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High Tension

Original title: Haute tension
  • 2003
  • R
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
80K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
3,999
301
Cécile de France in High Tension (2003)
Trailer
Play trailer1:46
3 Videos
99+ Photos
Psychological HorrorSlasher HorrorHorror

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.

  • Director
    • Alexandre Aja
  • Writers
    • Alexandre Aja
    • Grégory Levasseur
  • Stars
    • Cécile de France
    • Maïwenn
    • Philippe Nahon
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    6.7/10
    80K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    3,999
    301
    • Director
      • Alexandre Aja
    • Writers
      • Alexandre Aja
      • Grégory Levasseur
    • Stars
      • Cécile de France
      • Maïwenn
      • Philippe Nahon
    • 657User reviews
    • 280Critic reviews
    • 42Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 9 nominations total

    Videos3

    High Tension
    Trailer 1:46
    High Tension
    Someone's at the Door (Clip)
    Clip 0:57
    Someone's at the Door (Clip)
    Someone's at the Door (Clip)
    Clip 0:57
    Someone's at the Door (Clip)
    High Tension
    Clip 0:50
    High Tension

    Photos131

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    + 125
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    Top cast10

    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
    • Director
      • Alexandre Aja
    • Writers
      • 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 Siskel & Ebert: 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 reviews657

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    6/10

    Would have loved this BUT...

    As many reviewers have said, this is one of the best body pile slashers films made ever, certainly in the last few years. Buckets of blood, great makeup and special effects, and some seriously genius ways of offing the good guys. But we also get one of the stupidest plot twists ever that not only ruins the vibe of the film, but makes the whole script seem completely incoherent. On multiple viewings you see the direction around this twist is actually quite well done, tons of small hints and some gross additions are noticed, but it's not worth it at all. If there was no plot twist, this would have easily gotten a 9 in my book, but it's lucky it got the 6 with that dumb idea tacked on for no reason.
    • mr__hyde
    • Mar 6, 2005
    • Permalink

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    FAQ29

    • How long is High Tension?Powered by Alexa
    • 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)
    • Countries of origin
      • France
      • Romania
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • El despertar del miedo
    • Filming locations
      • Bucharest, Romania
    • Production companies
      • Alexandre Films
      • EuropaCorp
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • €2,200,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $3,681,066
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $1,897,705
      • Jun 12, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $6,291,958
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 31 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital EX(original version)
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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