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|editing = [[Arthur Schmidt (film editor)|Arthur Schmidt]]
|editing = [[Arthur Schmidt (film editor)|Arthur Schmidt]]
|studio = [[DreamWorks Pictures]]<br>[[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]]<br>[[ImageMovers]]
|studio = [[DreamWorks Pictures]]<br>[[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]]<br>[[ImageMovers]]
|distributor = DreamWorks Distribution LLC ([[North America]])<br>20th Century Fox (International)
|distributor = DreamWorks Pictures (North America)<br>20th Century Fox (International)
|released = {{Film date|2000|07|21}}
|released = {{Film date|2000|07|21}}
|runtime = 130 minutes
|runtime = 130 minutes
|country = [[United States]]
|country = United States
|language = [[English language|English]]
|language = English
|budget = $100 million<ref name="boxofficemojo.com">{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=whatliesbeneath.htm|title=What Lies Beneath (2000) - Box Office Mojo|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=October 31, 2022}}</ref>
|budget = $100 million<ref name="boxofficemojo.com">{{cite web|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=whatliesbeneath.htm|title=What Lies Beneath (2000) - Box Office Mojo|website=[[Box Office Mojo]]|access-date=October 31, 2022|archive-date=March 5, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120305172403/http://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=whatliesbeneath.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>
|gross = $291.4 million<ref name="boxofficemojo.com"/>
|gross = $291.4 million<ref name="boxofficemojo.com"/>
}}
}}
'''''What Lies Beneath''''' is a 2000 American [[psychological film|psychological]] [[Supernatural horror film|supernatural horror film]] directed by [[Robert Zemeckis]] from a [[screenplay]] written by [[Clark Gregg]], based on a story by [[Sarah Kernochan]] and Gregg. It [[Leading actor|stars]] [[Harrison Ford]] and [[Michelle Pfeiffer]], with [[Diana Scarwid]], [[Joe Morton]], [[James Remar]] and [[Miranda Otto]] appearing in [[Supporting actor|supporting roles]]. It was the first film released by Zemeckis' [[production company]], [[ImageMovers]]. The original [[film score]] was composed by [[Alan Silvestri]].
'''''What Lies Beneath''''' is a 2000 American [[supernatural horror film]] directed by [[Robert Zemeckis]] from a screenplay written by [[Clark Gregg]], based on a story by [[Sarah Kernochan]] and Gregg. It [[Leading actor|stars]] [[Harrison Ford]] and [[Michelle Pfeiffer]], with [[Diana Scarwid]], [[Joe Morton]], [[James Remar]] and [[Miranda Otto]] appearing in [[Supporting actor|supporting roles]]. It was the first film released by Zemeckis' [[production company]], [[ImageMovers]]. The original film score was composed by [[Alan Silvestri]].


''What Lies Beneath'' was [[Movie theater|theatrically]] released on July 21, 2000, by [[DreamWorks Pictures]] and [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]]. It received generally mixed reviews, with [[Film criticism|critics]] praising Pfeiffer's performance but criticizing the screenplay. The film was also a [[Blockbuster (entertainment)|box office]] success, grossing $291.4 million worldwide against a [[Film budgeting|production budget]] of $100 million, becoming the [[2000 in film#Highest-grossing films|tenth highest-grossing film of the year]].
''What Lies Beneath'' was theatrically released on July 21, 2000, by [[DreamWorks Pictures]] in the United States and [[20th Century Studios|20th Century Fox]] in international markets. While it received generally mixed reviews from critics, who praised Pfeiffer's performance while criticizing the screenplay, the film was a box-office success, grossing $291.4 million worldwide against a production budget of $100 million, becoming the [[2000 in film#Highest-grossing films|tenth highest-grossing film of the year]].


''What Lies Beneath'' was nominated for the [[Saturn Awards|Saturn Award]] for [[Saturn Award for Best Horror Film|Best Horror Film]] at the [[27th Saturn Awards]], in addition to nominations for Zemeckis and Pfeiffer for [[Saturn Award for Best Director|Best Director]] and [[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]], respectively. At the [[7th Blockbuster Entertainment Awards|7th]] [[Blockbuster Entertainment Awards]], Ford and Pfeiffer won Favorite Actor – Suspense and Favorite Actress – Suspense, and Scarwid was nominated for Favorite Supporting Actress – Suspense.
''What Lies Beneath'' was nominated for the [[Saturn Awards|Saturn Award]] for [[Saturn Award for Best Horror Film|Best Horror Film]] at the [[27th Saturn Awards]], in addition to nominations for Zemeckis and Pfeiffer for [[Saturn Award for Best Director|Best Director]] and [[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]], respectively. At the [[7th Blockbuster Entertainment Awards|7th]] [[Blockbuster Entertainment Awards]], Ford and Pfeiffer won Favorite Actor – Suspense and Favorite Actress – Suspense, and Scarwid was nominated for Favorite Supporting Actress – Suspense.

In 2002, a [[Hindi cinema|Bollywood]] [[remake]], titled ''[[Raaz (2002 film)|Raaz]]'', was released.


==Plot==
==Plot==
Former cellist Claire Spencer and her husband Norman, an accomplished scientist and professor, live a quiet life at their lakeside home in Vermont. Their relationship is strained, particularly after Claire's daughter, Caitlin, leaves for college. Claire notices their new neighbors, Mary and Warren Feur, have a volatile relationship and, after Mary is unseen for several days, suspects Warren may have killed her.
Claire and Norman Spencer, accomplished scientist and professor, live a quiet life at their lakeside home in Vermont. Their relationship is strained, especially after Claire's daughter Caitlin leaves for college.


