Insidious OST

Posted on October 20, 2015 by emmakwall

Insidious – soundtrack review

I promised a few horror soundtrack reviews this Halloween and what better way to begin than with the delightfully scary and screeeeeewed up Insidious soundtrack.

This is not a soundtrack I listen to very often. It’s okay sitting here talking to you guys, I’m listening to it and feeling pretty brave. But can you imagine listening to it on a dark winter night? Whilst on your own? In the middle of an abandoned theme park?? Sod that for a fried egg sandwich. I used to have a couples of the tracks on my ‘general’ Spotify playlist and one came on whilst I was in the shower once. Try getting out of that one – wet hands, steamed up room, soap in my eyes – all the time fucked up demon music surrounding me. Lovely.

But because I love horror and soundtracks in general of course – and because the score really jumped out at me when I watched the movie – as it did for most people I’m sure, I knew I had to buy it on CD. And I’m glad I did – even if I am too much of a wimp to listen to it too much. It’s still a cool soundtrack to have in my collection and there’s some nice artwork inside too.

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Though there are a handful of songs in the film (most notably the creepy Tiptoe through the Tulips) this is mainly a scored soundtrack written by composer Joseph Bishara. He only really got ‘famous’ after Insidious but his IMDB page boasts a whole heap of horror film scores, dating back to 1998. He also actually plays the Lipstick-Face Demon – AKA the main bad guy in Insidious. In a really clever, twisty, freaky-deaky way Lipstick-Face was also a musician. Remember that screwed up organ room?! And who could forget the whisper – “oh my god dad….he’s looking”.

No joke – I am getting goosebumps right now. I may have left a window open though.

As far as amazing albums go, this isn’t an amazing album. Like in the way you’d listen to it in the car on repeat amazing. It’s a brilliant horror soundtrack, effective and truly frightening but the tracks all sound kind of similar with a heavy emphasis on making the listener jump – going from near silence to scratchy violins and weird piano keys. It’s brilliant but it’s not…..pleasing, almost slightly uncomfortable. Does that make sense?

Now if you’re brave enough, stick some headphones on and turn off all the lights –

About emmakwall

Films, books, soundtracks, good humour
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25 Responses to Insidious OST

  1. Pingback: 10 Fantastic Horror Movie Scores | emmakwall (explains it all)

  2. Victor De Leon says:
    February 27, 2016 at 17:43

    This and It Follows are my 2 fave scores to new horror flicks. Oh and Sinister too! Great post 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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    • emmakwall says:
      February 29, 2016 at 09:57

      Thanks SO much Victor!! I will be reviewing It Follows soon actually, I really like that soundtrack too! I listen to it in the car sometimes at night and there are some pretty jumpy bits in it! I could never listen to Insidious at night lol.

      I’ll check out the score for Sinister, interesting!

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      • Victor De Leon says:
        February 29, 2016 at 12:57

        Sinister is very creepy, more in the vein of what was done by Disasterpeace with It Follows. The score was done by Christopher Young, who also did Drag Me to Hell and Exorcism of Emily Rose. Hope you enjoy it, and you’ll may not want to listen to it at night 🙂

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        • emmakwall says:
          February 29, 2016 at 13:03

          Haha, knowing what a wimp I am (weird for someone who loves horror films!) I better listen to it in the sunshine 🙂

          Thanks Victor! Always nice to speak to another soundtrack fan and I love the Hellraiser score!!!

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          • Victor De Leon says:
            February 29, 2016 at 13:10

            Haven’t heard the Hellraiser score in a looong time! Give Dead Silence a listen, too, by Charlie Clouser. Good stuff, and of course, I love the more classic horror scores by Jerry Goldsmith (Omen, Poltergeist) and John Carpenter (Prince of Darkness and The Fog). If you know of any scores I may have overlooked, that I may enjoy, give me a shout!

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            • emmakwall says:
              March 4, 2016 at 10:33

              I have the Hellraiser score on my Spotify list. I’m weird like that lol. John Carpenter did some amazing scores didn’t he, totally agree with the classics! I really like the soundtrack to The Fly (1986) by Howard Shore as well, it’s very dramatic but not very spooky. Though I’m familiar with the movies I must admit I can’t really think how Omen and Poltergeist sound, I will look them up on youtube! (as well as Dead Silence!)

              Liked by 1 person

  3. The Telltale Mind says:
    October 22, 2015 at 13:16

    Sounds delightfully evil.

    Liked by 1 person

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  4. filmfunkel says:
    October 21, 2015 at 12:36

    Love it. Wonderfully unsettling – like the Under The Skin soundtrack. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  5. By Hook Or By Book ~ Book Reviews, News, & Other Stuff says:
    October 20, 2015 at 21:18

    Okay. That. Was. Creepy! If I have nightmares tonight you’re in so much trouble!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply
  6. table9mutant says:
    October 20, 2015 at 18:16

    Hmm. I’ll have to give this a listen as I admit that I don’t remember the score. Only Tiptoe, of course. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. beetleypete says:
    October 20, 2015 at 15:59

    Other than ‘Tiptoe’, I confess that I hadn’t thought too much about the music. I obviously don’t have your ‘ soundtrack ear’, Em!
    Good call honey.
    Best wishes, Pete.

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. vinnieh says:
    October 20, 2015 at 15:54

    This soundtrack is so chilling, I’m shivering listening to it Emma.

    Liked by 1 person

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