'What Lies Beneath' Textual analysis by Rachel.

What Lies Beneath -


To begin with, What Lies Beneath uses a variety of different camera angles and shots, to keep up the tension, pace and suspense of the film. They use close ups of the characters faces to represent the threat they are facing and this is shown in the victims, Claire Spencer, face. They also use these close ups to emphasise the vulnerability of her, as we can see the fright and fear in her face. Again, by using close ups, but instead on the villains face, Norman Spencer, as an audience we feel frightened and are made aware of the characterisation of him as a bad guy. What Lies Beneath also uses canted angles, I think these reflect the confusion and tension that runs throughout the film and this fits in the with the genre of psychological horror.
Throughout the film the lighting is always seen to be dim, even in daytime, to represent the eeriness. Also, in the scenes where violence or something scary is happening the lighting is always dark, shadowing, proposing the threat. Furthermore by casting the victim in this light it emphasises her vulnerability, as she too would be scared as it is dark. The ghost of Madison Frank is always cast in an eerie light, with a bright light seen to be shining on her face, but the rest of the background in dim light conditions. I think this is good characterisation of her, as she is feared by the character Claire Spencer and the audience. Many horror films concentrate on having the lighting dark to emphasise a tense atmosphere etc.. and so does What Lies Beneath, to fit the conventions of psychological horror.
At tense moments throughout, music would be played to emphasise this and keep the audience on edge. For example, when there was a threat to the victim the music would become loud and urgent, emphasising this. However, at the beginning of the film it all seemed quite innocent and no threats and neither was the victim yet vulnerable, so the music was not particularly tense or scary, as it would not have fit in with the mood. Again, the music does fit with the conventions of psychological horror, as it is tense when needed and definitely adds suspense to the film.
The location is quite crucial to the film, the house is relatively deserted, apart from the 'suspicious' house next door and next to the lake that the characters have access to. The isolation of their house, adds to the threat for the victim and the lake as it is crucial later on in the film. Also, it emphasises the vulnerability as effectively there is nobody to help if a situation occurred...Finally, this fits in with the conventions of a psychological horror, as the victims are helpless.
There are a few props throughout the film, that are explained at the end, yet we do see them at the beginning and they reflect that something bad could be connected with them and occur later on - adding tension and suspense for the audience, from beginning to end.