35mm Summer: Longlegs, Cuckoo & Strange Darling
Let’s talk about three recent psychological thrillers that share one major thing in common: they were all shot on 35mm film. This darkly designed and cinematically unsettling trio films is Longlegs, Cuckoo, and Strange Darling.
If you’ve been keeping an eye on cinema lately, you’ll notice we’re into a 35mm renaissance of sorts. Up and coming filmmakers are bringing that analog, textured quality back into the mainstream.
And it works.
I definitely have a favorite of the bunch, but first here’s a super fast overview of what makes these films different despite their similarities.
Longlegs
The David Fincher classic Seven came to mind when I first saw the trailer for Longlegs. Directed by Osgood Perkins, Longlegs stars Maika Monroe as an FBI agent knee-deep in the investigation of ritualistic murders. The film opened big and surprised the industry by scaring up more than $100 million.
Another creepy victory for co-star and “America’s drunk uncle” Nic Cage.
The movie is moody, brooding, and visually sharp. It’s a slow-burn that simmers with occult undertones and never lets you get comfortable.
Cuckoo
Like Perkins, Tilman Singer wrote and directed his splashy summer flick Cuckoo.
Our hero in this film is a 17-year-old girl forced to move to a resort in the German Alps where lots of bad things happen. You feel all the pain of star Hunter Schafer in a nightmare of body horror and identity crisis.
It’s surreal and visceral. There’s some serious body horror, so maybe skip lunch before watching if that bothers you.
Strange Darling
Directed by JT Mollner, Strange Darling is a chaotic, six-chapter thriller about a one-night stand gone terribly wrong.
This one is my personal favorite of the three. The storytelling is non-linear and a fun puzzle to ponder. I of course enjoy dark humor, and this one blends horror with a twisted sense of humor that makes you laugh when you really shouldn’t. And the performances are great. Willa Fitzgerald and Kyle Gallner deliver powerful performances that keep you invested in their complex dynamic.
35mm Magic
All three films share some core elements that make them both visually and psychologically compelling. Something about 35mm just feels more real, even when you’re watching something surreal or supernatural.
Each of these films will mess with your head. These storytellers aren’t afraid to get a little weird or make you work for the payoff. If the future of psychological thrillers is as rich and layered as these 35mm gems, then we’re on the right track.
Ranking Them
I created the Quill Movie Rating System to have a quick way to figure out what I really think of all the films I see. Here’s how this trio of gritty pysch thrillers shake out for me. I’ll show the breakdown and rating followed by the scorecard.
Longlegs
Entertainment Value: 3/5 quill points (Bronze Quill, 1 points)
Storytelling Power: 3/5 quill points (Bronze Quill, 1 point)
Technical Excellence: 4/5 quill points (Silver Quill, 3 points)
TOTAL: 5 points = Silver Quill
Cuckoo
Entertainment Value: 3/5 quill points (Bronze Quill, 1 points)
Storytelling Power: 2/5 quill points (Broken Quill, 0 point)
Technical Excellence: 4/5 quill points (Silver Quill, 2 points)
TOTAL: 3 points = Bronze Quill
Notes: I expected to be higher on Cuckoo than it turned out. I like that it’s weird and dark, but ultimately it’s not gonna stand the test of time. This one barely made it out of the Broken Quill category to receive the lowest band of Bronze available.
Strange Darling
Entertainment Value: 5/5 quill points (Gold Quill, 3 points)
Storytelling Power: 5/5 quill points (Gold Quill, 3 point)
Technical Excellence: 4/5 quill points (Silver Quill, 2 points)
TOTAL: 8 points = Gold Quill
Notes: I loved this one. This bananas thriller pitting The Lady versus The Demon still sticks with me after a few weeks. I love the out of order chapters, and the casting is great all around, including Ed Begley Jr. and Barbara Hershey.
Looks like Uncle Stevie agrees:
I specifically did this exercise with these 3 flicks to see if my new system could help me figure out how I feel about movies, and I have to say this seems to work.
To recap:
Strange Darling: Gold Quill
Longlegs: Silver Quill
Cuckoo: Bronze Quill
If you haven’t seen any of these, maybe these rankings will give you an idea of where to start. If you have seen one or more of these, I’d love to hear if you agree or disagree.