Haute Tension (High Tension) - American release (1 Viewer)

I didnt see a thread dedicated to this movie, so I figured I would go ahead and start one.

For those that dont know, this is a french horror film about 2 years old that is going to be released soon in the US under the title High Tension.

It is supposedly extremely gory and cannot be released uncut without getting an NC-17.

I have read a lot of conflicting info about the American release.

Initially I read that Lions Gate would actually release this subtitled and NC-17.

Now I see some rumblings on the internet that LGF will be dubbing this and trimming about a minute to get an R.

Does anybody have any definitive info about what is happening with this film.

I have gone ahead and ordered an import copy of the uncut film, but I would love to be able to see this in theaters in NC-17 so I could show my support for well done horror.

The other thing that really sucks if the movie is released by LGF as an R, is that the US may not get this even on DVD uncut.

LGF has a horrible track record with movies they have cut down to R. There were supposed to be uncut versions of Saw, Rules of Attraction, and House of 1k Corpses, yet we never got them in the US on dvd.

Over at the horrordvds forum, it seems to be confirmed that Lion's Gate has pussed out... not only will "Haute Tension" be cut for an R-rating, but they're gonna dub it in English!

Lion's Gate does fairly rotten DVDs anyway. Do yourself a favor and pick up the recently released R2/PAL UK disc, which has a wonderful transfer (a whole lot better than any Lions Gate DVD I've ever seen). It's uncut with the original language track plus commentary and other special features, but retitled as "Switchblade Romance"

Yah, Scott posted about the possible re-dubbing in the Upcoming Horror Movies thread. Needless to say, if that comes to pass, I will be bitching all over the place

If LG fucks this up, it will force me to finally go Region Free.

I already ordered the uncut version of the film, but I would like the opportunity to show my support for good horror by paying to see it in theaters.

It just pains me because a lot of this NC-17 stuff is a myth with the studios. From what I understand the stuff about not being able to run ads in newspapers is mostly bogus.

I think there has never been a successful nc-17 wide release because no one has released a film with commercial potential as an NC-17. (It seems unfair that a horrible film like Showgirls supposedly proved there was no market for it)

Obviously in certain parts of the country theater chains wouldnt carry it, but you know what, why dont they just release the R cut in the south and let the rest of the country see the nc-17 version.

I've been lucky enough to see the R2 uncut version. It's a shame to see it released as R-rated, but if it's like the R-rated cut I was first exposed to, it's not a total loss. But the unrated version is very uncompromising. The differences are around a minute or so, and entirely gore oriented.

There is, however, no reason for it to be dubbed. What with Ong-Bak and even CTHD released subtitled, I'd have thought they'd take the high road.

Pray that somewhere, somehow, an unrated OSL R0/R1 appears.

There's no way I'll be seeing this cut in theaters. I'm tired of Lions Gate and their shitty practices, and I have no need to go pay good money to see a cut version when I've owned it uncut on DVD for some time now. This film is relentless horror through and through. Once it gets started, it doesn't let up. Its titled Haute Tension for a reason, and cutting it is simply bullshit. Same thing goes for dubbing it. The recently released UK set does indeed rule, and I sold off my old one, as this is the best out there. An amazing film by the way. Unlike several recent films that have been called throwbacks to the grittier horror of the 70s, this one actually delivers such a thing. I've watched my DVD so many times its ridiculous.

By the way, I did a review thread on this film early last year, but for some reason it was moved to the software section. Just a FYI if interested.

This is perhaps not the best place for this, but I wanted to ask... the only thing I don't like about the R2 UK disc is that they changed the title to "Switchblade Romance" (which, without going into detail, sorta makes sense on the one hand, but then again of all the sharp implements employed in this film I don't recall a switchblade... and certainly not in a manner as to be emblematic). Does anyone know where I can get a good custom cover or scan with the title "Haute Tension"? It doesn't need to be specific to the Optimum release -- just one that looks good and has the original title?

