Very well executed

So much average

Memorable, crazy movie

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

As another reviewer noted this movie has scenes that are unforgettable. I remember seeing this movie on television in the late 1970's. The movie was heavily edited. I recently bought the DVD and it does not disappoint. I enjoyed the performances and the soundtrack. The scenes of Massachusetts makes me want to visit the state. This is a movie that captured the dark side of the 1970's era perfectly like "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and "Play It as It Lays". I highly recommend this movie.

College professor Peter Proud (a fine and likeable performance by Michael Sarrazin) is plagued by nightmares that appear to be flashbacks from a previous life. Proud discovers that he's the reincarnation of smarmy womanizing heel Jeff Curtis (a nicely slimy turn by the hunky Tony Stephano). Complications ensue when Peter falls for Jeff's daughter Ann (an appealing portrayal by the ravishing Jennifer O'Neill), which raises the ire of Jeff's bitter widow Marcia (superbly played by Margot Kidder). Director J. Lee Thompson relates the engrossing story at a steady pace as well as ably crafts an eerie and enigmatic atmosphere. Moreover, Thompson and writer Max Erlich bring a surprising sexual frankness and perversity to the decidedly adult and edgy material: We not only get a satisfying smattering of explicit nudity and sizzling softcore sex, but Kidder also does a genuinely erotic bathtub masturbation scene and the romance between Peter and Ann has a pretty kinky quasi-incestuous element to it. The sound acting by the capable cast keeps this film humming: Cornelia Sharpe as Peter's horny, but fed-up girlfriend Nora Hayes, Paul Hecht as helpful parapsychologist Dr. Samuel Goodman, Norman Burton as friendly psychiatrist Dr. Frederick Spear, Anne Ives as Jeff's senile elderly mother Ellen, and Debralee Scott as slutty teenager Suzy. Victor J. Kemper's glossy cinematography gives this picture a pleasing polished look. Kudos are also in order for Jerry Goldsmith's wonky, yet stately electronic score. The grim ending packs a devastating punch. An on the money movie.

Director J Lee Thompson is a long way from Tiger Bay, The Guns of Navarone and Cape Fear with this cheap looking, lurid, would be thriller that could be described as an ABC Movie of the Week channeling soft core porn. Even the reincarnation theme is redolent of those Movies of the Week as is the flat dialog, lack of atmosphere and perfunctory performances by a bland Jennifer O'Neil, a charmless Michael Sarrazin who looks bad or is badly photographed and Cornelia Sharpe who struggles unsuccessfully to make two consecutive syllables sound persuasive. Unpersuasive too is Margot Kidder's make-up. She plays O'Neil's mother and has a scene masturbating in a bathtub that would be at home in any porn film.

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.