I think high expectations killed a lot of the enjoyment for people. I went in completely blind, didn’t even know Cage was in this; left absolutely wowed!
I think you nailed it for me. The hype and the comparison to Silence of the Lambs before I saw it set my expectations way off. I left feeling meh and thinking that part of the film was missing. The point part. This video was interesting but it didn't salvage the film for me. I think if the whole film is just a symbolic message then if I go back and watch it again one day it might click more. The ending left me feeling flat and Cage was good but like standard Cage good not great or new.
I went into this blind too and also didn’t know that it was a Nickolas cage movie. All I saw was the teaser, didn’t really give much info about it…and I still came out a bit disappointed…at least the cinematography was good
See, I agree with your take, but I also disagree. I think that's the case for most people that watched this movie, and yet I got a good bit spoiled (despite avoiding spoilers) and I fucking loved it. Maybe it's just one of those "right up my alley" situations, but this is currently my movie of the year.
Same. I spent the prior six months out in the countryside, basically unplugged, and didn’t hear any of the hype. So I wasn’t disappointed. I was happy as Peaches.
As someone who is a horror film fanatic and has seen this a number of times, I find it hard to understand why you people are writing this film off as not scary or boring?! Maybe in order for a horror film to be scary these days they need cheap jump-scares. I remember seeing Hereditary at the cinema and was baffled by others there calling it boring. Yet I think Longlegs and Hereditary are two shining examples of movies done right!
I think hereditary is a much better film than this. Hereditary has better writing in the sense that it provides you with all the clues and answers to your questions in the actual film, while Longlegs sends almost everyone I've talked to to "explained" videos like this one which in turn all say differing things about the film. I think they're both scary films, but one is a good film and the other is more of a meticulously crafted puzzle that requires some homework. A good screenplay should contain the answers to the questions it asks unless the questions draw upon common knowledge, can be answered with an average level of reasoning capabilities, or asks us to ruminate on the nature of the themes. I also just find devil possession to be extremely stale at this point. It's the same feeling as the stakes being "the world will end". Hereditary drew a lot on emotion and relationships so we could really vicariously feel the pain of the characters and sympathize with them, whereas longlegs has very little characterization of the people therein with almost every performance being pretty emotionless and we are more told than shown what everyone is feeling or thinking. I'm probably going to eventually end up liking this film more and more as I watch it again, but sending me off to do homework is annoying.
10000% cheap jump scares are weightless. This film was beautiful and uneasy dread the entire time. People’s attention spans have become crippled with social media and scrolling, they can’t sink into something like this. Also agree, Hereditary is one of my favs.
Another thing, the families welcomed the nun in the home. If they never welcomed the nun in, the devil wouldn’t be able to do anything. Deceit, a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
I was wondering about that, because Longlegs had to force Lee’s doll into her own home by forcing the mother to work for him basically, he was in no way welcome. But then he mentioned the Seventh She so maybe he’s had accomplices off and on before? Because his first victim was not Lee when she was 9.
@@JediJuniper92 His first victim was the Camera family, of which only Carrie Anne survived. She was his first helper. Then he forced his way into the Harker family home, from then on, Mama Harker was his helper too
I think Longlegs is Lee's actual father. There are too many clues for this to not be the case. The most obvious are the following: the word association exercise that Lee does near the start of the film. She is asked to say the first word she thinks of when she's shown specific images. When she sees an inverted triangle, she says 'father'. The inverted triangle is linked to Longlegs. Staying with word association, what's the first word you think of when you hear the word 'longlegs'? I'm betting most people would say 'daddy'. The title of the film is literally telling us that he's her dad. I haven't worked out how yet, but my theory is either that her mother's story was a lie and that she always knew who Longlegs was when he came to the house and just pretended not to know him in front of Lee Or, she genuinely didn't know who he was (perhaps she had Lee from an unknown father/was the victim of a assault that led to a baby), and the reason Longlegs came to that house was that he was specifically looking for his daughter - Lee.
Man, I thought the same thing. But I came to that conclusion because the pattern father - mother - daughter always repeated itself, with the sole exception of Harker. And the fact that she was born in 14th pointed all the victims to her.
I think the serial killer is called "Longlegs" because Satan is a serpent, and serpent's don't have legs to walk the earth. In the beginning of the movie, the killer states that he put on his long legs. It's actually Satan speaking through him and referring to the killer who will walk the talk for him.
I watched this the other night and loved it. The cinematography was absolutely beautiful. I loved the details hidden in each scene. I also love a good, slow burn horror film. For me it was more disturbing than anything but that just made it even better for me. It's a film that stuck with me long after it was over.
Thought the movie was great. I don’t understand the fiery opposition (other than the fact it wasn’t another Blumhouse jump scare fest.) I thought the pacing and the main conflict were great. The overarching themes feeling to me like generational trauma and the concepts of destiny. Nicholas Cage was a freak show in a great way.
Yeah, same. I think this is one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a while. I think the disappointment and dislike from some circles has more to do with (A) The idea that scary movies or horror can only ever be being startled or jump scared. (B) That the marketing for the film was so good that it convinced a lot of people that this was going to be the most terrifying movie of all time which inevitably set expectations too high. I also didn’t get the hate for the ending because, as far as I saw, it did make sense in the context of the film’s narrative. It was somewhat rushed but when I heard spoiler free reviews talking about how bad the ending was I expected something completely nonsensical and it wasn’t.
@@seanbinkley7363Fr bro, plus there were jump scares in the movie too, but they weren’t overdone. I think this movie shows a good example of how to do jump scares right because it doesn’t rely on them for the horror, the horror comes from the build up of tension itself
@@gavincrossley2346 how would you have done it then? In my view it’s like an evil golem, or a new form of voodoo doll. I think in Longlegs’ desire to usher in the apocalypse he is mocking G-d by doing creator like things, making “beautiful” things to mock G-d.
@@gavincrossley2346 what makes you say that? I think from the time the dolls are introduced to when we find out what they’re used for (possessions) is well done and we’ll paced, tho I will say the pacing of the movie in general was kinda drawn out and slow for my taste, but I think that was done intentionally
I feel like all those deep video essays are written by chatgpt. The guy says square is a symbol of completeness, contradicting all the Greek and European thought, which always prescribed completeness to circle
Would a chatbot get the circle of completeness wrong though? Sounds like human error. but having somebody define “symbol“ and use “fact“ rather than “thing“ did seem incredibly odd
It’s a deeper esoteric meaning to the square. “You must square the circle to be complete” This has to do with ancient religions like Saturn worship, Freemasons, etc. there’s a ton of satanic symbolism in this movie if you know what you’re looking for but imagine a circle in a square and square in a circle. Also a hexagon is a 2d representation of a cube which is a symbol of Saturn/satan
Just got out of the theatre. The film confused me… as a literature major, I’m not sure how much of that is due to GOOD writing (works that is intentionally misleading, abstract, and vague) and how much is due to BAD writing (plot holes, hypocritical events, and so on). If someone could help clear up a few questions, I’d love to hear your thoughts! 1. Why would Satan *want* Longlegs to be caught? If the force of Satan was working through our main character, then why would it actively choose to show her enough to lead to the capture of Longlegs and to the end of his cult of killings? At some points in the film, yes, Satan’s essence blinds her from truth. But at other points, it seems to bring her closer to discovering it. It’s a bit vague (perhaps intentionally so), but it seems a bit contradictory. 2. Why would (or HOW could) the mom shoot the doll of the main character? We see that the mom, who is very clearly under the influence of Satan, kill an FBI agent then shoot the doll of her daughter, freeing her from Satan. Later, however, when our main character tries to do this to another doll at the movie’s end, Satan seems to prevent her from doing so… So… why? Why does Satan allow our protagonist’s doll to be shot and her spirit freed, but not the other young girl’s? If the mother, who was clearly being controlled by Satan, could shoot it, why couldn’t the protagonist? As I write these questions down, I think I see my main issue with the film. When it comes to vague and softly defined magic systems in writing, such as the spiritual or occult arts, it’s hard to have any sort of reason behind why some things work and other things don’t. It just… does. Or doesn’t. To me, that sort of writing hurts a film, as if the film is shrugging its shoulder and saying, “This happens just because.” It’s not convincing to me given the worldbuilding we’re shown. Are the characters fighting internally against the devil? Is there some form of spiritual warfare against the devil at play? Who knows? It’s just… vague. And it tends to take me out of the experience.
From what the director said about the movie, it sounds like the pivotal point is Lee shooting her mother in the head. That in some sense, that's what the whole movie is about, which should answer both questions. Satan allows Longlegs to be caught as a sort of chess move to move Lee to her own tragic actions. He also allows her to be freed from his direct influence (her mother shooting the doll) so that when she finally commits patricide, its an act of her own freewill, making it a hundred times worse than if he were simply controlling her like a puppet (or doll). This kind of shows two ways of how the devil could (conceivably) work in the world. One being through direct influence IE possession. And the other through manipulation of circumstances. It is all very vague in the movie and I get why that can be frustrating for people, especially writers who have to be especially keen to more nuanced plot mechanics. But I think the vagueness of this (much like in the movie, Hereditary) gives this sort of feeling that you can never really, fully understand all of the mechanisms that lead to tragedy and evil. That the devil (or whatever you want to call it) moves beyond our sight and comprehension. It isn't satisfying if you're a reader or viewer trying to solve the mysteries of a story, but it is in fact how we experience reality. Even in the Book of Job, God allows the devil to run rampant in Job's life and essentially burn it to the ground. And when God is asked how he could let that happen, instead of giving some feel-good answer like "everything will work out in the end" or "so you can turn tragedy into triumph" all we get is God basically saying, "Who are you to ask that?" It's an extremely uncomfortable and unsatisfying answer, but it's the truest answer in terms of how we experience the world. Bad things happen. We don't know why. You can pray all you want and make sacrifices and everything but there are no guarantees when it comes to loss and hardship. The world can't always be bargained with and the complex machinations of evil can't always be understood.
@@justinluther2924Amazing explanation. I just saw this yesterday and was blown away. I think the ending also vaguely alludes to Satan now still having control on Lee’s partners daughter through all of these actions despite Lee thinking she’s saved her. A very indescribable feeling that this movies leaves its viewers with
I feel like this review fails to explain so much of the film... Like why did he choose that name? Does he always visit the child first? How long has he been doing this? Why did it start? If the person has to let in the one to do it, then how come he just broke into the MCs house? How was he able to sneek in to places, considering he could bearly move? If he never went in himself, then who put the letters? How did the mom not leave any hair, fingerprint or evidence left? So many questions...
