Zeljko Ivanek plays a young amnesiac who has been admitted to the county mental hospital after attempting to drown himself. In attempting to help him remember who he is, Dr. Gail Farmer (Kathryn Harrold) begins to experience bizarre dreams and visions seemingly transmitted to her by the amnesiac. This "sending" becomes externalized when the doctors administer shock treatment on the amnesiac and soon everyone in the hospital are assailed with his violent visions. Gail believes the root of this phenomena lies with the young man's mother (Shirley Knight) who may or may not be a ghost reaching out from beyond the grave to harm her son.

Directed by former art director Roger Christian (ALIEN) who went on to direct the interesting NOSTRADAMUS and the dire BATTLEFIELD: EARTH, this is a horror film which sets itself up to be a low-key affair so the bursts of spectacular special effects are always surprising. Both shocks and chills are usually well-judged. Performances are dead on and stripped of any embellishments. Set in the US but shot in England, the film's autumnal look is undated (thanks to the slick photography of Roger Pratt which is neither grainy nor soft-focused) and is beautifully scored by Trevor Jones.

Eric Cotenas