Claire notices their new neighbors, Mary and Warren Feur, have a volatile relationship and, after Mary is unseen for several days, suspects Warren may have killed her.
⚫
Claire believes she sees a woman's body in the lake, and senses an unseen presence in the house. A framed article about Norman falls off his desk and shatters, leading Claire to discover an odd key inside a vent. She finds her bathtub mysteriously filled, and sees another woman's reflection in the water. Confiding in a psychiatrist, Claire and her mystic friend, Jody, hold a failed séance. She finds the bathtub filled again with the message, "You know," written on the steamy mirror, while her computer inexplicably types the initials "MEF".


⚫
Claire believes she sees a woman's body in the lake, and senses a presence in the house. A framed article about Norman falls off his desk and shatters, leading Claire to discover of an odd key. She finds her bathtub mysteriously filled, and sees another woman's reflection in the water. Claire and her friend Jody hold a séance. She finds the bathtub filled again, a message "You know" on the fogged mirror, while her computer inexplicably types the initials "MEF".
⚫
Convinced she is haunted by Mary's ghost, Claire confronts Warren, but Mary is alive and well, explaining that she went to stay with her mother in Providence after a fight with Warren. On the back of Norman's article, Claire finds a story about a missing woman named Madison Elizabeth Frank — "MEF". She tracks down Madison's mother and visits her daughter’s bedroom, where she steals a lock of Madison's hair and notices a photo of her wearing an unusual necklace.


⚫
Convinced she is haunted by Mary's ghost, Claire confronts Warren, but finds out that Mary went to her mother's after a fight with him. On the back of Norman's article, Claire finds a story about a missing woman named Madison Elizabeth Frank — "MEF".
⚫
Performing a ritual from a book, Claire attempts to conjure Madison. Seemingly possessed by her spirit, she aggressively seduces Norman, shocking him by speaking as Madison until she drops the lock of hair. Becoming herself again, Claire recalls a repressed memory about Norman's affair with a student, Madison, which he admits happened during a rough patch in their marriage. Claire leaves to spend the night with Jody, who reveals that a year earlier, she saw Norman arguing with a woman at a café in Adamant, a nearby town.


Claire visits Madison's mother and visits her house, where she steals a lock of Madison's hair and notices a photo of Madison with an unusual necklace.
⚫
Returning home, Claire finds Norman unconscious in the tub, which he assures her was an accident and not a suicide attempt. He tells her that an unstable Madison confronted him at home when he ended their affair, but denies killing her. Standing on the dock with Madison's hair, Claire is pulled into the lake by an unseen force, spotting a jewelry box matching Madison's necklace. Norman pulls her to safety, and together they burn the lock of hair.


⚫
Following a ritual from a book, Claire attempts to conjure Madison. Seemingly possessed by her spirit, Claire aggressively seduces Norman, shocking him by speaking as Madison until she drops the lock of hair, which ends the possession. Claire recalls a repressed memory about Norman's affair with a student, Madison, which happened during a rough patch in their marriage. Claire leaves to spend the night with Jody, who reveals that a year earlier, she saw Norman arguing with a woman at a café in Adamant, a nearby town.
⚫
Claire's suspicions return when Norman claims not to know the café in Adamant, where she sees the same necklace and jewelry box at a nearby shop. Recovering the box from the lake and unlocking it with the key from Norman's office, she finds Madison's necklace inside. She confronts Norman, who says that he came home to find Madison had killed herself; in desperation, he pushed her car into the lake with her body inside. Norman agrees to confess and calls the police, but Claire discovers he dialed 411 instead. He paralyzes her with halothane, admitting that he murdered Madison when she threatened to expose their affair to the dean.


⚫
Returning home, Claire finds Norman unconscious in the tub, which he assures her was an accident. He tells her that an unstable Madison confronted him at home when he ended their affair, but denies killing her. Standing on the dock with Madison's hair, Claire is pulled into the lake by an unseen force and sees jewelry box matching Madison's necklace. Norman pulls her to safety and they burn the lock of hair.
⚫
Norman places Claire in the bathtub, filling it with water to stage her suicide. As he removes Madison's necklace from Claire's neck, her face contorts into Madison's corpse and he jerks back, smashing his head on the sink and knocking him unconscious. As the water level rises, Claire recovers enough to partially close the tap and dislodge the stopper, barely surviving drowning. She flees in Norman's truck, but he climbs on and attacks her. They crash into the lake, dislodging Madison's car and her body while Norman tries to drown Claire. Madison grabs Norman, allowing Claire to escape as Norman drowns and Madison's ghost drifts away. Later that winter, Claire places a rose on Madison's grave.

⚫
Claire's suspicions return when Norman claims not to know the café in Adamant, where she sees the same necklace and jewelry box at a nearby shop. Recovering the box from the lake and unlocking it with the key from Norman's office, she finds Madison's necklace inside. She confronts Norman, who says that he came home to find Madison had killed herself; in desperation, he pushed her car into the lake with her body inside. Norman agrees to confess and call the police, but instead distracts and paralyzes Claire with [[halothane]]. He admits to murdering Madison when she threatened to expose their affair to the dean.

⚫
Norman places Claire in the bathtub, filling it with water to stage her suicide. As he removes Madison's necklace from Claire's neck, her face contorts into Madison's corpse. A startled Norman hits his head on the sink and knocks himself unconscious. As the drug wears off, Claire barely escapes drowning. She flees in Norman's truck, but he climbs on and attacks her. The truck crashes into the lake, dislodging Madison's body from the car. As Norman tries to drown Claire, Madison grabs him. Claire escapes as Norman drowns and Madison's ghost drifts away. Later that winter, Claire places a rose on Madison's grave.


