Is The Red-Faced Demon In Insidious: Out of the Further?
The Red-Faced (AKA Lipstick) Demon has haunted the Insidious franchise for years, but after its banishment in The Red Door, is he in Out of the Further?
Like so many others within the genre, Insidious is a horror franchise that just won’t die. Many thought that, after the events of Insidious: The Red Door, which provided a swan song for the countlessly traumatised Lambert family, the series would end. But as one door closes another opens and Insidious: Out of the Further is now just the latest in the series.
Although the Lamberts only technically appeared in three Insidious movies, there are two characters that have appeared in every chapter thus far: psychic Elise and the being called the Lipstick-Faced Demon. While the trailers have already confirmed that Elise is back for the new movie, the whereabouts of her red-faced adversary have been less clear. Considering the heart attack level of panic his first appearance in Insidious caused, we felt it only right to investigate if it turns up in Out of the Further so that viewers can steel themselves if necessary.
What is Insidious Out of the Further?
Insidious: Out of the Further is the sixth film in the Insidious series. After three films involving the Lambert family, and two prequels to the first film, the Insidious series is finally moving forwards in time. Set in the year 2019, shortly after the events of Insidious: The Red Door, Out of the Further joins single mother Gemma as she uncovers her ability to travel into the Further, a plane of existence where the dead dwell. Gemma is what is known as a traveller, a living person with the ability to visit the Further, just like Josh and Dalton Lambert. Gemma, however, has an extra layer to her talent as she is also a Courier: someone who can take things into, and out of, the Further.
Her skill captures the attention of a dangerous entity who sets out to drain her enough so that he can bend Gemma to his will. Gemma is not alone, though, as franchise star Lin Shaye is back as psychic Elise to help. This time, Elise’s help is coming from the other side, but with Elise for a spirit guide, Gemma hopes to put an end to her nightmare once and for all.
Who is the Lipstick Demon and Does He Feature in Out of the Further?
Although he has been in all of the Insidious films to date, little is actually known about the Lipstick Demon. During Insidious it is revealed to be a high-level demon, and a powerful foe for Elise and the Lambert family. It has designs on possessing young Dalton Lambert, capturing his spirit in the Further and waiting for the connection between mind and body to wear down enough so that it can take full control over Dalton’s body.
The character pops up for cameos in most of the other sequels, and is seen haunting Elise on more than one occasion. Then, in The Red Door it took centre stage again as an older Dalton started to remember the dark events of his childhood. This led to Dalton and Josh joining forces to banish it behind a locked door, never to return.
That is until Out of the Further. The antagonist of the new Insidious is Cyrus Lam, a former cult leader who has amassed an army of the dead in the Further. He has promised that they will all return to the land of the living and during the final act, it appears that his promise is going to come true. As the dead start clamouring to hitch a ride back to reality, the very familiar face of the Lipstick Demon invades the screen. It’s a fleeting ‘blink and you will miss it’ appearance, but one that confirms that the Lamberts might not have done as good a job as they had hoped.
Who Plays The Lipstick Demon and How Else are They Connected to the Franchise?
The Lipstick Demon is one of the most iconic elements of the Insidious series, but few know the man behind the make-up. Whereas most horror fans can tell you that Robert Englund played Freddy Krueger, Brad Dourif voices Chucky, and David Howard Thornton is Art the Clown, few can tell you the identity of the Lipstick Demon.
Joseph Bishara is the man behind the demon and he actually has a dual role in the franchise. In addition to traumatising audiences with his surprise pop-ups, Joseph Bishara is also the composer of each and every Insidious movie. He fell into the role by accident after James Wan told him he had the perfect shadow to play the entity. Bishara has since gone on to play the demon in every film, with the composer branching out into other acting roles, appearing in The Conjuring as Bathsheba, demonic figures in the Annabelle films, and as the Crone in Dead Night.
Films to Watch After Insidious: Out of the Further
The obvious films to start with after watching Insidious: Out of the Further, are the other Insidious movies. There are two different ways to watch the series: release order or timeline order. Whichever path you pick, expect a never-ending sense of creeping dread, Lipstick Demon jump scares, and a deeply committed performance from genre icon Lin Shaye.
If you are instead after something that feels like Insidious but isn’t then Poltergeist (the original) is a great choice. Insidious director James Wan and writer Leigh Whannell definitely copied a lot from Poltergeist and it’s definitely worth watching to see how much DNA the films share.
Sinister also has a memorable demon in Bughuul, which follows in the Lipstick Demon’s footsteps and chooses to make unexpected entrances. Scott Derrickson’s movie is also routinely awarded the title of scariest film according to science, so you know it’ll keep you up at night.
