Insidious (2010/I)

Director:

James Wan

Writer (WGA):

Leigh Whannell (written by)

Release Date:

1 April 2011 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

What's in that picture?

Plot:

A family looks to prevent evil spirits from trapping their comatose child in a realm called The Further.

Plot Keywords:

House | Coma | Ghost | Demon | Medium

Awards:

5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Patrick Wilson	...	Josh Lambert
Rose Byrne	...	Renai Lambert
Ty Simpkins	...	Dalton Lambert
Lin Shaye	...	Elise Rainier
Leigh Whannell	...	Specs
Angus Sampson	...	Tucker
Barbara Hershey	...	Lorraine Lambert
Andrew Astor	...	Foster Lambert
Corbett Tuck	...	Nurse Adele / Doll Girl #2
Heather Tocquigny	...	Nurse Kelly
Ruben Pla	...	Dr. Sercarz
John Henry Binder	...	Father Martin
Joseph Bishara	...	Lipstick-Face Demon
Philip Friedman	...	Old Woman
J. LaRose	...	Long Haired Fiend
Kelly Devoto	...	Doll Girl #1
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Josh Feldman	...	Young Josh (uncredited)
Caslin Rose	...	Contortionist / Ghoul (uncredited)
Omar Apanco Salgado	...	Hispanic Student (uncredited)
Jeannette Sousa	...	Dr. Thimble (uncredited)

Directed by
James Wan

Writing credits (WGA)
Leigh Whannell		(written by)

Produced by
Jason Blum	....	producer
Jeanette Brill	....	line producer (as Jeanette Volturno-Brill)
Brian Kavanaugh-Jones	....	executive producer
John R. Leonetti	....	co-producer
Oren Peli	....	producer
Steven Schneider	....	producer
Aaron Sims	....	co-producer

Original Music by
Joseph Bishara

Cinematography by
David M. Brewer		(director of photography)
John R. Leonetti		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Kirk M. Morri		(as Kirk Morri)
James Wan

Casting by
Kellie Gesell
Anne McCarthy		(as Annie McCarthy)

Production Design by
Aaron Sims

Art Direction by
Jennifer Spence

Set Decoration by
Charlie Leal		(as Charles Leal)

Costume Design by
Kristin M. Burke

Makeup Department
Cici Andersen	....	hair stylist
Leslie Borchard	....	hair stylist
Nikki Carbonetta	....	makeup artist
Mandi Crane	....	makeup artist
Rocky Faulkner	....	makeup artist
Kelly Golden	....	key makeup effects artist
Kimberly Graczyk	....	makeup artist
Brian Kinney	....	makeup artist
David Larson	....	hair stylist
Liz Mendoza	....	makeup artist
Tijen Osman	....	hair stylist
Yesim 'Shimmy' Osman	....	hair department head
Justin Raleigh	....	special makeup effects department head
Tracy Richards	....	swing hair/makeup
Eleanor Sabaduquia	....	makeup department head
Wendy Southard	....	hair stylist

Production Management
John Darko	....	behind the scenes
James K. Jensen	....	post-production supervisor
Rick Osako	....	unit production manager (as Rick A. Osako)
Bill Wohlken	....	post-production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Jeff Bilger	....	second assistant director
Albert Cho	....	first assistant director

