Haute Tension (2004)

 

Co-writer and director Alexandre Aja's 'French Extreme' movie gets the special edition treatment from Second Sight on UHD and Blu-ray. 

Marie (Cécile De France) and Alex (Maïwenn) are planning to spend the weekend with Alex's family at their remote country farmhouse. However, as night falls a brutal killer invades the building and kills everyone but Alex, whom he imprisons in his van, and Marie whom he is unable to find and who gives pursuit. As the night progresses and the chase continues it eventually transpires that this is a more complex game of killer and prey than seems initially apparent. 

HAUTE TENSION is a film made to be watched at least twice, because as Dr Lindsay Hallam says in her extremely detailed, listenable and enlightening new commentary, the second time round you find yourself watching a completely different film. What doesn't change anytime you watch this, though, is the degree of violence and gore, demonstrated via some excellent physical effects by one of the masters of the form, Giannetto De Rossi. It's a testament to the man's skill that even in UHD his makeups look painfully convincing. As is the case with any film that can be classed under 'Extreme French Cinema' the cast are really put through their paces, especially the leads, and Aja wrings every bit of tension he can out of what everyone admits on the extras was a very small budget.

As for the new extras, along with the excellent commentary Second Sight provide us with a bunch of new interviews including Alexandre Aja (35 minutes) who admits he loves the UK title of SWITCHBLADE ROMANCE, co-writer Gregory Levasseur (19 minutes), DP Maxime Alexandre (18 minutes) and FX man De Rossi (18 minutes). There's also a 13 minute piece from Alexandra Heller-Nicholas that discusses the film in relation to the concept of the 'final girl'.

Ported over are a number of archival extras including a making of (38 minutes) and interviews with actors De France (23 minutes), Maïwenn (6 minutes) and Philippe Nahon (5 minutes) who plays the killer. 

Finally, Second Sight's set comes with a 70 page book with new writing on the film, six art cards and a rigid slipcase to keep it all in. Here's Second Sight's trailer:

Alexandre Aja's HAUTE TENSION is getting a UHD and Blu-ray limited edition release from Second Sight Films on Monday 22nd January 2023