==Cast==
==Cast==
⚫
*[[Harrison Ford]] as Dr. Norman Spencer, a successful college professor and scientist, Claire's second husband.
*[[Michelle Pfeiffer]] as Claire Spencer, Norman's wife.
*[[Michelle Pfeiffer]] as Claire Spencer, Norman's wife.
⚫
*[[Harrison Ford]] as Dr. Norman Spencer, a successful college professor and scientist, Claire's second husband.
*[[Diana Scarwid]] as Jody, a mystic and Claire's best friend.
*[[Diana Scarwid]] as Jody, a mystic and Claire's best friend.
⚫
*[[Miranda Otto]] as Mary Feur, Norman and Claire's neighbor.
⚫
*[[James Remar]] as Warren Feur, Norman and Claire's neighbor and Mary's husband.
⚫
*Katharine Towne as Caitlin Spencer, Claire's daughter and Norman's stepdaughter.
⚫
*[[Ray Baker (actor)|Ray Baker]] as Dr. Stan Powell
*[[Joe Morton]] as Dr. Drayton, a therapist whom Claire visits upon Norman's urging.
*[[Joe Morton]] as Dr. Drayton, a therapist whom Claire visits upon Norman's urging.
⚫
*[[James Remar]] as Warren Feur, Norman and Claire's neighbor and Mary's husband.
⚫
*[[Amber Valletta]] as Madison Elizabeth Frank, a murdered young woman with whom Norman has had an affair.
⚫
*[[Miranda Otto]] as Mary Feur, Norman and Claire's neighbor and Warren's wife.
*[[Wendy Crewson]] as Elena
*[[Wendy Crewson]] as Elena
⚫
*[[Ray Baker (actor)|Ray Baker]] as Dr. Stan Powell, Norman's friend and colleague.
*[[Micole Mercurio]] as Mrs. Frank, Madison Elizabeth's mother
⚫
*[[Amber Valletta]] as Madison Elizabeth Frank, a murdered young woman with whom Norman has had an affair.
⚫
*Katharine Towne as Caitlin Spencer, Claire's daughter and Norman's stepdaughter.
*Sloane Shelton as Mrs. Templeton, Dean's mother.


==Production==
==Production==
Documentary filmmaker [[Sarah Kernochan]] had adapted a personal experience with the paranormal as a script treatment featuring a retirement aged couple dealing with restless but compassionate spirits. [[DreamWorks Pictures|DreamWorks]] commissioned a rewrite from actor-writer [[Clark Gregg]]. This script was later delivered in 1998 by [[Steven Spielberg]] himself to his director friend [[Robert Zemeckis]],<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.visimag.com/starburst/268_feature.htm|last=Sloane|first=Judy|title=Starburst magazine issue 268, What Lies Beneath director interview|website=www.visimag.com}}</ref> who had signed a deal for DreamWorks to distribute the films of newly founded production company [[ImageMovers]], and announced interest in doing a thriller film.<ref name=notes>{{cite press release|url=http://cinema.com/articles/235/what-lies-beneath-production-notes.phtml|title=What Lies Beneath (2000) – Production Notes|publisher=[[20th Century Fox]]|year=2000}}</ref> [[Harrison Ford]] then signed to star on the film, even agreeing to clear room in his schedule for the project.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/1998/voices/columns/beneath-pairs-ford-zemeckis-d-onofrio-nabs-abbie-1117471528/|title='Beneath' pairs Ford, Zemeckis; D'Onofrio nabs 'Abbie'|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 4, 1998}}</ref> [[Michelle Pfeiffer]] then followed as DreamWorks started to deal with [[20th Century Fox]] regarding the film's distribution.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fleming|first=Michael|url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/pfeiffer-joins-ford-in-what-1117481510/|title=Pfeiffer joins Ford in 'What'|magazine=Variety|date=October 16, 1998}}</ref> Ford and Pfeiffer were Zemeckis' first and only choices for the lead roles.<ref name=notes/> Fox agreed to distribute both ''What Lies Beneath'' and Zemeckis' other project ''[[Cast Away]]'', with the thriller having DreamWorks doing the domestic distribution and Fox the international one.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Petrikin|first=Chris|url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/pairing-for-zemeckis-1117481417/|title=Pairing for Zemeckis|magazine=Variety|date=October 14, 1998}}</ref>
Documentary filmmaker [[Sarah Kernochan]] had adapted a personal experience with the paranormal as a script treatment featuring a retirement aged couple dealing with restless but compassionate spirits. [[DreamWorks Pictures|DreamWorks]] commissioned a rewrite from actor-writer [[Clark Gregg]]. This script was delivered in 1998 by [[Steven Spielberg]] to his director friend [[Robert Zemeckis]],<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sloane |first=Judy |date= |title=What Lies Beneath Director |url=http://www.visimag.com/starburst/268_feature.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171215001410/http://www.visimag.com/starburst/268_feature.htm |archive-date=2017-12-15 |access-date=2014-09-29 |website=[[Starburst (magazine)|Starburst]] |via=www.visimag.com |issue=268}}</ref> who had signed a deal for DreamWorks to distribute the films of newly founded production company [[ImageMovers]], and announced interest in doing a thriller film.<ref name=notes>{{cite press release|url=http://cinema.com/articles/235/what-lies-beneath-production-notes.phtml|title=What Lies Beneath (2000) – Production Notes|publisher=20th Century Fox|year=2000|access-date=2014-09-29|archive-date=2014-09-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903212610/http://cinema.com/articles/235/what-lies-beneath-production-notes.phtml|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Harrison Ford]] then signed on to star in the film, even agreeing to clear room in his schedule for the project.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://variety.com/1998/voices/columns/beneath-pairs-ford-zemeckis-d-onofrio-nabs-abbie-1117471528/|title='Beneath' pairs Ford, Zemeckis; D'Onofrio nabs 'Abbie'|magazine=Variety|date=June 4, 1998|access-date=December 9, 2017|archive-date=May 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517140833/https://variety.com/1998/voices/columns/beneath-pairs-ford-zemeckis-d-onofrio-nabs-abbie-1117471528/|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Michelle Pfeiffer]] then followed as DreamWorks started to negotiate with [[20th Century Fox]] regarding the film's distribution.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fleming|first=Michael|url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/pfeiffer-joins-ford-in-what-1117481510/|title=Pfeiffer joins Ford in 'What'|magazine=Variety|date=October 16, 1998|access-date=December 9, 2017|archive-date=May 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517140838/https://variety.com/1998/film/news/pfeiffer-joins-ford-in-what-1117481510/|url-status=live}}</ref> Ford and Pfeiffer were Zemeckis' first and only choices for the lead roles.<ref name=notes/> Fox agreed to distribute both ''What Lies Beneath'' and Zemeckis' other project ''[[Cast Away]]'', with the thriller having DreamWorks doing the domestic distribution and Fox the international one.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Petrikin|first=Chris|url=https://variety.com/1998/film/news/pairing-for-zemeckis-1117481417/|title=Pairing for Zemeckis|magazine=Variety|date=October 14, 1998|access-date=December 9, 2017|archive-date=May 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517140726/https://variety.com/1998/film/news/pairing-for-zemeckis-1117481417/|url-status=live}}</ref>


