triangle. Also they kept cutting to long legs red aesthetic and Lee often was in a softer red light. I missed the first 10 minutes of the movie but it was so obvious to me that Lee was under longlegs control somehow because of all the red. A lot of things in frame were either red or blue, usually with blue being at the top and red at the bottom. This was later echoed by lees house having a blue roof and a red basement. The cinematography was just impeccable.
It's so nice to see someone who actually paid attention while watching the movie talking about it. There are so many videos complaining about this movie regarding elements that are either shown or told throughout the entirety of the movie. I've seen videos where the reviewer says they don't understand how Lee was able to "solve" the case or why she behaves the way she does.
Nic Cage really did a great job in this, he’s definitely in his element when it comes to these types of movies
it's so unfair there's no batman movies created while he's younger.. he's the perfect candidate for joker...
he really was fantastic in this, roachdogg jr
He was good in the beginning but towards the middle and end most of the audience in the theatre I was at was laughing at cage being cage.
I love that Nic Cage has had a second chance of sorts in the last few years. Even if some of the movies haven’t been box office smashes, some of them are already cult classics. This one however seems to be doing very well which makes me happy as someone who was a huge fan of his back in the day.
still want national treasure 3 but my dreams may be long gone.
hope this can ressurect his career.. he definitely deserves better... so sad to see him starred few flops movies... but after longlegs, i can envision him play as "the old joker"
@@guitarman0365 national treasure is so bad that when I saw the first one I thought to myself genuinely "the only way this could get more stupid is if in the sequel they kidnap the president"... then they did that
@@coletrainhetrick your opinion means little. Too bad you didn't enjoy it. To each their own.
nobody will care about any of his run of indie movies in the near future, including this one
these are all straight-to-streaming caliber junk
I actually interpreted it as being the doll the priest saw in the chair at 22:26 . I think when he was further away he mistook the doll for the actual girl. You see his face recoil when he got closer almost like he just realized it was a doll not a girl.
also when the mother bends down to look at whatever it is, she doesnt say anything before she gets the axe in the back, just stares blankly at it, which would make sense if she's staring at a doll, not if she was looking at a real person.
This was my interpretation as well
I'm very open to this interpretation too, the film opens with us seeing through the eyes of the doll in the passenger seat with Longlegs as we drive up to the Harker house. So it would make sense we see through the doll's eyes again later.
Okay my thoughts about it was that the priest thought he saw the daughter and then realized it was a doll that looked like their daughter. The reason I don’t think the mom was there was because if I remember correctly this was the first kill. So she probably dropped off the doll and waited outside then was told to go back in to either bring three doll back or make sure everyone was dead. And since this is the only crime that had a survivor this is when the devil tells her no that she has to stay and watch what happens and make sure it happens like how he wants it to happen. The scene when the mom screams in her car and touches her face with her bloody hands I believe is after that murder. She is taking it in of what just happened.
You forgot to mention the devil's shadow appearing through out the movie
YOU HAD NO REASON TO PUT THAT BANGING IN THERE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
I had my headphones on😢😂
Would love an extended version, felt like it was too short. Plus love Nick cages' singing I think the scene in his car was really good
it definitely was too short
The more the movie went on the less anything made sense, not in a clever good way either.
So creepy, I CLEARLY LOVE IT.
If it's not nominated for an award just an injustice 😢.
It's okay, not everyone has the mental capacity to get movies like this. Thankfully for you there's always the fast and the furious franchise
Did people notice in the end when she finally makes it to her boss’ home, when she closes the door behind her, in the reflection was the ram demon? I love the little stuff like that!
That’s the devil following her, I like how it’s not directly showed only it’s fading shadow
Baphomet
@TheClevelandSteamer baphomet isn't evil tho..
That was hidden thoughout the whole movie
@@BBC_KIKG I’m assuming they want Baphomet to represent Satan and in this story Satan is evil and wants to kills families. U.S. audiences in general still have Satanic panic over most non Christian imagery. Snoop Dogg can’t even wear a goat chain without people freaking out.
Something I see not mentioned. During the first interrogation, long legs said to harker, “when you when into law enforcement, we had the being laugh about it.” Referring to him and her mother.
