What Lies Beneath (2000)

The wife of a university research scientist believes that her lakeside Vermont home is haunted by a ghost - or that she's losing her mind.

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers:

Clark Gregg (screenplay), Sarah Kernochan (story),

Stars:

Michelle Pfeiffer, Katharine Towne, Miranda Otto

4 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Michelle Pfeiffer	...	Claire Spencer
Katharine Towne	...	Caitlin Spencer
Miranda Otto	...	Mary Feur
James Remar	...	Warren Feur
Harrison Ford	...	Norman Spencer
Victoria Bidewell	...	Beatrice
Diana Scarwid	...	Jody
Dennison Samaroo	...	PhD Student #1
Jennifer Tung	...	PhD Student #2
Eliott Goretsky	...	Teddy
Rachel Singer	...	PhD Student #3
Daniel Zelman	...	PhD Student #4
Ray Baker	...	Dr. Stan Powell
Wendy Crewson	...	Elena
Amber Valletta	...	Madison Elizabeth Frank

Storyline

Norman Spencer, a university research scientist, is growing more and more concerned about his wife, Claire, a retired concert cellist who a year ago was involved in a serious auto accident, and who has just sent off her daughter Caitlin (Norman's stepdaughter) to college. Now, Claire reports hearing voices and witnessing eerie occurrences in and around their lakeside Vermont home, including seeing the face of a young woman reflected in water. An increasingly frightened Claire thinks the phenomena have something to do with the couple living next door, especially since the wife has disappeared without apparent explanation. At her husband's urging, Claire starts to see a therapist; she tells him she thinks the house is being haunted by a ghost. His advice? Try to make contact. Enlisting the help of her best friend, Jody, and a ouija board, Claire seeks to find out the truth of What Lies Beneath.

---

Plot Keywords:

research | secret | vermont | ghost | college | 

---

Taglines:

He was the perfect husband until his one mistake followed them home.

---

Genres:

Drama | Horror | Mystery | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for terror/violence, sensuality and brief language

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 July 2000 (USA)

Also Known As:

Revelaciones

Filming Locations:

Burlington, Vermont, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$90,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

£2,258,893 (UK) (20 October 2000)

Gross:

ESP 2,285,968,301 (Spain) (29 June 2001)

Company Credits

Production Co:

DreamWorks SKG, Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation, ImageMovers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

130 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital SDDS

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Robert Zemeckis filmed this while production on Cast Away was shut down (so Tom Hanks could lose weight for his character).

---

Goofs

Adamant, Vermont is mentioned twice. Both times it's described as being "down 7", meaning southward on US Route 7, the principal north-south artery on Vermont's western edge. Route 7 passes through the Burlington/Lake Champlain area where the movie is set. Adamant is about 40 miles east of Route 7.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Claire Spencer: Good morning, Beauty. Let's go or we'll never leave on time.
Caitlin Spencer: I'm totally ready.
Claire Spencer: Come on. I'll make you some waffles.

---

Crazy Credits

When the movie title first appears on screen, the word 'Lies' appears just before the rest of the title.

---

Connections

Features The Bold and the Beautiful (1987)

---

Soundtracks

"Too Late"
Written by J.C. Brandy (as Justine Brandy), Katie Harris, Lissa Beltri, Claudia Rossi & Doug DeAngelis
Performed by LoBall
Courtesy of Doug DeAngelis

User Reviews

Surprisingly good and creepy horror/mystery.

When I went to the cinema to watch this movie,I expected it to be another big-budget Hollywood garbage.After the seance I was pleasantly surprised.I saw "Scream 3" some days ago and that movie wasn't nowhere near as scary as "What Lies Beneath".Great performances by Michelle Pfeiffer(she looks really gorgeous in this one)and Harrison Ford.The climax is absolutely terrifying(especially the bathtub sequence).Plenty of suspense and shocks,wonderful atmosphere of dread and fear.Finally after never-ending strain of lame slasher flicks a truly suspenseful movie.Check it out if you dare.Highly recommended.