India, Aug. 21 -- Remove the background score and audio effects, and almost any horror film would stop being scary. I have noticed more than once how well this holds up, because so much of horror is about catching the viewer unaware. So, as I sat watching the latest instalment in the Insidious franchise, I found it intriguing. The sound design, especially, is crafted without leaning too heavily on conventional horror cues, and that makes it all the more interesting, and effective.

Insidious: Out of The Further, written and directed by Jacob Chase, follows a new family in the aftermath of the Lambert saga. Gemma, who lives with her daughter, begins experiencing a series of bizarre occurrences inside the house. She starts seeing three elde...