I would say he did a good job for what the film showed- its a review and analysis of the film and just like your valid questions, the UA-cam may not know all the answers and you can't expect him to
It’s ambiguous. Some of these are trivial questions or just not needed to be answered. Use your imagination. Not everything needs to be spoon fed especially in a movie that does a lot of self explaining already. Why would it matter if he always met the kids first or not? How does knowing why he picked the name long legs advance the plot in anyway? He’s obviously been committing these crimes for a long time…since the main character was a child. Long enough for it to be a big deal that he hasn’t been caught up to this point. It started because the main character is a devil worshipper. Crazy people are just crazy they don’t have good motives for doing what they do other than that they are doing what they think they should. That’s like asking why Charles Manson started a cult and started killing people. Well because he was crazy and wanted to. He didn’t break into the MC’s house. He met her outside and her mom saw what was happening and came out to assess the situation. After that he took advantage of the mom and turned her into his accomplice otherwise he would have killed both of them. The mom agreed to help and let him use their basement to hide. What places did he sneak into? The letters placed by the mom, again, she was helping him. They even show the mom leaving the letters. The mom was in a full outfit with a hood that covered her hair. Not sure the technical name for that kind of outfit. She also never touched anything in the house and had no prior criminal record as far as the audience is led to believe so even if they found fingerprints she would not pop up in a database.
@calistagarcia201 Um, it's literally supposed to be a video that is explaining the movie 🤣 Most of those questions can be answered, just need to study the movie. Which again is the whole point if your going to make video telling people, you are going to explain the movie...
@tristans_ You seem to misunderstand. It's not about answering those questions in the comments. It's about how the video us suppose to dive in to explaining questions like that. I'm just providing examples. And just to give you one example, one video suggested that he says "I wore my long legs today", as a reference to Satan being in a human form instead of his snake form, hence "he wore his long legs". There are many other examples of how dialogue, the symbols used and their meaning all add to the explanation of the movie. This video just failed to more research and studying of the movie, so that he can truly "explain" the film.
@@MisaelMatute76 i completely understand, you are not intelligent enough to figure out the movie by yourself and are angry someone else can't fully explain your wants to "study" the movie. He studied the video while you watch him. Its not that hard to study a movie by watching it- sorry not sorry gurly but you are stressing over something you really can figure out by yourself
If they didn’t explain the entire plot at the end I would’ve enjoyed this more. It was like a UA-cam video just started playing explaining the movie I just watched.
They kinda did that through out the entire film. They just gave you the answer.. The letters were figured out off camara and supposedly lead to the farm. Would have been cooler to see all the letters and as an audience pick up on the clues. Same with the inverse triangle, among other things...
@@MattMarcosI’m confused by this. It was clearly shown to us that Long Legs wanted her to find the letters when he gives her the birthday card and she’s able to decipher it. That gave her a lot of the alphabet from there it’s just a matter of filling in the words on other letters to make sense. They checked the farm because the little girl in the mental institution had a connection to that place and was clearly being used by long legs which they figured out. All the other victims birthdays gave them the triangle though.
To me, Longlegs is a perfect example of nihilist horror. It’s a film that really makes you think, which might be why some people and critics didn’t quite get it and ended up dismissing it. At its heart, the movie uses the classic battle between good and evil as a backdrop to explore this heavy sense of cosmic pessimism. It reminds me a lot of Eugene Thacker’s book In the Dust of This Planet, which talks about how horror lets us confront the limits of our understanding and face the vast, uncaring universe. Longlegs captures this idea so well, making us question whether life has any real purpose at all. This theme is really brought home in the scene where Lee’s mother tells her that God doesn’t answer prayers and that we’re basically on our own because the universe just doesn’t care. Then there’s the whole morally complex situation with Lee’s mother. Even though she does something awful by helping with Long Legs’ magic, she’s clearly trying to protect her daughter. It’s a desperate, messed-up choice made in a world that doesn’t care about right or wrong, just survival. This adds a lot of depth to the film and really drives home its message about the indifferent nature of the universe. Sometimes, surviving means making impossible choices that blur the lines between good and evil. By focusing on these existential horrors, Longlegs gives us a powerful look at the human condition. For anyone who enjoys diving into philosophical themes, this film is definitely worth watching.
I generally agree with your analysis .. but imo and from my experience, the universe is not indifferent, but dispassionate and dispassion is ‘love’ in its purest form. Its a love that holds a type of grace which will allow you your own free choice, rather than postulating and predetermining your actions. Its a love that allows you to be free and sovereign. To an undeveloped consciousness that is still experiencing its existance in duality, this position will appear as nihilism, as proof of God’s non-existance, whereas the alleged absence of God is the actual proof for ‘his’ existance.
Coming from someone who loves cerebral, arthouse horror with lots of ambiguity, this movie still did nothing for me. It over-explains its plot, and yet I still have no idea what the point was. Nic Cage was scary, but he was barely in the movie. I want to like it so much but I just don't get what it was going for.
It was all about inevitability of evil. A woman listened to the snake and did horrendous massacre for the sake of good as she saw it. For the life of her child.
I think it's just a matter of style over substance. They were so busy crafting atmosphere and themes they forgot to do a couple more passes on the actual script. In the end it's "Satan worshipper does effed up stuff to people because Satan is gonna Satan. Also, Satan wins in the end. Hail Satan."
Listened to this video on my way home from the theater after seeing long legs, very well done and really makes me appreciate the work that was put into making this film even more. Had me walking to the car with a true sense of heaviness that so many recent horror films just don’t capture.
There is really underviewed concept of “satanic panic” which was really prominent in the USA during 80s and 90s. The whole concept is very interesting and leaves a perfect setting for plot to play out in. The setting is a nice fit since there’s no widespread cctv cameras, computers and other technological advances that would help solve cases easier, so that lack of broader picture leaves a bit of a dark shroud over what is happening. Oh and old station wagons overall are a vibe
Not really, you’ve just been conditioned to associate it with serial killers. Those killers still exist today, they just don’t often turn into serial killers because they’re caught and imprisoned before they can thanks to forensics and the police state presence
When I watched it for the first time, I ate an edible and the movie tripped me out, I was definitely freaked out. I enjoyed the movie, the atmospheric sounds and imagery, creates an ominous and uneasy atmosphere, the story was great, the characters well written and the acting really brought them to life! This movie beats other so called scary movies (quiet place: day one) and idk what other “horror” movies have come out this year (so far) but this is a true horror, paranormal horror!
I want to commend the marketing team for Longlegs for putting lipstick on this pig and suckering me into dropping my cash to actually go to a theater to see a film. Shame on me. The opening hook was great with the aspect ratio set to a home movie from the 70's. Creepy and I had such high hopes. That was about as good as I got for me. Issues you might ask? Let's delve into them. First, our protagonist Lee Harker is introduced to us as a person who has a unique psychic power (after the hook showing her as a little girl). They develop this by allowing her to find a serial killer in a neighborhood of cookie cutter suburban homes. Fine. The door opens and the FBI agent gets shot immediately (nice jump scare with the theater sound) and she enters what is a very creepy situation with plastic all over the walls. Of course, no call for backup and no one knows where they are (this will be a constant theme throughout the film). She enters the house (all 110 pounds of her) and the serial killer who just SHOT her partner is just sitting on a bed waiting to be arrested by her. What the hell was that? He kills an agent upon first sight at the door and then basically gives up without a fight. They don't show her arresting him beyond "don't move" because the entire situation is absolutely ludicrous. This big serial killer with a gun who just shot an FBI agent is going to just allow himself to be handcuffed and put away for life? So begins the many plot holes in this film. Then, she gets promoted on her ability to predict numbers right (she says she is 50% psychic) and off we go. That psychic power allows her to figure out how to decipher the code for Longleg's mysterious letters going back 20 years. Okay, no problem with that (despite the fact that a knock on her door late at night prompted her to go walking through the woods and leave her front door open, thus allowing the killer to drop a letter off on her desk - no one would do that). She used a little of Dante’s “circles of hell” and combined that with her psychic powers and knowledge of the Book of Revelation to crack the code. She figured out the ciphers and I got interested again, but what did the code reveal to all of us? Nothing. The dude has 20 years of letters and we learn absolutely nothing from any of them. Her boss barely even cares. So, at that point I was like the Zodiac connection is done and Fincher's film is far superior in every way, but I shall continue because this film STEALS ideas from a bunch of other superior films and then pretends to be unique. Oh, the psychic powers don't matter anymore by the way. They are useless. She's pretty much a detective from that point forward and all the character development we have witnessed is irrelevant. I also find the scene where she brings her drunk FBI boss home very late at night comical. He invites her in (no one would do that as it is nearly midnight) and then she ends up sitting in the daughter's room (WTF), not talking, and the daughter is so smitten with this female agent who clearly is socially awkward that she invites her to her birthday party. I also turned to my wife and told her how the film would end at that point, especially when the daughter references a "head missing" from one of her trophies on her desk. I knew we would be right back in that house and someone was getting a head cut off. It was foreshadowing, but the entire premise was stupid. I guarantee if you were a little girl and some weird agent came into your room around midnight that you did not know, you would hardly invite her to your birthday party, especially if she DID NOT TALK and she looked at the wall away from you the entire time. You would probably run to your parents' room screaming with fear. Moving on. There are a few things we don't really understand and they are never explained to us: Why is her mom a hoarder? Why did she never question a wall with like 50 keys on it and door locked in her own home (this had to have started when she was 9, right?)? Why is the killer called Longlegs? Where did that nickname come from? What is the ritual or background of the steel balls in the doll's head? What prompted him to start killing families? Who is the world called the FBI and allowed them to capture Longlegs in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road? The evil plan itself makes little sense. The weird nun arriving at your house with a ridiculous box saying you have "won a prize" from the church and “Can I come in?” is the most lame plan to sneak into people's homes I have ever heard. Sorry. If a nun shows up on my porch with a 4 foot box, I am telling her 'God bless... Go away" instead of inviting her in, especially because Harker's mother is so damn bizarre anyway. We get creepy scenes of Nicolas Cage building dolls that look exactly like the killer in Silence of the Lambs (better movie). Cage was most definitely unhinged and if it were not for him, no one would even go see this movie. Back to stealing movie scenes... So we get the whole "the killer wants to be caught" moment just like Se7en, Skyfall, and The Dark Knight (oh, and the VHS pause of Longlegs singing “Happy Birthday” in the most creepy moment so he can remain on the screen behind them while talking is right out of The Dark Knight). Our agent then goes, by herself, without telling anyone, to an unguarded and unwatched room with the biggest killer they have been seeking for 20 years in there, and we get our one on one moment. Who the hell believes that no one would be at the door, no one would be watching him 24-7, and that this agent would just walk in there? But, I digress. They have the conversation that we all have seen before in Se7en, The Dark Knight, The Little Things, and many others. The cop/agent and the serial killer across the table from each other. The killer “knows things” about the agent and so forth. Then Longlegs says, "Hail Satan" and bashes his head in. Well, let's explore the prior scene a bit. He was caught by standing on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with two suitcases. I was intrigued here with "What is in those two suitcases he packed? A critical clue? Something that will change the course of the film?" - NOPE. They comment that he had "Satanic sh-t" in there. Wow, what kind of lazy plot development is that? So, he kills himself but says he will be everywhere after doing it (kind of Star Wars moment - strike me down Darth and I will be more powerful than you can imagine). So, Harker realizes her mother is involved. The other female agent goes with her to investigate. What about her boss? The guy who decided to go to the farmhouse two hours away in the middle of the night because it was a new clue? No. He does not go out there to investigate. Why? He has to stay home and kill his family at the end. Oh, and this whole God vs Satan and let's destroy families and children in a war against God idea comes straight from... Prisoners. Another vastly superior movie. Let's cut to the chase. The lady agent gets killed. Once again our protagonist does not call anyone for backup, help, or to let them know a single thing. This has been the MO the entire film. She wakes up in the house and then realizes that her mother is headed to her boss' house. Does she call anyone? NO. Does she call her boss to warn him? NO. She drives in the killer's car (stored at her mom's house) as fast as she can and then screams (trying to create a parallel scene with Longleg's earlier) and arrives at the house. When she shows up, does she call anyone at that point (knowing there will be bloodshed)? Hell no. Let's just sit here while people are hypnotized by a doll (we still don't know the background of how those dolls came to be or even how that steel ball thing works or is created - a ritual? WTF - nothing). Thus ends the film with supposedly a shocking moment as Nic Cage appears smiling with another "Hail Satan" moment tossed in, after he is dead already. So, aren't we clever? The cinematography was great. The sound was great. But I did not buy any of it. I wanted to like this film too. It’s rare to be bored and at the same time rolling one’s eyes during a horror film, but this one achieved that level for me.