Zemeckis filmed ''What Lies Beneath'' while ''Cast Away'' was shut down to allow [[Tom Hanks]] to lose weight and grow a beard for his character's development.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kehr|first=Dave|title='Cast Away' Director Defies Categorizing|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 17, 2000|page=15}}</ref> As Gregg had to remain with production for rewrites, he had to decline [[Aaron Sorkin]]'s offer to read for a major role in ''[[Sports Night]]'' - though Sorkin would later write for Gregg a minor role in the final episodes of the series.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/clark-gregg-1798227379|title=Clark Gregg|first=Erik|last=Adams|website=[[The A.V. Club]]|publisher=[[The Onion]]|date=September 13, 2011|access-date=October 31, 2022}}</ref>
''What Lies Beneath'' was filmed while production of ''Cast Away'' took a hiatus to allow [[Tom Hanks]] to lose weight and grow a beard.<ref>{{cite news|last=Kehr|first=Dave|title='Cast Away' Director Defies Categorizing|newspaper=The New York Times|date=December 17, 2000|page=15}}</ref> As Gregg had to remain with production for rewrites, he had to decline an offer to read for a major role in ''[[Sports Night]]''; [[Aaron Sorkin]] later created a minor role in the final episodes of the series for Gregg.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/clark-gregg-1798227379|title=Clark Gregg|first=Erik|last=Adams|website=The A.V. Club|publisher=The Onion|date=September 13, 2011|access-date=October 31, 2022|archive-date=May 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517140842/https://www.avclub.com/clark-gregg-1798227379|url-status=live}}</ref>


==Reception==
==Reception==
===Box office===
===Box office===
''What Lies Beneath'' opened in 2,813 theaters in North America and grossed $29,702,959 for an average of $10,559 per theater. It reached the number one spot at the box office upon opening, beating ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Harrigan|first=Tom|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109933313/what-lies-beneath-opens-in-top-spot/ |title='What Lies Beneath' opens in top spot; 'X-men' drops to second|date=July 26, 2000|access-date=September 21, 2022|page=49|agency=[[Associated Press]]|publisher=[[The News & Observer]]|via=[[Newspapers.com]]}} {{Open access}}</ref> The film ended up earning $155,464,351 domestically and $135,956,000 internationally for a total of $291,420,351 worldwide, close to triple its production budget of $100 million.<ref name="boxofficemojo.com"/>
''What Lies Beneath'' opened in 2,813 theaters in North America and grossed $29,702,959 for an average of $10,559 per theater. It reached the number one spot at the box office upon opening, beating ''[[X-Men (film)|X-Men]]''.<ref>{{cite news|last=Harrigan|first=Tom|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109933313/what-lies-beneath-opens-in-top-spot/|title='What Lies Beneath' opens in top spot; 'X-men' drops to second|date=July 26, 2000|access-date=September 21, 2022|page=49|agency=Associated Press|publisher=The News & Observer|via=Newspapers.com|archive-date=September 21, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220921134504/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109933313/what-lies-beneath-opens-in-top-spot/|url-status=live}} {{Open access}}</ref> The film ended up earning $155,464,351 domestically and $135,956,000 internationally for a total of $291,420,351 worldwide, close to triple its production budget of $100 million.<ref name="boxofficemojo.com"/>


===Critical response===
===Critical response===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]] the film holds an approval rating of 47% based on 126 reviews, with an average rating of 5.50/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Robert Zemeckis is unable to salvage an uncompelling and unoriginal film."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/what_lies_beneath/|title=What Lies Beneath|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date=April 5, 2019}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] assigned the film a weighted average score of 51 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/what-lies-beneath|title=What Lies Beneath reviews|website=[[Metacritic]]|publisher=[[CBS Interactive]]|access-date=December 26, 2009}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web|url=https://m.cinemascore.com|title=CinemaScore|work=cinemascore.com}}</ref>
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 47% based on 126 reviews, with an average rating of 5.50/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Robert Zemeckis is unable to salvage an uncompelling and unoriginal film."<ref>{{cite web |title=What Lies Beneath |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/what_lies_beneath/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517140728/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/what_lies_beneath |archive-date=May 17, 2024 |access-date=April 5, 2019 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] assigned the film a weighted average score of 51 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/what-lies-beneath|title=What Lies Beneath reviews|website=Metacritic|publisher=CBS Interactive|access-date=December 26, 2009|archive-date=May 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517141348/https://www.metacritic.com/movie/what-lies-beneath/|url-status=live}}</ref> Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web|url=https://m.cinemascore.com/|title=CinemaScore|work=cinemascore.com|access-date=2017-10-16|archive-date=2019-12-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191214005119/https://m.cinemascore.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>


