“Insidious: Chapter 3” shines a light on `godmother of horror’

While dialing up the chills, Columbia Pictures’ new horror thriller “Insidious: Chapter 3” turns back the clock as it takes place years before the first two chapters which detailed the escalating haunting of the Lambert family. With the family’s fate resolved in “Insidious: Chapter 2,” director and screenwriter Leigh Whannell was keen to shine the spotlight on a constant in the tales: indomitable psychic Elise Rainier, portrayed by Lin Shaye.

The legendary actress was recently honored for her contributions in the horror genre by being named the “Godmother of Horror” at last month’s Wizard World Comic Con in Philadelphia. Besides reprising her role as gifted psychic Elise Rainier in “Insidious: Chapter 3,” Shaye also starred in more than 20 other horror films, including “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Snakes on a Plane” and “Ouija.”

Elise had been killed off as part of the struggle to save the Lamberts, but “I love the character and I wondered how I could bring her back,” says Whannell. “Dealing with ‘ghost Elise’ wasn’t the idea; I wanted her alive! People enjoyed the time-spanning storytelling that we advanced in the second movie, and I felt that would help me find a story that gives deeper meaning to Elise’s journey.

“I started to devise an origin story, a prequel set a few years before the first movie wherein concepts central to Insidious take shape, and where we could explore Elise’s background. Once I started writing this, I fell in love with the piece.”

Shaye was impressed at how Whannell’s script “gives you more details about the characters; in “Insidious: Chapter 3,” we learn more about Elise’s personal life. These ideas were exciting, because character and story are what matter to me.”

Producer Jason Blum enthuses that “when you see Lin playing Elise on-screen, you believe that she’s able to communicate with demons and ghosts. In most movies about the paranormal, it’s hard to make the character of the expert feel credible, but Lin is terrific at doing just that.”

Whannell says, “Lin is an actor whom you love having on the set, because she’s 100% committed at all times. When you’re a writer, it’s encouraging having an actor talk over your script so much with you.

“I had a lot of discussions with Lin while I was writing `Insidious: Chapter 3,’ and I feel we’ve made her character even stronger than in the first two films – with a real range of emotions that she can express so well.”

Producer James Wan affirms, “Lin Shaye is the beating heart of these movies, and now the new movie is able to continue and expand upon the series’ legacy.”

“It’s a great new story that transpires in the same universe,” elaborates producer Oren Peli. “Leigh introduces a new family – and revisits some favorite characters from the previous chapters, like Elise. We get to see how she evolved to be the Elise audiences got to know and love in the first two Insidious chapters – the woman who is selflessly willing to sacrifice herself to fight demonic forces for a family’s sake.”

Shaye concludes, “I hear all the time from people who love these movies, so I was aware of the expectations. The challenge was to not repeat ourselves; Elise has different dilemmas in `Insidious: Chapter 3,’ and Leigh gave me a lot to work with and to play. Elements of this new story, what this family faces down and what Elise does, will touch people in a very human way.”

“Insidious: Chapter 3” has been given a Parental Guidance (PG) rating by the MTRCB. This movie contains scenes with several scary and horrifying images, blasting sounds, and themes (a child communicating with the dead, dealing with the supernatural, etc.) that may be disturbing for very young viewers. Parental guidance and discretion is strictly advised.

Opening across the Philippines on Friday, June 05, “Insidious: Chapter 3” is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International.