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IMDbPro

High Tension

Original title: Haute tension
  • 20032003
  • RR
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
74K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,725
411
Philippe Nahon in High Tension (2003)
Trailer
Play trailer1:46
3 Videos
99+ Photos
Horror
Best friends Marie and Alexia decide to spend a quiet weekend at Alexia's parents' secluded farmhouse. But on the night of their arrival, the girls' idyllic getaway turns into an endless nig... Read allBest friends Marie and Alexia decide to spend a quiet weekend at Alexia's parents' secluded farmhouse. But on the night of their arrival, the girls' idyllic getaway turns into an endless night of horror.Best friends Marie and Alexia decide to spend a quiet weekend at Alexia's parents' secluded farmhouse. But on the night of their arrival, the girls' idyllic getaway turns into an endless night of horror.
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
74K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,725
411
    • Alexandre Aja
    • Alexandre Aja
    • Grégory Levasseur
  • Stars
    • Cécile de France
    • Maïwenn
    • Philippe Nahon
    • Alexandre Aja
    • Alexandre Aja
    • Grégory Levasseur
  • Stars
    • Cécile de France
    • Maïwenn
    • Philippe Nahon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 629User reviews
    • 259Critic reviews
    • 42Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards

    Videos3

    High Tension
    Trailer 1:46
    Watch High Tension
    High Tension
    Clip 0:57
    Watch High Tension
    High Tension
    Clip 0:50
    Watch High Tension

    Photos137

    Maïwenn in High Tension (2003)
    Cécile de France and Maïwenn in High Tension (2003)
    Cécile de France in High Tension (2003)
    Cécile de France in High Tension (2003)
    Maïwenn in High Tension (2003)
    Maïwenn in High Tension (2003)
    High Tension (2003)
    Maïwenn in High Tension (2003)
    Maïwenn in High Tension (2003)
    Cécile de France in High Tension (2003)
    Grégory Levasseur at an event for High Tension (2003)
    Alexandre Aja and Grégory Levasseur at an event for High Tension (2003)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Cécile de France
    Cécile de France
    • Marie
    • (as Cécile De France)
    Maïwenn
    Maïwenn
    • Alex
    Philippe Nahon
    Philippe Nahon
    • Le tueur
    Franck Khalfoun
    Franck Khalfoun
    • Jimmy
    Andrei Finti
    Andrei Finti
    • Père Alex
    Oana Pellea
    Oana Pellea
    • Mère Alex
    Marco Claudiu Pascu
    • Tom
    Jean-Claude de Goros
    • Capitaine Gendarmerie
    • (as Jean-Claude De Goros)
    Bogdan Uritescu
    • Gendarme
    Gabriel Spahiu
    Gabriel Spahiu
    • Homme voiture
      • Alexandre Aja
      • Alexandre Aja
      • Grégory Levasseur
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • 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
      The killer takes the ax out of the gas station clerk, so he had to have flipped him over to do so. So it makes sense why the clerk is on his back in a later scene.
    • Quotes

      [repeated line]

      Marie: I won't let anyone come between us any more.

    • Alternate versions
      Lions Gate was originally going to release the film uncut with an NC-17 rating theatrically but theaters were not too happy with the idea so Lion Gate cut about 2 minutes for the US theatrical release to secure a "R" rating. The changes were:
      • Alex's father is graphically decapitated with a bookcase, his headless neck spraying blood. In the R-rated version, the initial killing is implicit rather than explicit, and later, during a flashback, his killing is gone.
      • The scene of the killer applying a concrete saw to the stomach of the man driving the car was edited shorter
      • When Alex's mother has her throat slashed, the scene is edited short; most of the arterial spurting, as the killer pulls back her head, is gone. The shot of her severed hand also is removed, leaving no indication of what exactly happened to her.
      • The scene where Marie strikes the killer's face in with the barbed wire post is shortened and less explicit; Marie hits the killer fewer times, and there are fewer details of the killer's wounds shown.
    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Mr. And Mrs. Smith/Howl's Moving Castle/The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lava Girl in 3-D/High Tension/The Honeymooners (2005)
    • Soundtracks
      A2
      extrait from Célébration

      (François-Eudes Chanfrault)

      Recorded, Performed and Mixed by François-Eudes Chanfrault

      (P) 2002 MK2 Music

      Editions: 2002 Ciné Nada Music

    User reviews629

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    8/10
    A rush of adrenaline
    The title of this marvellous French horror thriller translates directly into English as 'High Tension', and as anyone who's seen it will tell you; it's an apt title. Simply put, Switchblade Romance (to give it English release, and better, title) is a pure adrenaline rush throughout. The film forsakes substance in favour of masses of tension and the result is a film that is guaranteed to get your heart racing. The fact that the film features numerous sequences of extreme gore doesn't exactly hinder it either. There has been a surge of good, inventive horror coming from overseas and independent studios recently; the likes of May, Dog Soldiers and Sleepless being among the best of them, and Switchblade Romance sits nicely alongside the cream of the recent crop. This film follows two friends, Alex and Marie who go to stay with Alex's parents in their country home. However, things go awry when a man breaks into the home and brutally murders the family. We then follow Alex and Marie through a roller coaster ride of tension and suspense as they try their best not get sliced and diced!

    The film is very stylishly shot, and this has lead many to label it a 'Giallo'. This is most certainly not true, and there isn't much other than the style of the movie to suggest this. Switchblade Romance is more of a Texas Chainsaw Massacre style horror driven slasher than a Giallo; the film clearly knows this also, with a direct homage to the seventies classic towards it's climax. The amount of gore on display is impressive, and several scenes are certainly not for the feint-hearted. There's quite an array of weaponry in the film also, from the plain and simple switchblade, to much more exciting weapons like barbed wire, various guns, an axe and, my personal favourite, the chainsaw! In fact, I am pleased to report that Switchblade Romance features what is maybe the most brutal chainsaw scene ever! Aside from the weapons and gore, this film is also of note for it's music. The original score sets just the right tone for the goings on - it's atmospheric, but steady and almost like a lullaby, which fits with the film's style nicely. Switchblade Romance also features one of the best uses of original music of recent years, with a great scene that incorporates Muse's "New Born".

    Switchblade Romance is pure style, and a complete adrenaline rush. Tension isn't in the film, it IS the film. In spite of it's lack of substance, this movie will have you on the edge of your seat and begging for more. Add that to some lovely music, classy acting and enough gore to fill an abattoir - and what you've got is the makings of a cult classic!
    helpful•96
    81
    • The_Void
    • Feb 7, 2005

    FAQ12

    • Who did the voices for the dubbed version?
    • Which song does Marie and Alex sing while driving in the car?
    • Which song does Marie listen to while she masturbates?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • June 10, 2005 (United States)
      • France
      • French
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
    • Filming locations
      • Bucharest, Romania
    • Production companies
      • Alexandre Films
      • EuropaCorp
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • 1 hour 31 minutes
      • Color
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital EX(original version)

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