''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that, "at the start, [Zemeckis] zaps us with quick, glib scares, just to show he still knows how, but his heart isn't in this kind of material anymore. His reflexes are a little slow."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/library/film/072100beneath-film-review.html|first=Elvis|last=Mitchell|title='What Lies Beneath': If Only Her Husband Hadn't Made That Horrible Mistake|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=July 21, 2000}}</ref> The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' called it "spooky with a polished kind of creepiness added in... ''What Lies Beneath'' nevertheless feels more planned than passionate, scary at points but unconvincing overall."<ref>{{cite news|first=Kenneth|last=Turan|authorlink=Kenneth Turan|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie000720-9,0,5879659.story|title=What Lies Beneath – MOVIE REVIEW|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 21, 2000|access-date=July 27, 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727102902/http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie000720-9,0,5879659.story|archivedate=July 27, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] awarded the film 2 out of 4 stars, writing for the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'': "Lacking a smarter screenplay, it milks the genuine skills of its actors and director for more than it deserves, and then runs off the rails in an ending more laughable than scary. Along the way, yes, there are some good moments."<ref name=ebert>{{cite news|date=July 21, 2000|first=Roger|last=Ebert|author-link=Roger Ebert|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/what-lies-beneath-2000|title=What Lies Beneath :: rogerebert.com :: Reviews|newspaper=[[Chicago Sun-Times]]|access-date=December 25, 2021|archive-date=October 31, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Ebert|first=Roger|author-link=Roger Ebert|date=July 21, 2000|title=What Lies Beneath|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/what-lies-beneath-2000|access-date=April 15, 2022|website=RogerEbert.com}}</ref> ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' thought that, "after a slow build that at times makes every hair stand on end{{spaced ndash}}Zemeckis rolls out every thriller cliché there is. A pity, because until then it's a smart, realistically staged, adult-oriented and extraordinarily effective domestic chiller."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.timeout.com/movies/what-lies-beneath|title=What Lies Beneath Review – Film|magazine=[[Time Out (company)|Time Out]]}}</ref> ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' wrote: "The biggest surprise is, perhaps, that what emerges is no masterpiece, but a semi-sophisticated shocker, playfully homaging Hitchcock like a mechanical masterclass in doing 'genre'. The first hour is great fun... It's an enjoyably giddy ride, certainly, but once you're back from the edge of your seat, you realise most of the creaks and groans are from the decomposing script."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lies-beneath-review/|title=Review of What Lies Beneath|magazine=[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]}}</ref>
''[[The New York Times]]'' wrote that "at the start, [Zemeckis] zaps us with quick, glib scares, just to show he still knows how, but his heart isn't in this kind of material anymore. His reflexes are a little slow."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/library/film/072100beneath-film-review.html|first=Elvis|last=Mitchell|title='What Lies Beneath': If Only Her Husband Hadn't Made That Horrible Mistake|newspaper=The New York Times|date=July 21, 2000|access-date=February 23, 2017|archive-date=May 17, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517141245/https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/film/072100beneath-film-review.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' called it "spooky with a polished kind of creepiness added in... ''What Lies Beneath'' nevertheless feels more planned than passionate, scary at points but unconvincing overall."<ref>{{cite news|first=Kenneth|last=Turan|authorlink=Kenneth Turan|url=http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie000720-9,0,5879659.story|title=What Lies Beneath – MOVIE REVIEW|work=Los Angeles Times|date=July 21, 2000|access-date=July 27, 2010|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100727102902/http://www.calendarlive.com/movies/reviews/cl-movie000720-9,0,5879659.story|archivedate=July 27, 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref> ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out]]'' thought that "after a slow build that at times makes every hair stand on end{{spaced ndash}}Zemeckis rolls out every thriller cliché there is. A pity, because until then it's a smart, realistically staged, adult-oriented and extraordinarily effective domestic chiller."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.timeout.com/movies/what-lies-beneath|title=What Lies Beneath Review – Film|magazine=Time Out|access-date=2022-10-31|archive-date=2024-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517141344/https://www.timeout.com/movies/what-lies-beneath|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Empire (magazine)|Empire]]'' wrote "The biggest surprise is, perhaps, that what emerges is no masterpiece, but a semi-sophisticated shocker, playfully homaging Hitchcock like a mechanical masterclass in doing 'genre'. The first hour is great fun... It's an enjoyably giddy ride, certainly, but once you're back from the edge of your seat, you realise most of the creaks and groans are from the decomposing script."<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lies-beneath-review/|title=Review of What Lies Beneath|magazine=Empire|access-date=2022-10-31|archive-date=2024-05-17|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517141233/https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/lies-beneath-review/|url-status=live}}</ref>


