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Director Gerd Oswald's ,THE PREMONITION, is an
intriguing "What if"" Sci-Fi fable.
Dewey Martin, ("The Big Sky"), is the pilot of the X-15, one
of NASA's early, experimental rocket/planes. The shots of the X-15,
being launched from beneath a B-52, as well as soaring through the air,
will be particularly interesting for buffs of the early days of NASA's
space program.
After a difficult landing, Martin exits his smoking, damaged craft.
Soon, Martin realizes that everything in the world, (humans, animals),
is frozen, except for himself and his wife. Apparently Martin broke
the time barrier during his high speed test flight.
The script, (Teleplay by Sam Roeca and Ib Melchior; Story by Ib Melchior),
raises some interesting questions about time, fate, and precognition.
It also is a bit inconsistent. At one point, Martin tells his wife,
"It has to be real. We both see it." A short time later he
tells her, "This doesn't make sense. It isn't happening."
Huh?
Dewey Martin is okay as test pilot, Jim Darcy. Perhaps, series semi-regular
Robert Culp, a much more interesting screen presence, was unavailable
for this role at the time.
Mary Murphy, ("The Wild One"), does what she can in the limited
role of Martin's wife. Under Oswald's soggy direction, she mostly cries
a lot.
At several points in the episode, Martin and Murphy encounter a strange,
"Limbo Being," (Kay Kuter), who is trapped in the frozen time
warp with them. These are my favorite scenes in the episode.
Director of Photography, Kenneth Peach, delivers interesting screen
imagery. Particularly good are still shots of birds in flight, and a
coyote chasing a rabbit.
The music is frequently high pitched and wailing, working too hard to
create a spooky mood. Music guy, Harry Lubin, deserves the blame.
THE PREMONITION should be rather watchable for most Sci-Fi fans. Time
Travel and NASA enthusiasts will definitely dig this one. BACK
TO: EPISODE
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