For those of you who have been waiting to see High Tension (Haute Tension), be sure to go see it at your local theatre this weekend. If you haven't heard about it, then go see it anyway. One hell of a ride. Here's my review I posted a while back. Figured I'd repost since the movie is finally getting released here:
Haute Tension - 10/10
Summary
A young college student and her roommate stay at the roommate's family farm in the french countryside to study. Before you can say "slasher", a mad man is ripping through the family.
Review
I have heard great things about Haute Tension since it was released in it's native country of France. I had heard that it was one of the most disturbing films in history, blah blah blah. I doubted those claims. Hell, we were told that about House Of 1000 Corpses!
But, by the end of the film, I wanted to vomit.
But in a good way.
The film starts off with Marie and her college friend Alex driving through the countryside. They arrive at the farm late at night, and as soon as everyone goes to sleep, a crazed man in "slasher" overalls and a creepy ass truck rolls up. He then rips through the family in extremely unique ways and kidnaps Alex.
Thankfully Marie was smart enough to hide from the killer. After the murder stows Alex in his truck, Marie tags along in the hopes of killing him.
Wait.
Stop for a moment.
I don't know how many people that read this site are fans of Dean Koontz. If any of you are, then you are probably screaming at me right now. You see, Haute Tension plays out like a grittier version of Koontz's book "Intensity". Almost EVERYTHING in the first hour of the film is lifted directly from "Intensity".
This doesn't mean that I'm bashing the flick in any way though. Hell, look at the score that I gave it. A 10! That's pretty friggin high.
And why exactly did I give it a 10? Cause I felt dirty after watching it. I wanted to go take a shower just to get this film's "feeling" off of me. It is quite possibly the most brutal and gory horror film I have EVER seen. Sure it has less gore than films like Evil Dead but it just looks so.....real.
Within the first five minutes, you are plunged into the sickness of the film. You realize that you are in for some DEEP DARK s**t. We get a decapitation from a dresser, throat slashings, someone's hands being cut off, shotgun blasts, axes, etc. I cannot even begin to explain just how violent this film is. And it's not shot with a malovent joy that would have made things lighter. It is shot with just malovence. It feels so hateful and wrong and perfect.
I must also give applause to whomever thought of the name. Even though the name Haute Tension (translation - High Tension) is quite similar to Intensity (I'll stop now), it describes the film to a tee. There are some chase scenes in the film that will keep you so distraught that it's almost insane. Alexandre Aja sets up a PERFECT feeling of dread and suspense in this flick. The film will lull you into a comfortable zone and then BOOM, you are hurled back into the insanity of this film.
If you do watch the film, be ready for a major twist at the end. After first watching it, and seeing the twist, I wanted to beat the hell out of my TV. It just seemed so stupid, and easy way out. But then I sat and thought about what I had seen. The ending plays perfectly into the film and really adds a whole other level of depth to the film.
This is the reinvention of the horror/exploitation genre. Any film that can keep me scared, disgusted, and on the verge of an ulcer is a masterpiece.
I'm telling you guys, this film is something that needs to be seen. Post your thoughts on this thread if any of you check it out.
Are you serious? You think I should check this one out? I saw a preview of it and thought "Hmmm that looks SLIGHTLY better than most slasher crap that comes out" Maybe I should check it out then. Is it out yet?
I've been waiting for nearly 2 years to see Haute Tension and absolutely cannot wait until tomorrow morning (I'm going to try and see it at 11am or so). Yeah, I read some of the 'Intensity' comparisons, but what really has me perplexed is the news that the director Aja is going to direct a remake of 'The Hills Have Eyes'. What is that about.....
Dave,
Certainly check it out. It's unique and brutal. Highly entertaining. I only saw it cause I imported a DVD of it last winter.
Just a heads up I found out that a minute of the goriest scene was taken out to knock it down from NC-17 to R. I don't know what scene (I have it on DVD but still don't know). It might not be a big deal but still.....
_____________________________
"We Greeks created democracy! You also created homos!"-Ghost World
I'm sure that when the DVD is finally released here it'll be put back in. Oh and I found out earlier today that it won't be playing at my favorite theater (it's playing at the really crappy one two blocks away), so I'll have to go clear across town to see it at another good theater.
Post Edited (06-09-05 19:02)
Rich,
You are correct. Anja said that there is only about 60 seconds cut from the film compared to the Korean version which has over 7 minutes cut. The cut will snip part of the scene with the father and the dresser, and part of the scene with the guy in the car at the end.
Eventhough I already own it on DVD, I do believe that I'll check it out at the theater. This is a film that would greatly benefit from being on the big screen.
>>>>>But, by the end of the film, I wanted to vomit.
But in a good way.
There's a good way???
:-P
I actually had no plans to catch this one at te theatre, but you all have me kinda pumped-up about it now. Might check it out later today!
Everybody watch it, you won't regret it. I don't care much for slashers, but this is one of the most disturbing films I've seen in my entire life.
Alright! I caught it at the early show today! There were about six of us in the theatre(!). Definately a worthwhile movie. Doesn't resort to the cheap-jack "Boo"-scares and red-herrings so typical of 99% of Hollywood slashers. Nice change for a genre I thought had been beaten to death.
SPOILERS:
Okay, I gotta admit that I'm left alittle confused by the ending. Did the guy exist at all? If no, then there's some plot holes, I'd say...
Also, I wonder if there'll be a backlash to the finale(ala "Fatal Attraction").
Dr. Kobb,
Actually after a rewatch of the film, the plot holes are few and far between. You see, if you realize that she is the killer then everything kinda falls into place. The guy never existed. She was the killer the entire time.
Which means that she never knew Alex. She never went to college with her and wasn't staying with her at the farmhouse. She was just a psycho who was having a hallucination (fantasy) about being close to Alex. The scene where she watches Alex shower, she was doing just that....watching Alex shower then masturbating before killing the family.
I promise, after a rewatch, it makes a lot more sense and still holds up surprisingly well. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I hope it makes some cash.
skaiboi - SPOILER alert? sigh
Susan,
There is a spoiler alert on the post about the ending of the film.
the title is just giving a heads up it's coming out friday. that'll serve me for reading a thread about a film coming to theaters
Well I saw it yesterday in movies and I still like it but I realized somethings don't work.
SPOLIERS AHEAD:
Some scenes really don't make sense. If she was the killer how the hell was she talking to her in the car in the beginning? or the scenes were she talking to Alex? or that she was in the pictures on the mantle? You could say that it was in her head but that pretty elaborate fantasy even for a psycho. The car chase was too much too if you think about it. The fight at the end I thought on a different level. I think its more of a metaphor thing. Man vs women, homosexuality vs heterosexuality.
End Spoliers
_____________________________
"We Greeks created democracy! You also created homos!"-Ghost World
Post Edited (06-12-05 10:45)