Exactly what I was thinking. The marketing was great and left me disappointed. Long legs was not scary at all. Seeing nick cage in white makeup saying cuckoo cuckoo made me laugh/cringe at how unscary it was. I thought the acting was lackluster at some points. The lines they gave that girl working the cash register were dumb. Agent harker was definitely acoustic. This film had so much potential but was trying way to hard to be something super mysterious and I deadass fell asleep in the theater watching this one
You expressed my thoughts exactly. But I'm not sure she deciphered his messages. Didn't he give her a birthday card with the complete key to his code? That he told her not to share with the FBI?
Idk if you know this bro, but not every single thing in a film needs to be spoon fed to you. If you can’t come up with your own answers and interpretations then that’s a you problem, not the film’s. Why you even HAVE to know why the mom’s a hoarder is just so weird. It’s clearly just a detail into her characterization. But the thing is, people who make films leave a lot of what’s on the screen open to the audience’s interpretation. You don’t need to have an answer, because you’re supposed to have your own original thoughts.
I wish I was a Christian so I would actually be scared by the mere concept of the devil. like this was a fun movie to watch but there is absolutely nothing scary about it. I can't with "ooooohhh the devil! aren't you scared of the devil????" movies anymore I'm so tired
Christians aren't scared like that either. This movie simply sucked. It wasn't scary, it wasn't deep, and people praising it so much and calling it scary is perpetuating "oooooh satan so scary".... super lame imo and I love Nicolas Cage.
@@jojoeljefe i feel you but there’s no reason i should be halfway through the video and have no further understanding of the film bc we’re going over basic topics present in almost every movie ever made
@jojoeljefe That's like explaining what numbers are when teaching calculus though... We all know what symbolism is. We wanted to know the examples and meaning of them in the film..
What I don't understand is why Longlegs went after the harter family. He always went for families of 3: Father, mother and daughter. But Lee lived alone with her mom and Longlegs would've known that because he was already watching them.
To paraphrase a bible verse. "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" The devil is a chaotic entity that masterminds these horrible scenarios, and loves to be in the front row as he watches his well orchestrated machinations play out. It's entirely possible that the devil just randomly picked the harpers from the beginning and orchestrated the rest of the evens that followed to all lead up to where the movie ends.
maybe this is a reference to the serpent in the garden of eden - the serpent was able to tempt eve when adam was gone and so maybe it was her vulnerability / not having a third family member (male especially) that made him think she would agree to be his accomplice?
From what i gathered, longlegs was meant to be the “father figure” in their family due to them being the 7th family. In spiritual/ biblical meaning 7 is the number of completion.
I thought I had to do with their last name harker coming from the word harken meaning to listen carefully since the mom had to do whatever long legs said...idk lol
The devil convinces or persuades people to sin aka do evil acts that go against god, he doesn’t do his bidding himself, therefore he sent long legs as a human who praises him to go do his bidding for him. the point of the killings is to spread sin on the earth, that’s how satan grows stronger. there’s no deeper meaning behind those itself other than they are evil acts and it makes satan strong. the point of the dolls were to leak some of the devils aura and strength into the households, kind of like letting in a demon, and possessing the girls so they were blind to any of the acts and forgot them, as well as making the fathers into killers. The “point” of the devil wasn’t explained, it’s something you’d have to know from christianity or the bible, but the latter half about the dolls was definitely explained at the end of the movie.
IMO the devil is just functioning here as a shortcut to conveying the concept of fundamental evil, from which there is no father figure who can actually protect us.
I feel like this movie was meant to make you more uncomfortable then scared. For me it nailed that part. I left the movie theater feeling so uncomfortable. As if someone had dunked me in water and I was walking around in wet clothes
This was perhaps the scariest horror movie I've ever seen, and that's coming from a person who found "The Ring" more silly than scary. The success of the horror lay in the slow revelation of the reasons the main character seemed so afraid of everything around her. It also lay in her complete lack of relief from her fears (and thus the complete lack of relief for us, the audience). I know little about the mythology surrounding Satan or the occult, so I missed the references the analyst described in the video. I think some sort of commentary about the U.S.'s place in the world was going on, too. A few specific things to point to in that regard: 1.) The audience is constantly being treated to a large, framed picture of Bill Clinton in the FBI office. Of course, it's the FBI office, and it's meant to remind us that most of the story is set in the 1990s. But that picture shows up so many times that Bill Clinton's face becomes creepy. 2.) There's a very specific focus on *white houses* as scenes of crime. 3.) At the climactic birthday party of Carter's daughter, we hear the very obscure song from 1966, "The Happy Song," sung by Glenn Close (yes! that Glenn Close!) from her time with the singing and dancing patriotism cult "Up With People." This group sent young people all over the world to promote a cheery version of American patriotism (and performed in Superbowl halftime shows up into the early 1990s). 4.) And most of all, there's the idea of killing other people's children to keep your own children safe. How can anyone who grew up during the "War on Terror" not think of the drone strikes in South Waziristan and such? Overall, I think this film is a bit like one by David Lynch. It's not really meant to have a single, discernible meaning. It's meant, instead, to conjure up all sorts of thoughts, not all of which can be analyzed clearly in a single whole.
I’m still reeling from the whole 1960s Glen Close thing… I thought there was a particularly heavy 1970s rural American feel to it. Even though most of it took place in the 90s, it did not look or feel like the 90s. It continued to look like the 70s. With the exception, of course, with that terrifying picture of young Bill Clinton.
@@Saffron-sugar That's true about the 1990s being stuck in a 1970s style. I chalked this up to "rural America" being a bit behind, but even the FBI office looked like it was in the 70s, I suppose. Lee's mother's fashion choices during the alleged 1970s also appear stuck in the 1910s, and I noticed that her neighbors also looked as if they were living in a different era (either that or that they were Mennonites of some kind).
Everything this movie was trying to do, and the message it was trying to bring. I felt that the movie Prisoners did MUCH better. I think the use of Gnostic under tones, using the inverted Triangle could have been expanded upon than just using it as a “satanic symbol” when it isn’t totally. It’s just to define the masculine in the occult. It doesn’t even completely define “sulfur” which is more symbolic of Hell.
You give this film a lot of credit. I don’t think it’s as deep as we want it to be. As a general rule, it’s best to avoid naming Satan in a satanic horror movie, and the end montage was unnecessary.
The fact that you were able to pull so much interesting points out of this film (which existed but we're not appreciated by the audience) is testament to the horrible WRITING in the movie. I walked out of the theater praising the cinematography, the sound effects and the general story. But the writing was so poor, the characters came across as 1-dimensional, the pacing was dreadful for the protagonist, there was a lot of missed opportunities by the director to make this concept a truly astounding film on all fronts...clearly the content is there, because you extracted it beautifully in this video... Oh man. I wish.
for a second I was super mad at people who left the room in the middle of the movie .....but then i realized that they dont deserve to watch or be able to like such a good film
People who are so successfully marketed to aren't exactly the ones who take the most accurate or deep meaning from a piece of media that may especially have anything to do with good or evil as entities themselves, not played by an actor Edit. This film is not underwhelming or over hyped
@@user-gg3qq8cq5g i never mentioned that its meaning is poor or that I do not understand it, I consume this kind of media regularly, I just meant it in the fear factor way, the trailers were much more tense fear wise, the storyline was great just the movie itself wasn't that scary :)
I'm gonna be random. Has anyone sceen Legally Blonde? This movie was written and directed by the tall nerd who gets slapped by Reese Witherspoon. I have no idea why that fact kinda blows my mind...but it does.
@@Freemasonshair For me, the moment when I gave up on the movie was when longlegs was apparently in her house, left her a note, and she didnt even call her boss or any sort of backup/police to her house. Like THERES A SERIAL KILLER IN THE HOUSE!!!!! UGHHH.
its definitely overhyped...people are easy to be drawn with by solid marketing.. luckily the movie indeed incorporated demonic aspect into it, instead most serial murderers are just trying to please satan and him give no shit
@@emmanuelsalas5298did you forget that she's also possessed???? She had that doll and it's implied that her "psychic" power came from the doll (and by extension, the man downstairs)
Fantastic movie. Didn't quite know what to expect going in, heard a lot of hype, but it stands out in the wonderful world of horror. I don't find it particularly scary but it's dark and taps into a creepy place. Gotta watch it again
@@controloz3310it's wild how split everyone is on this movie! I was not a fan and am struggling to see what anyone liked about it, but then it seems like half of other viewers feel the exact opposite 😂
Great video. You didn't mention a thing I've noticed. In the scene at Carter's house, Ruth has her left hand dirty, while the right is clean. I think it means that she's doing the devil's work.
when he has the mom tied up he says “You could have been rich with me” Longlegs is either the Father himself, meeting Lees mom when he was in a band or something, found out he had a daughter and wanted to sacrifice her or something, then instead the mom comes up with the idea of helping him instead , she says “ the devil wanted him for himself but i couldn’t allow that to happen” or something 🤷🏻
I’m a sucker for anything horror and I’ve seen my good share of disturbing movies. Although this film isn’t insanely disturbing compared to other films out there, I really enjoyed it, it had my attention from the start. The only thing I’d change is maybe the ending, I felt like it needed extra time towards the ending. I should mention that I was stoned while watching this film, it was great.
