High Tension
High Tension (French: Haute tension, French pronunciation: [ot tɑ̃sjɔ̃]; also known as Switchblade Romance in some international countries) is a 2003 French slasher film directed by Alexandre Aja, co-written with Grégory Levasseur, and starring Cécile de France and Maïwenn. The plot focuses on two female students who drive to one of their family's secluded farmhouse to study for their exams, where a murderer shows up on the night of their arrival.
| High Tension | |
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Theatrical release poster | |
| French | Haute tension |
| Directed by | Alexandre Aja |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring |
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| Cinematography | Maxime Alexandre |
| Edited by | Baxter |
| Music by | François Eudes |
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| Distributed by | EuropaCorp |
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Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country | France |
| Language | French |
| Budget | $2.5 million |
| Box office | $6.8 million |
High Tension was theatrically released in France on June 18, 2003, and was screened at the 2003 Toronto International Film Festival as part of the "Midnight Madness" section, where it was acquired by Lions Gate Entertainment. After being re-dubbed in English and re-edited to secure an R rating, Lions Gate Entertainment then spent $14 million for a wide release in the United States on June 10, 2005, where it ultimately grossed only $3.6 million.
The film has been cited as being associated with the New Extremity movement.