Premonition - DVD

"Kansen" ("Infection") was the first title in the J-Horror Theater project put together by producer Taka Inchise. With the international success of "Ringu" and "Ju-On" the idea is to keep Japan at the forefront of making horror films with a six-part film anthology. Involved in the project are Hideo Nakata ("Ringu"), Kiyoshi Kurosawa ("Kairo"), and Takashi Shimizu ("Ju-On"). "Yogen" ("Premonitin") is the second film in the series ("J horaa shiataa 2"), directed by Norio Tsuruta, and strongly suggests that these Japanese filmmakers will succeed in the horror genre where their American counterparts have so miserably failed in churning out all those mindless splatter flicks. If two dots define a line, then "Kansen" and "Yogen" prove that you can solid little horror films without resorting to the cultural mysticism of the big vengeful ghost Japanese horror films. The goal of this series is not to shock you, but to make you party to the pain and suffering of the characters.The Satomi family consists of dad, Hideki (Hiroshi Mikami), his wife Ayaka (Noriko Sakai) and their five-year-old daughter Nana (Hana Inoue). Mom is driving the car back to Tokyo and dad is in the backseat working on his computer while the kid is locked into her child seat. They stop at a roadside phone booth so that Hideki can use the convenient computer connection to send an important e-mail. While he is waiting he spots an old newspaper clipping and picks it up. The newspaper seems to snap at him malevolently, and then he notices with horror that it says his daughter was killed in an automobile accident. On the other side of the road, Ayaka cannot get Nana out of the car seat. Suffice it to say, what the newspaper article says will happen does indeed happen, right before the horrified eyes of Hideki and the audience. In the aftermath of the tragedy he keeps trying to find the newspaper that foretold what happened. Of course, he does not find it.Three years later Hideki and his wife are divorced. He avoids newspaper while she does research into psychic phenomena. Apparently she is trying to confirm her husband's story, although to what end we are not sure. There are indeed other newspaper headlines, and more horrible things happen, and Hideki tries to do something about them. Through these efforts he learns that those who see these headlines can stop them from coming to pass, but only at a terrible price. This is clear in the tradition of classical mythology where attempting to thwart a prophecy is the worst thing you can do (best proved in "Oedipus the King," where the original prophecy that the son will kill the father is added to when Jocasta tries to murder her own son). I anticipated that this was leading to some ultimate horror to be avoided, as in "The Dead Zone" or "The Mothman Prophecies," but "Yogen" comes for something more intimate and ultimately more satisfying.This 2004 horror film has a terrific hook at the start, although it does essentially punch the audience right in the gut, but the problem comes with the lengthy line before we get to the weighty sinker at the end. The first and second acts of the film suffer in comparison to the opening, as we slowly get a sense for what the rules are here. There will be many viewers who will start to nod out as this point, because not only is it not all that clear how the plot is developing at this point, it is also all unfolding in a rather low-key manner that can lull you into having your attention wander from reading the sub-titles. However, the final act is solid, and even if the final resolution becomes clear to you a bit sooner than it does to the main character, that does not make it that much less satisfying. So, no matter what, stick around for the ending so you can take the payoff into rendering your final verdict. Well worth watching, but I think you could recut it to something under an hour and make it a lot more effective.