You’re such a great, thoughtful commentator. This is the most profound analysis of the film I’ve seen so far. That said, a very strong thematic element that I’m puzzled I haven’t seen anyone explore is that of fathers, both literal and figurative. The individual ostensibly responsible for the protection of these families, the father, is being made into their killer. The name itself, Longlegs, underlines the theme: it’s the sort of childish nickname a young girl might very well give her father. Likewise, the opening of the movie (one of the most effective horror movie scenes I’ve ever seen, incidentally) is filmed at the sort of extremely low angle a child looking at her father would see. The symbolism of supposedly benevolent guardian father figures who are either helpless to protect their charges or dangerous themselves abounds. The one that leaps most readily to mind for me is Blair Underwood filling the screen literally and figuratively, a towering father figure to Lee who ends up being the final killer. Behind his desk is a picture of then President Clinton, a common enough sight in the offices of highly ranked officials in these sorts of movies, but also off center and just over his shoulder in order to both draw attention to its presence and echo the later shot of Longlegs’ frozen image doing the same, mouth open like he’s about to bite into him.
I think we all just thought we were gonna get a nic cage slasher, I just wasn’t fond of the whole idea of “possessing metal balls he puts in the dolls head that puts the family in a trance”
I think that the film feels so absurd/bizarre is because its an image of hell: utterly pointless, repetitive selfdestructive patterns, that are always predictable but we can never comprehend fully at all. Truly one masterpiece riff on Genesis 3, and the image of the deceptive serpent inducing mankind to destruct itself.
Good video, interesting concepts explained here too. I just watched this earlier at the cinema with my friend. We were both suitably impressed. I loved the look of this film and the sound design just induced dread and unease throughout. And my boy Cage made my blood run cold! "Mommyyyyyyyyy, Daddyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Save meeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" 😬
I was hoping you'd cover this!! Plus you can never go wrong with a Nick Cage movie 😅 I'm not sure if you're open to suggestions for videos, but I would love to hear your thoughts on Mandy, or Possum!
I adored the analog horror aspects of it it. It made me smile the whole time. Also, everyone did a great job especially Nick Cage. He was hilarious and scary.
Remember when they found that family that was murdered. They said they had been dead a month….then they show their cat? Ow did he survive the month without food or water?
Going on vacation they probably left plenty of food and water... failing that... well cats have a way of surviving when their owners die at home that they tend to do. It almost certainly wasn't in the cage the entire time but was put there by the police
In the first scene he talks to a child , we are seeing not all of his face until he says" Oh, I put my longlegs on today" and gets in his knees to be in the same height as the kid.
I didn't know this as a horror movie before seeing it. I just knew it was a crazy movie with Nicolas Cage. That's all I knew. That's all I needed to know. I was very pleased by the end. As it was revealed that this was an origin story and we're getting more I got real giddy. That felt like how it must've felt the night A Nightmare On Elm Street came out and everyone thought it was over then BOOM 💥 "HE'S NOT DEAD!!?? OH MAN! 😮 I CAN'T WAIT FOR PART TWO!" Long live Longlegs!! 🎉 Everyone has been wondering when all the remakes would give way to new original stories. This is it.
Really enjoyed the movie and will absolutely watch it again, but when I recommend it to friends the first thing I make sure to say is "Just be aware that this movie isn't horror, and not particularly scary. It's a suspense crime thriller with extras." I don't recall if the movie had jump scares--which I hate, so I feel like I would remember that, easiest way to turn a good movie into trash--but I don't otherwise recall any scenes that stuck with me as particularly horrifying either. Want to set expectations in the right place.
100% agree. While I think while the marketing for the movie was good., it really should not have been billed as horror flick. While sure it has some scary elements, it's more of a dark crime drama with some supernatural elements
This movie was so weird and uncomfortable and strange and had me thinking wtf is happening why are they acting that way, is it also a comedy or no its not.... but in a good way. Very original type of movie, not like others nowadays. Felt very uncomfortable and eerie the whole movie and was questioning everything the whole time
I loved the deep dive into the philosophical aspects of religious themes. I think this film deals with religious themes and subject matter in a very non-judgemental way. The ambiguity of good and evil, and how Lee's mother who was traditionally religious (worshipping God) was forced to commit acts that would result in them having to worship Satan because of their initial religious views. Religion can be used for both good and evil purposes. In fact, in some traditions Satan was banished to rule the underworld because of their love for God. Also, the upside down cross is a part of the religious tradition's history. What is upside down or rightside up can be a relative matter, good and evil, etc.
Basically, the movie is not fully explainable unless you acknowledge the forces (powers of effect) of evil as an entity. The characters act out their resolution. But the viewer who anticipates hard-core evidence in common form may not find resolve within any part of its working or telling
Kind of a mess narratively. Lots of themes and ideas but not structured in an engaging and thought provoking way. That being said, this movie looks fucking amazing.
Loved the movie. The cinematography was amazing. And the lack of a cheesy horror soundtrack made it that much more tense. The movie is different and bizarre and feels refreshing
Ok. So for some reason I thought it was a good idea to see this right after I got off work. I thought spending money would make me stay awake to watch this movie. Um, no. I kept falling asleep and waking up. So thanx for explaining.
Went in expecting another unrealistic female protagonist that saves the day. Could not have been more pleasantly surprised with Makia Monroe's performance. She crafted a character throughout that fit perfectly with the sense of dread the rest of the movie portrayed. Really well done IMO
I’m so surprised by the comments saying this movie isn’t scary. This was straight up satanic. Again, highlighting the spiritual warfare that is happening. I’m a fan of horror films but wow this movie did not set will with me.
I appreciate the effort but the over intelectualization of this film and what happens in it is exactly why a lot of people are dissapointed once they see it... see the movie but it has its flaws.
Haven’t been able to stop thinking of this film Also who was the guy that killed her partner at the beginning? I very much enjoyed the film but tbh i wish he was an actual killer instead of just the dollmaker, as much as i liked the movie i do wish it was grounded without the supernatural elements, i feel it could have been better if Longlegs was the actual killer, i thought of a fucked up reason they could of called him Longlegs, so he would kill the family and then cut off the legs of the daughter and sew the legs of whoever was the tallest in the family onto the stumps of the daughter (i chose the daughter because it seems that Longlegs had a weird preference to the daughter of the families)
I think they tried to explain the Longlegs name in the first scene of the movie when he says "Oops, I wore my long legs today" and then crouches down to get at eye level with the daughter. It seems based on a joke clowns or other kid's birthday performers would say since they're taller than children.
I’m just too rational to think that somebody would go mad because of a dull doll… I guess that’s why I just can’t watch horror movies, soy always have to accept thing that rationally don’t make any sense at all😩
The last two horror films ive seen in the cinema: late night with the devil and this both feel very similar in the sense i do not have a single clue how to feel after it
I think high expectations killed a lot of the enjoyment for people. I went in completely blind, didn’t even know Cage was in this; left absolutely wowed!
I think you nailed it for me. The hype and the comparison to Silence of the Lambs before I saw it set my expectations way off. I left feeling meh and thinking that part of the film was missing. The point part. This video was interesting but it didn't salvage the film for me. I think if the whole film is just a symbolic message then if I go back and watch it again one day it might click more. The ending left me feeling flat and Cage was good but like standard Cage good not great or new.
I knew cage was in it and that’s it. Saw one of the trailers. Had a good time.
I went into this blind too and also didn’t know that it was a Nickolas cage movie. All I saw was the teaser, didn’t really give much info about it…and I still came out a bit disappointed…at least the cinematography was good
See, I agree with your take, but I also disagree. I think that's the case for most people that watched this movie, and yet I got a good bit spoiled (despite avoiding spoilers) and I fucking loved it. Maybe it's just one of those "right up my alley" situations, but this is currently my movie of the year.
Same. I spent the prior six months out in the countryside, basically unplugged, and didn’t hear any of the hype. So I wasn’t disappointed. I was happy as Peaches.
As someone who is a horror film fanatic and has seen this a number of times, I find it hard to understand why you people are writing this film off as not scary or boring?! Maybe in order for a horror film to be scary these days they need cheap jump-scares. I remember seeing Hereditary at the cinema and was baffled by others there calling it boring. Yet I think Longlegs and Hereditary are two shining examples of movies done right!
I think hereditary is a much better film than this. Hereditary has better writing in the sense that it provides you with all the clues and answers to your questions in the actual film, while Longlegs sends almost everyone I've talked to to "explained" videos like this one which in turn all say differing things about the film. I think they're both scary films, but one is a good film and the other is more of a meticulously crafted puzzle that requires some homework. A good screenplay should contain the answers to the questions it asks unless the questions draw upon common knowledge, can be answered with an average level of reasoning capabilities, or asks us to ruminate on the nature of the themes.
I also just find devil possession to be extremely stale at this point. It's the same feeling as the stakes being "the world will end". Hereditary drew a lot on emotion and relationships so we could really vicariously feel the pain of the characters and sympathize with them, whereas longlegs has very little characterization of the people therein with almost every performance being pretty emotionless and we are more told than shown what everyone is feeling or thinking.
I'm probably going to eventually end up liking this film more and more as I watch it again, but sending me off to do homework is annoying.
@@beezzarro Hereditary is definitely scarier, but LongLegs is definitely a great film.
@@MR.FREEDMAN not for me on the first viewing, I'm afraid.
10000% cheap jump scares are weightless. This film was beautiful and uneasy dread the entire time. People’s attention spans have become crippled with social media and scrolling, they can’t sink into something like this. Also agree, Hereditary is one of my favs.
It wasn't scary...It could've been scary but they missed all the chances to make it scary.
Another thing, the families welcomed the nun in the home. If they never welcomed the nun in, the devil wouldn’t be able to do anything. Deceit, a wolf in sheep’s clothing.
I guess cause it was set back in the day and in a small town.. Cause I know now adays, no one would let her in. Much less a creepy doll 😂
@@MattMarcos couldn’t agree with you anymore 😂
I was wondering about that, because Longlegs had to force Lee’s doll into her own home by forcing the mother to work for him basically, he was in no way welcome. But then he mentioned the Seventh She so maybe he’s had accomplices off and on before? Because his first victim was not Lee when she was 9.
This is why I avoid all catholics!
@@JediJuniper92 His first victim was the Camera family, of which only Carrie Anne survived. She was his first helper. Then he forced his way into the Harker family home, from then on, Mama Harker was his helper too
I think Longlegs is Lee's actual father. There are too many clues for this to not be the case. The most obvious are the following: the word association exercise that Lee does near the start of the film. She is asked to say the first word she thinks of when she's shown specific images. When she sees an inverted triangle, she says 'father'. The inverted triangle is linked to Longlegs. Staying with word association, what's the first word you think of when you hear the word 'longlegs'? I'm betting most people would say 'daddy'. The title of the film is literally telling us that he's her dad.
I haven't worked out how yet, but my theory is either that her mother's story was a lie and that she always knew who Longlegs was when he came to the house and just pretended not to know him in front of Lee Or, she genuinely didn't know who he was (perhaps she had Lee from an unknown father/was the victim of a assault that led to a baby), and the reason Longlegs came to that house was that he was specifically looking for his daughter - Lee.
