What Lies Beneath (2000)

User Rating:

6.5/10   

Director:

Robert Zemeckis

Writers (WGA):

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

Release Date:

21 July 2000 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

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

Plot:

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.

Plot Keywords:

Ghost | Vermont | College | Ouija Board | Ouija

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

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

MPAA:

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

Runtime:

130 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

Brazil:14 | Japan:R | Iceland:16 | Hungary:16 (TV rating) | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | Chile:14 | Colombia:18 | Denmark:15 | Finland:K-14 | France:-12 | Germany:16 (w) | Hong Kong:IIB | Hungary:18 | Netherlands:16 | New Zealand:M | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/16 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:PG-13 | Mexico:B | Philippines:PG-13

Filming Locations:

Burlington, Vermont, USA

Company:

DreamWorks SKG

Trivia:

When Claire is going through the clothes in Caitlyn's dresser, an E.T. figurine is sitting on top of the dresser. Harrison Ford's wife, Melissa Mathison, wrote and produced E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial (1982) in 1982. Harrison Ford played the school principal in a deleted scene from E.T. This could also be a reference to the uncredited producer of the film, Steven Spielberg, who directed E.T.

Goofs:

Continuity: The bite Claire takes out of the apple is gone when she forces Norman to take a bite out of it.

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.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Ring Two (2005)

Soundtrack:

Too Late

Suspense is what lies beneath

This is the most suspenseful thriller I have seen in the past year. As a refreshing change to more formulaic chillers, WLB takes its time to build the suspense. It is allowed to do this by virtue of Harrison Ford, and, especially, Michelle Pfeiffer, who, I feel, deserved an Oscar nomination for her convincing portrayal of a happy, but suddenly lonely, wife. It is just about as Hitchcockian as you can get, and I rate the bath sequence as gripping (pardon the pun) as taking a shower at the Bates Motel. The plot is thin and the action is played out sedately. Yet it seems perfectly timed in setting the mood of the whole piece. I particularly liked the music,and the supporting actress Diana Scarwid, whose lighthearted attitude during the seance scene made it all the more chilling. A perfect example of good film-making with only a slight plot. I am sure this movie will mature with age until it is rightfully regarded as a modern classic. Count the number of times you jump!