The Reincarnation of Peter Proud Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Reincarnation of Peter Proud Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 27, 2018

“The Reincarnation of Peter Proud” is based on a 1973 book by Max Ehrlich (who also scripts), which became a best seller during a decade that freely experimented with the other side, with numerous productions trying to stimulate ticket sales by visiting the unknown, almost as a way to prove the unbelievable exists. While the movies are miles apart, it’s hard to think that the massive success of “The Exorcist” didn’t play a part in the feature’s creation, as both tales concern a seemingly innocent person slowly exposed to something wicked that resides inside. “The Reincarnation of Peter Proud” doesn’t dance with the Devil, but it does investigate a certain level of evil, with director J. Lee Thompson (“The Guns of Navarone,” “Happy Birthday to Me,” “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes”) committed to inspecting every square foot of the developing intrigue, even if it means bringing the picture to a full stop, which he does on multiple occasions.

Peter Proud (Michael Sarrazin) is a professor at a California college who’s plagued by strange nightmares concerning the murder of a man while swimming in a lake, beaten by a woman with an oar. Peter can’t shake the unease, and lover Nora (Cornelia Sharpe) doesn’t have much patience for his distracted ways, inspiring him to investigate these odd feelings, which turn into physical pain, suggesting reincarnation. With help from friend Dr. Sam (Paul Hecht), Peter embarks on a mission to learn everything about the man who possesses his mind, coming across the saga of Jeff Curtis (Tony Stephano), a dead man who was once married to Marcia (Margot Kidder). Encouraged to visit Massachusetts and make contact with areas that previously resided in his sleep, Peter explores the familiar carefully, eventually meeting Ann (Jennifer O’Neill), Marcia and Jeff’s daughter, who never knew her father. Getting close to Ann, who responds to his kindness, Peter also piques Marcia’s curiosity, with the older woman detecting similarities between the stranger and Jeff that upset her greatly.

“The Reincarnation of Peter Proud” is a slow-burn affair that develops the titular character’s unrest carefully. His journey begins with nightmares, becoming a different man in crisis as he sleeps, which disturbs Nora, his surprisingly heartless partner, and one who prizes orgasms over emotional health, making her a uniquely crabby companion for part of Peter’s journey. The character is experiencing something science and medicine cannot reach, with the first half tracking Peter’s efforts to solve his issues, which take him to Dr. Sam’s sleep lab and the wonders of the local newspaper’s microfiche collection, eventually zeroing in on Jeff’s unexpected death and Marcia’s status as a cautious widow.

The opening of “The Reincarnation of Peter Proud” is actually quite compelling, and while its emphasis on the magic of past lives is a bit goofy (Sam’s submission to the wild idea gives the feature some unintended laughs), the deepening mystery holds together. Peter is splitting apart and he doesn’t know why, finding memories to his past life triggered by spying a classic car on the street or a news broadcast about Massachusetts. Ehrlich does well with initial exploration, eventually bringing Peter to an occult bookstore that’s also home to the Church of Satan, and Thompson aids the cause with flashbacks diced into the film, giving the lead character glimpses of a life he possibly lived but doesn’t understand. Once Peter travels east to follow up on his visions and come into contact with locations he’s only viewed in his mind, “The Reincarnation of Peter Proud” slows down considerably. Thompson goes from sleuthing to real-time driving, padding the run time with Peter’s tourism, which eventually puts him into contact with Ann. It takes a long time to get to where the story needs to go, and the unnecessary throttling is painful to sit through, with the audience suddenly steps ahead of the man shuffling across rural Massachusetts, which damages potential suspense.

The Reincarnation of Peter Proud Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Billed as a "Brand new HD master from a 4K scan of the original 35mm negative by Paramount Pictures Archive," "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud" arrives on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. The feature has surely never looked this good since its original theatrical release, delivering a refreshed viewing experience that supplies detail throughout. Best with facial and costuming textures, clarity is quite good here, also extending to exterior distances, with urban and rural visits dimensional. Colors are secure, with healthy primaries working a generally colder palette. Environmental moods are preserved, delivering precise greenery. Delineation is communicative. Grain is fine and filmic. Source is in good condition, but the first reel has a few thin, twitchy scratches that run right down the middle of the frame.

The Reincarnation of Peter Proud Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix is primarily focused on Jerry Goldsmith's score, which is practically a supporting character in the movie. Volume is acceptable and instrumentation is appealing, tracking the waves of romance and chills the composer has been tasked to accentuate. Dialogue exchanges are sharp and true, capturing Peter's dazed and confused interactions with others, while flashback sequences secure more argumentative behavior without distortion.

The Reincarnation of Peter Proud Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Lee Gambin.

• Spanish Super 8 Footage vs. U.S. – Side by Side (2:13, HD) examines the differences involving in the editing of a climatic bathtub sequence, with the American cut delving deeper into the perverse sexuality of the moment with more graphic footage. The Spanish version is slightly tamer while detailing the same scene information.

• Spanish Super 8 Footage (2:42, HD) provides the full scene in its entirety.

• TV Spot (:30, HD) is offered.

• Radio Spots included 30-Second (:29) and 60-Second (1:00) selections.

• Posters and Lobby Cards (5:52) examine international promotional efforts, including a few that weren't afraid of spoiling the ending of "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud." Also, a strange blackout-like effect is detected throughout all the image galleries, making it feel like items are being skipped over, disrupting the flow of imagery.

• Promotional Material (1:59) inspects ad slicks, a free screening ticket offer with purchase of Ehrlich's novel, and press kit offerings.

• Home Video Releases (:49) collect VHS box art from around the world.

• Promotional Stills (:36) showcase press kit photos, complete with extensive captions.

• And a U.S. Theatrical Trailer (1:48, HD) and a German Trailer (1:51, HD) are included.

The Reincarnation of Peter Proud Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Perversity ultimately brings "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud" back to attention, finding the confused guy suddenly confronted with the opportunity for a sexual relationship with Ann, who, in a roundabout way, is his daughter. Weirder still, Marcia goes from panic to arousal after piecing together clues that her dead husband is back in a new form, though the screenplay's suggestion that the character actually enjoys being raped by her abusive husband is definitely era-specific ugliness that only confuses Marcia's arc. "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud" is held together by fine acting (Sarrazin hits all the right notes of confusion and temptation) and a blunt conclusion, but the positives here are often buried under a lot of superfluous travel scenes (almost "Manos"-ian in length) and bizarre characterizations (Nora's belittling, horndog ways needs its own movie). The production seems to believe the hokum its selling, and that's almost enough to get by. My advice: enjoy the serious tone, welcome the Freudian madness, and keep the fast-forward button handy whenever Peter gets into a car.