Art Department
Aaron Becker	....	main title design
Eduardo Cisneros	....	designer: gas mask pov
Eric Cohn	....	set dresser
Matt Donaldson	....	property master
Kaylee Fisher	....	set dresser
Jeff Guignard	....	set dresser
Brett Hatcher	....	art productions assistant
Niko Hovartos	....	on-set dresser
Kate Mallor	....	set dresser
Heather Michel	....	set dresser
Max Moreno	....	art swing
Steve Neff	....	art swing
Richard Roraback	....	leadman
Thomas Spence	....	co-art director (as Thom Spence)
Brendan McDonald	....	carpenter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Cross	....	sound designer
Joe Dzuban	....	sound designer
Joe Dzuban	....	sound re-recording mixer
Joe Dzuban	....	supervising sound editor
Stefan Fraticelli	....	foley artist
Tim D. Lloyd	....	boom operator (as Tim Lloyd)
Ryan Lukasik	....	foley assistant
Zsolt Magyar	....	sound mixer
Craig Mann	....	sound re-recording mixer
George Pereyra	....	sound effects editor
Kevin Schultz	....	foley recordist
Paul Seradarian	....	sound editor
John Sievert	....	foley artist
Randy Wilson	....	foley recordist
Zach Wrobel	....	boom operator (as Zachary Wrobel)
Rob Nokes	....	adr mixer (uncredited)
Rob Nokes	....	adr recordist (uncredited)
Paul Seradarian	....	dialogue editor (uncredited)
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Bart Dion	....	special effects coordinator

Visual Effects by
Adam Berk	....	digital artist
Jesse Capper	....	animator
Stephen DeLuca	....	compositor: Spy
Nick Giassullo	....	matte painter
Todd Gill	....	matchmove artist
Orin Green	....	compositor
Amy Hollywood Wixson	....	senior visual effects producer
Michael Janov	....	visual effects supervisor
Jin Yong Kim	....	matchmove artist
Heath Kraynak	....	compositor
Michael Lester	....	CG supervisor
Javier León	....	digital artist
Darren Orr	....	visual effects supervisor
Richard Pang	....	compositor
Schuyler Pappas	....	visual effects production manager
Colin Price	....	compositor
Salvador Ruiz	....	animator
Brian Tolle	....	matchmove artist
Nathan Walker	....	compositor
Gordon T. Wittmann	....	visual effects producer (as Gordon Wittmann)
Matthew Frederick Johnson	....	visual effects assistant data wrangler (uncredited)
John Norris	....	visual effects business affairs (uncredited)

Stunts
Loren Dennis	....	stunt rigger
Danny Downey	....	stunts
Tom Elliott	....	stunts
Sandra Lee Gimpel	....	stunts (as Sandra Gimpel)
Joel Kramer	....	stunt coordinator
Scott Leva	....	stunt co-coordinator
Samuel Reynolds	....	stunts
Katina Waters	....	stunts
Justin T. Woods	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Hank Braxtan	....	digital imaging technician (as Hank Braxton)
Steve Clancy	....	steadicam operator
John Darko	....	additional photography
John Darko	....	still photographer
Martin Gillette	....	company grip
Clay Glendenning	....	digital imaging technician utility
Kevin Huver	....	second assistant camera
Greg Kurtz	....	second assistant camera
Tony Lopez-Cepero	....	dolly grip
Rob Lynn	....	company grip (as Bobby Lynn)
Megan Marshall	....	lighting technician
Tim Marshall	....	chief lighting technician
Wayne Marshall	....	assistant chief lighting technician
John McDonald	....	lighting technician
Mark Meyers	....	steadicam operator (as Mark 'Chief' Meyers)
Dan Reilly	....	key grip
Scott Ronnow	....	first assistant camera
Paul Santoni	....	first assistant camera
Derek Santoro	....	lighting technician
Alex Scott	....	second assistant camera
Marc-Antoine Serou	....	lighting technician
Mark Sirota	....	lighting technician
Tim Stratton	....	lighting technician
Shermagne Umali	....	lighting technician
Drew Adams	....	electrician (uncredited)
Von Thomas	....	digital imaging technician: pickup unit (uncredited)
Matthew B. Verschelde	....	grip (uncredited)

Casting Department
Barbara Harris	....	adr voice casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Laura Cresswell	....	key costumer
Megan Stark Evans	....	costumer
Hannah Greene	....	costume intern
Sami Martin Sarmiento	....	additional costumer (as Sami Martin-Sarmiento)
Sarah Schuessler	....	additional costumer
Anthony Tran	....	costume intern

