Neon spent a significant amount of money on their marketing campaign for Oz Perkins' serial killer thriller Longlegs, a dark tale about a murderer played by Nicolas Cage and the FBI agent (Maika Monroe) assigned to his case. Critics were coming out of screenings raving about the movie and calling it an extremely disturbing film, some even labeled it as demonic, a movie that feels like you're summoning something dark into the world.
Given the hyperbolic language used to describe Longlegs, it's not surprising that the movie was pretty polarizing. Some people agreed with the positive reviews, while others felt Longlegs wasn't as scary as they anticipated. If you fall into the latter camp, you've come to the right place. Below we've listed six serial killer movies that are much more effective than Longlegs.
The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
- Streaming free on Tubi
The Silence of the Lambs is one of the most famous serial killer movies ever made, and likely the most obvious possible addition to this list. But considering its boundless influence and the fact Longlegs likely wouldn't exist without it, to neglect it would feel disingenuous. To date, it remains the only horror movie to ever win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.
Jodie Foster plays ambitious FBI agent Clarice Starling. Her boss assigns her a special interview with imprisoned cannibalistic pscyhopath and talented psychiatrist, Dr. Hannibal Lector (Anthony Hopkins), to gain insight into the motives of a recent serial killer named Buffalo Bill known for murdering women and skinning them.
Maniac (1980)
- Streaming free on Tubi
This ultra-violent slasher film centers on serial killer Frank Zito (Joe Spinelli) a twisted and psychopathic individual with a penchant for murdering and scalping young women. Maniac has received some infamy because of its gratuitous violence, to the point that the movie was first considered an exploitation film and almost received the "video nasty" label. Because of its dark reputation, Maniac has earned a large cult following and it does feature some wild gore for its era. Elijah Wood stars in the 2012 remake.
The Vanishing (1988)
- Available on VOD
The Vanishing ranks among the best psychological thrillers ever made and it has an incredibly dark and amazing ending. Surprisingly, this movie has been somewhat underrated, but it's definitely worth a watch and, in my opinion, succeeds in being more disturbing than Longlegs. Part of why The Vanishing is so effective is because of how deeply it delves into the twisted psyche of its killer. What starts out as a simple missing persons case develops into something much darker.
The House that Jack Built (2018)
- Streaming on Shudder and AMC+
The House that Jack Built is a Lars von Trier film, so if you've seen any of his previous works then you probably have an idea of what kind of twisted story your're about to watch unfold. Matt Dillon is sinister in his performance as the film's psychopathic killer, Jack, a former architect who indulges in murder. The movie is told in different "episodes," each one more disturbing than the last.
Se7en (1995)
- Available on VOD
Similar to The Silence of the Lambs, David Fincher's Se7en is an incredibly popular and influential film. The most compelling thing about this movie is the serial killer who is inspired by the seven deadly sins when conducting his murders. That means each set-up is graphic and disturbing, with the victim of "lust" being particularly horrific. Se7en has inspired many copycats and its ending is considered one of the all-time greatest cinematic twists.
Opera (1987)
- Streaming on Shudder
There is a scene involving needles dangerously close to someone's eyes in this movie that I've never been able to forget. Opera is one of Dario Argento's many excellent films, an Italian giallo about a masked murderer hunting at an opera house after he becomes enthralled by a young soprano actress.