Excellent comment and I totally agree. The second flashback scene contradicts the first one, where her mother is basically lying.
I think it's heavily implied......
Man, I thought the same thing. But I came to that conclusion because the pattern father - mother - daughter always repeated itself, with the sole exception of Harker. And the fact that she was born in 14th pointed all the victims to her.
I think the serial killer is called "Longlegs" because Satan is a serpent, and serpent's don't have legs to walk the earth. In the beginning of the movie, the killer states that he put on his long legs. It's actually Satan speaking through him and referring to the killer who will walk the talk for him.
Good thought
I thought the same. I think that the entire film is a riff on genesis 3, so it made sense.
I watched this the other night and loved it. The cinematography was absolutely beautiful. I loved the details hidden in each scene. I also love a good, slow burn horror film. For me it was more disturbing than anything but that just made it even better for me. It's a film that stuck with me long after it was over.
Just literally got out of the theater from seeing it. I loved it but man this was probably one of the most bizarre horror movies I've ever seen.
Literally I just watched it too , Nicholas cage screaming MOOOOOMMMMM , DADDDD.. like wtf
The ending of "Hail Satan 😘" got me and my friends dying of laughter
@@bang9088SAMEEE
Never seen a film like this, but loved it!
@@bang9088 I held my laugh in the theatre when that scene played 😭
I thought this movie was great, but that portrait of Bill Clinton was by far the scariest thing in it
Ya, one might say his portrait sucked
Thought the movie was great. I don’t understand the fiery opposition (other than the fact it wasn’t another Blumhouse jump scare fest.) I thought the pacing and the main conflict were great. The overarching themes feeling to me like generational trauma and the concepts of destiny.
Nicholas Cage was a freak show in a great way.
Yeah, same. I think this is one of the best horror films I’ve seen in a while. I think the disappointment and dislike from some circles has more to do with (A) The idea that scary movies or horror can only ever be being startled or jump scared. (B) That the marketing for the film was so good that it convinced a lot of people that this was going to be the most terrifying movie of all time which inevitably set expectations too high.
I also didn’t get the hate for the ending because, as far as I saw, it did make sense in the context of the film’s narrative. It was somewhat rushed but when I heard spoiler free reviews talking about how bad the ending was I expected something completely nonsensical and it wasn’t.
@@seanbinkley7363Fr bro, plus there were jump scares in the movie too, but they weren’t overdone. I think this movie shows a good example of how to do jump scares right because it doesn’t rely on them for the horror, the horror comes from the build up of tension itself
The demon doll Possesion was unneeded and forced
@@gavincrossley2346 how would you have done it then? In my view it’s like an evil golem, or a new form of voodoo doll.
I think in Longlegs’ desire to usher in the apocalypse he is mocking G-d by doing creator like things, making “beautiful” things to mock G-d.
@@gavincrossley2346 what makes you say that? I think from the time the dolls are introduced to when we find out what they’re used for (possessions) is well done and we’ll paced, tho I will say the pacing of the movie in general was kinda drawn out and slow for my taste, but I think that was done intentionally
Just left the theater. Movie freaked me out like I haven't been in a while. Truly disturbing
Are you 12?
whyyy
@@JonasWilliam-dv9wfso what if he got disturbed and you didnt? tf?
@@JonasWilliam-dv9wfare you lonely
@JonasWilliam-dv9wf I'd honestly say that only a 13 year would be asking if he's 12 😂 who tf cares
I feel like all those deep video essays are written by chatgpt. The guy says square is a symbol of completeness, contradicting all the Greek and European thought, which always prescribed completeness to circle
fuck, I can’t even enjoy this anymore
Would a chatbot get the circle of completeness wrong though? Sounds like human error.
but having somebody define “symbol“ and use “fact“ rather than “thing“ did seem incredibly odd
It’s a deeper esoteric meaning to the square. “You must square the circle to be complete” This has to do with ancient religions like Saturn worship, Freemasons, etc. there’s a ton of satanic symbolism in this movie if you know what you’re looking for but imagine a circle in a square and square in a circle. Also a hexagon is a 2d representation of a cube which is a symbol of Saturn/satan
Not gonna lie when they started explaining how meaning itself works functionally I thought the exact same thing.
Just got out of the theatre. The film confused me… as a literature major, I’m not sure how much of that is due to GOOD writing (works that is intentionally misleading, abstract, and vague) and how much is due to BAD writing (plot holes, hypocritical events, and so on). If someone could help clear up a few questions, I’d love to hear your thoughts!
1. Why would Satan *want* Longlegs to be caught?
If the force of Satan was working through our main character, then why would it actively choose to show her enough to lead to the capture of Longlegs and to the end of his cult of killings? At some points in the film, yes, Satan’s essence blinds her from truth. But at other points, it seems to bring her closer to discovering it. It’s a bit vague (perhaps intentionally so), but it seems a bit contradictory.
2. Why would (or HOW could) the mom shoot the doll of the main character?
We see that the mom, who is very clearly under the influence of Satan, kill an FBI agent then shoot the doll of her daughter, freeing her from Satan. Later, however, when our main character tries to do this to another doll at the movie’s end, Satan seems to prevent her from doing so…
So… why? Why does Satan allow our protagonist’s doll to be shot and her spirit freed, but not the other young girl’s? If the mother, who was clearly being controlled by Satan, could shoot it, why couldn’t the protagonist?
As I write these questions down, I think I see my main issue with the film. When it comes to vague and softly defined magic systems in writing, such as the spiritual or occult arts, it’s hard to have any sort of reason behind why some things work and other things don’t. It just… does. Or doesn’t. To me, that sort of writing hurts a film, as if the film is shrugging its shoulder and saying, “This happens just because.” It’s not convincing to me given the worldbuilding we’re shown. Are the characters fighting internally against the devil? Is there some form of spiritual warfare against the devil at play? Who knows? It’s just… vague. And it tends to take me out of the experience.
seems like you didnt understand the movie
@@blasemarcelokay go ahead, tell us all about your nuanced understanding of the movie
@@blasemarcelSeems like you didn't understand the comment..
From what the director said about the movie, it sounds like the pivotal point is Lee shooting her mother in the head. That in some sense, that's what the whole movie is about, which should answer both questions. Satan allows Longlegs to be caught as a sort of chess move to move Lee to her own tragic actions. He also allows her to be freed from his direct influence (her mother shooting the doll) so that when she finally commits patricide, its an act of her own freewill, making it a hundred times worse than if he were simply controlling her like a puppet (or doll).
This kind of shows two ways of how the devil could (conceivably) work in the world. One being through direct influence IE possession. And the other through manipulation of circumstances.
It is all very vague in the movie and I get why that can be frustrating for people, especially writers who have to be especially keen to more nuanced plot mechanics. But I think the vagueness of this (much like in the movie, Hereditary) gives this sort of feeling that you can never really, fully understand all of the mechanisms that lead to tragedy and evil. That the devil (or whatever you want to call it) moves beyond our sight and comprehension. It isn't satisfying if you're a reader or viewer trying to solve the mysteries of a story, but it is in fact how we experience reality.
Even in the Book of Job, God allows the devil to run rampant in Job's life and essentially burn it to the ground. And when God is asked how he could let that happen, instead of giving some feel-good answer like "everything will work out in the end" or "so you can turn tragedy into triumph" all we get is God basically saying, "Who are you to ask that?"
It's an extremely uncomfortable and unsatisfying answer, but it's the truest answer in terms of how we experience the world. Bad things happen. We don't know why. You can pray all you want and make sacrifices and everything but there are no guarantees when it comes to loss and hardship. The world can't always be bargained with and the complex machinations of evil can't always be understood.
@@justinluther2924Amazing explanation. I just saw this yesterday and was blown away.
I think the ending also vaguely alludes to Satan now still having control on Lee’s partners daughter through all of these actions despite Lee thinking she’s saved her. A very indescribable feeling that this movies leaves its viewers with
I feel like this review fails to explain so much of the film...
Like why did he choose that name? Does he always visit the child first? How long has he been doing this? Why did it start? If the person has to let in the one to do it, then how come he just broke into the MCs house? How was he able to sneek in to places, considering he could bearly move? If he never went in himself, then who put the letters? How did the mom not leave any hair, fingerprint or evidence left?
So many questions...
I would say he did a good job for what the film showed- its a review and analysis of the film and just like your valid questions, the UA-cam may not know all the answers and you can't expect him to
It’s ambiguous. Some of these are trivial questions or just not needed to be answered. Use your imagination. Not everything needs to be spoon fed especially in a movie that does a lot of self explaining already.
Why would it matter if he always met the kids first or not?
How does knowing why he picked the name long legs advance the plot in anyway?
He’s obviously been committing these crimes for a long time…since the main character was a child. Long enough for it to be a big deal that he hasn’t been caught up to this point.
It started because the main character is a devil worshipper. Crazy people are just crazy they don’t have good motives for doing what they do other than that they are doing what they think they should. That’s like asking why Charles Manson started a cult and started killing people. Well because he was crazy and wanted to.
He didn’t break into the MC’s house. He met her outside and her mom saw what was happening and came out to assess the situation. After that he took advantage of the mom and turned her into his accomplice otherwise he would have killed both of them. The mom agreed to help and let him use their basement to hide.
What places did he sneak into?
The letters placed by the mom, again, she was helping him. They even show the mom leaving the letters.
The mom was in a full outfit with a hood that covered her hair. Not sure the technical name for that kind of outfit. She also never touched anything in the house and had no prior criminal record as far as the audience is led to believe so even if they found fingerprints she would not pop up in a database.
@calistagarcia201 Um, it's literally supposed to be a video that is explaining the movie 🤣 Most of those questions can be answered, just need to study the movie. Which again is the whole point if your going to make video telling people, you are going to explain the movie...
@tristans_ You seem to misunderstand. It's not about answering those questions in the comments. It's about how the video us suppose to dive in to explaining questions like that.
I'm just providing examples.
And just to give you one example, one video suggested that he says "I wore my long legs today", as a reference to Satan being in a human form instead of his snake form, hence "he wore his long legs".
There are many other examples of how dialogue, the symbols used and their meaning all add to the explanation of the movie.
This video just failed to more research and studying of the movie, so that he can truly "explain" the film.
@@MisaelMatute76 i completely understand, you are not intelligent enough to figure out the movie by yourself and are angry someone else can't fully explain your wants to "study" the movie. He studied the video while you watch him. Its not that hard to study a movie by watching it- sorry not sorry gurly but you are stressing over something you really can figure out by yourself
i swear long legs looks like Jennifer Coolidge
😅
long legs 2 starring Jennifer Coolidge, "ohh yea I totally hail sataan, now wheres my hot dogg"
If they didn’t explain the entire plot at the end I would’ve enjoyed this more. It was like a UA-cam video just started playing explaining the movie I just watched.
i enjoyed it, it’s like a circle back. but agree to disagree :>
you do not know what plot is
They kinda did that through out the entire film. They just gave you the answer.. The letters were figured out off camara and supposedly lead to the farm. Would have been cooler to see all the letters and as an audience pick up on the clues. Same with the inverse triangle, among other things...
