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Pulse

Original title: Kairo
  • 20012001
  • RR
  • 1h 59m
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
20K
YOUR RATING
Pulse (2001)
Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.
Play trailer1:41
1 Video
30 Photos
  • Horror
  • Mystery
  • Sci-Fi
Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.Two groups of people discover evidence that suggests spirits may be trying to invade the human world through the Internet.
IMDb RATING
6.5/10
20K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
  • Writer
    • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
  • Stars
    • Haruhiko Katô
    • Kumiko Asô
    • Koyuki
Top credits
  • Director
    • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
  • Writer
    • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
  • Stars
    • Haruhiko Katô
    • Kumiko Asô
    • Koyuki
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 185User reviews
    • 160Critic reviews
    • 70Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 3 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 1:41
    Official Trailer

    Photos30

    Pulse (2001)
    Pulse (2001)
    Pulse (2001)
    Kumiko Asô and Haruhiko Katô in Pulse (2001)
    Kumiko Asô in Pulse (2001)
    Haruhiko Katô and Koyuki in Pulse (2001)
    Haruhiko Katô in Pulse (2001)
    Pulse (2001)
    Masatoshi Matsuo in Pulse (2001)
    Kumiko Asô, Masatoshi Matsuo, and Kurume Arisaka in Pulse (2001)
    Haruhiko Katô in Pulse (2001)
    Haruhiko Katô in Pulse (2001)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Haruhiko Katô
    • Ryosuke Kawashimaas Ryosuke Kawashima
    Kumiko Asô
    Kumiko Asô
    • Michi Kudoas Michi Kudo
    Koyuki
    Koyuki
    • Harue Karasawaas Harue Karasawa
    Kurume Arisaka
    • Junko Sasanoas Junko Sasano
    Masatoshi Matsuo
    • Toshio Yabeas Toshio Yabe
    Shinji Takeda
    • Yoshizakias Yoshizaki
    Jun Fubuki
    • Michi's motheras Michi's mother
    Shun Sugata
    Shun Sugata
    • Bossas Boss
    Shô Aikawa
    Shô Aikawa
    • Employeeas Employee
    Kôji Yakusho
    Kôji Yakusho
    • Ship Captainas Ship Captain
    Kenji Mizuhashi
    • Taguchias Taguchi
    Takumi Tanji
    • Man with Bagas Man with Bag
    Hassei Takano
    • Student Aas Student A
    Atsushi Yuki
    • Student Bas Student B
    Go Takashima
    • Student Cas Student C
    Kaori Ichijô
    • Girl with Long Hairas Girl with Long Hair
    Teruo Ono
    • Doroningenas Doroningen
    Ken Furusawa
    • Convenience Store Employeeas Convenience Store Employee
    • Director
      • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
    • Writer
      • Kiyoshi Kurosawa
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

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    7.0
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    Creepy
    6.4
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    Retribution
    6.3
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Kiyoshi Kurosawa: (at around 16 mins) While Kawashima is looking at the various people moping around in some catatonic state via web cam, there is one man who appears to be sleeping on his desk. He then wakes up, raises his head, and looks straight into the camera, facing us. That man is Kurosawa Kiyoshi, writer and director of this film.
    • Quotes

      Ghost: Death was... eternal loneliness.

    • Connections
      Edited into Pulse (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Hane Lay Down My Arms
      Performed by Cocco

    User reviews185

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    Outstanding Japanese ghost story
    What could have been just another RING rip-off turns out to be one of the most thought-provoking and genuinely eerie films I've seen come out of Japan: it's a film in which the door between the living and the dead is accidentally opened, leading to all manner of sinister events as it transpires that the dead are returning to Earth.

    Like most J-horrors of the past decade, PULSE is a slow burner that moves almost glacially, gradually slotting in the various pictures of the jigsaw as its final game plan becomes apparent. Saying too much would spoil the intriguing, dream-like narrative, suffice to say that this is a film that doesn't disappoint at any stage during its progress. The 'ghost' segments are supremely creepy and disturbing, countered neatly by shock suicide scenes and a clever bit of FX involving a plane that was later cribbed for Alex Proyas's Hollywood movie KNOWING.

    The cast give typically understated performances that increase in intensity as the character list is gradually whittled down, leading to one heck of a grim climax. Altogether, I can't fault the direction, writing, acting as all three combine to deliver an imaginative and thoughtful ghost story that's extremely different from most of what's come before.
    helpful•11
    3
    • Leofwine_draca
    • Jan 13, 2012

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 9, 2005 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Japan
    • Language
      • Japanese
    • Also known as
      • The Circuit
    • Filming locations
      • Tokyo, Japan
    • Production companies
      • Daiei Eiga
      • Hakuhodo
      • Imagica
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $51,420
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $7,250
      • Nov 13, 2005
    • Gross worldwide
      • $318,451
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 59 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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