Writing for the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'', [[Roger Ebert]] gave the film two stars out of four. He praised Michelle Pfeiffer's performance, calling her "convincing and sympathetic", but commented, "Lacking a smarter screenplay, it milks the genuine skills of its actors and director for more than it deserves, and then runs off the rails in an ending more laughable than scary. Along the way, yes, there are some good moments."<ref name="ebert">{{cite news |last=Ebert |first=Roger |author-link=Roger Ebert |date=July 21, 2000 |title=What Lies Beneath |url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/what-lies-beneath-2000 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211111225232/https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/what-lies-beneath-2000 |archive-date=November 11, 2021 |access-date=December 25, 2021 |newspaper=Chicago Sun-Times}}</ref> He also stated that he felt the problem with Zemeckis' desire to direct a Hitchcockian film (''What Lies Beneath'' contains several musical, visual and plot references to [[Psycho (1960 film)|''Psycho'']] and [[Vertigo (film)|''Vertigo'']], among other Hitchcock films) was Zemeckis' decision to involve the supernatural, a device Ebert felt [[Alfred Hitchcock]] never would have done.<ref name=ebert/>
[[Michelle Pfeiffer]] received some positive notice for her performance. [[Roger Ebert]] called her "convincing and sympathetic."<ref name=ebert/>

In his review, Ebert said that he felt the problem with Zemeckis' desire to direct a Hitchcockian film (''What Lies Beneath'' contains several musical, visual and plot references to [[Psycho (1960 film)|''Psycho'']] and [[Vertigo (film)|''Vertigo'']], among other Hitchcock films) was Zemeckis' decision to involve the supernatural, a device Ebert felt [[Alfred Hitchcock]] himself would never have done.<ref name=ebert/>


===Accolades===
===Accolades===
Line 82: Line 84:
!Result
!Result
|-
|-
|[[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|ASCAP Award]]
|[[American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers|ASCAP Award]]<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=May 5, 2001 |title=Jewison And Bernstein Scoop ASCAP Film And TV Awards |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BBQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA9 |magazine=Billboard |volume=113 |issue=18 |page=9 |issn=0006-2510 |access-date=July 28, 2024}}</ref>
|Top Box Office Films
|Top Box Office Films
|[[Alan Silvestri]]
|[[Alan Silvestri]]
|{{won}}
|{{won}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=3|[[Blockbuster Entertainment Awards]]<ref name=awards>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0161081/awards |title=What Lies Beneath (2000) – Awards|website=[[IMDb]]|access-date=December 26, 2009}}</ref>
|rowspan=3|[[Blockbuster Entertainment Awards]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Karen Lancaster |title=2001 Blockbuster Entertainment Awards |url=http://promo.blockbuster.com/default.asp?site=bea&page=headlines.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020626105922/http://promo.blockbuster.com/default.asp?site=bea&page=headlines.html |archive-date=June 26, 2002 |access-date=July 28, 2024 |website=Blockbuster.com}}</ref>
|Favorite Actor - Suspense
|Favorite Actor - Suspense
|[[Harrison Ford]]
|[[Harrison Ford]]
Line 100: Line 102:
|{{nom}}
|{{nom}}
|-
|-
|[[Golden Trailer Awards|Golden Trailer Award]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=GTA2 Nominees (2001) |url=http://www.goldentrailer.com/gta2-nominees/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107022059/http://www.goldentrailer.com/gta2-nominees/ |archive-date=2017-11-07 |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=goldentrailer.com}}</ref>
|[[Golden Trailer Awards|Golden Trailer Award]]
|colspan=2|Best Horror/Thriller
|colspan=2|Best Horror/Thriller
|{{nom}}
|{{nom}}
Line 109: Line 111:
|{{won}}
|{{won}}
|-
|-
|rowspan=5|[[Saturn Award]]<ref>{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2001 |title=Nominees for 27th annual Saturn Awards - UPI Archives |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/2001/04/04/Nominees-for-27th-annual-Saturn-Awards/9791986356800/ |access-date=2024-07-28 |website=UPI |language=en}}</ref>
|rowspan=5|[[Saturn Award]]<ref name=awards/>
|rowspan=3|[[Saturn Award for Best Horror Film|Best Horror Film]]
|rowspan=3|[[Saturn Award for Best Horror Film|Best Horror Film]]
|[[Jack Rapke]]
|[[Jack Rapke]]
Line 124: Line 126:
|-
|-
|[[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
|[[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]]
|[[Michelle Pfeiffer]]
|Michelle Pfeiffer
|{{nom}}
|{{nom}}
|}
|}

==Remake==
The film was unofficially remade in India as ''[[Raaz (2002 film)|Raaz]]'' and released in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/bollywood-remakes-that-are-better-than-the-original/#raaz-2002|title=7 Bollywood Remakes That Are Better Than The Original Movie|website=[[Collider (website)|Collider]]|date=7 April 2022 |access-date=7 April 2022|archive-date=17 May 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240517141354/https://collider.com/bollywood-remakes-that-are-better-than-the-original/#raaz-2002|url-status=live}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
*[[List of ghost films]]
* [[List of ghost films]]


