Mike Flanagan Praises This J-Horror Classic: “One of the most frightening single shots I’ve ever seen a horror film”
I could easily tell you what my favorite horror movies are. I’ve even written about some of them before. Whittling down what movies I find the scariest, however, is a lot more challenging. Those movies ebb and flow, and what scares me and resonates in one moment might not yield much of an impact the next. Some enduring scares are linked to nostalgia (check out Darkness Falls) and others are genre classics (Black Christmas, let’s go). Others worm their way deep into my marrow and will continue to haunt me for the rest of my life. I’m talking about movies like Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s Cure, and perhaps more profoundly, his 2001 supernatural opus Pulse. Turns out, horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan is also a huge fan. And, better still, Pulse is now streaming free on Max.
Per Max: Evil spirits breach the living world using the internet in this scary tale that follows two parallel storylines that converge in terror.
Pulse has a pulse all its own. Few movies are as nihilistic, haunting, liminal, and deliberate as Pulse is. The imagery remains some of the most potent ever seen in the horror genre (imagery that was horribly adapted for the 2006 English-language remake, even if there’s also something there I admire). Pulse is a hard recommendation, especially for newer horror fans. The movie is slow and conscious of its own haunting rhythms and pacing, so it’s a hard sell for the uninitiated. For those in the space for it, I promise its scares will linger for the rest of your life.
It’s those scares in particular that horror filmmaker Mike Flanagan decided to spotlight in a Letterboxd review earlier this year. In his review, Flanagan wrote, “Kiyoshi Kurosawa’s terrifying masterpiece is a chilling exploration of emptiness, isolation, and solitude,” adding later, “This also boasts one of the most frightening single shots I’ve ever seen a horror film.” If you’ve seen Pulse, you’ll know what scene he’s referring to. I’m uneasy right now just thinking about it.
Pulse hits even harder now that the internet and social media have proliferated and invaded our lives more than ever. Pulse was ahead of the curve, and I’m not sure we’ll ever get another movie quite like it. I use one-of-a-kind sparingly, but Pulse truly qualifies.
What do you think? Do you agree with Mike Flanagan about Pulse? If you’re a huge Kurosawa fan like myself, which film of his is your favorite? Let me know over on Twitter @Chadiscollins. Unless I disappear into the wall. I’ve been seeing some weird images on my computer lately…
Pulse is now streaming on Max.
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