He also mentions when saying we he said me not you as in he most likely had the doll of Lee Harker with him at the time
I mentioned this in the breakdown, it's when he talks about the "7 she's" given the choice of crimson or clover.
@@MadMorphMovieClub what actually does the 7 shes mean and the crimson or clover stuff mean?
@@champoliamI assumed it meant seven precious women who were given the choice to work with him and save their kids
this scene where lee met longlegs reminds me a lot when clarice sterling met hannibal lecter.... it's so creepy knowing the evil has the upper hand on you...
Lee's doll is in the passenger's seat in the car at the beginning, staring at Lee (0:41)
I was laughing at Nic Cage being Nic Cage while also being pretty terrified.
I heard that long legs are apparently hard to get rid of; if it's true it unintentionally adds to the idea of the devil influence in this story
This movie sure induced some anxiety in me the last 20min or so, I almost had to get up and walk out lol
I took my 15 year old nephew w me and there was like 5 mins left of the film and he told me he was about to leave lol
I just cae back from the movies and a couple left ten min before the movie ended😂
@@patriciacannon4242people like you shouldn't spend time with kids, you know that right?
@@patriciacannon4242 my brother 15?.... that's way too young for dis shite
@@pott3rwhat? I’m 14 and this film isn’t that bad dude. Contrary to your belief, most teens can handle horror movies
The way Longlegs puts his hands together over his face in the store is the sign language sign for spider
Oh wow
just did like five minutes of research on google to find out that this is completely incorrect
me when i lie
Even if this were true (which it isn't), why would this be significant? Like the daddy long legs spider reference. Aside from the title of the movie, what does any of his motivations have to do with spiders? Or is it just a creepy nickname?
@@Jigglypoofjust a creepy nickname cuz the dads kill and it’s implied to fill in longlegs with “daddy” longlegs
Your explanation of the movie made me love it more and want to see it again with all the context. Well done!
Anyone notice that the Ruby had birthday on the same day and month as Lee? and she was also “saved”
Ok. WOW. I never knew about the "cuckooing" phenomenon. I watched an interview with Oz Perkins who said that Nic Cage's own mother used to like to jump scare her kids by sneaking up and saying "cuckoo"! So I thought it was just a Nic Cage character decision. If what you're saying about that phenomenon is also true it's extra brilliant.
Maybe an amazing and serendipitous coincidence then! But it makes perfect sense too!
One of the deepest and most mature takes on this film I've seen. Definitely subscribing.
Glazing on it
This movie sucked
A cool detail I noticed is that when Lee is looking at the locked door in her moms house, the glass in the top of the door behind her briefly has a silhouette of a demon/satan, and later the full silhouette can be seen standing behind Lee when her mom shoots the agent in the car.
No crap? I never noticed...I'm planning on seeing it again just to catch all these little details. Plus the experience was surreal
Good eye! Also, the author of this video is correct - Lee’s Mother’s face does warp into something demonic right before the camera shifts from her as she lunges toward the child.
I saw that had to rewind pause it
I noticed that watching in the cinema last night, the door window is normal at first. Then there is a cut to something else, cuts back and the door window has changed, then another cut to something else and cut back, and it's normal again.
Am surprised nobody noticed and talked about this. The Director used a wide angle lens 16, 24 mm (against convention) for the entire moive. No zoom len close up shots. The enitre framing is very wide that captures more 'surrounding'. Many times, the camera was also focusing on the actress and actor and managed to really captured the emotions and terror. Really grounding breaking.
Uh, apart from all the zooms on long lenses right at the start of the movie? Lol.
Another thing about the glamrock aspect, at the very beginning of the movie, the staticky sound effects are actually amp feedback and an electric guitar being plugged in.
When Longlegs gets arrested at the bus stop, it reminded me of the scene where Dr. Evil gets arrested standing in his lair. I couldnt stop laughing. 😂
Thank you! This was very well done. One thing that's bugged me that you might have insight about: What happened to all of the dolls of the girls who WERE murdered. Were they left at the house where the murders happened? That can't be right or the FBI would have found them and it would be in the case files. So Ruth must have taken them with her? What did she and Longlegs do with them? That would be another reason why she HAD to stay until it was all over. I was trying to remember the scene where she's leaving one of the houses, and I *think* she's carrying the big gift box, but couldn't remember for sure.
