In case you weren’t already disturbed enough by Longlegs, a convincing new fan theory gives a horrifying new meaning to Nicolas Cage’s killer.
Now that Osgood Perkins’ hyped-up horror movie has finally landed in cinemas, it’s not surprising fans have been busy poring over the details, including its ambiguous ending.
Although on the surface it seems like Satanic forces are at play, a fan theory shared on Reddit has suggested that Longlegs is an allegory for child sexual assault.
Suffice to say, we’re about to discuss spoilers and some may find this content distressing…
In the first point of their argument, they suggest that the title alone has sinister connotations. “He makes it clear that ‘longlegs’ means his height or being grown up, and he stoops down to a childlike level to compensate,” they wrote.
“The film is about Lee removing her ‘longlegs’ and reliving childhood trauma and remembering what happened to her.”
Given the ending shows that Lee’s mother Ruth has been the accomplice to Cage’s serial killer this whole time, they believe that this alludes to the idea that Ruth invited a predator into their home.
In the horror flick, the doll causes Lee to forget this part of her childhood, which could signify her “repressing” these dark moments as often happens with survivors.
“There were 100% paedophilic undertones to Longlegs and I don’t think that was unintentional,” they continued. “It’s also not unintentional that all the families have daughters.
“Lee’s intuition comes from trauma recognizing trauma. From the repressed abuse (metal ball) locked in her forever childlike form (the doll). The limited vision in the flashbacks also shows this repression, which is super common among survivors of CSA.”
Another detail that fits into the theory is a 911 call by one of The Birthday Murders fathers, who said he was going into his daughter’s room as “the best time to do it was when her eyes were closed.”
The Redditor finished their post by saying, “Every time I examine another detail of the film this seems to fit.”
Many fans agree with the theory, which renders Longlegs even more horrifying than it already is. “I just read the most interesting and realistic theory about Longlegs and I’m sick now,” said one on X/Twitter.
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“Ew I hate this take/theory because of how much I understand it,” said another on Reddit, while a third added, “Thank you for this theory (as gross and creepy as it makes me feel), it was one I hadn’t thought of and now can’t unthink it.”
A fourth pointed to another scene that appears to support their idea, relating to themes of parenting and father figures.
“At the very beginning when they are doing the ‘name the first thing you think of’ psychic stuff, the upside down triangle (Longlegs’ symbol) she associates immediately with the word ‘father’,” they explained.
As convincing as it is, Perkins himself has confirmed that the central theme of his new movie is about the lies parents tell their kids.
“I try not to tell my children any protective lies, having grown up in a family where certain truths were curated, not maliciously and with any kind of cruelty or dismissiveness, but rather as a move to sustain the family and keep things together,” he told The Hollywood Reporter.
“So the idea that a mom, in this case, can create a story, a lie, a narrative, a version and dress their children in it like a hazmat suit, is definitely where [Longlegs] came from. That’s the kernel of truth that started the process.”
The filmmaker also confirmed the meaning behind the name, and it has less to do with childhood trauma and more to do with the feeling it evokes.
“We writers just like words. We like how certain words sound and look and shape and feel,” Perkins said in an interview with Variety.
“Yeah, it has daddy longlegs and a creepy-crawly aspect to it, but it also feels ’70s to me – almost like a Led Zeppelin song or someone would have on the side of their van, something groovy like that.
“It feels like a vintage word that people wouldn’t toss around much today. It positioned the movie in a weird place. You don’t get to fully understand it. It doesn’t fully fit, which is more alluring to me and creates a curiosity that I think is important.”
For more on Longlegs, find out how to watch the movie here. Why not also take a look at the new films arriving on streaming this month? And if it’s horror you’re interested in, here’s everything you need to know about Terrifier 3, Smile 2, and 28 Years Later.