==References==
==References==
Line 143: Line 148:
{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:2000 horror films]]
[[Category:2000s horror thriller films]]
⚫
[[Category:2000 thriller films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:2000s ghost films]]
[[Category:2000s ghost films]]
[[Category:2000 psychological thriller films]]
[[Category:2000 psychological thriller films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s psychological horror films]]
[[Category:2000s psychological horror films]]
[[Category:2000s supernatural films]]
[[Category:2000s supernatural films]]
[[Category:American thriller films]]
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:American ghost films]]
[[Category:American ghost films]]
[[Category:American haunted house films]]
[[Category:American haunted house films]]
[[Category:American psychological horror films]]
[[Category:American psychological horror films]]
[[Category:American supernatural horror films]]
[[Category:American supernatural horror films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:American psychological thriller films]]
⚫
[[Category:DreamWorks Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films about adultery in the United States]]
[[Category:Films about amnesia]]
[[Category:Films about amnesia]]
[[Category:Films about scandalous teacher–student relationships]]
[[Category:Films about scandalous teacher–student relationships]]
⚫
[[Category:Films directed by Robert Zemeckis]]
⚫
[[Category:Films produced by Robert Zemeckis]]
⚫
[[Category:Films scored by Alan Silvestri]]
[[Category:Films set in country houses]]
[[Category:Films set in country houses]]
[[Category:Films set in Vermont]]
[[Category:Films set in Vermont]]
[[Category:Films set on lakes]]
[[Category:Films set on lakes]]
[[Category:Films shot in Vermont]]
[[Category:Films shot in Vermont]]
[[Category:Adultery in films]]
⚫
[[Category:Films scored by Alan Silvestri]]
⚫
[[Category:Films produced by Robert Zemeckis]]
⚫
[[Category:Films directed by Robert Zemeckis]]
⚫
[[Category:DreamWorks Pictures films]]
⚫
[[Category:20th Century Fox films]]
[[Category:ImageMovers films]]
[[Category:ImageMovers films]]
⚫
[[Category:English-language horror thriller films]]

Latest revision as of 02:20, 10 September 2024

For other uses, see What Lies Beneath (disambiguation).
What Lies Beneath
Theatrical release poster
Directed byRobert Zemeckis
Screenplay byClark Gregg
Story bySarah Kernochan
Clark Gregg
Produced bySteve Starkey
Robert Zemeckis
Jack Rapke
Starring
CinematographyDon Burgess
Edited byArthur Schmidt
Music byAlan Silvestri
Production
companies
Distributed byDreamWorks Pictures (North America)
20th Century Fox (International)
Release date
  • July 21, 2000 (2000-07-21)
Running time
130 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$100 million[1]
Box office$291.4 million[1]

What Lies Beneath is a 2000 American supernatural horror film directed by Robert Zemeckis from a screenplay written by Clark Gregg, based on a story by Sarah Kernochan and Gregg. It stars Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, with Diana Scarwid, Joe Morton, James Remar and Miranda Otto appearing in supporting roles. It was the first film released by Zemeckis' production company, ImageMovers. The original film score was composed by Alan Silvestri.

What Lies Beneath was theatrically released on July 21, 2000, by DreamWorks Pictures in the United States and 20th Century Fox in international markets. While it received generally mixed reviews from critics, who praised Pfeiffer's performance while criticizing the screenplay, the film was a box-office success, grossing $291.4 million worldwide against a production budget of $100 million, becoming the tenth highest-grossing film of the year.

What Lies Beneath was nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Horror Film at the 27th Saturn Awards, in addition to nominations for Zemeckis and Pfeiffer for Best Director and Best Actress, respectively. At the 7th Blockbuster Entertainment Awards, Ford and Pfeiffer won Favorite Actor – Suspense and Favorite Actress – Suspense, and Scarwid was nominated for Favorite Supporting Actress – Suspense.

Plot

[edit]

Claire and Norman Spencer, accomplished scientist and professor, live a quiet life at their lakeside home in Vermont. Their relationship is strained, especially after Claire's daughter Caitlin leaves for college.

Claire notices their new neighbors, Mary and Warren Feur, have a volatile relationship and, after Mary is unseen for several days, suspects Warren may have killed her.

Claire believes she sees a woman's body in the lake, and senses a presence in the house. A framed article about Norman falls off his desk and shatters, leading Claire to discover of an odd key. She finds her bathtub mysteriously filled, and sees another woman's reflection in the water. Claire and her friend Jody hold a séance. She finds the bathtub filled again, a message "You know" on the fogged mirror, while her computer inexplicably types the initials "MEF".

Convinced she is haunted by Mary's ghost, Claire confronts Warren, but finds out that Mary went to her mother's after a fight with him. On the back of Norman's article, Claire finds a story about a missing woman named Madison Elizabeth Frank — "MEF".

Claire visits Madison's mother and visits her house, where she steals a lock of Madison's hair and notices a photo of Madison with an unusual necklace.

Following a ritual from a book, Claire attempts to conjure Madison. Seemingly possessed by her spirit, Claire aggressively seduces Norman, shocking him by speaking as Madison until she drops the lock of hair, which ends the possession. Claire recalls a repressed memory about Norman's affair with a student, Madison, which happened during a rough patch in their marriage. Claire leaves to spend the night with Jody, who reveals that a year earlier, she saw Norman arguing with a woman at a café in Adamant, a nearby town.

Returning home, Claire finds Norman unconscious in the tub, which he assures her was an accident. He tells her that an unstable Madison confronted him at home when he ended their affair, but denies killing her. Standing on the dock with Madison's hair, Claire is pulled into the lake by an unseen force and sees jewelry box matching Madison's necklace. Norman pulls her to safety and they burn the lock of hair.

Claire's suspicions return when Norman claims not to know the café in Adamant, where she sees the same necklace and jewelry box at a nearby shop. Recovering the box from the lake and unlocking it with the key from Norman's office, she finds Madison's necklace inside. She confronts Norman, who says that he came home to find Madison had killed herself; in desperation, he pushed her car into the lake with her body inside. Norman agrees to confess and call the police, but instead distracts and paralyzes Claire with halothane. He admits to murdering Madison when she threatened to expose their affair to the dean.

Norman places Claire in the bathtub, filling it with water to stage her suicide. As he removes Madison's necklace from Claire's neck, her face contorts into Madison's corpse. A startled Norman hits his head on the sink and knocks himself unconscious. As the drug wears off, Claire barely escapes drowning. She flees in Norman's truck, but he climbs on and attacks her. The truck crashes into the lake, dislodging Madison's body from the car. As Norman tries to drown Claire, Madison grabs him. Claire escapes as Norman drowns and Madison's ghost drifts away. Later that winter, Claire places a rose on Madison's grave.

