Key Takeaways
- The Ringer's 'Rewatchables' podcast discussed the 2000 horror mystery 'What Lies Beneath'.
- The episode analyzed Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer's performances and on-screen chemistry.
- Hosts critiqued the film's marketing, pacing, and various plot inconsistencies.
- The discussion covered the film's genre, aging elements, and rewatchable scenes.
- 'The Rewatchables' video content is transitioning to Netflix by month's end.
Deep Dive
- The 2000 film 'What Lies Beneath' is categorized as transitioning from a 90s erotic thriller to a 2000s high-concept film or haunted house story.
- Its blend of supernatural and domestic thriller elements made it accessible, even for horror-averse viewers like one host.
- The movie paired major stars Harrison Ford and Michelle Pfeiffer, a rarity in current filmmaking.
- 'What Lies Beneath' is identified as marking the end of Harrison Ford's 25-year prime, which ran from 1997 to 2000.
- Hosts debated Ford's natural chemistry with co-stars, comparing it to roles in 'Witness' and 'Mosquito Coast'.
- His role in the film signaled a departure from previous characters, with subtle clues suggesting an 'evil' persona.
- Clark Gregg, known for his MCU role as Agent Coulson, wrote 'What Lies Beneath,' a fact that surprised hosts.
- The film's original story inspiration came from documentarian Sarah Koenig's real-life paranormal experience.
- The setting of Vermont, known for unexpected events, also contributes to the film's atmosphere.
- Key rewatchable scenes include the opening setup, the dinner double date, and the binoculars jump scare.
- Hosts discuss the effectiveness of the dinner scene for delivering information and character insights.
- The iconic glowing green eyes and Claire's jump into the lake are also identified as highly recognizable moments.
- The film's climax features an 'evil Harrison Ford' using a paralytic drug, first mentioned in a lab scene, to incapacitate his victim.
- The Spencer residence, a 3,500-square-foot Nantucket-style house on Lake Champlain in Addison, Vermont, was a set built for the film and later torn down.
- It featured extensive use of bathrooms for filming.
- Harrison Ford's physique at age 57 in 'What Lies Beneath' earned a nomination for the 'Dr. Richard Kimball Inappropriate Body Award'.
- The hosts noted his 'chiseled' body type was attributed to activities like boating.
- The film contains stealth homages to classics such as 'Rear Window' and 'Vertigo', and composer Bernard Herrmann's scores.
- Hosts debated elements that aged poorly, including the implausibility of Norman Spencer, played by Harrison Ford, struggling to find partners.
- His escalating deceptions also led to a suggestion that he could be perceived as a serial killer.
- The protagonist's delayed reaction to his wife's possession was also questioned.
- The hosts engaged in a 'Recasting Couch' segment, proposing directors like Brian De Palma or David Fincher for 'What Lies Beneath,' and suggesting Richard Gere for the lead role.
- They debated hypothetical casting for the leads, considering Tom Hanks as counter-programming or Tom Cruise playing a more villainous character based on 'Eyes Wide Shut'.
- The discussion highlighted several plot inconsistencies, such as the unexplained disappearance of Madison, likened to the Loch Ness Monster.
- Questions were raised about the logistical sense of Norman Spencer's actions, including how easily evidence was disposed of and his method of dumping the car near a bridge.
- The daughter Caitlin's prolonged absence without communication also drew critique.
- Hosts discussed unresolved questions, including why Madison's ghost would manifest if the bathtub, a key element, were removed during renovations.
- They also questioned the duration and plausibility of the paralysis drug, suggesting the character should have drowned for a definitive ending.
- The reanimation of the ghost in the water at the film's conclusion was cited as lowering its rating from an eight to a seven.