J.D.’S REVENGE: POSSESSED BLAXPLOITATION

I’ve been a fan of Blaxploitation films for some time now. Those films made mostly in the 70s that featured an urban setting, starred black actors in lead roles and usually ran to either heavy duty action flicks or twists on horror films. They were pure entertainment made for theaters that catered to black audiences but that found fans among all races. Titles like FRIDAY FOSTER, SLAUGHTER, BLACULA and DR. BLACK AND MR. HYDE were regular features shown in theaters that catered to fans.

J.D.’S REVENGE is one among the many films of this genre that was much better than one would expect. It opens in 1942 with a black gangster arguing with a woman who then slashes her throat killing her. J.D. Walker runs in to find her dead, blood on his hands when he picks her up and then discovered by her lover who kills him on the spot.

Fast forward to present day (in this case 1976). Isaac (Glynn Turman) is a law student who drives a cab part time. Live in girlfriend Christella (Joan Pringle) encourages him to get ahead. They head out for a night on the town with two friends and end up at a club where Isaac is hypnotized. Unfortunately that provides a gateway for J.D. to reenter the world and possess Isaac off and on.

Christella and his friends know something is wrong but they can’t quite figure out what it is. One moment Isaac is fine and the next he seems like someone else altogether, which of course he is. And when he is he is prone to violent acts of rage.

The story begins to flesh out when Isaac ends up in a church where ex-boxer turned preacher Rev. Elija Bliss (Louis Gossett Jr.) is preaching. It was Bliss who killed J.D. all those years ago. The woman murdered was J.D.’s sister and Bliss was her lover. As the possessed Isaac watches he begins to plan his revenge. Just who really killed his sister is yet unknown but will be revealed by the last portion of the film.

There is plenty of story involved in this movie, enough that it needn’t have been a Blaxploitation film at all. It stands on its own as a tale of possession, revenge, love, hate and the supernatural. The acting is well done by all involved and shows Turman at the top of his game. For some reason he seemed to find more work on TV than in films and that’s sad. He deserved better.

The film doesn’t rely on gore to tell the story and uses the abilities of Turman in the shifting role of Isaac/J.D. instead. Some special effects are on hand but they are not used in such a way as to become the centerpiece. It is Turman’s performance that makes the film work. The end result is a movie that while part of the whole Blaxploitation genre is among the best that was offered.

Arrow Video is releasing this in their usual manner, which means the best edition you will find. The movie itself is a 2k restoration from original film elements produced exclusively for this Arrow release. There are numerous interviews on hand here, the original theatrical trailer, reversible sleeve artwork, a collection of trailers for the films of director Arthur Marks and for the first pressing of the title a booklet written by author Kim Fields. If you bought this long ago on video or one of the numerous bootleg copies that have existed for some time, now is the time to step up to this edition. It also surpasses the Soul Cinema collection edition released before.

Click here to order.