10 Horrifying Haunted House Films

Pulse is a Japanese horror film released in 2001. There was an American remake in 2006 which had two sequels, but we’ll focus on the original which is widely regarded as the better version.

Playing on fears that arose just as the internet became mainstream, Pulse posits that online interactions will replace more personal relationships, and ultimately leave people feeling more isolated despite it never being easier to connect with others.

The way the film articulates this theory - before one of the characters outright states it later on - is that ghosts attempt to communicate with the living over the internet which leads to a spurt of fear-induced suicides throughout Tokyo; the recently deceased return as more ghosts, meaning the city is quickly overrun with spirits of the dead.

And so, rather than a single haunted house, the entire city is riddled with them.

The most iconic image in this cult classic is that of the doors ringed with red electrical tape - a warning to others that the place is haunted, and they should steer well clear. Of course, all horror film protagonists are overburdened with curiosity and several of the characters feel the urge to break into these houses, resulting in several truly nerve-shredding sequences.