While the trailer to "WHAT LIES BENEATH" is well-made, it also gives away far too much!  The film would be much more effective if audiences didn't know Ford has cheated on his wife sometime in the past, and that the other woman may be haunting the house.  This really weakens any "power" of surprise that the script has to offer.  The only thing that makes "WHAT LIES BENEATH" effective as a thriller, lies in its skilled direction.  Zemeckis has never been able to demonstrate genuine creativity.  His talent lies in the ability to "mass produce" carbon copies of assembly-line vehicles like "BACK TO THE FUTURE".  Still, the clichés that have always made audiences glued to their seats in previous horror films, work terrifically well here. Especially with the film's incredible sound editing. 

DREAMWORKS has made this a "DEMONSTRATION QUALITY" dvd!  The 2.35:1 aspect ratio is intact with 16:9 enhancement.  While there is more edge enhancement than we'd like, there's also terrific resolution!  The color values are excellent!  Fleshtones appear natural, and contrast is flawless.  The blacks and grays are completely discernible, even in the darkest scenes.

DREAMWORKS has provided both a Dolby Digital and DTS 5.1 track for this release!  We're extremely pleased that DREAMWORKS is keeping this as a standard offering on their recent films.  Collectors will note their first dvd releases were in Dolby Digital only, and "DTS" films were later released separately.  While the surround effects are restrained, the sound mix is still very effective.  Especially in terms of atmospheric effects.

Thunderstorms take on a new presence in this film!  It really "felt" like we were in the middle of one, adding to the big, dark, creepy house feeling intended!  The  .1 LFE effects are also restrained, but very effective.  The musical score by Alan Silvestri is wonderful, and its' perfectly complimented within the mix.  While there are many layers of separational effects, targeted towards the front soundstage, the music manages to engulf the viewer at the right times, but never overshadows important dialogue.

While both sound mixes are effective, the DTS sound mix offers better detail in terms of the more subtle elements.  There's also greater bass control in the DTS mix.

DREAMWORKS has made this a "Special Edition" by offering some interesting supplements.  To begin with, there's a "Director's commentary" with Zemeckis "and" the film's producers.  While it's insightful for aspiring filmmakers, it's also an excuse for these guys to continually pat themselves on the back, which they do "almost non-stop!" 

A featurette, "CONSTRUCTING THE PERFECT THRILLER" examines Zemeckis' career, with various interviews and even some footage from his early student films. It's actually pretty entertaining, although we'd have liked to see more "behind-the-scenes" footage.  The film's theatrical trailer is included with 16:9 enhancement and dolby digital 5.1 sound.