User reviews

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

Okay, so the power generating conspiracy is set to wipe out customers one by one and make them appear to be crazy in the process. An entertaining sci-fi movie which is fast and loose with the physical and material matter. Such as the natural gas pipe fatigued due to sun light heating it; total BS. While the house repair contractor was great, the TV repairman with his foul language and familiarity was completely out of place. Be that as it may, the actors did reasonable portrayals in what one has to consider a typical B grade Hollywood horror/sci-fi movie of no redeeming value.

This one wasn't so much frightening as it was an interesting attempt at a horror/sci-fi mix. I think the script needed a little juking, a few more twists and turns and genuinely suspenseful moments, before I could recommend it. There was a little too much macro-photography of wires melting, and not enough attention paid to the characters (one of the major ones is inexplicably written out of the story before the climax.) I never thought I'd say this, but Joey Lawrence actually gives a good performance, and there are some nice, subtle moments-- particularly some strong observations about family. I was never scared, but the ambiguity & unusual premise kept me interested. I think POLTERGEIST was much more effective in creating horror in inanimate objects. Still, a good try. 6/10.

The main problem with this movie is that its premise is quintessentially, thoroughly unscary. It's no coincidence that the only two even remotely scary scenes (suffocation by gas and a very hot shower) are not even directly linked to electricity! And how IS the evil circuit able to control doors and windows?? This picture has some decent acting at least, but you should only see it if you're desperate and have run out of good horror flicks to watch. (*1/2)

Give me a moment while I give director Paul Golding a standing ovation! 'Pulse' is such a well made movie, it almost doesn't look like an 80's film. If you were to tell me this was a 2020 release, I'd have believed you. Even the decor and hair styles don't look dated. And how on earth did they manage to shoot the film the way they did back in the 80s?

'Pulse' doesn't rely on blood, guts and gore to send chills down your spine. So let me tell you straight out, if its guts and gore you're looking for, you might be disappointed. 'Pulse' has a really great script. Things that might seem trivial in the beginning, plays a huge part later. The film has a well designed plan and incredibly well executed. To further enhance the viewing pleasure, the acting and visuals are also very good. The photography truly is astounding given this was made in 1988.

There's no annoying loud jump scares here; just genuine scares. The film's protagonist is David, played by 12-year old Joey Lawrence, who is fantastic. There's an amazing scene of him trapped in the garage - truly nerve wrecking! The film's climax is also fantastic!! I absolutely loved this!

'Pulse' was a pleasant surprise and now rates as one of my favorite 80s horror films.

Would I watch it again? Absolutely!

A family is terrorized in their own house when alien "pulses" travel through their powerlines and into their electronic appliances. This idea plays better on paper than it does on the screen. On the plus side, there's some neat macro-photography of electronic equipment melting. And there is a creepy turn by an old man who claims to be hunting down the source of the pulses. Unfortunately with a PG-13 rating, there isn't any real violence. And the director's idea of suspense is having perennial horror movie doof Cliff DeYoung look around in dark rooms for minutes at a time. If this concept sounds good to you, check out the underrated "Ghost in the Machine" from 1993.

When we are little, they tell us not to mess with electricity, but they don't tell us what to do if electricity messes with us. In Pulse, a young boy, David (Joey Lawrence), finds himself powerless against a malevolent electrical force (of possibly extraterrestrial origin) that travels from house to house causing fatal accidents and fires.

The premise might sound a little far-fetched, but thanks to everyone involved opting to play it completely straight, the film comes across as a very credible techno horror/thriller, with Lawrence putting in a fine central performance as the boy who struggles to convince his father (Cliff De Young) of the truth.

Director Paul Golding keeps the action moving at a fairly measured pace, gradually building the tension up to the inevitable 'humans versus electricity' finale, but he also includes a couple of exciting set pieces along the way—David almost coming a cropper in the garage and the scalding of his stepmother Ellen (Roxanne Hart) in the shower—as well as delivering some impressive macro photography of melting circuits, fuses and wires, and a cool synth score, all of which makes Pulse a nifty little '80s treat.

