Shocker

Shocker

Year: 1989

Runtime: 109 min

Language: English

Director: Wes Craven

ThrillerHorrorComedy

After a deal with the devil, a TV repairman turned serial killer is resurrected as electricity, seeking revenge on the detective who imprisoned him and his teenage son. The killer unleashes a shocking rampage, using his electrical form to terrorize the town. As the detective and his son grapple with the supernatural threat, they discover a mysterious connection through shared dreams, which may be the key to stopping his deadly spree and preventing further chaos.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Shocker (1989)

Trace every key event in Shocker (1989) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

News report reveals killer on the loose in LA suburb

A news report reveals a serial killer with over thirty victims roaming a Los Angeles suburb, and identifies Horace Pinker as the prime suspect. Lt. Don Parker begins the long pursuit as the case makes headlines. The broadcast sets the stage for a personal, deadly confrontation to come.

Los Angeles suburb
2

Pinker murders Parker's family

As Parker closes in on Pinker, the killer eliminates Parker's wife, foster daughter, and foster son to derail the investigation. The murders hit close to home for Parker and intensify his determination to stop Pinker. The community is shaken by the brutality.

Parker's home
3

Jonathan's dream connection

Jonathan, Parker's foster son and college football star, begins having vivid dreams that seem to channel Pinker's thoughts. The eerie connection hints that Pinker is reaching into Jonathan's mind and provides clues for the hunt. Parker starts to realize the dreams could guide them to Pinker's whereabouts.

Jonathan's home
4

Dream-guided pursuit leads to Pinker's shop

Guided by the dreams, Parker and the police locate Pinker's repair shop. They confront Pinker, but he remains dangerous and elusive. The encounter raises the stakes as the killer slips away.

Pinker's shop
5

Shootout and Alison's murder

A chaotic shootout erupts during the pursuit, and several officers are killed as Pinker breaks free. He then targets Jonathan's girlfriend Alison at football practice and kills her as a birthday present. The violence underscores the killer's merciless intent.

City streets; football practice field
6

Pinker's capture at the scene

Another dream leads Parker to Pinker, and the officers arrive as Pinker is about to kill again. They apprehend him at the scene, stopping the murder and taking Pinker into custody. The case seems to be closing, though the danger remains.

7

Convicted and sentenced to death

Pinker is convicted and sentenced to death in the electric chair. The legal process culminates in a formal justice scene.

Prison, electric chair
8

Execution twist and transformation

Before execution, Pinker reveals that Jonathan is his son and that he has made a deal with the devil. When the chair fires, Pinker does not die but becomes pure electricity and can possess others. The transformation marks the birth of a new, supernatural threat.

Execution chamber
9

Possession and escape into a TV dish

Pinker, now an electrical force, possesses Lt. Parker and uses his strength to escape. He slips into a television dish, continuing his murderous rampage in a new form. Parker becomes a vessel for Pinker's power.

Television dish
10

Power disruption to weaken Pinker

Jonathan and his friends, including Rhino, head to a power station to disrupt the grid and weaken Pinker's energy link. The plan relies on cutting the power supply to remove Pinker's hold on the real world. The operation increases the urgency of their race against time.

Power station
11

Real-world limits of energy and plan to trap Pinker

Jonathan learns that energy behaves like any physical force and is bound by real-world laws. He and Alison's spirit craft a plan to pull Pinker back into the real world and trap him inside a television. The realization reframes their battle as a struggle against physics as well as a killer.

Power station
12

Pinker's trap inside the television

The plan succeeds as Pinker is drawn back and trapped inside a television. Alison's voice guides Jonathan to take care of himself as the trap closes. The victory comes with a quiet sense of relief.

Inside a television
13

Final quiet moment under the stars

A neighborhood blackout follows when Jonathan's friends blow the power main, sealing Pinker in the TV. Jonathan steps outside to look at the night sky and agrees with Alison that the stars are beautiful, signaling a fragile peace after the ordeal.

Jonathan's neighborhood

Last Updated: November 22, 2025 at 15:58

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Shocker Summary

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Characters, Settings & Themes in Shocker

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