J.D.'s Revenge

R

Released Aug 25, 1976

1h 35m

Horror

List

50%

10 Reviews

Tomatometer

61%

500+ Ratings

Audience Score

Although notorious New Orleans gangster J.D. Walker (David McKnight) is shot and killed in the 1940s, his spirit remains restless for three decades, until a hypnotist's supernatural nightclub act allows him to take over the body of Isaac (Glynn Turman), a mild-mannered law student. After inhabiting Isaac, Walker decides to hunt down the Rev. Elija Bliss (Louis Gossett Jr.), a former criminal who helped the authorities find and assassinate the mobster years ago.

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Audience Member

Much like the Italian western, after so many years and so many movies, the blacksploitation film needed to not simply be comedy or crime. Horror - witness Blacula, Sugar Hill and Abby, as well as Ganja and Hess, Scream Blacula Scream and Dr. Black and Mr. White - could also be made for black audiences. Isaac "Ike" Hendrix (Glynn Turman, who is absolutely incredible in this movie) is a hard-working taxi driver and law student in New Orleans who takes a break studying for the bar and heads out with his girlfriend Joan Pringle (Christella Morgan) for an evening. He's hypnotized at a show and immediately after, everything is different. That's because he's become the host for the spirit of murdered hustler J. D. Walker, changing completely from a quiet man struggling to change his life to a love machine ready to slay on the dance floor, in the bedroom and on the killing floor. The transformation is astounding as is the back story, as J. D. was once tied in with Elijah Bliss (Louis Gossett Jr.), who is now a preacher, his older brother Theotis (Fred Pinkard) and the woman they all loved. There's a powerful scene at the end as brother battles brother and J. D. - fully owning Ike - dances and laughs like a demon who has taken this proud holy man and city leader back to their roots as simple criminals, a microcosm of the black experience of attempting to climb out of the horrors of poverty reduced to falling back down the chasm of violence. It's really something else. Director Arthur Marks also made Detroit 9000, Friday Foster, Bonnie's Kids and Bucktown. The script is by Jaison Starks, who also wrote The Fish Who Saved Pittsburgh. It also has a doctor who tells his patient that he'd probably get better if he smoked some weed, which is quite forward thinking for 1976. There's also the absolutely wild scene where J. D. picks up a woman at a bar - this is after he's dominated Joan, who Ike had such a sweet and mutually giving relationship, having rough sex with her, saying "Daddy's doing you good baby" and then beating her just to show who is in charge - and gives her "the best f****** she ever had" before her boyfriend gets home. She's in a panic. J. D. Simply says, "You better go talk to him then" before grabbing a straight razor and slashing the man's throat with no effort at all. Everything wraps up way too neat and clean, but who cares? Getting there has some great performances and an interesting story that had to have been an influence on later black horror like Bones.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

A Blaxploitation that is loads of fun, much more than usual in this genre. The horror element is fresh as hell, and really adds a new dynamic.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

10/10/21

Full Review

jon c

Gangster JD Walker was wrongly killed in New Orleans in 1942 They buried him but 34 years later his spirit lived on Now in 1976 he possesses the body of a young college student, Issac thanks to a hypnotist's supernatural nightclub after he and his girlfriend go out with friends Walker then goes down a path of revenge killing everyone involved with his death and Issac is suffering the consequences as everyone else around him notices his shady behavior This is a different kind of blaxploitation flick that has a bit of supernatural elements along with all the t&a and blood Very short but gets through a lot in its initial setup Glynn Turman puts on a convincing performance playing dual identities conflicting with each other A poor sweet man taken over by a hustler out for blood with some scores to settle while also uncovering some deep dark secrets It's a nice little thriller however misogynistic it is but gets straight to the nitty gritty of it all

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

03/31/23

Full Review

Audience Member

One of the few blaxoplation films that could do with a remake; better special effects would make this story a lot more intense. Great story with great actors, just a lack of technology.

Rated 3 out of 5 stars

02/20/23

Full Review

Audience Member

They want you to show them where the lines are. In the 70s Isaac seems like an ordinary aspiring young black man. He has settled down with his wife to be and appears on a very positive path until the spirit of a deceased 1940s gangster takes over his body and begins seeking revenge for those responsible for killing him and his sister. Can Isaac gain control of the situation or will the possession ruin his life forever? "Nobody talks to me like that, especially some bitch ho like you!" Arthur Marks, director of Bucktown, Friday Foster, The Monkey Hustle, Detroit 9000, Class of '74, A Woman for all Men, and Togetherness, delivers JD's Revenge. The storyline for this picture is unique but awkward in a lot of ways. The action was nothing special and the acting was pretty average. The cast includes Glynn Thurman, Louis Gossett Jr, Joan Pringle, David McKnight, Earl Billings, and Julian Christopher. "I fucked your woman, sucker!" I came across this movie on Netflix due to it being a blaxploitation so I added it to my queue. This was a bit disappointing as the plot did not work for me. This is a below average addition to the genre with little going for it. I recommend skipping this. "Those are thirty dollar super shoes." Grade: D

Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars

01/19/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Blaxploitation film about a hustler who is murdered after witnessing his sister being murder. Years pass and he comes back to possess a young man in order to exact his revenge on his murderer. It's not a bad film I don't guess, but it wasn't great either. Glynn Turman does a great acting performance in transitioning from the normal every day guy to the possessed hustler. Other than that , there isn't anything very desirable about this film.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

02/26/23

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Arthur Marks

Director

Glynn Turman

Isaac

Louis Gossett Jr.

Rev. Elija Bliss

Joan Pringle

Christella

Carl Crudup

Tony

James L. Watkins

Carl

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Roger Ebert

Chicago Sun-Times

Once we figure out this basic situation, we're on familiar ground; diabolical possessions are as commonplace in the movies these days as love scenes used to be. But J.D.'s Revenge adds a couple of twists.

Rated: 2/4

Oct 23, 2004

Full Review

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

As usual, blood flows freely and gratuitously, but you could do worse.

Jan 1, 2000

Full Review

Steve Warren

The Barb (Atlanta)

The picture is standard blaxploitation fare, heavy on the blood, but Turman makes it worth seeing.

May 9, 2023

Full Review

Justin Brown

Medium Popcorn

Regardless of how crazy this film was, it draws you in and was very entertaining. There are some problematic elements in this but unfortunately it's par for the course in this genre.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 8, 2021

Full Review

Brandon Collins

Medium Popcorn

There's some memorable scenes and performances that still stand out 40+ years later. The movie as a whole is a mess but it's so wild that it keeps you engaged throughout.

Rated: 2/5

Oct 8, 2021

Full Review

Richard Propes

TheIndependentCritic.com

One of the lesser known of the Blaxploitation/horror flicks.

Rated: 2.5/4.0

Sep 12, 2020

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Synopsis

Although notorious New Orleans gangster J.D. Walker (David McKnight) is shot and killed in the 1940s, his spirit remains restless for three decades, until a hypnotist's supernatural nightclub act allows him to take over the body of Isaac (Glynn Turman), a mild-mannered law student. After inhabiting Isaac, Walker decides to hunt down the Rev. Elija Bliss (Louis Gossett Jr.), a former criminal who helped the authorities find and assassinate the mobster years ago.

Director: Arthur Marks
Producer: Samuel Z. Arkoff
Screenwriter: Jaison Starkes
Production Co: American International Pictures (AIP)
Rating: R
Genre: Horror
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 25, 1976, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 1, 2016
Runtime: 1h 35m

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