Haute tension (2003)

Director:

Alexandre Aja

Writers:

Alexandre Aja (writer)
Grégory Levasseur (writer)

Release Date:

10 June 2005 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Hearts will bleed.

Plot:

Two college friends, Marie and Alexa, encounter loads of trouble (and blood) while on vacation at Alexa's parents' country home when a mysterious killer invades their quiet getaway.

Plot Keywords:

Friend | Student | Farmhouse | Blood | Chase

Awards:

5 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Cécile De France	...	Marie
Maïwenn	...	Alexia
Philippe Nahon	...	Le tueur
Franck Khalfoun	...	Jimmy
Andrei Finti	...	Père Alex
Oana Pellea	...	Mère Alex
Marco Claudiu Pascu	...	Tom
Jean-Claude de Goros	...	Capitaine Gendarmerie
Bogdan Uritescu	...	Gendarme
Gabriel Spahiu	...	Homme voiture

Directed by
Alexandre Aja

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Alexandre Aja		writer
Grégory Levasseur		writer

Produced by
Alexandre Arcady	....	producer
Robert Benmussa	....	producer
Andrei Boncea	....	executive producer
Inigo Lezzi	....	line producer
Mehdi Sayah	....	assistant producer
Luc Besson	....	co-producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
François Eudes

Cinematography by
Maxime Alexandre

Film Editing by
Baxter
Al Rundle
Sophie Vermersch

Casting by
Florin Kevorkian		(as Florin Chevorchian)

Production Design by
Renald Cotte Verdy
Tony Egry

Art Direction by
Grégory Levasseur

Set Decoration by
Gabriel Nechita
Gabriela Nechita

Makeup Department
Gabi Cretan	....	makeup artist
Giannetto De Rossi	....	special makeup effects artist

Production Management
Andrei Boncea	....	executive in charge of production
Attila Egry	....	unit manager
Calin Furtunescu	....	production manager
Inigo Lezzi	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Alina Apostu	....	assistant director
Anthony Collard	....	second assistant director
Theodor Halacu-Nicon	....	first assistant director
Virgil Nicolaescu	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Blehan Bogdan	....	construction crew
Adrian Cancer	....	storyboard artist
Agler Catalin	....	construction crew
Ann Chakraverty	....	set dresser
Paul Dobre	....	construction crew
Dorin Grigorescu	....	construction crew
Ionut Mandruta	....	construction crew
Gabriela Nechita	....	construction crew (as Gabi Nechita)
Gabriela Nechita	....	storyboard artist
Rusetelu Nicolae	....	construction crew
Calin Papura	....	construction crew
Tudor Polizu	....	construction crew
Serge Recorbet	....	construction manager
Elsa Richez	....	key painter
Camelia Sirbu	....	construction crew
Doru Stan	....	construction crew
Mihai Stanciu	....	painter
Florin Gavrila	....	scenic painter (uncredited)

Sound Department
Robert Althoff	....	sound re-recordist: United States version
Pierre André	....	sound
Emmanuel Augeard	....	sound mixer
Guillaume Battistelli	....	assistant sound editor
Ron Bedrosian	....	adr mixer: United States version
John Bires	....	additional sound: United States version
Christian Brousselle	....	post-synchronization
Mihai Burtan	....	sound
Marian Costea	....	sound
Jeffrey Eisner	....	additional sound: United States version (as Jeff Eisner)
Ludovic Escallier	....	assistant sound editor
Paul Flinchbaugh	....	digital assistant editor: United States version
Jeff Glueck	....	additional sound: United States version
Loïc Gourbe	....	sound recordist
Thierry Havard	....	boom operator
Chris Jargo	....	sound effects editor: United States version
François Lepeuple	....	foley artist (as François Le Peuple)
Didier Lesage	....	sound engineer
Didier Lozahic	....	sound editor
Didier Lozahic	....	sound re-recording mixer
Jeff Malham	....	re-recording engineer
Craig Mann	....	sound re-recordist: United States version
Olivier Marlangeon	....	assistant foley artist
Stefanie Melchor	....	additional sound: United States version
Glenn T. Morgan	....	supervising sound editor: United States version
Cristi Onutu	....	sound
Mark Relyea	....	sound effects editor: United States version
Sébastien Savine	....	assistant sound editor
Melissa Sherwood Hofmann	....	sound re-recording mixer: United States version
Matthew Sordello	....	additional sound: United States version
Branden Spencer	....	digital assistant editor: United States version
Dean St. John	....	adr mixer: United States version
Peter Staubli	....	sound effects editor: United States version
Greg Steele	....	adr mixer: United States version
Bogdan Varzaru	....	sound
David A. Whittaker	....	sound effects editor: United States version
Ben Wilkins	....	sound editor
David Young	....	additional sound: United States version
Greg Zimmerman	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
Adrian Popescu	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Benjamin Ageorges	....	digital compositor
Stephane Bidault	....	visual effects
Christophe Chanvin	....	visual effects supervisor
Jean-Antoine Lacolle	....	digital compositor
Matthias Weber	....	visual effects producer