Writer-director Paul Golding's abysmal, completely forgettable thriller distributed by a major studio (Columbia) but filled with low-rent talent. Story has a young boy (Joey Lawrence) attempting to save his dad and stepmother from evil, unseen forces within their home. As the stubborn father, Cliff De Young once again gives his usual knucklehead performance; he has made a specialty out of playing impatient grown-ups who have no ear (or use) for the truth, and yet we're supposed to care what happens to the guy? Lawrence is kept near the verge of hysteria throughout, but this begins to look pretty silly--especially when there's not much happening plot-wise. * from ****

I agree that some of the lines in this film are 'cheesy', but its been a long time since I've seen a film that actually gave me a good case of the creeps and this filled the bill. I'm sick of the blood, gore, sex and foul language. SOmetimes its okay, but gets painfully boring after awhile. I want to be able to be spooked or creeped out; to be able to walk away looking over my shoulder or wondering "what if" and this film was the last film ever made that gave me this feeling. Not many films do, because it seems blood and filth is what horror is supposed to be about. Well I like good old spooky stories, too and this film has what it takes to give you a good case of the creeps. If you like blood, gore and sex, then you probably wont like this film. But if you want to spend the next two weeks walking on the paranoid side, check it out!

In a suburban neighborhood in Los Angeles, Bill Rockland (Cliff De Young) and his second wife Ellen (Roxanne Hart) witness an apparently psychotic break by their neighbor one night complete with loud shouting and destruction of his house that ends with his death. Bill's son from his previous marriage, David (Joey Lawrence) flies in to spend the Summer, but after witnessing strange events with the household electronics comes to believe there's a malevolent force within the power grid that may have been responsible for the neighbor's death and has now set its sights on them.

Pulse is a 1988 horror film written and directed by Paul Golding probably best known for his work as a co-writer on 1984's Beat Street. Inspired to write the screenplay based off the observations of a friend and fellow screenwriter about household noises at night, Golding wrote the first draft of Pulse in the late 70s/early 80s but it wasn't until a little under a decade later that the film got set up at Columbia. Despite a decent high concept setup and being produced by Steve Martin's production company, Pulse was regrettably denied a wide theatrical release and instead was released direct to video, in spite of interest from Paramount in distributing the film only to be curtailed by a change in studio management. It really is a shame that Pulse wasn't treated with respect, because despite not being anything groundbreaking it's a really solid film.

At its core, Pulse is yet another foray into the "suburban horror" of the 80s that was arguably defined by Poltergeist wherein common trappings of ghosts, possessions, and other supernatural shenanigans are moved from creepy derelicts and manors to the more modern 20th century homes of suburbia. While not quite as fresh of a take as when Poltergeist did it (and ran it into the ground with its two sequels), Pulse does find a fresh take on it by putting its own spin on the family dynamic and its well acted by Cliff De Young, Roxanne Hart, and Joey Lawrence. While evil living energy is no stranger to horror and has been done in other features such as Wes Craven's Shocker and Ghost in the Machine (both of which came out after Pulse), Pulse tackles this premise much better than its contemporaries did because it doesn't overexplain the energy by having it be the ghost of a serial killer or something, and we're only told what we need to know without any insight into its motivations or purpose other than it wants to inflict pain/harm. I'm not gonna act like Pulse is a lost classic or anything as there's plenty of silly moments such as Charles Tyner as horror movie harbinger Old Man Holger with some choice quotes like "I know what I know, boy, but I'm not telling!" or a climax that does have a bit of a facepalm in terms of its impetus, but for the most part it's a solid little thriller and considering Shocker and Ghost in the Machine got wide releases and this didn't seems really quite unfair.

Pulse is a decent little horror thriller that belongs in the same company as something like The Gate. It's in sort of that weird gray zone of horror films that are "just kind of family friendly enough" that isn't at the level of something like Poltergeist or Something Wicked This Way Comes, but it's also way better than The Devil's Gift or Making Contact (Joey). Check it out for yourself and you'll be reasonably entertained.

How this dog got 2 1/2 stars could only be explained by an absentee ballot. It is less scary than a Road Runner cartoon, less plot too. Hard to say what's worst, the acting, 'special' effects, or the script. The scariest thing that this this joke ever got released.

I remember I saw this movie about 5 years ago and recently found a videotape with it on. I watched it and thought, it's still a good movie. The electricity is a good touch turning appliances into killers. It's not really a cheesy movie you would expect by it's tagline but goes on the lines of "what would happen if this was true" of course there is no way scientifically possible for any of this to happen... or is there?!

If this movie were a rocket launch then ten minutes after ignition, the rocket would still be sitting on the launch pad.

