Longlegs, starring Nicolas Cage: An Unexpected Cuckoo in the Nest
A major factor in the success of the horror film Longlegs has been Nicolas Cage's menacing portrayal as the film's antagonist, but one moment in particular may include a spoiler for Neon's upcoming production. In the film Longlegs, Cage plays the eponymous serial killer, Dale Kobble, who is wonderfully eerie. While Longlegs is filled with nuanced connections and allusions, one of the 60-year-old superstar's most peculiar scenes sticks out due to its odd connection to Neon's upcoming horror movie in 2024 as well as its sheer oddity.
A Mixture of Police Drama, Supernatural, and Occult
Inspired by horror films such as Zodiac, Seven, and The Silence of the Lambs, Longlegs is a blend of the paranormal, the Occult, and dark police drama. Despite giving the impression of being a conventional police inquiry, the movie eventually becomes dominated by fantastical aspects such as possession, psychic prescience, and demon worship. The protagonist of the story is Longlegs, a seriously disturbed guy who acts strangely because he believes he has a link to "the man downstairs." Even if the majority of these moments only make sense in the context of the film, one jumps out because it is featured in a thriller that the same company is releasing soon.
The Unexpected Overlap Of Nicolas Cage's Longlegs With The Cuckoo
The most striking aspect of Longlegs, an independent horror film, is its eerily dark and dismal atmosphere. Nevertheless, despite being a one-man show, there is a scene in the film that appears to be specifically meant to hint at Neon's next horror film, Cuckoo. A shambling Cage approaches the girl behind the counter in a neighborhood supermarket and strikes up a conversation. But rather than go on a normal discussion, he puts his hands over his head and makes a pretending to be a Cuckoo Clock.
At first glance, the scene appears to be just one illustration of Kobble's peculiar personality. It also carries on with his actions from the opening scene of the movie, in which he "Cuckoos" to get Lee Harker's attention. However, the fact that the main antagonist of the first movie exhibits behavior so closely related to the title of the next Neon horror film is an odd coincidence that warrants further investigation, especially considering that Longlegs and Cuckoo are produced by the same studio and will almost release back-to-back.
What the Cuckoo Movie by Neon Is About
Longlegs concentrates on the Supernatural, but Cuckoo approaches its horror in a far more imaginative way. The movie centers on a 17-year-old and her Family, who, when she accepts a job offer at a hotel in the German Alps, become entangled in a terrible catastrophe. There, she finds herself the target of a horrible, vaguely human creature, whose motivations are as enigmatic as they are horrifying.
There's much more that ties Longlegs and Cuckoo together than just Kobble's unnerving bird sounds. A young female protagonist faces an opponent she doesn't understand in both films. The Movies also emphasize the importance of Family; in fact, Longlegs' cuckoo noises alludes to Kobble's strategy of infiltrating families and forcing them to commit murders in retaliation for his demonic dolls.
The familial bond is more subdued yet still significant in Cuckoo. It's not immediately apparent why Gretchen, 17, finds herself in a strange place and that her family is the reason behind her encounters with the repulsive beast. Even though Longlegs and Cuckoo have no formal connection, it's hard to overlook how very similar the two films are, especially considering the subtle depth of meaning they both contain.
The Cuckoo Scene in Longlegs Is Probably Just An Unsettling Coincidence
Though it's tempting to find connections between the two 2024 horror films because of Longlegs' goofy moments, in all likelihood these are only surface-level. A key issue with the theory is the absence of any formal link between the films. In addition, although Cuckoo and Longlegs have comparable theatrical debuts, Cuckoo had its world premiere in February 2024 at the Berlin Film Festival. This explains why the film has an 81% Rotten Tomatoes rating so early in its wider distribution.
However, the apparent connection between the two films does highlight some significant realities about Neon's body of work in the horror genre. According to Rotten Tomatoes, Cuckoo has received appreciation for its "madcap" approach to horror, a style that is consistent with the vigor that Cage gives to his own "cuckoo" moments. The fact that the term "cuckoo" itself is an archaic and rather disparaging term for unconventional behavior speaks something about Neon's willingness to constantly push boundaries, even if Cuckoo and Longlegs aren't directly related.