Yes, it was shown in numerous cases that she takes boxes back after
The birthday girl bits definitely give me Silent Hill 3 vibes. "Happy Birthdayy!!.. isn't it your birthday?...!"
I thought of the phone call from Silent Hill 3 when Longlegs was singing Happy Birthday
Birthdays are the most important day of the year in satanic worship
I've seen it twice now and while I don't believe it's all that scary I do think it's a masterpiece film and I'll look forward to Perkins future work for sure.
21:51 yes thank u for the jumpscare dude 😑, i almost threw ny phone.
The scene after Longlegs leaves the hardware store and is screaming/singing in the car "Mommyy, Daddyy, save me from this life because living is Hell!" (paraphrasing)
is seared into my brain now.
its great to see nick become a horror staple over this last decade, whod have thought the guy known for his action movies would become a horror icon, keep it coming
I hope they do a Prequel to this, with how Longlegs started etc. I’d really love that
The title could also be a reference to what Kobble says to Lee in the opening scene. He says, "I brought my longlegs today" and then proceeds to squat down like he was trying to get on her level so he could interact with her better. That's what I took the title to come from, anyway. 😂 funny that the director didn't really mean it to have any kind of deeper meaning.
Hi there! Funny thing, "cuckoo" spelled "coucou" in French also means "hi" or "peekaboo!" It is a very friendly/childish way to greet someone. We also use it in the Peek-a-boo game, which Longlegs plays with the little girls. He hides to play, but he also hides because he's evil and evil hides under the appearence of innocence.
I think it's a great match to Longlegs personality and universe as he uses, with perversion, childhood symbolism. Longlegs is like playing hide and seek and peek a boo with Lee and her investigation.
His middle name is Ferdinand, which was a quite popular name in French families of the 20th century. It is a name of Germanic origin.
Also, I can't help but to think about cuckoo clocks (also Germanic origin!) in which cuckoos appears through trap doors when the clock strikes, suddenly singing "cuckoo" and surprising the audiance (peek-a-boo!), but also telling them the time. They are like silly masters of time. Which again reminds me of Longlegs: "I'll Come Back Not Once Not Twice But As Many Times As I Like".
This may be too far fetched, but still I find this funny and interesting.
de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guck-guck-Spiel It's a game about object continuity, I only found this German Wikipedia entry. You reveal sth/someone that was there all along but that the other person (in the original game a child between 6-18 months old) did not perceive (in the original game due to lack of object continuity).
In italian as well, with the same sound and meaning. I will never "peekaboo" a kid ever again after making this connection.
noticed that the girl in the hardwear store who was creeped out by longlegs, seemed to be wearing the same type of layered clothing as him
I loved her response to him, "Dad, that creepy guy is here again".
My mom and I laughed at that part when we were at the movies last week
there were a few scenes that really tripped me up. in the scene where she gets tricked into going outside by whatever figure that was, and then she turns around to see long legs in her house, it sounds like she said, "dad?" before running back inside. then there was the scene after she meets her boss' family and she talks to her mom, and her mom mentions the girl's birthday party that she had just been invited to, without lee ever having offered that information up to her. and then when she and her boss went to the barn and find the doll, there are a few moments where the camera lingers on the door, and if you pay attention to the edge of the doorframe, you could catch something invisible entering into the barn as well, watching them. like, invisible in the way elites are "invisible" in like, halo or something. either way it was a great movie, and while not outright scary, it was deeply uncomfortable and dreamlike and it stayed that way for the whole film. it was very impressive. it was hard to shake off the discomfort.
The mom was likely referring to Lee’s birthday.
@@minnaw1009 you could be right.
Creepy yes. Scary no. I really enjoyed this movie, but i will say i was longing for more (no pun intended)
Yeah, is more disturbing than other thing, but not that scare. Still a great fucking movie tho (since hereditary I believe nothing has came even close to scary yet..)