I have always been one who believes that the nuances or suggestion of horror is more terrifying than the actual telling of horror itself. In the film "Premonition" (aka Yogen) director Norio Tsuruta has done just that. He has given the viewer a film which shows, not tells, the viewer just what horror really is: A nightmare in which the protagonist cannot fight the unforeseen forces of the spirit world. In this case, the foreknowledge of those who will die, and his inability to intercede. The film starts off innocently enough. We have a family that has just returned from a short outing to see the grandparents. On the drive home, however, things are about to become a bit sinister.Hideki Satomi (Hiroshi Mikami) is an up-and-coming promising and gifted professor. And on his journey home he is busy as ever trying to keep up with the work of his profession. Not wanting to fall behind in his work, he takes it with him. And although his wife Ayaka (Noriko Sakai) finds this annoying, she relents to his request to find a telephone booth along the side of the road, as his laptop computer needs a plug-in when the batteries begin to wane: But with the promise that he will leave his work behind afterwards and enjoy the trip home.Finding a telephone booth, Ayaka pulls over so Hideki can send his latest work to the university. While waiting for his computer to download the information, he notices a newspaper clipping at the base of the telephone. Opening it up, he is startled to find that the newspaper has a startling portrait and premonition: a foretelling of an ominous event. Shocked, and confused, a tragedy is about to occur. But this is just the beginning of a life of tragedy. There is to be more tragedy in store for him in the future. Hideki's life has intersected with the unknown forces of the spirit world. He has now been given the gift, or in this case, the curse of the foreknowledge of death.Furthermore, this family tragedy will not be the last. Hideki's life takes a tragic turn as he and his wife will eventually divorce. Blaming himself for not acting quickly enough to prevent an important tragedy in his life, he shuts everyone out of his life. However, the newspapers never stop coming. He refuses to read them, and goes so far as to even having the windows of his apartment covered from seeing these 'Fear Newspapers' when they slap up against his windows. But he is about to take a different route, which will also alter his life. Knowing that these future events are about to occur, he ponders: Can they be prevented? And if so, will he be successful?This is where the film takes the suggestion and nuance of horror to a different height and gives the viewer a suspenseful film. Maybe he can alter the future? But at what cost? Is there a danger in interfering with the unforseen spirit world? And are there consequences for interfering? His former wife comes to see him; as she is now working for a paranormal research center, and she has come across some interesting and creepy information concerning these 'Fear Newspapers'It appears that Hideki is not the only one who knows of these newspaper premonitions. Ayaka has met a gifted pyschic who knows about these newspapers; but refuses to divulge any of this information to Ayaka, as those who do meet an unfortunate death: A death I might add that is very unpleasant. As Hideki and Ayaka journey on their quest to find out more about these newspaper premonitions, Hideki knows what he must do. And in doing so, he puts his life in jeopardy. I thought that "Premonition" was a wonderful film. They are the type of films that I wish were done more often.There are excellent special effects in this film, and the cinematography is outstanding. There is no gore in this film, but there are plenty of creepy and suspensful twists that make "Premonition" one of the better horror films in the genre. I know many people who do not appreciate this film, however, I believe the film works on many levels and I highly recommend it for those who wish to add it to their horror collection. This film is creepy in the way it handles the nuances of horror and terror. I highly recommend you purchase the film. It deserves a watch in any case.

First of all, I don't consider this a horror film. At least it didn't have any of the major components required to designate it a horror film. It's never scary and it's never driven by fright. I found it more of a mystery, a chiller at the very least.This is the story of a couple reeling from the death of their daughter, trying to find answers for it where none should exist. Enter THE newspaper, a harbinger of bad news. It pops up often, in varying states; more often than not, it's just a person who feels compelled to write a banner headline anywhere any time with ink if not blood. These headlines have a knack of coming true. Why? That part of the story is kept a mystery. There's never an explanation as to why these phantom newspapers appear and disappear with alarming regularity, and only to some people.I found this movie unendurably sad as it centers on the death of a child and the fracturing of a family. Once you get past that, morbid curiosity takes over. Why is this happening, how is it happening, can the future be changed, can the past be altered? I thought it was an intriguing idea executed well. I especially loved the riveting dissolve of reality towards the end.The actors were superb, the subtitles were easy to read (someone was smart enough to use yellow instead of white for easy readability), and the story was just clever enough to hold my interest throughout.I will add one observation, when a dress is stuck in a seatbelt; tear the dress.

i enjoyed the product a lot... pretty much like it was advised and even more... i can say im satisfied

Thought it played in English.

College lecturer Hiroshi Mikami is tormented by the car-wreck death of his young daughter three years ago, a devastating accident that led to the break-up of his marriage to Noriko Sakai. She blames him, he’s shattered: ‘I wish I’d died instead.’ Why did he not act upon the dire warning he glimpsed in a scrap of windblown newspaper? Now he’s lost in work and she’s researching the phenomenon. (Just like the Donald Sutherland/Julie Christie characters in Don’t Look Now, he’s in denial, she’s delving deep; she’s looking to psychics for answers while he’s the one getting the signs.) Chronicles of death foretold in a sombre Japanese spook show that, halfway up the stairs, turns into Jacob’s Ladder. Horrible, tragic and cruel, it carefully sets traps for the audience as it takes a few detours down Lost Highway. It’s an eerie, haunting piece, although the poster tagline was not much of a come-on: ‘If you see it… you will die!’ The 2007 Hollywood remake, switching the point of view entirely to star Sandra Bullock, seemed both sedated and restrained, with a comical ‘New! Improved!’ ending.

Wasn't too keen on this one. I'd bought it as the story sounded interesting and it had decent enough reviews. However even though it started out pretty good I just couldn't get into it. Below average story and wouldn't even be classed as a horror in my books.

J- Horror has certainly become something of a film phenomenon and most of the Tartan releases are of a good standard. Premonition is one of the best.College professor Hideki Satumo sees a newspaper report of his daughters death in a traffic accident seconds before it actually happens.His guilt at not saving her consumes him,destroys his marriage and it is three years later that he starts to see the future again.This time, can he change it?.The Ring Cycle has its haunted videotape, here we have the "newspaper of terror".Sounds faintly ridiculous but this is an accomplished piece of work.You care about the characters,pacing is good, goosebump chills throughout and if you are reasonably versed in one of the main tenets of J horror - that is if you want something bad enough then you will usually have to pay the ultimate price to get it - Premonition will deliver.