High Tension (2003) Haute tension (original title)

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:

"Haute tension" - France (original title)
"Switchblade Romance" - International (English title), UK (DVD box 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

Colour:

Colour

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 only studio filming done was shooting the scenes between Marie and Alexia inside the killer's truck. The studio itself was merely a garage.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When Alexa introduces Marie to her father in the kitchen.

Quotes:

[repeated line]
Marie:I won't let anyone come between us any more.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Broken Hearts (2010)

Soundtrack:

A2

Stylish and Terrifying; A return to classic late 70's Horror.

In order to fully appreciate "High Tension", it's best to see it in its original language and uncut. There has been a lot of hype about this film amongst gore hounds and horror movie buffs. I'd have to say it lived up to its reputation. Although the story is very simplistic and nothing original, "High Tension" still manages to grab the viewer. It has flawless lighting and camera work, great acting and a truly disturbing psychological intensity. The story concerns the tomboyish yet sexy Marie, played by Cecile De France. Marie and her friend Alex plan a vacation away from the big city. Marie is to stay with Alex and her family at their farm house. Little do they know of the psychotic serial killer who is on the prowl, driving his old van through the country side. The killer, played by Philippe Nahon of "I Stand Alone", is a deeply frightening man. He carries a strait razor and at one point even has the nerve to give himself fellatio with a girls decapitated head. Yuck! The killer invades Alex's home and wrecks havoc on her family. The violence is extremely brutal and unrelenting. The bloody realism may cause some viewers to turn their head. The film becomes more insane from this point on turning into a endless pursuit of cat and mouse. Some critics have complained that the film contains certain plot holes. I felt that by director Alex Aja leaving certain things unexplained, it added to the intensity. Very suspenseful and horrifying, no wonder why they called it "High Tension". It sure gave me tension. The reason I recommend seeing the film in its original french version, is because the acting is so believable. Dubbing only takes away from the amazing performances. Also not to mention the MPAA taking their own strait razor to the film, slashing it down to an R rating. I highly enjoyed "High Tension". It marks a return to the style of old school horror directors such as Dario Argento, Tobe Hooper and John Carpenter.