Ehh more tense then scary or creepy felt like a crime movie I didn’t enjoy it to be fair …everything was very obvious and they made it seem like it was going to be some crazy new horror movie but naw
It's boring and short and predictable
Longlegs reminds me so much of Him from Powerpuff girls! The way they sound, the androgyny, and the fact that they’re connected directly to the devil! I know Nick Cage said that he drew inspiration from his mother for the role, but I think it’s cool that I can also see Him in them.
This movie was so detailed and elaborate it helped set the mood for it.
One of the scariest movies i have ever seen.
I love that there’s no big significance to the title; the writer just thought it sounded cool. Not everything needs some deep multi-layered meaning! Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar.
I doubt this
@@christievanderlaan7575well the director said it himself so
But the entire filmed with the premise of things being just out of view due to this concept of longlegs. Lee is constantly and deliberately filmed in the center of the screen, so much so that when she leaves this inner frame it either cuts or she disappears behind a wall. The cover of the film depicts Lee reacting to something off screen, the term longlegs in general and how it's used in the film is to demonstrate how oblivious children are to things happening just out of their view which is something the director does commentate on significantly throughout the film.
@@MRHredsox5 I think he said that as a misdirection personally. There's just way too many subtle, meticulous details, both in this film and his other works, for there not to be at least some deliberation to everything.
His voice gave HIM from Powerpuff Girls 👹
You mean HIM?
@@98Dreadboy you are absolutely right lol 😂 let me edit that
I think there’s more to the last name Harker in the movie. “Hark” means to listen and in the Bible, angels are constantly telling people to “harken to my words”. There’s also the gospel song with the line “Hark! the heralds angel sing, Glory to the newborn king!” So what if the Harkers, along with Longlegs, were meant to bring the start or birth of a “newborn king” aka Satan? Maybe thinking too much into it? Just felt like there might’ve been more there
Harken = listening, and hark! = listen (vocative case). I think her name is about her ability to "listen" for signs, and ultimately, the devil. I think it's interesting that her mother told her to say her prayers, which she doesn't do, while her name (meaning "listen") is so accurate!
In the interrogation scene where they're watching from the TV, Longlegs even says "Harker! The herald angels sing"
They literally explain every single thing in the movie outside of it being absolutely ridiculous and not based in reality they literally tell you exactly what’s going on verbally at like the one hour and 20 mark
I wondered why the interrogation scene was just Lee and Long Legs. Unless it is because Long Legs asked for only Lee and Lee didn’t want anyone else in the room with him but it didn’t seem right or within procedure.
I'm happy as peaches that you brought this out!
Idk if anyone noticed but when she’s in the kitchen looking at the door that goes downstairs, you can see at the back door in the glass you can see the shadow of the devil in the window.
I noticed that too
A was a rocker and in the end, a headbanger. :D
My favorite part of everything is that they backwards masked “give this movie a good score on rotten tomatoes” into the movie…and the movie just happens to be absolutely killing it with critics 😂
Good job!! And your pronunciation and speed is perfect!
Great video!
One of the things I noticed that I haven't seen maybe people talking about was that during the scene where Harker is doing the psychic testing and they are asking for what words she associates with the objects shown on the screen quickly. There is an upside down triangle that is shown in which she associates with mother.
This I definitely think eludes to her mother being the accomplice.
I think this is a subtle item that people may not have picked up on, but made sense once the upside down triangle was shown.
What are your thoughts?
Wow good call.
I think she actually said father for the upside-down triangle. She said mother for the box; maybe the hint being about the boxes the dolls are delivered in? Or that her mom was “trapped” in her choice to help Longlegs?
She says father.
@@brueela She refers to the upside-down triangle as “father”, which I think is a subversion of the occult symbol since the inverted triangle symbolizes darkness/moon/feminine/ hidden aspects whereas the upright triangle symbolizes light/sun/masculine/apparent aspects. Since Longlegs/Satan - agents of darkness - are like the incidental father figures in her life, she subconsciously refers to that symbol as “father” (no doubt influenced heavily by the devil orb magic in her head).
Well done pal! You did a fantastic job of explaining the whole story. I have been to see it twice now and still had a few unanswered questions which you have explained. Really appreciate it 👍The more I watch and hear people talking about this movie, the more I think it will become known as a modern classic of the genre.
