The Premonition (1975)

Synopsis

The movie The Premonition (1975) is a horror thriller directed by Robert Allen Schnitzer and written by Anthony Mahon, Louis Pastore, and Robert Allen Schnitzer. The film was released in 1975 [1].

The plot revolves around a foster mother who begins experiencing psychic visions after the psychotic biological mother of her foster daughter begins stalking them. The movie The Premonition (1975) begins with Andrea Fletcher, a mentally unstable woman recently discharged from a mental hospital, attempting to kidnap her young daughter, Janie, from her foster parents, Sheri and Miles Bennett. Andrea’s boyfriend, Jude, a carnival clown she met while institutionalized, helps her in this endeavor [1].

When Andrea attempts to contact Janie at school, Sheri, who has been having premonitions, arrives just in time to protect the girl. However, the stress of these events triggers a series of psychic visions in Sheri1. With the help of her husband’s colleague, a professor in parapsychology, she attempts to use her abilities to get Janie back [1].

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that Andrea is not just mentally unstable, but also dangerous. She is willing to go to any lengths to get her daughter back, even if it means putting Janie’s life in danger. The tension builds as Sheri and Miles, desperate to protect their foster daughter, must confront the terrifying reality of their situation. [1]

Cast

Sharon Farrell as Sheri Bennett
Edward Michael Bell as Professor Miles Bennett
Danielle Brisebois as Janie Bennett
Ellen Barber as Andrea Fletcher
Richard Lynch as Jude
Chitra Neogy as Dr. Jeena Kingsly
Jeff Corey as Lieutenant Mark Denver

Trivia

According to the director, the working title for this film was “Turtle Heaven” [1].

Reviews

According to a review on Movies and Mania, “The Premonition is pretty oddball by modern standards – a carnival-focused movie, it has its fair share of demented moments, many delivered by Ellen Barber, who gives a quite extraordinary performance as Andrea Fletcher, discharged from the mental hospital but still not quite right in the head.” [2]

Considering Stories states, “The Premonition is one of those films that deserves a larger viewership. It’s got quite a bit going on under the surface of its gritty horror-thriller surface and it tends to go a few places we would not expect. Sure, the horror angle is perhaps best experienced by parents or expectant parents as opposed to folks without kids, but the film is sometimes unbearable in its creep factor all without gratuitous bloodshed or sex.” [3]

Body Count Rising mentions, “While I thought the basic plot of the film was interesting I didn’t think it worked too well. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was other than I found the movie to be boring. It is just my opinion but I think the film could have benefited by a few more deaths along the way to beef up the action.” [4]