A young boy called David travels from Colorado to visit his father and stepmother in Los Angeles but before he arrives a mysterious and deadly incident happens at the house next door to his Dad's, David is convinced that something evil, intelligent and deadly is going on with the electricity supply and that his house will be next. However his stepmom (who is really nice by the way) and Dad see his strange behaviour as a push against being there and away from his mother. "Pulse - the ultimate shocker", so says the movie's trailer. For most of its running time it is hardly electrifying, I would say that it is something of a slow burn, however it does build to a worthwhile finale. The acting quality is good and the musical score is excellent. It is not a special effects driven movie but there are a few good effects involving household electrical appliances versus humans. The plot makes a change from the countless slasher and monster films of the 1980's however no explanation is given as to why the events happen, ultimately this was a disappointment. One character is a creepy guy credited as Old Man Holger (played by Charles Tyner), surely he was modelled on Crazy Ralph from the first "Friday the 13th" movies!

The idea of a malevolent force living inside the local power lines (and thus, inside your home) is not a bad one. We can probably live with the plot, but what about the movie? The fact that we are treated to multiple shots of stuff like, oh I don't know, the thermostat (accompanied by tense music) to heighten our fear should give you the answer.

Apparently an electrical storm causes something to happen at a substation. Exactly what happens we will never know, because we pretty much see the lightning strike, then spend some time watching different film angles of power lines and equipment overlaid with the opening credits. I think that the lightning strike created "The Pulse," allowing it to travel over the wires finding a safe place to kill people, but do not quote me on that.

Enter Bill, Ellen, and David, the standard (fissionable) elements of a nuclear family. His dad's house might be in a well to do neighborhood, but Bill has installed all sorts of bars on the windows to prevent forced entry. Since the chances of a burglary in this film are probably nil, we can bet they will be unable to leave the cursed house at some point due to Bill's paranoid security measures.

Demonic forces (even ones with polarity) love to torment young children and the little wuss makes a perfect target, so how does it screw with David? By cracking gas mains, making the television go freaky, and eventually turning the home into a flaming death trap. It is all very silly to me, including the grass dying around the house. The current usually stays inside the wires or various appliances, why would plant matter start dying? Guess it just seemed like a "horrific" thing to happen.

If there was ever a movie the Amish would enjoy this is it ("See Jeremiah! Machines are the Devil's work! Now go outside and round up your six brothers for supper."), perhaps that was the audience targeted when it was produced? If so then someone in marketing got fired, probably beat up and then fired now that I think about it.

An '80s sci-fi/horror that hasn't aged very well. The story begins with a neighbourhood shocked by the antics of one of their own who goes berserk smashing up his house before being electrocuted. Then a boy turns up visiting his divorced father and begins to suspect that a malignant electrical force is after their home, too. Very little violence here, although a lot of cheesy incident and some stop motion close-up effects showing circuitry being damaged by the electrical force. However, too much time is spent on twee childhood scenes and boring familial stuff, although at least the ending goes into overdrive.

If this tag line seems familiar to you, it's because it is. It's the famous tag line for "The Amityville Horror". Not much happened in this movie, and yet it's considered a classic. We never, in the movie, understood the full source of evil from Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining", and yet it's one of the most horrifying films of the 20th century. Better leave things unexplained, and you'll have a great time. Do the same with "Pulse" and you'll enjoy it to the max. I sure did. I always liked how the movie never explained the source of the evil electricity. It makes things scarier. Once I'll find out, it's like spoiling a movie's ending. As the tag line for "Amityville", one is wondered why the occupants of the house do not leave yet. Well, the answer's simple, and Cliff DeYoung's character clearly showed it in the movie. It's because there's a rational explanation behind all of this. And the house is not entirely paid, they have to sleep there, eat there, and... just a place to sit down and relax. Because if they leave, they will look like crazy people. That's all the movie is about. What makes sense? What is best to do? I keep myself on the edge of my seat seeing for myself as what will be coming up next. "Pulse" is indeed an undiscovered gem. What a shame.

Although this film was kinda hokey, I did finish watching it. Partly, I was interested because the director got the idea from staying at my parents' house in the suburb of Norwalk, Ca during the Watts riots (we were married at the time). Too bad he hasn't done anything else since then as a director. Good choice of actors, I thought. Could it be redone with more modern CGI effects? Get his friend George to help? Make it a little darker, maybe, with a supernatural twist. Or, add another one of his ideas, which was that ideas are the fruit of an underground plant with roots connected all over the world. Perhaps that last would make a movie of its own. I'd like to see that one done.