Pulse (1988)

An intelligent pulse of electricity is moving from house to house. It terrorizes the occupants by taking control of the appliances, either killing them or causing them to wreck the house in... See full summary »

Director:

Paul Golding

Writer:

Paul Golding

Stars:

Cliff De Young, Roxanne Hart, Joseph Lawrence

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Cliff De Young	...	Bill Rockland
Roxanne Hart	...	Ellen Rockland
Joseph Lawrence	...	David Rockland (as Joey Lawrence)
Matthew Lawrence	...	Stevie
Charles Tyner	...	Old Man Holger
Dennis Redfield	...	Pete
Robert Romanus	...	Paul
Myron Healey	...	Howard (as Myron D. Healy)
Michael Rider	...	Foreman
Jean Sincere	...	Ruby
Terry Beaver	...	Policeman
Greg Norberg	...	Policeman
Tim Russ	...	Policeman

Storyline

An intelligent pulse of electricity is moving from house to house. It terrorizes the occupants by taking control of the appliances, either killing them or causing them to wreck the house in an effort to destroy it. Then it travels along the power lines to the next house, and the terror restarts. Having thus wrecked one household in a quiet neighbourhood, the pulse finds itself in the home of a boy's divorced father whom he is visiting. It gradually takes control of everything, badly injures the stepmother, and traps father and son, who must fight their way out.

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Plot Keywords:

power line | boy | terror | electricity | police car | 

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Taglines:

The ultimate shocker.

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Genres:

Sci-Fi | Thriller | Horror

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 March 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Choque Mortal

Company Credits

Production Co:

Aspen Film Society, Columbia Pictures Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The Rocklands address in 1947 Kenwood, that is one year after Kenwood Electronics started.

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Goofs

When David first arrives at the house a mic is visible for a moment above him and Ellen. The mic then pulls away being hidden by an archway.

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Quotes

Stevie: And when she turned it on it shot that metal thing right up into her face, shot it up just like a gun. Isn't that bad? It shot it up right through her eyeball!

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Connections

Featured in Phelous & the Movies: The Boogeyman (2011)

User Reviews

Pulse

Late one night, Bill and his girlfriend Ellen were woke up by their neighbour who was yelling at the top of his lungs inside of his home. When the cops arrived, the man was dead and the house had wires hanging from the ceiling and the walls. We are then introduced to Bill's son David who is staying with Bill and his new wife for the summer. Pretty soon, David begins to see weird things happening to the television set in the house. The picture goes in and out, and it turns on and off on it's own. similar strange things happen to other appliances around the house as well. It quickly becomes apparent to both son and father that something is not right, and that an evil electrical "Pulse" is growing within their house.

I got Pulse in the horror section, but it's more of a sci-fi/thriller flick. And a pretty good one at that! The plot of "killer appliances" may sound ridiculous, but 'Pulse' does a good job at making it realistic enough for a full length film. We see that the characters are in actual danger because of the electrical force, and that the pulse can cause serious occurrences such as gas leaks and water burns. The acting was a positive, Joseph Lawrence (who was at a very young age) did a great job in the lead. Cliff De Young and Roxanne Hart were great as well. Some of the special effects were effective as well. 'Pulse' takes us inside of the television at one point as shows us all of the wiring. It's done well.

The bodycount is pretty much non-existent, therefore 'Pulse' isn't a much of horror film. It's an effective sci-fi/thriller film that is worth a look if you come across it.

6/10