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 Quelle "Diabolique"! A thrilling-horror-film appears on the silver screen once again. In the sedate surroundings of rural Vermont, life seems peaceful in the household of Claire Spencer (Michelle Pfeiffer) and her brilliant scientist husband, Norman (Harrison Ford). Disturbed only by the violent arguments of a couple that have recently moved in next door, peace apparently resumes once again after the neighbors enjoy a hefty (and noisy) romantic tumble in the bedroom.
After noticing odd goings-on next door one rainy night (through her "Rear Window"), Claire is convinced that Mr. Feuer has murdered his wife. Her suspicion takes such a hold upon her mind that she begins vigorously pursuing the enigmatic trail that might reveal the truth. Her feelings of anxiety are not lessened by a number of incomprehensible and unexplainable activities recently taking place within her own home (such as doors that open by themselves, a picture frame that knocks itself over, and a computer that turns itself on and off at will). Strange events are almost hoisted in her direction, but one can never be sure if they are really taking place or merely figments of her imagination. Norman listens to her suspicions, but seemingly takes it all with a grain of salt. She hasn't really been the same person since a car accident one-year earlier and these apparitions and suspicions could well be the result of her trauma. Claire is convinced that a dead woman, who now begins appearing to her, is the neighbor's wife and decides it is her responsibility to follow the constant trail of clues. Little does she know the number of surprises that are in store for her. She has been given the key to solve a problem and must follow through until she unlocks the truth.
The plot line of the initial half-hour might lead one to suspect this film follows in the footsteps of recent attractions like "The Sixth Sense," or "Stir of Echoes," but the anticipation of copy-cat plotline is quickly eradicated when the story begins taking other twists and turns than anticipated. It is a slow-paced tale (as well it should be) enhanced by the glances, moods, thoughts and interactions of Pfeiffer and Ford. Michelle Pfeiffer, especially, manages to subtly reflect all the thoughts and anxieties that her character undergoes while unintentionally growing involved with the events and apparitions that torment her. Several aspects of this film bring the 1961 Michael Anderson film "The Naked Edge" to mind. Although this earlier film, starring Deborah Kerr and Gary Cooper (in his last screen role), has many fascinating elements, it never really managed to pull it off successfully as a thriller. Among other things, the bathroom is a central image in both films and the suspense is superbly maintained by remarkable performances of both leading actors. One of the unfortunate points of the earlier film was the awkward development of the plot line followed by a weak (throwaway) ending. "What
Director Robert Zemeckis feels that "Audiences today are very hip and savvy to the conventions of the genre, so you have to go beyond them." In referring to "What Lies Beneath," he explains that, "Everything in the movie had to work on two layers. Depending on how you look at something, it can be beautiful or an instrument of terror, which is one of the great devices for a scary movie." Production designers Rick Carter and Jim Teegarten have balanced the constant threat of impending disaster with the beautiful and peaceful whites and blues of the surroundings, both inside and out. The location of the story is a rustic perfection that turns into a restless nightmare. They designed a Nantucket-style shingled house that was constructed as a real two-story structure with a wooden dock leading to the water *. (The house of the couple next door was also designed and built.) Visual effects supervisor Rob Legato (Academy Award ® winner for his work on "Titanic") has surpassed himself in the subtlety with which he has realized the demands made by the script. "I've always felt that visual effects should be built into the fabric of the movie, and as such should enhance the story, not draw you out of it. And in a film like this, my job is to make the effects even more seamless than in, say, a science fiction film. They should almost breeze by, and you'd never know that I had a hand in the film at all."
DP Don Burgess increases the tension as he maneuvers through the sets. The lens takes an increasingly lower angle whenever the fear intensifies and one can almost cut the atmosphere found in this mysterious house of mirrors. Although there are images irrefutably pulled straight out of Clouzot, Hitchcock, and Anderson, all of this fades in importance (along with the misty hallways) next to the masterful way the camera is handled by Burgess. The image of water is, after all, an integral element of the story and fits suitably into the images presented. This couple lives on the water's edge and water remains both symbolic of birth and death. The mystery of the unknown reveals itself deliciously, step by step, until the piecemeal puzzle is completed. (This is especially due to the clever structure of Clark Gregg's screenplay based upon a story by himself and Sarah Kernochan.) It would be easy to tell more about the story, but it would give too much away. As Zemeckis says, "I think the enjoyment of the movies like this comes from not knowing what to expect." Pretend you're floating in the lake. Sit back and relax. Go with the flow.
* Both the interior and exterior of the Vermont home were duplicated on soundstages in L.A. which permitted extra flexibility for camera activity as well as action and effects. The notorious bathroom, for example, was created in five versions. As Carter explains, "The Spencer house has to appear first as a seemingly perfect home for the perfect couple, but as the story progresses it evolves into something more sinister. Jim (Teegarten) and I spent a long time working out every detail. For example, we used a specific shade of blue on the interior that, with the right light, can appear very nice and bright, but takes on another feeling as things become darker and more threatening."
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