Analysis of Insidious

Analysis of Insidious

This shot features an introduction of the production companies; they are boldly written in dark red font which connotes blood and gore. I think they used the colour red to suggest to the audience the plot and genre of the film. This makes the audience feel agitated and slightly fearful. The background is pitch black which makes the red writing stand out, this draws in the target audience. I believe that the black background connotes evil and cruelty which links in with horror genre. The curly writing fades off into a green smoke which reminds me of a ghost or spirit. Also, the green connotes decay, death and mould which links with the horror genre to impose fear and terror on the audience. The sound consists of a piano; it has a very high pitch and a random tempo which adds to the tense atmosphere.  

The mise en scene presents a medium long shot of someone's living room; there is cardboard boxes and random furniture in the room. The cardboard boxes connotes that someone is moving in or out which gives the audience a basic understanding of the plot of the film. The shot is in black and white which suggests that this is set in the past. The pop of bright red against the dull and depressing colours attracts the audience. There are non- diegetic sounds of violins because the pitch is very high. I think the violins add to the eeriness and suspense because it heightens the audiences fear which creates a crescendo.

The mise en scene presents a long shot of a haunted house which is a key horror location to make the audience feel uneasy but excited. There is a slight low angles to make the house seem bigger which connotes solidity and dominance. This angle makes the audience feel vulnerable and small which heightens their fear. The shot is black and white and is edited so it has high colour exposure and contrast. This adds to the ghostly and creepy appearance of the house. The sky is clouded and grey which creates a melancholy and miserable effect on the audience. The non- diegetic music is soft but sharp because of the high pitch made by violins. Also, there is a flute which makes a high pitch consistent note throughout the introduction music.


The mise en scene presents a medium long shot of someones living room which has general house objects in it. The lighting is very dark and dingy which creates suspension for the audience. There is colour symbolism in this shot because black connotes mystery, grief and death. The windows are boldly highlighted by the crisp white pouring into the room, this shows a contrast between light and dark. I think they used white because it connotes purity, innocence and heaven. The transitions fade in and out of the shot which creates a smooth flow of shots. The non-diegetic sound has a ear piercing pitch which is consistent, this makes the audience feel agitated and on edge.


The mise en scene presents a close up of the films name 'Insidious'. It is written in large red italics which imposes terror onto the audience. Also, I think the style and colour of the writing links to horror genre because it connotes blood and havoc. I believe they chose the name 'Insidious' because it connotes pure evil, threat and darkness. The title fades in into the black background which gives me the impression of the evil sucking and absorbing everything into the darkness. The non diegetic music has a very rapid tempo which creates a crescendo. There is non- diegetic sound of violins which gives the music the inconsistent range of pitch and sharp tempo that makes the audience feel frightened and fearful.



The mise en scene shows a medium long shot of someones kitchen and there is a shadow at the window. The lighting is very dark and dingy so the focus point is the shadow behind the window, this heightens the audiences curiosity to see what significance that shadow has on the film. The mise en scene features dark and neutral colours which can be unappealing for the audience. The non diegetic music has violins which has a screeching pitch that stops and starts to create a inconsistent rhythm. I think the shot transitions flow well because the camera pans into the next room expressing a smooth continuity of the shots.

The mise en scene presents a medium long shot of a pitch black room with a candle lit underneath a spooky face. The candle stands out against the darkness which suggests to the audience that there is significance of of the candle and shows a contrast between light and dark. I think the candle connotes purity and happiness, whereas the dark symbolises corruption and immorality. The scary face suggests that there is demons and monsters living in this haunted house, this gives the audience an idea of the plot of the film. The face makes me feel intimidated and frightened because it fades into the darkness making it hard to detect. As the camera zooms into the face the non diegetic sound quietens and fades out focusing on the face.


The mise en scene presents a long shot of a staircase and hallway, it is black and white to make the shot more eery and creepy. Furthermore, there is a harsh contrast between the colour exposure of black and white which imposes fear onto the audience. I think the old looking interior of the house and black and white shots gives the impression to the audience that this is filmed in the past in a historical time period. The non- diegetic sound is very quiet, but you can hear a faint sound of violins in the background maintains the audiences fear and agitation.

The mise en scene presents a medium long shot of a baby's cradle highlighted by a white spotlight. A baby's cradle is a common horror prop to use because it heightens the audiences fear that something will happen to the baby. Therefore, the spotlight makes the cradle the focus point in this shot which gives significance to this prop. The music sustains at a low pitch and regular tempo.