Any respectable Horror fan understands that this genre moves in circular waves. Back in the late 60’s to early 70's, a small group of brave filmmakers that included George A. Romero, Wes Craven and Tobe Hooper changed the face of Horror forever. What made these Directors so special was their commitment to shoot the movies that they wanted to shoot, with no compromises on their vision, and totally on their own terms. Upon completion, each director attempted to get their film distributed by all of the major studios, but as always with great art, no one in the studio system understood exactly what these films were, or could foresee how each of these films would rewrite and newly define the way people view Horror forever. I mean where would Horror be without Night of the Living Dead, Last House on the Left, and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre?

After Hollywood passed on each of the films, these Directors screened their work at various festivals around the world. Each film had a small distribution company step up to the plate (in one case, it was the Mafia), and help get their films out to the fans. What these “distribution companies” knew and all the major studios were about to learn was the most important independent film lesson of all time. All that needed to be done was to create a small “buzz” around the picture (Get people talking about the films) in any given market, and the eventual “wide release” of a film would finance itself. This was truly the birth of the independent film studio, and without this happening, I for one believe that we would have never seen such studios as Mirmax, New Line, and Lions Gate.

The reason I bring this up is because last week I attended a screening of Haute Tension (a.k.a. Switchblade Romance in North America) and it got me thinking. Here is a subtitled French Film that has the courage to be what it wants to be: a classic slasher film with a pretty good story (Up till the end), that gives us some of the most interesting and gory kills that we have seen in a very long time. While the film is far from perfect, (Link to review), it is a major step for Horror in the right direction. This movie opened up last year in France and stared to generate very positive “word of mouth” as well as solid box office receipts. After a screening at last years Toronto Film Festival, Lions Gate won a bidding war and got the rights to distribute the film in North America. Does this sound familiar?

Instead or remaking all of our beloved classics, Hollywood should hire a Horror expert that has already scoured the earth for films that have a “buzz”, release the films in a couple of markets, and see if catch on. There is no reason why we, Horror Fans from around the world, have to resort to downloading inferior versions, or buying copies on ebay and lining someone else’s pockets when the answer that would make all of us happy is staring everyone in the face. I for one would gladly give the studios my hard earned money if they would give me the chance to see the movies that I want to see without having to search the world over to obtain a copy of the latest “Buzz” film.

Now there are always exceptions to this rule. Last October, I was lucky enough be in New York on holidays for the opening weekend of Bubba Ho-Tep. The theatre that it was playing at did such good business in the first week that it opened on a second screen the following weekend, and at the same theatre I must add. This movie had solid box office numbers coming in from every market that it opened in. Very rarely was the film not in the number one per screen average in each of the markets, and yet no large distributor decided to run with it. While I am quite certain that Bubba Ho-Tep would not have made $100 million at the Box Office, I do know that the film could have made one of the studios some serious money and at the same time pleased Horror fans with it’s very unique story and off beat humor. But at least MGM was smart enough to see the potential for making money and grabbed up the home video rights.

Haute Tension a.k.a. Switchblade Romance Review

Haute Tension tells the story of two female classmates, Alex and Marie. Wanting to get away from the distractions of the big city and study for their final exams, the two decide to drive out to a secluded farmhouse that Marie’s family lives in. Shortly after their arrival, a brutal killer forces his way into the house leaving much carnage and kidnapping Marie. After witnessing first hand that this psycho has no problem torturing his victims, Alex tries to figure out the best way to save her friend.

I was very worried for the first 15 minutes of the film, not much really happens. The story seemed to be a very uninteresting character piece. Just as I thought that the movie was going to be a big let down, something very rare happened. This movie grabbed a hold of me, and took me for quite a ride.
The Director, Alexandre Aja, did an amazing job of creating some “edge of your seat” suspense, but also includes some of the most beautifully lit scenes in modern film history.
This movie is not just about creating tension, like the title says (High Tension), but contains some of the most imaginative ways of killing people that I have seen from a mainstream film in a long time. All of the make up effects were top notch are done by long time Fulci favorite Giannetto Rossi.
Haute Tension does something that very few foreign Horror films have done; it includes many rich and vibrant tributes to the American Horror films that all of us have grown to love. I will not go into details, but the films referenced include everything from Texas Chain Saw to Jeepers Creepers. Not bad considering that the Director is just 24 years old.

Overall

Even with a slow start and a twist ending that comes out of nowhere, Haute Tension should still prove to be a film that satisfies fans of "old school slasher " horror. I praise Alexandre Aja for making one of the most beautifully shot films that has the balls to contain some great gore. Watch for some excellent "tips of the hat" to the original masters of '70s Horror. Look for this film to be released sometime in Sept/Oct of 2004 in North America.

And just a quick note for those of you worried about having to read the subtitles: Do not fear my friends, there is not a lot of dialog after the first 15 mins. Highly Recommended!

4 stars/5