J.D.’s Revenge

I remember in the early Eighties Siskel and Ebert did a special on the dearth of decent roles for African-American actors. Despite a renaissance of great parts and great films in the Seventies by the Eighties they had dried up. Richard Roundtree despite his brilliant work in the "Shaft" films was not to be seen. Pam Grier was relegated to playing a killer prostitute in "Fort Apache-The Bronx". Even a known box office draw like Richard Pryor was relegated to playing insulting roles like "The Toy". If memory serves this show aired prior to Eddie Murphy's breakout part in "48 Hours" but that was the exception and not the norm. Which brings us to "J.D.'s Revenge". When this came out in 1976 it was tagged as a black "Exorcist". This is hardly fair because this film contains little of the gore and head-turning of that film. Yes there is a certain degree of violence on hand here but nothing I would call excessive. "J.D.'s Revenge" is at turns scary,sexy, witty, and contains a certain macabre humor. What distinguishes this film is the superlative work of Glynn Turman as Ike/J.D. If Ike's transformation to the psychotic J.D. were less than subtle then the whole enterprise would fall apart. Turman makes it believable and doesn't play it tongue-in-cheek which gives his character a little empathy and pathos. Turman's turn brings to mind Jack Nicholson's work in Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" though truth be told Jack played it over-the-top which was probably apropriate for that flick. Some would tag "J.D.'s Revenge" as blaxploitation and that would be incorrect. It's a first-rate thriller with a little bit o' soul.

High def quality sound. Beautiful picture quality. & it arrived on time. Purchase was very much enjoyed.

Great movie if you like the genre. Glen Turman and Lou Gossett are outstanding and youthful in this one. Pretty decent writing to boot! I bought it on a whim and am really glad that I did!

Okay, I was a kid when I first saw this film. It's amazing how much gets lost in the translation (pardon the pun), from kid ears to adult understanding. Yet, I loved it then and I really love it now. Glynn Turman is brilliant in the role of law student to street hustler possessed (literally). The rape scene between him and his first-rate co-star, Joan Pringle was OFF THE CHAIN (was distrubing to say the least)!!! Lou Gossett Jr. plays the role of a boxer turned preacher, with all the fire of an olden-day minister. If you are into blaxploitation or are just curious about the genre, get this movie. You'll be glad you did.

I wonder if some writer in the 70's saw the movie, "The Reincarnation of Peter Proud" and said it wasn't scary enough? The idea of a black...nerdy...law school student having visions of a lady and pimp's murder while he's wide awake must have been very wild in the 70's when all those occult movies were all over the place. JD had only two uses for women....sex and punching bags. When he takes over nerdy Ike, it's time for some changes.....from clothing, talking, all the way down to sex with his lady. Tell him I'll see him on the kill'n floor. He knows where it is.

Devoted fan of Soul Cinema Collection, I was not a little glad to find "J.D.'s Revenge" another hidden gem of the series. Not exactly a blaxploitation work (though originally released from American International, company famous for Pam Grier's movies), "J.D.'s Revenge" is a rivetting shocker that has still considerable power to grip your heart.Set in modern New Orleans, the film tells a story of a law school student working as a taxi driver, Ike (Turnan, superb acting). One day, just for fun, he and his friends decide to see a hypnotist's show, in which Ike volunteers to be on the stage. Being hypnotized as part of the show, however, he sees something very weird ... and his plight begins. Haunted by the repeated nightmarish vision, he starts to behave like someone else. Or, maybe, he really became another person....The film uses fine locations of New Orleans, and all the cast give their great performance. Most notable is Turnan, whose changing personality compels you to keep watching the film; also good is Gosset Jr. (credited as Lou Gosset) as a preacher who has a secret in his past (though his part is smaller than Tarnan) Though made with low budget, "J.D.'s Revenge" entertains you more than you expect. But note: the film is very violent, and sometimes repellent (one character is physically assaulted, and the scene is painful to watch). Still, the vitality of the film is undeniable. My only complaint is its banal title and a little flat ending. The film's good, though.

My boyfriend always talked about this movie, and the dvd was perfect. Clear picture and sound

Totally awesome movie!! Came on time