If 'Longlegs' Scared You, Try This Terrifying Japanese Neo-Noir Horror, 'Cure'

Osgood Perkins' ‘Longlegs'  is now in theatres, showcasing a chilling and moody narrative about some of the darkest events in cinema. The film centres on FBI agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) as she hunts a serial killer with a brutal, enigmatic method. In an Oregon region, healthy families with seemingly loving fathers are repeatedly found murdered by the father, who then commits suicide. 

These crime scenes bear satanic markings and a card signed 'Longlegs'. Harker must use her partial psychic abilities and obsessive nature to unravel this mystery as it threatens those she loves. The film portrays a killer manipulating strangers to commit his evil deeds, pursued by a detective touched by darkness.

Also Read: Discover How ‘Longlegs’ is Linked to ‘The Blackcoat’s Daughter’

Kiyoshi Kurosawa's ‘Cure’ offers a similar premise that fans of 'Longlegs' might appreciate. In ‘Cure’  Tokyo detective Kenichi Takabe (Koji Yakusho) investigates a series of brutal killings with no apparent motive, linked only by a violent pattern. The suspect, Kunio Mamiya (Masato Hagiwara), is a master manipulator with a grim outlook on humanity. As Takabe gets closer to Mamiya's secret, the murders inch closer to him, with Mamiya trying to unlock his inner darkness. ‘Cure’ and ‘Longlegs’ both feature killers driven by a mysterious figure, highlighting the bleakness of human nature.

In ‘Longlegs’ the mastermind is a dedicated Satanist delighting in corrupting families, often targeting children's birthdays to twist days of celebration into horror. The film suggests a terrifying implication: the Satanist’s power can override individual will. 

Similarly, in ‘Cure’ Mamiya uses an ancient hypnotism practice to control his victims, believing he merely unlocks their inherent darkness. An unsettling conversation in ‘Cure’ posits that hypnotism can’t compel someone to act against their nature, suggesting that Mamiya's victims are simply revealing their true murderous selves.

Both films explore the terrifying idea that darkness lies within everyone, waiting to be unleashed. ‘Longlegs’ suggests this through satanic manipulation, while ‘Cure’ presents it as an intrinsic part of human nature. This bleak view is what makes ‘Cure’ particularly disturbing, positing that beneath the surface, we are all capable of horrific acts. ‘

–Farheen Ali