Stunts
Szabolcs Cseh	....	stunts (as Szabo Cseh)
Marius Florian	....	stunt double: Marie
Von Totojescu	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Mihai Burtan	....	assistant camera
Catalin Ciobanu	....	electrician
Marian Costea	....	camera operator
Viorel Diaconescu	....	gaffer
Titi Gavrila	....	assistant camera
Ionut Lupulescu	....	clapper loader
Sorin Nainer	....	still photographer
Cristi Onutu	....	assistant camera
Toni Salabasev	....	still photographer
Bogdan Stanciu	....	Steadicam operator
Remus Tanase	....	key grip
Bogdan Varzaru	....	camera operator

Casting Department
Domnica Circiumaru	....	extras casting

Editorial Department
Serge Anthony	....	color timer (as Serge Antony)
Adam Fox Forrest	....	dvd menu designer
Magali Magnan	....	assistant editor
Dan Mitre	....	colorist

Music Department
Matthew Bellamy	....	composer: song "New Born"
Jérôme Devoise	....	score mixer
Jérôme Lateur	....	music supervisor
Vincent Lebegue	....	music legal coordinator
Elise Luguern	....	music production supervisor
Mehdi Sayah	....	assistant music supervisor

Transportation Department
Adrian Nita	....	transportation coordinator

Other crew
Andra Barbuica	....	script supervisor
Peter Block	....	acquisitions executive
Bob Buchholz	....	english language director
Razvan Caminschi	....	production assistant
Liliana Ciobanu	....	production assistant
Jean-Patrick Flande	....	unit publicist
Catherine Grandjean	....	administrator
Nicu Kasza	....	production assistant
Dorina Popa	....	production assistant
Dominique Segall	....	press attache
Karl Sigwald	....	production assistant
Doru Stan	....	production assistant
Luminita Costinela Stanciu	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• Alexandre Films
• Europa Corp.

Distributors

• EuropaCorp. Distribution (2003) (France) (theatrical)
• Fox Pathé Europa (2004) (France) (DVD)
• Bioscop (2005) (Czech Republic) (theatrical)
• Cathay-Keris Films (2005) (Singapore) (theatrical)
• EuropaCorp. Japan (2006) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Lions Gate Films (2005) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Maple Pictures (2005) (Canada) (theatrical)
• Optimum Releasing (2004) (UK) (theatrical)
• Accent Film Entertainment (2006) (Australia) (DVD)
• Eagle Pictures (2005) (Italy) (all media)
• FS Film Oy (2004) (Finland) (DVD)
• Lions Gate Films Home Entertainment (2006) (USA) (DVD) (North America)
• Manga Films (Spain)
• Media Cooperation One (MC-One) (2004) (Germany) (video)

Special Effects

• AutreChose

Other Companies

• Cinécool  camera equipment
• Jeremy Walker + Associates  publicity
• S.I.S.  post-synchronization
• Studio Lincoln  post-synchronization
• Technovision  camera equipment

Also Known As:

"Switchblade Romance" - International (English title), UK (DVD box title)
"High Tension" - USA
"Alta tensión" - Argentina, Spain
"El despertar del miedo" - Mexico, Venezuela
"Υπερένταση" - Greece
"Alta Tensão" - Brazil (DVD title)
"Alta tensione" - Italy
"Haute Tension - Switchblade Romance" - Finland (festival title)
"Haute Tension - kiihtyvää kauhua" - Finland (imdb display title)
"High Tension" - Germany (DVD title)
"Kiihtyvää kauhua" - Finland (alternative title)
"Krvava romansa" - Croatia (imdb display title)
"Magasfeszültség" - Hungary
"Switchblade Romance" - Sweden (imdb display title)
"Visoki napon" - Serbia (imdb display title)
"X Tension" - Korea
"X-Tension" - South Korea (DVD title)
"Yperentasi" - Greece (DVD title)

MPAA:

Rated NC-17 for strong graphic violence

Runtime:

91 min | Germany:85 min (DVD version) | South Korea:84 min (re-cut version) | USA:89 min (edited version)

Country:

France

Language:

French | English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | SDDS (US version) | Dolby Digital (US version) | Dolby Digital EX (original version)

Certification:

New Zealand:R18 | USA:NC-17 (original rating) | USA:R (edited for re-rating) | Canada:R (Manitoba) | Australia:R | Czech Republic:15 | Sweden:15 | Malaysia:(Banned) | Argentina:16 | Portugal:M/18 | USA:R (cut) | USA:Unrated (DVD rating) | South Korea:18 (re-rating) (cut) (DVD rating) (uncut) | Germany:18 (SPIO/JK) (cut) | Chile:14 | Mexico:C | USA:NC-17 | Austria:18 | Canada:18A (British Columbia/Ontario) | Canada:R (Alberta) | Finland:K-18 (self applied) | France:-16 | Hong Kong:III | Ireland:18 | Italy:VM14 | Japan:R-15 | Norway:18 | Singapore:R21 | South Korea:Limited (original rating) | Spain:18 | UK:18 | USA:R (edited version) | Germany:18 (cut) | Canada:16+ (Quebec)

Filming Locations:

Bucharest, Romania

Company:

Alexandre Films

Trivia:

The camera used during the car-attack scene got so much fake blood on it during shooting that when it was being used on another film later on fake blood oozed from it during the focusing of a shot.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Alex takes the shard of broken glass from her foot after climbing out of the car at the end of the film, you hear it is made of plastic from the sound it makes as it hits the ground.

Quotes:

Le tueur:You drive a woman crazy. You little slut.

Movie Connections:

References Blue Velvet (1986)

Soundtrack:

Sarà Perché Ti Amo

Hearts will bleed...

...and so will faces, slashed throats, dismembered hands, decapitated heads, backs, arms, feet, stomachs, chests... In fact, just about everything that can bleed does bleed in this movie, and does so copiously.

High Tension, aka Switchblade Romance (much better title) is the best horror movie I've seen come out in theaters in years. After so many times hearing "this is the movie horror fans have been waiting for" and then being horribly disappointed by Cabin Fever, The Ring, Malevolence, Darkness, The Grudge, and every single other one, I am throwing my full weight behind this one. Switchblade Romance is the movie real horror movie fans have been waiting for. It's a bloody, merciless, no-humor and no-holds-barred homage to the classic slasher pics of the 70s, and yet it surpasses almost every movie it draws its inspiration from. We get an unstoppable but definitely human killer, far more interesting than, say, Jason or what Michael Myers has now become because of his obviously being human and because he makes some undeniably smart decisions and operates in a continuously logical, inescapable way. The arsenal on display is impressive, as it should be in any decent slasher movie. We get the basic straight razor, the butcher knife, shotgun, axe, and, in an incredible and deliciously violent nod to Texas Chainsaw Massacre, the power buzzsaw.

Every aspect of this film is in place. The plot is simple and straightforward, the acting, even dubbed, is interesting (and despite complaints of why only parts of it were dubbed, if you watch closely and pay attention to who speaks French and who is dubbed, it actually makes perfect sense and fits with the movie), the cinematography is strangely artistic, almost gialli-like, the bloodletting stylish and gruesome, the sound design incredible, the tension almost unwavering. The initial horror set piece, the arrival of the killer and the slaughter in the house, is bound to become a well-remembered and oft referenced classic scene of horror. The sheer brutality and stark reality of it ranks it up there, in my mind, with the gut wrenching finale of "Odishon." A quick word on the performances. There's minimal dialogue, but what there is is at least two steps up from most horror films. Its meant to build character, whereas most slasher flick dialogue is there just to drive the plot. Here, we care about the characters, even those who don't get much of a chance to talk, because the situation is so much more real than your average flick and so is the acting. Cecile de France's physical performance is stunning, the fear on her face, the tension in every limb, the breath rate, the pain, everything, and the sheer madness that Maiwenn's character endures is perfectly conveyed by the utter despair she is able to convey even with a gag in her mouth most of the time.

An, of course, a quick word on the ending. Quit complaining! The ending of this movie is great, not only does it take an extremely well made but somewhat shallow gore pic to a whole new level with some interesting things to say about... well, I won't say on account of not spoiling it, but yes, it actually does make sense if you've watched the movie carefully and have enough intellect to think about it on your own rather than just taking at face value what you've seen. I halfway wonder if the twist wasn't in part a snobby French joke Aja decided to play to see if we lulled, summer blockbuster-fed Americans could figure it out and realize that everything works without being spoon-fed exactly how it works.

8 / 10 - which makes it twice as good as the next best horror movie to come out in theatres in a decade. The only thing that keeps it from attaining a perfect 10 is that, although the tension is cranked up high for most of it and the scares are a thing that will haunt you more after walking out of the movie than when you're watching, the suspense does kind of flag unexpectedly in a few key places. Still, given the other 80% of the movie is extremely suspenseful and effectively brutal, this is a small flaw. If you like horror movies, GO SEE IT.