I grew up with Daddy longlegs all over my grandma’s house and never felt threatened so it makes sense lee would grow up with longlegs in her house but didnt feel threatened because of the influence of her doll or how they thought he staged all these deaths without ever leaving a trace of himself before they find out about the mom and the dolls
This film had a style and plot elements that were similar to the game Control. Things like the focus on the color red, the quick cuts to imagery, the psychic abilities, the FBI bureaucracy, and the metal balls that affect the world through sounds and resonance just like the main entities in Control. I could totally imagine Jesse Faden walking in and working this case alongside Lee Harker or following up on this case years later to track down the metal balls as an identified object of power.
I don't care what anyone says, this movie was a masterpiece
One thing that I’m still confused about is Lee’s mother being the proxy to get the families guard lowered. The Harker’s weren’t Longlegs first victims. How was he infiltrating the homes prior to his teaming up with Lee’s mother?
Her dad? That first guy in the opening scene? He wanted to die
@@chadwick336 I think in the movie it mentioned he was still able to infiltrate but it was much harder to convince people of accepting a gift from the church when you’re a creepy old dude vs. a gentle-looking nun. So the mother made his work significantly easier.
My theory is he is Lee’s father… daddy longlegs
I believe in the video they noted that her mother was the 7th helper. So he has done this to other women before, who beg to save their child and he makes them his helper.
@@TheCleanProphetYeah, it's not really explained, but it does seem she wasn't his first accomplice... Its hinted that he had multiple accomplices...
I am hard of hearing so I appreciate videos that discuss sound cues to which I am oblivious. Thanks!
Looking at all the details of this movie in hindsight make everything so clear and makes it that much better of a movie. I did have a lot of questions on the first watch, but I saw the movie a second time and everything makes so much sense. The little details are so so clever and the story is just incredible. Loved this movie so much, definitely one of the strongest horror movies we've been blessed with in a long long time.
I went to the movies to watch this and instantly fell asleep
My Man you need to have at least 100k subs this was one of the best explained videos I have watched in a while!!!!!!!!! These days "explained videos" are literally just retelling the movie they don't come close to the depth of your video!!! SUBBED
Where was it mentioned that longlegs was a rocker??? That explains so much of it for me! I was honestly taken out of the film when I finally saw a good look at Cage. That explains so much
in the marketing there was a website (made by NEON) that was used to discuss the murders (like a mystery blog in the realm of the world) and it would go through the details of the murder and stuff, at the bottom there are links you can download which turn into files. the names of the files can be decoded with the cryptic coder (people figured it out thoughout marketing) and it would open the files. some of these passwords and cryptic messages were lyrics from glam rock songs!! hope this helps :)
The posters on his wall are probably the strongest in-movie indication.
I feel like they kinda overhyped what Nicholas Cage’s character was gonna look like. When his face flashes on screen in the opening scene I had a way more demented version of what he looked like in my brain. But then his face gets shown in a way that felt kinda random, and the “fear” I felt around him kinda disappeared. He seemed way less scary once I actually saw his face. Not that he didn’t look and act creepy effectively, but I feel like it was underwhelming. That’s just me though
Does someone need to look scary to be scary?
no yeah me too! i was hoping there’d be a bit more unease in terms of his character design, but i got used to it pretty quickly
The movie repeatedly builds up events just to not resolve them, the movie itself has no resolution so I think the by playing up cages characters just for him to be average is another example of this
I think they did that on purpose. They wanted the audience to expect a horrifying monster, but he just ended up being a (somewhat) normal looking guy. I think they wanted to tie in how longlegs creeped into peoples lives because he *does* just look like a normal person. Like the director said in the interviews; they pulled somewhat of a “Se7en” to really push the narrative of a normal man committing heinous crimes. But yes, I too was expecting Nic to look a little more scary LOL
Marketing ruined that
At the end of the movie she tries to shoot the doll 3 times but it clicks three times. Cowboys can also be called "six shooters" because they carry around revolvers with six bullets (the same gun our hero had). click*6 click*6 click*6
One way the title might be interpreted as is in reference to the long term, maybe even generational, affects the parents’ actions have caused in pursuit of doing what they believed was the only way to protect their child. I love how versatile words can be. It’s beautiful