Cast

[edit]
  • Harrison Ford as Dr. Norman Spencer, a successful college professor and scientist, Claire's second husband.
  • Michelle Pfeiffer as Claire Spencer, Norman's wife.
  • Diana Scarwid as Jody, a mystic and Claire's best friend.
  • Joe Morton as Dr. Drayton, a therapist whom Claire visits upon Norman's urging.
  • James Remar as Warren Feur, Norman and Claire's neighbor and Mary's husband.
  • Miranda Otto as Mary Feur, Norman and Claire's neighbor and Warren's wife.
  • Wendy Crewson as Elena
  • Ray Baker as Dr. Stan Powell, Norman's friend and colleague.
  • Micole Mercurio as Mrs. Frank, Madison Elizabeth's mother
  • Amber Valletta as Madison Elizabeth Frank, a murdered young woman with whom Norman has had an affair.
  • Katharine Towne as Caitlin Spencer, Claire's daughter and Norman's stepdaughter.
  • Sloane Shelton as Mrs. Templeton, Dean's mother.

Production

[edit]

Documentary filmmaker Sarah Kernochan had adapted a personal experience with the paranormal as a script treatment featuring a retirement aged couple dealing with restless but compassionate spirits. DreamWorks commissioned a rewrite from actor-writer Clark Gregg. This script was delivered in 1998 by Steven Spielberg to his director friend Robert Zemeckis,[2] who had signed a deal for DreamWorks to distribute the films of newly founded production company ImageMovers, and announced interest in doing a thriller film.[3] Harrison Ford then signed on to star in the film, even agreeing to clear room in his schedule for the project.[4] Michelle Pfeiffer then followed as DreamWorks started to negotiate with 20th Century Fox regarding the film's distribution.[5] Ford and Pfeiffer were Zemeckis' first and only choices for the lead roles.[3] Fox agreed to distribute both What Lies Beneath and Zemeckis' other project Cast Away, with the thriller having DreamWorks doing the domestic distribution and Fox the international one.[6]

What Lies Beneath was filmed while production of Cast Away took a hiatus to allow Tom Hanks to lose weight and grow a beard.[7] As Gregg had to remain with production for rewrites, he had to decline an offer to read for a major role in Sports Night; Aaron Sorkin later created a minor role in the final episodes of the series for Gregg.[8]

Reception

[edit]

Box office

[edit]

What Lies Beneath opened in 2,813 theaters in North America and grossed $29,702,959 for an average of $10,559 per theater. It reached the number one spot at the box office upon opening, beating X-Men.[9] The film ended up earning $155,464,351 domestically and $135,956,000 internationally for a total of $291,420,351 worldwide, close to triple its production budget of $100 million.[1]

Critical response

[edit]

On Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 47% based on 126 reviews, with an average rating of 5.50/10. The site's critics consensus reads: "Robert Zemeckis is unable to salvage an uncompelling and unoriginal film."[10] Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 51 out of 100, based on 35 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[11] Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.[12]

The New York Times wrote that "at the start, [Zemeckis] zaps us with quick, glib scares, just to show he still knows how, but his heart isn't in this kind of material anymore. His reflexes are a little slow."[13] The Los Angeles Times called it "spooky with a polished kind of creepiness added in... What Lies Beneath nevertheless feels more planned than passionate, scary at points but unconvincing overall."[14] Time Out thought that "after a slow build that at times makes every hair stand on end – Zemeckis rolls out every thriller cliché there is. A pity, because until then it's a smart, realistically staged, adult-oriented and extraordinarily effective domestic chiller."[15] Empire wrote "The biggest surprise is, perhaps, that what emerges is no masterpiece, but a semi-sophisticated shocker, playfully homaging Hitchcock like a mechanical masterclass in doing 'genre'. The first hour is great fun... It's an enjoyably giddy ride, certainly, but once you're back from the edge of your seat, you realise most of the creaks and groans are from the decomposing script."[16]

Writing for the Chicago Sun-Times, Roger Ebert gave the film two stars out of four. He praised Michelle Pfeiffer's performance, calling her "convincing and sympathetic", but commented, "Lacking a smarter screenplay, it milks the genuine skills of its actors and director for more than it deserves, and then runs off the rails in an ending more laughable than scary. Along the way, yes, there are some good moments."[17] He also stated that he felt the problem with Zemeckis' desire to direct a Hitchcockian film (What Lies Beneath contains several musical, visual and plot references to Psycho and Vertigo, among other Hitchcock films) was Zemeckis' decision to involve the supernatural, a device Ebert felt Alfred Hitchcock never would have done.[17]

Accolades

[edit]
Award Category Subject Result
ASCAP Award[18] Top Box Office Films Alan Silvestri Won
Blockbuster Entertainment Awards[19] Favorite Actor - Suspense Harrison Ford Won
Favorite Actress - Suspense Michelle Pfeiffer Won
Favorite Supporting Actress - Suspense Diana Scarwid Nominated
Golden Trailer Award[20] Best Horror/Thriller Nominated
Nastro d'Argento Silver Ribbon for Best Male Dubbing Michele Gammino Won
Saturn Award[21] Best Horror Film Jack Rapke Nominated
Steve Starkey Nominated
Robert Zemeckis Nominated
Best Director Nominated
Best Actress Michelle Pfeiffer Nominated

Remake

[edit]

The film was unofficially remade in India as Raaz and released in 2002.[22]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c "What Lies Beneath (2000) - Box Office Mojo". Box Office Mojo. Archived from the original on March 5, 2012. Retrieved October 31, 2022.
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