I tend not to watch many horror movies at home. It's the same as beer. I find there's more pleasure in the social experience of both. So if I do end up watching a horror movie at home, it's gotta be bloody good to hold my attention.
Alexandre Aja's Switchblade Romance (aka, Haute Tension) is that movie. As with most great horror, it's not original with it's story...but stunning in it's execution. Marie travels with friend Alexia (whom she secretly fancies) to visit her mate's family in the remote, French countryside. Then a nutter turns up and starts slaughtering everyone.
Marie is a complicated character who holds the film together throughout. The tension is build to extreme levels and is only relieved during several particularly brutal murders.
You either go with the twist...or you don't. But it adds an extra layer as you have to relive the early parts of the movie to get a handle on the shgock revelation. And it provides an extra 10 minutes of beautifully staged carnage to an already brutal splatterfest.
Along with Frontiers and Martyrs, the French are the current kings of global horror.
Which country will be next to rise to the challenge? Brazillian zombie movies or maybee Antarctican stalk n slash?
1 comment:
Yep. Switchblade Romance is a fab film. Aja does a wonderful job in creating a serious, gritty horror thriller with a very good lead actress playing an interesting and complex character. It's also nicely gory and creative in its mayhem. And I love the twist. It's part of what lifts this film way above the likes of the boring Friday the 13th remake and its shoddy ilk. Is it any coincidence that Aja's remake of The Hills Have Eyes is not only the best of the current crop of 'classic' horror film remakes, but is IMHO far better than the Wes Craven directed original?
Yarp. The French are truly the current masters of horror.
Oh, just one thing - sorry to be picky but Antarctica isn't a country...it's a continent. As I'm sure you know. Perhaps some homicidal axe weilding penguins?
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