Dude you are watching an analysis video- what do you expect 💀
@@MattMarcosI’m confused by this. It was clearly shown to us that Long Legs wanted her to find the letters when he gives her the birthday card and she’s able to decipher it. That gave her a lot of the alphabet from there it’s just a matter of filling in the words on other letters to make sense. They checked the farm because the little girl in the mental institution had a connection to that place and was clearly being used by long legs which they figured out. All the other victims birthdays gave them the triangle though.
To me, Longlegs is a perfect example of nihilist horror. It’s a film that really makes you think, which might be why some people and critics didn’t quite get it and ended up dismissing it. At its heart, the movie uses the classic battle between good and evil as a backdrop to explore this heavy sense of cosmic pessimism. It reminds me a lot of Eugene Thacker’s book In the Dust of This Planet, which talks about how horror lets us confront the limits of our understanding and face the vast, uncaring universe.
Longlegs captures this idea so well, making us question whether life has any real purpose at all. This theme is really brought home in the scene where Lee’s mother tells her that God doesn’t answer prayers and that we’re basically on our own because the universe just doesn’t care.
Then there’s the whole morally complex situation with Lee’s mother. Even though she does something awful by helping with Long Legs’ magic, she’s clearly trying to protect her daughter. It’s a desperate, messed-up choice made in a world that doesn’t care about right or wrong, just survival. This adds a lot of depth to the film and really drives home its message about the indifferent nature of the universe. Sometimes, surviving means making impossible choices that blur the lines between good and evil.
By focusing on these existential horrors, Longlegs gives us a powerful look at the human condition. For anyone who enjoys diving into philosophical themes, this film is definitely worth watching.
I generally agree with your analysis .. but imo and from my experience, the universe is not indifferent, but dispassionate and dispassion is ‘love’ in its purest form. Its a love that holds a type of grace which will allow you your own free choice, rather than postulating and predetermining your actions. Its a love that allows you to be free and sovereign.
To an undeveloped consciousness that is still experiencing its existance in duality, this position will appear as nihilism, as proof of God’s non-existance, whereas the alleged absence of God is the actual proof for ‘his’ existance.
Coming from someone who loves cerebral, arthouse horror with lots of ambiguity, this movie still did nothing for me. It over-explains its plot, and yet I still have no idea what the point was. Nic Cage was scary, but he was barely in the movie. I want to like it so much but I just don't get what it was going for.
It was all about inevitability of evil. A woman listened to the snake and did horrendous massacre for the sake of good as she saw it. For the life of her child.
I think it's just a matter of style over substance. They were so busy crafting atmosphere and themes they forgot to do a couple more passes on the actual script. In the end it's "Satan worshipper does effed up stuff to people because Satan is gonna Satan. Also, Satan wins in the end. Hail Satan."
Listened to this video on my way home from the theater after seeing long legs, very well done and really makes me appreciate the work that was put into making this film even more. Had me walking to the car with a true sense of heaviness that so many recent horror films just don’t capture.
I think basing horror movies in the 70s is a great idea. There was something deeply messed up about the 70s.
There is really underviewed concept of “satanic panic” which was really prominent in the USA during 80s and 90s. The whole concept is very interesting and leaves a perfect setting for plot to play out in.
The setting is a nice fit since there’s no widespread cctv cameras, computers and other technological advances that would help solve cases easier, so that lack of broader picture leaves a bit of a dark shroud over what is happening.
Oh and old station wagons overall are a vibe
This was set in the 90s, as you can see Clinton’s portrait in her boss’ office.
Oh true @@flutter2386
Not really, you’ve just been conditioned to associate it with serial killers. Those killers still exist today, they just don’t often turn into serial killers because they’re caught and imprisoned before they can thanks to forensics and the police state presence
When I watched it for the first time, I ate an edible and the movie tripped me out, I was definitely freaked out. I enjoyed the movie, the atmospheric sounds and imagery, creates an ominous and uneasy atmosphere, the story was great, the characters well written and the acting really brought them to life! This movie beats other so called scary movies (quiet place: day one) and idk what other “horror” movies have come out this year (so far) but this is a true horror, paranormal horror!
I want to commend the marketing team for Longlegs for putting lipstick on this pig and suckering me into dropping my cash to actually go to a theater to see a film. Shame on me.
The opening hook was great with the aspect ratio set to a home movie from the 70's. Creepy and I had such high hopes. That was about as good as I got for me. Issues you might ask? Let's delve into them.
First, our protagonist Lee Harker is introduced to us as a person who has a unique psychic power (after the hook showing her as a little girl). They develop this by allowing her to find a serial killer in a neighborhood of cookie cutter suburban homes. Fine. The door opens and the FBI agent gets shot immediately (nice jump scare with the theater sound) and she enters what is a very creepy situation with plastic all over the walls. Of course, no call for backup and no one knows where they are (this will be a constant theme throughout the film). She enters the house (all 110 pounds of her) and the serial killer who just SHOT her partner is just sitting on a bed waiting to be arrested by her. What the hell was that? He kills an agent upon first sight at the door and then basically gives up without a fight. They don't show her arresting him beyond "don't move" because the entire situation is absolutely ludicrous. This big serial killer with a gun who just shot an FBI agent is going to just allow himself to be handcuffed and put away for life? So begins the many plot holes in this film.
Then, she gets promoted on her ability to predict numbers right (she says she is 50% psychic) and off we go. That psychic power allows her to figure out how to decipher the code for Longleg's mysterious letters going back 20 years. Okay, no problem with that (despite the fact that a knock on her door late at night prompted her to go walking through the woods and leave her front door open, thus allowing the killer to drop a letter off on her desk - no one would do that). She used a little of Dante’s “circles of hell” and combined that with her psychic powers and knowledge of the Book of Revelation to crack the code.
She figured out the ciphers and I got interested again, but what did the code reveal to all of us? Nothing. The dude has 20 years of letters and we learn absolutely nothing from any of them. Her boss barely even cares. So, at that point I was like the Zodiac connection is done and Fincher's film is far superior in every way, but I shall continue because this film STEALS ideas from a bunch of other superior films and then pretends to be unique.
Oh, the psychic powers don't matter anymore by the way. They are useless. She's pretty much a detective from that point forward and all the character development we have witnessed is irrelevant.
I also find the scene where she brings her drunk FBI boss home very late at night comical. He invites her in (no one would do that as it is nearly midnight) and then she ends up sitting in the daughter's room (WTF), not talking, and the daughter is so smitten with this female agent who clearly is socially awkward that she invites her to her birthday party. I also turned to my wife and told her how the film would end at that point, especially when the daughter references a "head missing" from one of her trophies on her desk. I knew we would be right back in that house and someone was getting a head cut off. It was foreshadowing, but the entire premise was stupid. I guarantee if you were a little girl and some weird agent came into your room around midnight that you did not know, you would hardly invite her to your birthday party, especially if she DID NOT TALK and she looked at the wall away from you the entire time. You would probably run to your parents' room screaming with fear.
Moving on. There are a few things we don't really understand and they are never explained to us:
Why is her mom a hoarder?
Why did she never question a wall with like 50 keys on it and door locked in her own home (this had to have started when she was 9, right?)?
Why is the killer called Longlegs?
Where did that nickname come from?
What is the ritual or background of the steel balls in the doll's head?
What prompted him to start killing families?
Who is the world called the FBI and allowed them to capture Longlegs in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road?
The evil plan itself makes little sense. The weird nun arriving at your house with a ridiculous box saying you have "won a prize" from the church and “Can I come in?” is the most lame plan to sneak into people's homes I have ever heard. Sorry. If a nun shows up on my porch with a 4 foot box, I am telling her 'God bless... Go away" instead of inviting her in, especially because Harker's mother is so damn bizarre anyway.
We get creepy scenes of Nicolas Cage building dolls that look exactly like the killer in Silence of the Lambs (better movie). Cage was most definitely unhinged and if it were not for him, no one would even go see this movie.
Back to stealing movie scenes... So we get the whole "the killer wants to be caught" moment just like Se7en, Skyfall, and The Dark Knight (oh, and the VHS pause of Longlegs singing “Happy Birthday” in the most creepy moment so he can remain on the screen behind them while talking is right out of The Dark Knight).
Our agent then goes, by herself, without telling anyone, to an unguarded and unwatched room with the biggest killer they have been seeking for 20 years in there, and we get our one on one moment. Who the hell believes that no one would be at the door, no one would be watching him 24-7, and that this agent would just walk in there? But, I digress. They have the conversation that we all have seen before in Se7en, The Dark Knight, The Little Things, and many others. The cop/agent and the serial killer across the table from each other. The killer “knows things” about the agent and so forth.
Then Longlegs says, "Hail Satan" and bashes his head in. Well, let's explore the prior scene a bit. He was caught by standing on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere with two suitcases. I was intrigued here with "What is in those two suitcases he packed? A critical clue? Something that will change the course of the film?" - NOPE. They comment that he had "Satanic sh-t" in there. Wow, what kind of lazy plot development is that? So, he kills himself but says he will be everywhere after doing it (kind of Star Wars moment - strike me down Darth and I will be more powerful than you can imagine).
So, Harker realizes her mother is involved. The other female agent goes with her to investigate. What about her boss? The guy who decided to go to the farmhouse two hours away in the middle of the night because it was a new clue? No. He does not go out there to investigate. Why? He has to stay home and kill his family at the end. Oh, and this whole God vs Satan and let's destroy families and children in a war against God idea comes straight from... Prisoners. Another vastly superior movie.
Let's cut to the chase. The lady agent gets killed. Once again our protagonist does not call anyone for backup, help, or to let them know a single thing. This has been the MO the entire film. She wakes up in the house and then realizes that her mother is headed to her boss' house. Does she call anyone? NO. Does she call her boss to warn him? NO. She drives in the killer's car (stored at her mom's house) as fast as she can and then screams (trying to create a parallel scene with Longleg's earlier) and arrives at the house. When she shows up, does she call anyone at that point (knowing there will be bloodshed)? Hell no. Let's just sit here while people are hypnotized by a doll (we still don't know the background of how those dolls came to be or even how that steel ball thing works or is created - a ritual? WTF - nothing). Thus ends the film with supposedly a shocking moment as Nic Cage appears smiling with another "Hail Satan" moment tossed in, after he is dead already. So, aren't we clever?
The cinematography was great. The sound was great. But I did not buy any of it. I wanted to like this film too. It’s rare to be bored and at the same time rolling one’s eyes during a horror film, but this one achieved that level for me.
