It's Halloween: Let's Talk About Why Nicolas Cage Was Perfect For 'Longlegs'

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Ghosts and ghouls are roaming about, joined by costumes so niche you need a Twitter feed running in your brain non-stop (what do you mean you’re Patti Lupone’s Equity Card?). Everyone is openly loving and celebrating spooky movies and shows. So, it felt appropriate to write about one of my favorite scary movies of the year, Longlegs, and why Nicolas Cage was a perfect choice to play the eponymous villain.

For those who are unaware, Longlegs is about a serial killer targeting families and using haunting methods steeped in the occult. A young FBI agent is attempting to track him down without letting the horrific nature of his crimes drive her mad. It is a deeply unsettling film that has a lion’s share of confidence. Every decision feels intentional, and none are as consequential as casting Nicolas Cage as Longlegs, a dollmaking killer with frightening fits of… singing.

That ellipsis isn’t meant to disregard the singing. It is frightening, unnerving, and incredibly odd. Elements of Cage’s character feel embarrassing, not just to the character but to the actor himself. That’s the point! Cage, with writer and director Osgood Perkins, crafted a character that is equal parts cringe and creep. Even before we see his face, something that doesn’t happen until well into the film, the aura surrounding Longlegs fills the audience with discomfort.

I do think a younger actor, someone less known, could pull off a performance like this. There is a “nothing to lose, everything to gain” attitude with up-and-coming actors. They need to make a name for themselves, and bonkers characters like this tend to help. It could also be something for an established but maybe not super well-known actor. You know their face and enjoy them but maybe couldn’t place their name.

Nicolas Cage is a star. People’s opinions of him will vary depending on who you are talking to, but most people know who he is; They know his work. There is a good chance that, before seeing him in a film, they’ve already formed an opinion of him. That’s because there are aspects of Cage’s career that should make him a “brand.” Plenty of actors are “brands” first and actors second. Cage is so much more an actor he makes himself less of a brand.

Brands are supposed to be reliable and, frankly, boring. You always know what you’re going to get. For soda, that’s great. For actors? Not so much. There are plenty of actors you can count on, but when it becomes more about their name than their character, things get repetitive. Call it typecasting, bad choices, or the understandable need for a steady paycheck, but Brand Forward actors will make safe choices to avoid rocking the boat. Nicolas Cage is almost the antithesis of this.

Despite his notoriety, Cage goes hog-wild in everything he does. In one film he’ll take risks and swings that could fill someone’s whole career. The quality or prestige does not matter. From low-budget to blockbuster, Cage is trying sh**. It’s not just that he’s trying hard, he’s trying everything. His wild choices may not always connect, but they’re interesting and entertaining regardless.

Cage’s performance in Longlegs is a swing that works. He’s putting himself out there in a way that is unflattering, grotesque, silly, and devilish. He leaves Nicolas Cage at the door and gives a performance that will elicit all manner of reactions. When I saw it in the theater there were small pockets of people laughing when he would do anything. Sometimes nervously, sometimes not.

At first, it was a little annoying. He’s a psychopathic murderer! But, it’s in the performance. Nicolas Cage gets a lot out of people because he gives a lot of himself. His work is going to work people up in many different ways because he’s an actor. He’s wild, unpredictable, and brings all that wonderful energy to Longlegs. There is no one else who can do what Nicolas Cage does.