Whenever Lion's Gate says they're gonna release something unrated/ NC-17, always take it with a grain of salt. I remember there was supposed to be unrated versions of House of 1000 Corpses and Cabin Fever on DVD. Cabin Fever changed at the last minute as an unrated version was announced at one point.

They did buy Artisan and we all know how much Artisan stinks.

I watched this last night. WOW! One of the better (by a long shot) horror movies I've seen in a while. I got the cut (but still intense) R3 version from Nicheflix. Gonna see what happens with the Lion's Gate version before I plunk down money for an import.

Looks like it's now officially been cut to get an R rating.



...they better not fuck up the DVD release.

For those of us that aren't regionless you can pick up a R0 Uncut copy over at HKFlix. It's has the OLT w/English subs (DTS to boot )

Clicky for the disc

Mine should be here this week

Todd B

heres what someone at dvdtalk mentioned who has seen the R rated lions gate cut

I saw the R-rated cut tonight.

The only things I could tell were trimmed somewhat were the father beheading sequence
and the concrete cutter sequence.

And those are just trimmed, not cut completely. Most of the gore remains.

The dubbing is really strange, since it only factors in the conversations between the two girls. The rest of the film is subtitled. Who knows why…

Heh weird.

Ryan:

Was the mom's death cut in any way? I thought that was the most vicious in the uncut version. The CGI neck slice then the gasping for air on the floor were pretty brutal.

When everyone sees this in the theater, ask yourself if it seems to be completely ripping off the book:

Dean Koontz's Intensity


which was made into a TV movie. The similarities are rather alarming.

The DVD that Todd posted appears to be backordered. Does anyone else know where you can pick up that version?

It's funny that you mentioned Intensity. I've been a semi-fan of the TV-movie (especially of John C. McGinley chewing up scenery), and there are some fun matches with this, especially if you're expecting HT to follow it's structure. But the van, convenience store, and other things make it seem similar. In some ways, the similar structure helped make the movie more fun when it surprised me.


But, what makes Intensity good isn't so much the first bit of hide and seek as it's the interaction between the psycho and the heroine, which HT does need.

I saw the R-rated cut tonight at a sneak and I must say I'm disappointed, but not surprised, at the cuts. There are too many trims, for my personal taste, but I digress. I have seen the uncut version several times so I was able to pick 'em out.

The decapitation is abbreviated right as the head comes off. No spurting blood.


The mother's throat-cut was truncated after the actual cut and the killer pulls back the head to open the wound to the camera. The heavy blood flow is gone. As the mother lies on the floor with a gaping wound, it's shortened with the extra gurling and blood excised.


The gas station attendant's death didn't appear to be cut too badly, but some of the impact seemed to softened slightly.


The face-off scene between Alex and the "killer" was definitely less brutal. It's still somewhat meaty, but the repeated bludgeoing with the barbed-wire spike is quite noticeably gone. If I recall correctly, she hits him like once in this.


The "saw" death at the end was reduced to mainly shots of the killer putting the saw through the car. This was pretty wet in the uncut version, so most of the splattering blood and impact is gone. There is only a very, very quick shot of the saw cutting across the victim's chest.


What does this do to the movie? To people who've seen the real mccoy, or at least horror-savvy viewers, the cuts are going to stick out like a sawed-off thumb. The movie is still gritty and intense, though I think the overall visceral impact has been damaged to a degree. It's still a thrill seeing it on the big screen as I love the atmosphere and the music.

Sounds like the standard R-rated cut it would seem. Good and bad, good in the sense that it could have been cut more.

LOL. Agreed, my friend...agreed...

I well probably check this out in the theater. As much as I hate seeing films cut for rating, I'm so desperate to see a horror movie geared for adults in the theater, I'll go to this.

Hopefully R1 will get an uncut DVD of this, I'm actually hoping that we get an uncut theatrical in Canada, it has happened before, but usually with Canadian made films.