What is reality? Is it only those things we can taste, touch, or smell? Or are there worlds within worlds - dimensions our senses can't detect, but our subconscious can? This is the burning question of quantum physics, parapsychology and the entire new age movement. And also the focus of the 1975 atmospheric thriller THE PREMONITION.

A dilapidated bus rolls towards a typical Southern college town. A young woman gets off alone near a sprawling carnival outside of the city limits. There, she observes Jude the clown going through his morning ritual; stretching to the sky, and then falling back to earth. Jude and the girl, Andrea, have a history between them. In his trailer, Jude shows her recent photos he's taken of a little girl at the carnival - he believes it's Andrea's daughter, Janie. Janie was taken from Andrea when the woman was 'put away' five years ago. Now she wants her child back, and Jude promises to help her. Meanwhile, at the university, physics professor Miles Bennett meets new teacher Dr. Jeane Kingsley, here to run the school's new division on parapsychology. Miles is a bit skeptical, but Jeane encourages him to keep an open mind about her work in the quest to find out the connection between the 'real world' and 'reality'. Jude takes Andrea to the local elementary school, where she sees her Janie -and Janie's new mom, Sheri Bennett. Sheri is concerned about this stranger calling out to her daughter, but Janie seems unfazed.

At her boardinghouse room, Andrea and Jude make plans to get Janie back. We learn they first met in the psychiatric hospital...five years ago. Sheri tells Miles about the mysterious woman, but he assures his wife that since Janie's o.k., there's nothing to worry about. At the college, Jeane invites Miles to her lecture, as long as he keeps an open mind. Sheri, who's been having bad dreams since the incident, starts to have 'visions' of Andrea. Miles calls and tells her he's having a late dinner with a colleague (liar - he's going to the carnival with Dr. Kingsley!). After she checks in on the sleeping Janie, Sheri collapses on the sofa. Much later, a sound wakes her up. Sheri stumbles to Janie's room - and finds Andrea there, holding the child in her arms! Andrea puts the girl back into bed - then Sheri attacks the bitch! The psycho snatches one of Janie's dolls and flees to the waiting truck of Jude. Sheri calls the police, and soon the house is awash in the towns finest. A contrite Miles vows to protect his family, and he confides in Lt. Mark Denver that he and Sheri adopted Janie...five years ago. At an abandoned farmhouse, Jude is enraged that Andrea botched the kidnapping - she ignores him, infatuated with her new dolly. It's not a good idea to piss off a clown. Will Sheri's continuing visions spell doom for her and her daughter? How can Jeane help Sheri figure out what is really real? And can they solve this quantum puzzle before Janie falls victim to a psycho?

Long before "The Matrix" forced moviegoers to question reality, THE PREMONITION (in a much less special effects scale) brought similar ideas to the table. The concepts in quantum physics are, well, infinite, but this film is able to distill the basic ideas into an interesting and focused structure. The script is very literate, but never bogs down in 'tech-talk'. Events are kept moving right along; however, the film tends to jump back and forth too quickly between scenes, especially in the first half. While THE PREMONITION is atmospheric, the editing undermines the film's depth - scenes aren't given a chance to fully develop the intensity they could to really pack a wallop. The second half of the film is much better dealing with this issue. There are wonderful performances by all the actors involved, both old pros and local talent alike. Cult favorite Richard Lynch is his usual sinister self as that creep Jude the Clown. THE PREMONITION features a great musical score that plays a pivotal role in the film's finale, but the simple, yet intriguing score adds much to the entire project. The DVD features a newly mastered print, which is very nice quality. It's not too grainy and the colors are nice, though a bit muted. Audio has been remixed to Dolby 5.1, which only adds to the moody film. THE PREMONITION has some pretty vast concepts, but brings them down to earth in a small film that's remained an intense experience for audiences since its release.

Media Blasters has released this special version of THE PREMONITION with lots of great extras. There are interviews with Richard Lynch and writer/director/producer Robert Schnitzer reminiscing about the film, as well as TV spots and a trailer. They've included a photo gallery of production shots, too. If you want, you can listen to a full-length commentary by Schnitzer, in which he discusses the creation, casting, production, and influences of THE PREMONITION. Some of the commentary is a "Q&A" forum that allows Schnitzer to expound more fully on his ideas in making the film. The DVD also has several obligatory cheesy film previews.

THE PREMONITION is a film that's ahead of its time in terms of story. While there were other films exploring the questions of reality, this film brings it to the audience in an entertaining, understandable way. Despite my issues with the editing, THE PREMONITION delivers an insightful film that makes the audience wonder what is real and what might only be a figment of the imagination. Definitely worth a look for those interested in the expansion of the mind, and worthy of its cult status.

Phil the Psychic says, "three and a half ghosties out of five, but you should have already known that..."