The Reincarnation of Peter Proud (1975)

I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

Funny, strange, confrontational and subversive, this is one of the most interesting experiences you'll have at the cinema this year.

It's a movie as timely as it is provocative and amazingly, for much of its running time, it is weirdly funny.

The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

Downloaded this movie because it came out when I was 10 and remember seeing it at the theater with my 18 y/o sister. Nostalgia caused my peaked interest. The acting is subpar. The characters are not convincing, especially the paranormal PHD. The dialogue failed to hold my interest during this very slow-paced yarn. I certainly qualify this flick as the proverbial B movie and all that this label entails. Brenda Lee Scott was especially horrible and meaningless to the story. Don't waste your time on this one.

Saw it in the theatre in the 70's. Just to let everyone that doesn't already know, it will be available on 4K and DVD MAY 29th.

All - everyone - give outstanding performances in this terrifically terrifying story of reincarnation. I was about 3 years old when this film came out but was introduced to it as a pre-teen or teen. Anyway I saw it a handful of times as a teen and watching it again all these years later I have to say the film still gives me the chills.Peter Proud has nightmares, he seeks help in a dream clinic and later he and a friend feel he must be experiencing flashbacks of a previous life - Jeff Curtis. Peter sets off on a journey to find out who Jeff Curtis was and why he was murdered before.The film is a little graphic at times, mainly with sex, rape and murder - but that is NOT all there is to this film - it's mainly Peter "finding himself" or should I say "finding Jeff Curtis".9/10

2008:After watching the fun Bollywood movie Om Shanti Om with a friend on DVD,I decided to search online for any info related to the title.To my surprise,I discovered that the movie was being credited of having been inspired by a 1975 film called The Reincarnation of Peter Proud.Finding out from a family friend that he had greatly enjoyed a novelisation of the movie that he had read in the mid 80's,I decided to search on Amazon Uk,for what sounded like a mind bending Thriller.Disapointingly,I found out,that despite the movie entering the public domain,that there was no DVD/Video of the title anywhere.Late 2013:Gathering up titles that I had spent years attempting to track down,I decided to take one last shot at tracking down Mr.Proud.Originally expecting to find nothing but the novelisation,and possibly some posters,I was delightfully caught by surprise,when I stumbled upon a DVD of the movie,which excitingly led to me getting ready to at last witness Peter Proud's reincarnation.The plot:Expireancing a recurring dream that he has had for years,where a mysterious woman murders a man swimming in a lake,who he feels oddly connected to,college professor Peter Proud is woken up by his girlfriend Nora Hayes,who tells Peter that his voice had completely changed and that he was for some reason screaming the name "Marcia".Talking to a psychologist called Dr.Samuel Goodman, (whilst also trying to deal with a strange leg injury that's suddenly appeared)Peter is told about a study taking place at his university,which involves the brain activates of people whilst dreaming being studied,Hoping that the study might be able to stop has recurring dreams,Proud signs up to the study as a "lab rat".Sadly for Peter,despite having the recurring nightmares as a "lab rat",the official results show that he experienced no dreams at all for the entire week.Sickened about getting the constant nightmares,Peter allows himself to be hypnotised by Goodman,who promises Proud that he will never experience these nightmares again.Being able to relax for the first time in years,Proud pours himself a drink,and sits down to watch a TV documentary about the US state Massachusetts.As the TV shows nears its end,footage is shown of an old church based in a small Masachusetts town.Being given the shock of his life,Peter suddenly gets a feeling that he has driven past that church decades in the past,which leads Proud to fear,that instead of being dreams,the "nightmares" are memories of his reincarnationView on the film:For the tremendous adaptation of his novel, (the bare bones of which were used for the family-friendly Om Shanti Om's inspiration)Max Ehrlich carefully weaves together Giallo Murder-Mystery,Horror, psychological chills and Romance into an amazing tapestry.Spanning a number of decades,Ehrlich shows a real precision in showing parts of Proud's "past" (some of which takes place at the possibly inspirational Camp Crystal Lake!) piece by piece,so that the viewer is allowed to make a full picture of Prouds past,at the same pace as Proud himself.Allowing the past to greatly impact upon the present,Ehrlich makes Proud's regaining memory and tracking down of "Marcia" one that is extremely nerving,thanks to Ehrlich making sure that the events in Proud's past life cast a long shadow over his current situation.Backed by a creepy score from Jerry Goldsmith,director J.Lee Thompson closely works with editor Michael F.Anderson to give the film an extremely alluring stylised appearance.For the flashbacks,Thompson and Anderson use brief,neon-lit flashes to create a disorientating atmosphere and to also create a strong feeling of the "dreams" never being able to become fully clear.As Proud gets closer to finding out about his reincarnation,Thompson and cinematographer Victor J.Kemper gradually dim the colours,and build an icy Gothic Horror chill.Giving the movie a huge shot of Gothic Horror,Margot Kidder gives a haunting performance as the elusive "Marcia" Curtis,with decades that have past since the mysterious event being something that's permanently on Marcia shoulders,which begin to take control of her life,as Marcia starts to wonder if Proud may have some connection to her past.Taking on the title role,Michael Sarrazin gives a fantastic performance,with Sarrazin making sure to always give Proud a sense of menace as he finds himself entering stranger and stranger situation.Originally making Peter to look like a good,but confused man,Sarrazin tears away the characters innocence,as it starts to get revealed that this is a reincarnation which Peter can be far from proud of.