Exactly what I was thinking. The marketing was great and left me disappointed. Long legs was not scary at all. Seeing nick cage in white makeup saying cuckoo cuckoo made me laugh/cringe at how unscary it was. I thought the acting was lackluster at some points. The lines they gave that girl working the cash register were dumb. Agent harker was definitely acoustic. This film had so much potential but was trying way to hard to be something super mysterious and I deadass fell asleep in the theater watching this one
I ain't reading allat
You expressed my thoughts exactly. But I'm not sure she deciphered his messages. Didn't he give her a birthday card with the complete key to his code? That he told her not to share with the FBI?
You described my feelings towards this film to a T
Idk if you know this bro, but not every single thing in a film needs to be spoon fed to you. If you can’t come up with your own answers and interpretations then that’s a you problem, not the film’s. Why you even HAVE to know why the mom’s a hoarder is just so weird. It’s clearly just a detail into her characterization. But the thing is, people who make films leave a lot of what’s on the screen open to the audience’s interpretation. You don’t need to have an answer, because you’re supposed to have your own original thoughts.
I wish I was a Christian so I would actually be scared by the mere concept of the devil. like this was a fun movie to watch but there is absolutely nothing scary about it. I can't with "ooooohhh the devil! aren't you scared of the devil????" movies anymore I'm so tired
Christians aren't scared like that either. This movie simply sucked. It wasn't scary, it wasn't deep, and people praising it so much and calling it scary is perpetuating "oooooh satan so scary".... super lame imo and I love Nicolas Cage.
No way you gave us the definition of symbolism
Good teachers reinforce concepts every time new info is given
@@jojoeljefe i feel you but there’s no reason i should be halfway through the video and have no further understanding of the film bc we’re going over basic topics present in almost every movie ever made
Guy thinks he's a philosopher
@@MrMelaninMan if u want a recap watch a recap video. from my point of view, this is not one.
@jojoeljefe That's like explaining what numbers are when teaching calculus though... We all know what symbolism is. We wanted to know the examples and meaning of them in the film..
What I don't understand is why Longlegs went after the harter family. He always went for families of 3: Father, mother and daughter. But Lee lived alone with her mom and Longlegs would've known that because he was already watching them.
To paraphrase a bible verse. "Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour" The devil is a chaotic entity that masterminds these horrible scenarios, and loves to be in the front row as he watches his well orchestrated machinations play out. It's entirely possible that the devil just randomly picked the harpers from the beginning and orchestrated the rest of the evens that followed to all lead up to where the movie ends.
maybe this is a reference to the serpent in the garden of eden - the serpent was able to tempt eve when adam was gone and so maybe it was her vulnerability / not having a third family member (male especially) that made him think she would agree to be his accomplice?
From what i gathered, longlegs was meant to be the “father figure” in their family due to them being the 7th family. In spiritual/ biblical meaning 7 is the number of completion.
@@Mimsuma69man, that's truly insightful. Thank you
I thought I had to do with their last name harker coming from the word harken meaning to listen carefully since the mom had to do whatever long legs said...idk lol
So what is the point of the Devil?
What is the point of the killings and the use of dolls as stand-ins??
Seems like more style than substance.
The point is that there is no point, it’s just the man downstairs playing with humans for fun
The devil convinces or persuades people to sin aka do evil acts that go against god, he doesn’t do his bidding himself, therefore he sent long legs as a human who praises him to go do his bidding for him. the point of the killings is to spread sin on the earth, that’s how satan grows stronger. there’s no deeper meaning behind those itself other than they are evil acts and it makes satan strong. the point of the dolls were to leak some of the devils aura and strength into the households, kind of like letting in a demon, and possessing the girls so they were blind to any of the acts and forgot them, as well as making the fathers into killers. The “point” of the devil wasn’t explained, it’s something you’d have to know from christianity or the bible, but the latter half about the dolls was definitely explained at the end of the movie.
@@izzyleon7958lame
He’s just a sick bastard that gets off on having families killed
IMO the devil is just functioning here as a shortcut to conveying the concept of fundamental evil, from which there is no father figure who can actually protect us.
i live for this analysis. i immediately picked up on the attention to shapes after my first watch in the cinema, you explained it perfectly!
I feel like this movie was meant to make you more uncomfortable then scared. For me it nailed that part. I left the movie theater feeling so uncomfortable. As if someone had dunked me in water and I was walking around in wet clothes
This was perhaps the scariest horror movie I've ever seen, and that's coming from a person who found "The Ring" more silly than scary. The success of the horror lay in the slow revelation of the reasons the main character seemed so afraid of everything around her. It also lay in her complete lack of relief from her fears (and thus the complete lack of relief for us, the audience).
I know little about the mythology surrounding Satan or the occult, so I missed the references the analyst described in the video. I think some sort of commentary about the U.S.'s place in the world was going on, too. A few specific things to point to in that regard:
1.) The audience is constantly being treated to a large, framed picture of Bill Clinton in the FBI office. Of course, it's the FBI office, and it's meant to remind us that most of the story is set in the 1990s. But that picture shows up so many times that Bill Clinton's face becomes creepy.
2.) There's a very specific focus on *white houses* as scenes of crime.
3.) At the climactic birthday party of Carter's daughter, we hear the very obscure song from 1966, "The Happy Song," sung by Glenn Close (yes! that Glenn Close!) from her time with the singing and dancing patriotism cult "Up With People." This group sent young people all over the world to promote a cheery version of American patriotism (and performed in Superbowl halftime shows up into the early 1990s).
4.) And most of all, there's the idea of killing other people's children to keep your own children safe. How can anyone who grew up during the "War on Terror" not think of the drone strikes in South Waziristan and such?
Overall, I think this film is a bit like one by David Lynch. It's not really meant to have a single, discernible meaning. It's meant, instead, to conjure up all sorts of thoughts, not all of which can be analyzed clearly in a single whole.
I’m still reeling from the whole 1960s Glen Close thing… I thought there was a particularly heavy 1970s rural American feel to it. Even though most of it took place in the 90s, it did not look or feel like the 90s. It continued to look like the 70s. With the exception, of course, with that terrifying picture of young Bill Clinton.
@@Saffron-sugar That's true about the 1990s being stuck in a 1970s style. I chalked this up to "rural America" being a bit behind, but even the FBI office looked like it was in the 70s, I suppose. Lee's mother's fashion choices during the alleged 1970s also appear stuck in the 1910s, and I noticed that her neighbors also looked as if they were living in a different era (either that or that they were Mennonites of some kind).
I thought this movie would be a lot more interesting if he was a hypnotist or something and not just an evil wizard
Everything this movie was trying to do, and the message it was trying to bring. I felt that the movie Prisoners did MUCH better. I think the use of Gnostic under tones, using the inverted Triangle could have been expanded upon than just using it as a “satanic symbol” when it isn’t totally. It’s just to define the masculine in the occult. It doesn’t even completely define “sulfur” which is more symbolic of Hell.
Interesting thought
Even the rolling credits scroll backwards.
This is exactly the type of video I was and many more people I believe are still looking for, great stuff!
Ah thank you!
You give this film a lot of credit. I don’t think it’s as deep as we want it to be. As a general rule, it’s best to avoid naming Satan in a satanic horror movie, and the end montage was unnecessary.
The fact that you were able to pull so much interesting points out of this film (which existed but we're not appreciated by the audience) is testament to the horrible WRITING in the movie. I walked out of the theater praising the cinematography, the sound effects and the general story. But the writing was so poor, the characters came across as 1-dimensional, the pacing was dreadful for the protagonist, there was a lot of missed opportunities by the director to make this concept a truly astounding film on all fronts...clearly the content is there, because you extracted it beautifully in this video... Oh man. I wish.
bro want us to think longlegs has alot of meanings beneath, and it's more complex than what actually is.
for a second I was super mad at people who left the room in the middle of the movie .....but then i realized that they dont deserve to watch or be able to like such a good film
they made the right move, this movie is just horror cliches masquerading as arthouse. weak script masked with good cinematography
@@jon.meisterno pun intended but thats a stretch
The story was terrible lol
People were leaving the room during the film? What room? the theatre?
It was ok, relax
I genuinely feel like the marketing campaign was more tense than the movie itself, I wasn't dissapointed but it was a bit underwhelming
:///
Just got out of the theater and felt the same way. I accidentally hyped it up too much for myself from watching the trailers.
I think some of the film was filmed specifically for the campaign
People who are so successfully marketed to aren't exactly the ones who take the most accurate or deep meaning from a piece of media that may especially have anything to do with good or evil as entities themselves, not played by an actor
Edit. This film is not underwhelming or over hyped
@@user-gg3qq8cq5g i never mentioned that its meaning is poor or that I do not understand it, I consume this kind of media regularly, I just meant it in the fear factor way, the trailers were much more tense fear wise, the storyline was great just the movie itself wasn't that scary :)
@@Saffron-sugar yeah I think so too
Cage deserves an award for this movie. If I hadn't been told it was him, I would of never guessed it was him.
I'm gonna be random.
Has anyone sceen Legally Blonde? This movie was written and directed by the tall nerd who gets slapped by Reese Witherspoon.
I have no idea why that fact kinda blows my mind...but it does.
Did you say tall nerd as in a guy with Longlegs, Saran is real
I really appreciate the way you ended the review with the emphasis on the triumph of Jesus.
Thank you!
Great review. Congratulations. Your explanation made my experience with the film even better.
People got wrong expectations, that’s what made them hate it.
Did anyone notice that all the dolls or people are covered over a black cloth? At the end no one was covered in a black cloth
Really wanted to like this movie but it was an utter disappointment, especially considering all the hype
I liked it, just wanted more and more deep diving. Definitely not enough Nicholas Cage
@@Freemasonshair For me, the moment when I gave up on the movie was when longlegs was apparently in her house, left her a note, and she didnt even call her boss or any sort of backup/police to her house. Like THERES A SERIAL KILLER IN THE HOUSE!!!!! UGHHH.
its definitely overhyped...people are easy to be drawn with by solid marketing..
luckily the movie indeed incorporated demonic aspect into it, instead most serial murderers are just trying to please satan and him give no shit
@@emmanuelsalas5298did you forget that she's also possessed???? She had that doll and it's implied that her "psychic" power came from the doll (and by extension, the man downstairs)
@@emmanuelsalas5298well when she deciphered the note right there, it pretty much said he’d kill her mother if she told anyone about the letter.
Creepy to no limit. What at atmosphere of dread. Cage is marvelous, but Monroe is tortured as her first role, it follows
Fantastic movie. Didn't quite know what to expect going in, heard a lot of hype, but it stands out in the wonderful world of horror. I don't find it particularly scary but it's dark and taps into a creepy place. Gotta watch it again
This movie was so farfetched with lots of plot holes only to be explained by the supernatural/ demons/religion.
It was about the devil presence from the start obviously. All of Oz Perkins movies are about supernatural evil.
I saw it today. The best film I’ve seen this year by far.
Haven’t seen anything else huh ?
