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IMDbPro

High Tension

Original title: Haute tension
  • 20032003
  • RR
  • 1h 31m
IMDb RATING
6.7/10
72K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,347
136
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
72K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,347
136
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Director
      • Alexandre Aja
    • Writers
      • Alexandre Aja
      • Grégory Levasseur
    • Stars
      • Cécile de France
      • Maïwenn
      • Philippe Nahon
    Top credits
    • Director
      • Alexandre Aja
    • Writers
      • Alexandre Aja
      • Grégory Levasseur
    • Stars
      • Cécile de France
      • Maïwenn
      • Philippe Nahon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 623User reviews
    • 257Critic reviews
    • 42Metascore
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 9 nominations

    Videos3

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

    Photos135

    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
    • 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 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 reviews623

    Review
    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    Not a pretty sight -- **POSSIBLE SPOILERS**
    As a horror film fan, I have wanted to see "High Tension" for a while, ever since I saw the delectably violent trailer and clips. It does not disappoint in the gory violence department, but I found it to be too short, with an abrupt ending. Still, the film is a haunting exploration of the darkest corners of the human psyche; a portrait that doubles, or maybe masquerades, as a slasher.

    Cécile De France is good in the role of Marie, showing grit, nerve and, dare I say, tension when the role calls for it. Maïwenn Le Besco is also good as Alex, although her role does not demand much from her, except for a few scenes of considerable emotional range.

    Two of the best aspects of the film are its cinematography and music. Cinematographer Maxime Alexandre paints the film in bluish, metallic, detached hues, that contribute to the effects of truly unapologetic on-screen violence. Composer François Eudes' score is an audio picture of disturbed peace and chaos brewing in the idyll of normalcy. Had it not been for these two elements, the film would not have been half as effective.

    "High Tension" is not a must-see film by any means, but it is a must for art-house and horror film fans.

    7/10
    helpful•25
    24
    • LondonOnMyMind
    • Oct 23, 2005

    FAQ11

    • 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)
    • Country of origin
      • France
    • Languages
      • French
      • English
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Switchblade Romance
    • 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

    Technical 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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