A Reencarnação de Peter Proud

Peculiar film which mixes murder-mystery with the supernatural concept of reincarnation, along with a large dose of early-70's movie sexuality. I saw this several times years ago on TV, and was quite impressed with it, somewhat against my will; now I wish that I could see it again. It is deeply and disturbingly creepy at points, and contains chilling scenes which I will never forget; it has the quality of a bad dream that you can't quite get out of your mind. At the same time, it is not in any way a typical "horror" or fantasy film; in an odd way it is somewhat subtle and intellectual without being at all high-brow (the lead character is an inquisitive college professor).

The main protagonists are played by Michael Sarrazin and Margot Kidder (both Canadians). Sarrazin was becoming quite popular at the time, and something of an unlikely heart-throb, but his career later fizzled out. His rather sleepy and laid-back acting style works well here. Kidder at first seems bizarrely and very severely mis-cast playing a far older alchoholic widow, but her performance begins to get under your skin once you get past the terrible age-makeup that was used on her (she plays her own age in flashbacks). She was actually much younger than Sarrazin at the time, and the same age as the radiant Jennifer O'Neill who plays her adult daughter. It would be interesting to know the behind-the-scenes info on the casting decisions.

The production is rather slow-moving, although it eventually gathers speed and certainly ends with a bang! Unfortunately, as a whole the thing never quite works. It probably could be a much more interesting and intense film, and I have read that Paramount has acquired the rights for a remake.

Originally available on both VHS tape and LaserDisc.

I recently watched "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud" on Youtube 40 years after I saw it in a theater.Reincarnation is a complicated subject, but the film does a fairly good job of explaining some of its intricacies.

Peter Proud (Michael Sarrazin) begins having strange dreams of people that he has never met and places he has never been to. In order to find some peace, he goes in search of the images in his dreams and finds them in a town in Massachusetts.

I really enjoyed the slow unraveling of the mystery and the performances are great, especially Margot Kidder as a widow with a terrible secret.

I really liked this movie, it is one of those movies that really sneak up on you and spook you more as it goes along but why doesn't it ever come out on TV or USA or TBS or HBO.. To all with the power to put this back on TV, please get it back on.. I know a few people who would like this movie. Other movies like this i'd like to see on TV, basic cable or premium (ie:HBO) Also mysteriously spooky movies i'd like to see along with this one.. The Changeling, Ghost Story These are movies that, while they may not have had a great rating.. they were great in that they were all eerie & spooky, unlike Jaws, it didn't just come right out and bite you but it spooked you and I would love to see all these back on TV, all of them were about an 8 in rating.

If I were rating this film on the usual criteria of script, acting, direction, editing and soundtrack, it would get a 5 or 6 tops. It suffers from many of the same faults as most '70s B movies. The cinematography had some good moments, but it was the originality of the plot line that piqued my interest. I've viewed many films over the years, and do not recall one with a storyline as unique as this one. Reincarnation themes usually deal with lives in the distant past. The novel concept of exploring a life reincarnated from a generation still living was interesting, to say the least, and allowed the screenwriter to weave in some intriguing detective work, as well as the hero's personal reinvolvement with the past life. Bravo, Mr Ehrlich... it kept my rapt attention throughout.

In California, the college professor Dr. Peter Proud (Michael Sarrazin) is haunted by a recurring nightmare where he is a man swimming naked in a lake that is hit by a row and murdered by a woman called Marcia. He also feels a pain on the hips. He seeks medical treatment with his colleague psychologist Dr. Samuel Goodman (Paul Hecht) in a laboratory but there is no positive result for the treatment. When Peter sees a town in Massachusetts in a TV show, he decides to travel with his girlfriend Nora Hayes (Cornelia Sharpe) to seek the location. After a couple of days, Nora decides to leave him but Peter continues his search. He arrives at Springfield where he eventually meets the gorgeous Ann Curtis (Jennifer O'Neill) in a club. Soon Peter discovers she is the daughter of the woman of his nightmares Marcia Curtis (Margot Kidder). Further, he might be the reincarnation of Marcia's husband Jeff Curtis (Tony Stephano), who died in the 40's in Lake Dream. But Marcia notes that Peter Proud is the reincarnation of her husband while he falls in love with Ann. What will happen to the trio?

"The Reincarnation of Peter Proud" is a mysterious film with an original and intriguing story of reincarnation. The first point that impress is the cast, with Michael Sarrazin, Margot Kidder, the Brazilian Jennifer O'Neill and Cornelia Sharpe. The plot is creepy but the film deserved a better conclusion. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "A Reencarnação de Peter Proud" ("The Reincarnation of Peter Proud")