5 terrifying horror movies that are scarier than Longlegs

Longlegs is in cinemas now, and if you watched the movie and like what you saw, these are five more scary movies to scratch that horror itch.

The hype around Longlegs has been real, from creepy posters and phone message stunts, to reports of viewers bursting into tears.

We weren’t quite as convinced in Dexerto’s Longlegs review. While awarding the movie 4/5, we wrote: “Calling Longlegs the scariest horror of the decade is a bit of a stretch. However, [director Osgood] Perkins has succeeded in creating a chilling, atmospheric thriller that is a worthy contribution to the genre.”

So, if Longlegs wasn’t scary enough for you, these are five similarly-themed horror movies that had us sleeping with the lights on.

The Silence of the Lambs (1991)

Orion Pictures

“Silence of the Lambs, of course, was an influence,” said star Maika Monroe when we asked about playing an FBI agent hunting a serial killer in Longlegs. And Jonathan Demme’s horror classic was clearly an influence on Perkins’ writing and directing.

Based on the Thomas Harris novel of the same name, the film stars Jodie Foster as FBI agent Clarice Starling, searching for a serial killer nicknamed Buffalo Bill. Anthony Hopkins is Hannibal, the incarcerated cannibal who assists Clarice on her mission, while delving into her disturbing past.

Their scenes together are electric, earning both actors Academy Awards. While the climax in Bill’s basement is absolutely terrifying.

Se7en (1995)

New Line Cinema

Inspired by the critical and commercial success of The Silence of the Lambs, the 1990s were filled with serial killer thrillers, many of which were pale imitations of Demme’s movie.

But Se7en took the sub-genre in a bold direction, thanks to Andrew Kevin Walker’s twisted script, and David Fincher’s unflinching direction. Playing out in an unnamed city where death and destruction seems to be lurking around every corner, the film follows two cops on the hunt for a serial killer who is using the deadly sins as a playbook.

This results in some seriously grisly crime scene investigations, as well as an infamous jump-scare. Then the killer calmly walks into a police station to give himself up. But this self-styled ‘John Doe’ is just getting started, with his endgame resulting in one of the most depressing endings in celluloid history.

Zodiac (2007)

Warner Bros.

David Fincher wasn’t done with the genre, as little over a decade later, he tackled the real-life case of the Zodiac killer, crafting what many consider to be his masterpiece in the process.

Scripted by James Vanderbilt and Robert Graysmith, the film focusses on the manhunt for the elusive serial killer who terrorised San Francisco’s Bay area for more than a decade, making much of the movie a police procedural.

But genuine scares come via re-enactments of his heinous crimes, as well as multiple moments where the authorities seemingly get close to the truth. Though perhaps the most frightening thing about Zodiac is the fact the killer was never caught.

Kill List (2011)

Studio Canal

The occult drives the narrative in Longlegs, and does the same in Kill List, a British thriller that once seen, is never forgotten.

Written and directed by Ben Wheatley, the story concerns a pair of hitmen being charged with the task of murdering three people. One of which involves a hammer, and isn’t for the squeamish.

But the mission draws them into a larger conspiracy that sees the movie switch genres to become full-blown horror in the final third, as Kill List works its way to a truly devastating denouement.

Hereditary (2018)

A24

There’s more occult action in Hereditary, a film that deals with themes of grief and guilt, until the sadness that underpins the action transforms into something much scarier.

Ari Aster’s film focusses on the Graham family, who start proceedings at a funeral, and find themselves cloaked in death for the duration of the movie as secrets from the past start to haunt them in the present.

Toni Collette delivers one of the great genre performances as the matriarch torn between doing what’s right and protecting her family. While the final revelation is truly the stuff of nightmares, and a big part of why we crowned Hereditary the best horror movie of all time.

So those are our scary picks. For more on the new movie, here’s our Longlegs ending explainer and interview with the film’s director Osgood Perkins. Or you can check out reviews of new horror releases A Quiet Place: Day One and MaXXXine.