Editorial Department
Dennis Alaniz	....	additional editor
Dennis Alaniz	....	first assistant editor
Mark Griffith	....	digital intermediate artist (as Mark 'Griff' Griffith)
Chelsea Kammeyer	....	second assistant editor
Jose Parra	....	digital intermediate producer
Bill Schultz	....	digital intermediate general manager
Bob Semmer	....	digital intermediate chief operating officer
George Chavez	....	color timer (uncredited)
Richard A. Eisenstein	....	post-production technician (uncredited)
Dan Muscarella	....	lab timer (uncredited)

Music Department
Toddy Allen	....	additional music engineer
Alisa Burket	....	music assistant
Alisa Burket	....	musician: additional piano
Saar Hendelman	....	musician: piano
Jeffrey Holmes	....	music arranger
Jeffrey Holmes	....	music conductor
Julie Sessing	....	music clearance
Chris Spilfogel	....	score engineer
Chris Spilfogel	....	score mixer

Transportation Department
James G. Brill	....	transportation coordinator
Jason Messersmith	....	transportation captain (as Jason 'Messy' Messersmith)

Other crew
Grant Adam	....	technical consultant
Laura Altmann	....	production coordinator
Renetta G. Amador	....	script supervisor (as Renetta Amador)
Aaron Becker	....	title designer: main titles
Lisa Cabello	....	craft service production assistant
Angie Conners	....	international marketing
Joshua Cubero	....	craft service production assistant
Jeff Fukuhara	....	craft service production assistant
Michael A. Galasso	....	production coordinator (as Michael Galasso)
Larissa Grudt	....	set production assistant
David Halagarda	....	production office assistant
Layla Halfhill	....	technical consultant
Jessica L. Hall	....	assistant: Jason Blum (as Jessica Hall)
Robert Holeman III	....	intern
Joseph Hui	....	craft service (as Joe Hui)
Joseph Hui	....	crafts services (as Joe Hui)
Carole Levine	....	studio teacher
Sam May	....	set production assistant
Lydia McIntosh	....	craft service production assistant
Peter Musooli	....	set production assistant (as Peter 'Mus' Musooli)
Jonathan Nava	....	caterer
Ruben Nava	....	caterer
Derek Nguyen	....	craft service production assistant
Brian Patrick	....	technical consultant
Brittany Poulton	....	assistant: James Wan
Hiroki Shirota	....	production office assistant
Owen Sloane	....	legal counsel: Gladstone Michel Weisberg Willner & Sloane (as Owen J. Sloane)
Rachel Stilwell	....	legal counsel: Gladstone Michel Weisberg Willner & Sloane
Adam M. Stone	....	product placement coordinator (as Adam Stone)
Cat Stone	....	product placement coordinator
David Thornsberry	....	location manager
Jenna Kaye Thornsberry	....	assistant location manager (as Jenna Thornsberry)
Erin Vitali	....	office production assistant: reshoots
Randi Woxland	....	set medic
Bailey Conway	....	assistant: Brian Kavanaugh-Jones (uncredited)

Thanks
Arielle Brachfeld	....	the producers wish to thank
Linda C. Brent	....	the producers wish to thank
Kelly Cabral	....	the producers wish to thank
Eduardo Cisneros	....	the producers wish to thank
Lary Crews	....	the producers wish to thank
Leigh Davis	....	the producers wish to thank
Dylan	....	the producers wish to thank
David Fox	....	the producers wish to thank
Colin Geddes	....	the producers wish to thank
Kevin Greutert	....	the producers wish to thank
Scott Henderson	....	the producers wish to thank
Kimberly Ables Jindra	....	the producers wish to thank (as Kimberly Jindra)
Mike Mendez	....	the producers wish to thank
Derrick Oliver	....	the producers wish to thank
Jose Prendes	....	the producers wish to thank
Stephany Rose	....	the producers wish to thank
Seh Eng Soo	....	the producers wish to thank
Stacey Testro	....	the producers wish to thank
Jeffrey Wolman	....	the producers wish to thank (as Jeff Wolman)
Ben E. Woolt	....	the producers wish to thank
Katie Ybarra	....	the producers wish to thank