@@V3RM1LI0N seen loads. Sorry you didn’t like the film, seems a split camp on this one
@@controloz3310it's wild how split everyone is on this movie! I was not a fan and am struggling to see what anyone liked about it, but then it seems like half of other viewers feel the exact opposite 😂
Wow sorry that you have only seen Madam Web and this 😂
Late night with the devil was way better, go check that one out...
@@MisaelMatute76 saw it. I didn’t mind it but I didn’t love it either.
Great video. You didn't mention a thing I've noticed. In the scene at Carter's house, Ruth has her left hand dirty, while the right is clean.
I think it means that she's doing the devil's work.
when he has the mom tied up he says “You could have been rich with me” Longlegs is either the Father himself, meeting Lees mom when he was in a band or something, found out he had a daughter and wanted to sacrifice her or something, then instead the mom comes up with the idea of helping him instead , she says “ the devil wanted him for himself but i couldn’t allow that to happen” or something 🤷🏻
I’m a sucker for anything horror and I’ve seen my good share of disturbing movies. Although this film isn’t insanely disturbing compared to other films out there, I really enjoyed it, it had my attention from the start. The only thing I’d change is maybe the ending, I felt like it needed extra time towards the ending.
I should mention that I was stoned while watching this film, it was great.
You’re such a great, thoughtful commentator. This is the most profound analysis of the film I’ve seen so far. That said, a very strong thematic element that I’m puzzled I haven’t seen anyone explore is that of fathers, both literal and figurative. The individual ostensibly responsible for the protection of these families, the father, is being made into their killer.
The name itself, Longlegs, underlines the theme: it’s the sort of childish nickname a young girl might very well give her father. Likewise, the opening of the movie (one of the most effective horror movie scenes I’ve ever seen, incidentally) is filmed at the sort of extremely low angle a child looking at her father would see.
The symbolism of supposedly benevolent guardian father figures who are either helpless to protect their charges or dangerous themselves abounds. The one that leaps most readily to mind for me is Blair Underwood filling the screen literally and figuratively, a towering father figure to Lee who ends up being the final killer. Behind his desk is a picture of then President Clinton, a common enough sight in the offices of highly ranked officials in these sorts of movies, but also off center and just over his shoulder in order to both draw attention to its presence and echo the later shot of Longlegs’ frozen image doing the same, mouth open like he’s about to bite into him.
I think we all just thought we were gonna get a nic cage slasher, I just wasn’t fond of the whole idea of “possessing metal balls he puts in the dolls head that puts the family in a trance”
There is certainly symbolism in this movies, but squares and circles? Those are in every movie and can mean almost anything.
I think that the film feels so absurd/bizarre is because its an image of hell: utterly pointless, repetitive selfdestructive patterns, that are always predictable but we can never comprehend fully at all. Truly one masterpiece riff on Genesis 3, and the image of the deceptive serpent inducing mankind to destruct itself.
Good video, interesting concepts explained here too. I just watched this earlier at the cinema with my friend. We were both suitably impressed. I loved the look of this film and the sound design just induced dread and unease throughout. And my boy Cage made my blood run cold!
"Mommyyyyyyyyy, Daddyyyyyyyyyyyyy, Save meeeeeeeeeeEEEEEEEEEEEEEEAHHHHHHHHHHHH!" 😬
Excellent work explaining the hidden to most, intentional deeper meaning.
I was hoping you'd cover this!! Plus you can never go wrong with a Nick Cage movie 😅 I'm not sure if you're open to suggestions for videos, but I would love to hear your thoughts on Mandy, or Possum!
Ah thanks! Very open to suggestions. I'll check those out :)
I adored the analog horror aspects of it it. It made me smile the whole time. Also, everyone did a great job especially Nick Cage. He was hilarious and scary.
This movie should scare you because it’s closer to reality than we wish
Remember when they found that family that was murdered. They said they had been dead a month….then they show their cat? Ow did he survive the month without food or water?
Literally my thought
I get that. I had the thought that the mother or Longlegs came by to feed the cat lol
Going on vacation they probably left plenty of food and water... failing that... well cats have a way of surviving when their owners die at home that they tend to do. It almost certainly wasn't in the cage the entire time but was put there by the police
Cats can actually survive a long time without food and water. But also animals will eat their owners if they get hungry enough.
Usually when people die and aren’t discovered, dogs will die of starvation but cats will eat their owners.
It's so cool that you quoted Mattieu Pageau. The language of creation is great.
Such an interesting book!
Why the name “long legs”?
In the first scene he talks to a child , we are seeing not all of his face until he says" Oh, I put my longlegs on today" and gets in his knees to be in the same height as the kid.
He's the serpent
Long legs are necessary for integration and victims acceptance towards consent into his work
This movie was unintentionally funny and disturbing at the same time. I loved it lmao
I love this movie..just like Smile..its EERIE. I feel the tension in almost each scene.
Nicolas Cage did great but the movie felt lackluster
I didn't know this as a horror movie before seeing it. I just knew it was a crazy movie with Nicolas Cage. That's all I knew. That's all I needed to know. I was very pleased by the end. As it was revealed that this was an origin story and we're getting more I got real giddy. That felt like how it must've felt the night A Nightmare On Elm Street came out and everyone thought it was over then BOOM 💥 "HE'S NOT DEAD!!?? OH MAN! 😮 I CAN'T WAIT FOR PART TWO!" Long live Longlegs!! 🎉 Everyone has been wondering when all the remakes would give way to new original stories. This is it.
Really enjoyed the movie and will absolutely watch it again, but when I recommend it to friends the first thing I make sure to say is "Just be aware that this movie isn't horror, and not particularly scary. It's a suspense crime thriller with extras." I don't recall if the movie had jump scares--which I hate, so I feel like I would remember that, easiest way to turn a good movie into trash--but I don't otherwise recall any scenes that stuck with me as particularly horrifying either.
Want to set expectations in the right place.
100% agree. While I think while the marketing for the movie was good., it really should not have been billed as horror flick. While sure it has some scary elements, it's more of a dark crime drama with some supernatural elements
I really liked this movie, not a typical horror movie.
This movie was so weird and uncomfortable and strange and had me thinking wtf is happening why are they acting that way, is it also a comedy or no its not.... but in a good way. Very original type of movie, not like others nowadays. Felt very uncomfortable and eerie the whole movie and was questioning everything the whole time
I loved the deep dive into the philosophical aspects of religious themes.
I think this film deals with religious themes and subject matter in a very non-judgemental way. The ambiguity of good and evil, and how Lee's mother who was traditionally religious (worshipping God) was forced to commit acts that would result in them having to worship Satan because of their initial religious views. Religion can be used for both good and evil purposes. In fact, in some traditions Satan was banished to rule the underworld because of their love for God. Also, the upside down cross is a part of the religious tradition's history. What is upside down or rightside up can be a relative matter, good and evil, etc.
Basically, the movie is not fully explainable unless you acknowledge the forces (powers of effect) of evil as an entity.
The characters act out their resolution. But the viewer who anticipates hard-core evidence in common form may not find resolve within any part of its working or telling
Great movie. Instant classic. When do people learn that jump scares doesn't translate in a good horror movie.
I hate jump scare..and this movie does not need that.
Like to think it shows the devil having a great sense of humour.
Getting someone believed to be s nun delivering him into a home.
Kind of a mess narratively. Lots of themes and ideas but not structured in an engaging and thought provoking way. That being said, this movie looks fucking amazing.
thanks for the break down! GREAT MOVIE (although it leaves you with more questions towards the end :D)
Do you collect and edit these clips or outsource them?
Loved the movie. The cinematography was amazing. And the lack of a cheesy horror soundtrack made it that much more tense.
The movie is different and bizarre and feels refreshing
“True god revealed in Jesus. He is good and Longlegs should be afraid of him.” My eyes rolled so far deep into my head that I saw my brain.
Ok. So for some reason I thought it was a good idea to see this right after I got off work. I thought spending money would make me stay awake to watch this movie. Um, no. I kept falling asleep and waking up. So thanx for explaining.
NOT ONCE
NOT TWIIICCEE
BUT ANNNYYTTIIIMME III LIIIKKKE
Went in expecting another unrealistic female protagonist that saves the day. Could not have been more pleasantly surprised with Makia Monroe's performance. She crafted a character throughout that fit perfectly with the sense of dread the rest of the movie portrayed. Really well done IMO
Maika my dude 😅
oh wow. this was a very refreshing movie explaination.
This movil was the most evil menacing film uve seen in awhile. Recommend watching in a cinema late at night
It was a slow burn movie. I knew I would have to keep my attention to it. Oh boy was I right. I loved how dark it got. I can't wait to watch it again.
This is one of the best horror films and will be undermined for the rest of its eternity
Can you tell me why you think this was a good movie?
Some movies that are not appreciated when they come out become massive cult classics later on.
Excellent interpretation of the movie
awesome analysis, no one is really touching on the story that the symbolism is telling.
Saw the movie last night, great breakdown
Ah thank you!
I thought it started out pretty stupid, but it gradually got better
This is semi off topic but I love the movie. Genuinely one of my favorite movies I’ve seen in the past decade.
Yes Satan is referred to as the Bringer of Light especially during rituals so the white outfit for Cage works. Yellow could have too
I’m so surprised by the comments saying this movie isn’t scary. This was straight up satanic. Again, highlighting the spiritual warfare that is happening.
I’m a fan of horror films but wow this movie did not set will with me.
The twist couldn’t have been any more obvious.
I appreciate the effort but the over intelectualization of this film and what happens in it is exactly why a lot of people are dissapointed once they see it... see the movie but it has its flaws.
Your voice reminds me of Stephen Woodford aka Rationality Rules. That's a compliment btw.
Haven’t been able to stop thinking of this film
Also who was the guy that killed her partner at the beginning?
I very much enjoyed the film but tbh i wish he was an actual killer instead of just the dollmaker, as much as i liked the movie i do wish it was grounded without the supernatural elements, i feel it could have been better if Longlegs was the actual killer, i thought of a fucked up reason they could of called him Longlegs, so he would kill the family and then cut off the legs of the daughter and sew the legs of whoever was the tallest in the family onto the stumps of the daughter (i chose the daughter because it seems that Longlegs had a weird preference to the daughter of the families)
I think they tried to explain the Longlegs name in the first scene of the movie when he says "Oops, I wore my long legs today" and then crouches down to get at eye level with the daughter. It seems based on a joke clowns or other kid's birthday performers would say since they're taller than children.
@@aisherwasher6959 that makes sense
Thought it was disturbing and odd. Good film
The movie was boring and bad…. I’m genuinely confused by all the reviews
You suck
I’m just too rational to think that somebody would go mad because of a dull doll… I guess that’s why I just can’t watch horror movies, soy always have to accept thing that rationally don’t make any sense at all😩
The last two horror films ive seen in the cinema: late night with the devil and this both feel very similar in the sense i do not have a single clue how to feel after it
Late night was way better though tbh...
@MattMarcos i wouldnt say better but the fact it has a new story idea is a bonus