The Pump(1988)

The Pump is a dramatic parable about choice and consequence set in 1947 Southern California. A lone driver spots what appears to be a shortcut on his road map and abandons the main highway, ignoring the printed warning to ask locals before leaving established routes. His car soon overheats and stalls in the desert, miles from civilization. Desperate and unprepared—carrying no hat, canteen, or provisions—he abandons the vehicle and sets out on foot, hoping to find another way across the barren landscape. What unfolds is a tense exploration of hubris and survival, as the traveler's fatal decision to ignore caution leads him deeper into isolation and peril.