Production Companies

• FilmDistrict (presents)
• Stage 6 Films (in association with)
• Alliance Films
• IM Global
• Haunted Movies

Distributors

• FilmDistrict (2011) (USA) (theatrical) (as Filmdistrict Distribution)
• Alliance Films (2011) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Central Film (2011) (Germany) (theatrical)
• Distribution Company (2011) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Golden Village Pictures (2011) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• Icon Film Distribution (2011) (Australia) (theatrical)
• MEED Films (2011) (Lithuania) (theatrical)
• Momentum Pictures (2011) (UK) (theatrical)
• Showgate (2011) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Starway Film Distribution (2011) (Belgium) (theatrical)
• Thim Film (2011) (Austria) (theatrical)
• Village Films (2011) (Greece) (theatrical)
• Viva International Pictures (2011) (Philippines) (theatrical)
• Wild Bunch Distribution (2011) (France) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2011) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (2011) (Argentina) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Ascot Elite Entertainment Group (2011) (Switzerland) (all media)
• Aurum Distribution (2011) (Estonia) (all media)
• Aurum Distribution (2011) (Latvia) (all media)
• Aurum Producciones (2011) (Spain) (all media)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Entertainment One Benelux (2011) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Home Box Office (HBO) (2012) (Netherlands) (TV) (limited)
• Mongkol Major (2011) (Thailand) (all media)
• Odeon (2011) (Greece) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD)
• Panorama Distributions (2011) (Hong Kong) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Pris Audiovisuais (2011) (Portugal) (all media)
• RTL Entertainment (2013) (Netherlands) (TV) (RTL5)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2011) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray)

Special Effects

• Fractured FX (special makeup effects)
• Spy Post Digital (visual effects) (as Spypost, A FotoKem Company)

Other Companies

• Hot Set Catering  catering
• DzAudio  sound editing provided by
• Todd-AO Studios  sound re-recorded at (as Todd-AO West)
• JRS Productions  foley recorded at
• Todd-AO Studios  ADR recording provided by (as Todd-AO)
• Margarita Mix  ADR recording provided by
• Sound Dogs  ADR recording provided by
• FotoKem  digital film services
• Section Quartet, The  musicians: strings
• Sessing Music Services  music licensing
• Stone Management  product placement
• Prime Casting  extras casting
• Dr. Hauschka Skincare  the producers wish to thank
• MAC Cosmetics  the producers wish to thank
• Colorescience Pro  the producers wish to thank
• Cargo Cosmetics  the producers wish to thank
• Crème de la Mer  the producers wish to thank
• Jurlique Skin Care  the producers wish to thank
• Julie Hewett Cosmetics  the producers wish to thank
• Dermalogica  the producers wish to thank
• Benefit Cosmetics  the producers wish to thank
• FACE atelier Cosmetics  the producers wish to thank
• Thomas Surprenant Creations  the producers wish to thank
• Otto Nemenz International  the producers wish to thank
• Dan Riley Grip Rentals  the producers wish to thank
• Alternative Rentals  the producers wish to thank
• Leonetti Lighting and Grip  the producers wish to thank
• Jinx Props & Set Design  prop fabrication and set construction
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera cranes
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  camera dollies
• Chapman/Leonard Studio Equipment  remote and stabilized camera systems
• Aaron Sims Company, The  characters and designs (uncredited)
• Dolby Laboratories  sound mix
• Soundelux  post-production sound services (uncredited)
• Technicolor  release printing

Also Known As:

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for thematic material, violence, terror and frightening images, and brief strong language

Runtime:

103 min

Country:

USA | Canada

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

SDDS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

USA:PG-13 (certificate #46622) | Malaysia:PG-13 | UK:15 | Ireland:16 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Alberta/British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:PG (Manitoba) | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | Sweden:15 | Philippines:R-13 (MTRCB) | Argentina:13 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | Portugal:M/16 | France:-12 | South Korea:12 | Mexico:B | Germany:16 | Ireland:18 (DVD rating) | Netherlands:16 | Italy:T | Brazil:12 | Spain:16

Filming Locations:

Herald Examiner - 1111 S. Broadway, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

FilmDistrict

Trivia:

When Josh is dismissing his class, director James Wan's name can be seen on the blackboard, underlined twice.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: When Josh Lambert is walking towards the red door, up in the attic in the dream world (spirit realm), a dimly lit man can be seen moving about and pumping fog out of a fog machine in the bottom left side of the screen.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Dalton Lambert:Mom?
Renai Lambert:Hey, sweetie. What are you doing up? Come here.
Dalton Lambert:I don't like my room.
Renai Lambert:No? That's okay. You know, you're still getting used to it. I can't sleep either.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Polkino: Vypusk 41 (#1.24)" (2011)

Soundtrack:

Tiptoe Through The Tulips

Although familiar and overdone, the talent behind "Insidious" makes for a quality film

Haunted houses and questionable children have composed many a horror film, but there's a reason they work. When they do so despite years of being recycled, it's usually thanks to talent. "Saw" director James Wan found something of promise in "Saw" writer Leigh Whannell's story "Insidious" and the same must've gone for stars Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson. Horror films rarely get that infusion of talent, and as such, "Insidious" does not get lost in that dark dimension of forgettable horror.

Josh (Wilson) and Renai (Byrne) Lambert have moved into a new home with their two young boys and infant girl. Like always, paranormal oddities occur in small doses here and there until one morning they find their son Dalton in a coma. A few months pass and they move Dalton back home. The freaky incidences increase and eventually Renai sees the ghosts. She convinces Josh to move them into a new home, but it gets worse, so they bring in a paranormal expert (Lin Shaye) who provides them with some shocking revelations about the state of their son.

Like "Paranormal Activity" (a film thats producers have credits on this film unsurprisingly), the idea is to mount tension through paranormal phenomena and expert suspense. Wan provides a number of perfect angles and color to achieve the various moods. As much as you've been spooked this way by films before, you can't simply shirk the way the film creeps in — Wan won't have any of it. In fact, nothing here in terms of scare tactics will come as a revelation; many with a higher jumpiness tolerance will likely find it boring in many regards. No gore or horrific images to be found here — "Insidious" does it old school.

Once Shaye's character Elise and her two employees arrive on scene, the story mutates from paranormal suspense to other-worldly mystery. Elise explains what's going on — something that involves Dalton's soul being lost in a realm called The Further — and now they must rescue him. Whannell constructs an interesting mythology here and the story goes from horror to more of a mystery/thriller with demonic elements. In a sense he borrows from science fiction in establishing the rules of what's going on. It's mostly interesting, but in many instances flat-out weird to the point that horror purists might not like it.

The best way to describe "Insidious" is first half "Paranormal Activity" and second half something akin to Sam Raimi's "Drag Me To Hell," which equates to a nice balance between self-seriousness and horror fun. The "X" factor would be the performances. Byrne keeps Renai from becoming an obnoxious scaredy cat as her role's importance dwindles in the latter half of the film, in which time she still keeps Renai relevant. Wilson's character is no typical over- macho father figure or anything. Together they provide an unusual boost for horror, which typically strives for random faces with questionable experience.

In general, "Insidious" possesses a professionalism not often seen in the genre; most horror films go for cheap across the board from the budget to the talent to the thrills. Although "Insidious" lacks distinctiveness in terms of story, not an ounce of it can be perceived as immature or hollow. What a rare (but not unusual) treat.

~Steven C

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