J.D.'s Revenge
Encyclopedia
J. D.'s Revenge is a blaxploitation
horror film
released in 1976
. It starred Glynn Turman
and Lou Gossett. The main character becomes an unwilling host for the restless spirit of J.D. Walker, a hustler killed 30 years earlier.
as well as a black-market meat plant where he was murdered by Theotis Bliss after witnessing the murder his own sister, Betty Jo, at his hands because of her derisive chiding of him and threatening to expose the secret she held about her baby daughter. After being discovered over Betty Jo's lifeless body with her blood on his hand, Elijah Bliss (Gossett Jr.), Betty Jo's husband and the believed father of her child (and younger, submissive brother of Theotis), accused J.D of being the killer and J.D was gunned down on the spot by Theotis to cover up the event. Following Theotis to the old factory, Elijah finally learns the truth before getting into a struggle with Theotis for his gun, during which the weapon discharges and kills Theotis while Ike watches and laughs maniacally as the event plays out. His business complete, J.D. appears to leave Ike's body and thanks to Elijah's testimony, he is allowed to go free to rejoin his wife and friends waiting for him outside.
Joan Pringle went on to star in the defunct NBC serial Generations; Glynn Turman went on to star as Colonel Taylor on NBC's A Different World and most recently appeared on The CW comedy, All of Us in 2006.
Blaxploitation
Blaxploitation or blacksploitation is a film genre which emerged in the United States circa 1970. It is considered an ethnic sub-genre of the general category of exploitation films. Blaxploitation films were originally made specifically for an urban black audience, although the genre's audience...
horror film
Horror film
Horror films seek to elicit a negative emotional reaction from viewers by playing on the audience's most primal fears. They often feature scenes that startle the viewer through the means of macabre and the supernatural, thus frequently overlapping with the fantasy and science fiction genres...
released in 1976
1976 in film
The year 1976 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*March 22 - Filming begins on George Lucas' Star Wars science fiction film...
. It starred Glynn Turman
Glynn Turman
Glynn Russell Turman is an American stage, television, and film actor as well as a writer, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as high school student Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 coming-of-age film Cooley High, math professor and retired Army colonel Bradford...
and Lou Gossett. The main character becomes an unwilling host for the restless spirit of J.D. Walker, a hustler killed 30 years earlier.
Plot
The story centers around Isaac Hendrix (portrayed by Turman), a young college student studying law and a taxi-cab driver in New Orleans. While out on a night of fun with his friends and wife, Christella during a hypnosis act, he becomes an unwilling host for the restless spirit of J.D Walker, a hustler killed during the 40s. Over the course of the film "Ike" finds his own personality gradually being taken over by the sociopathic Walker, even eventually going so far as to adopt his hair and fashion style, mannerisms, and psychotic tendencies (including an attempted rape on his wife after she mocked his J.D. haircut). With the spirit of J.D. in complete control he turns his attention toward wreaking vengeance against the man responsible for for killing his sister, Theotis Bliss. Ike commits havoc all over town along the way before making his way to the church where Theotis' brother works as a preacher, where he finally reveals himself and instructs Elijah to tell Theotis to meet him "on the killin' ground". Ike's wife has meanwhile gone to her ex-husband, a cop who is out for Ike's blood believing him to be a simple psycho hiding behind a false persona--until he mentions to the Chief that Ike claimed his name was J.D. Walker, a man who was not only real, but had died over 30 years ago. J.D. was a hustler who ran numbers during World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as well as a black-market meat plant where he was murdered by Theotis Bliss after witnessing the murder his own sister, Betty Jo, at his hands because of her derisive chiding of him and threatening to expose the secret she held about her baby daughter. After being discovered over Betty Jo's lifeless body with her blood on his hand, Elijah Bliss (Gossett Jr.), Betty Jo's husband and the believed father of her child (and younger, submissive brother of Theotis), accused J.D of being the killer and J.D was gunned down on the spot by Theotis to cover up the event. Following Theotis to the old factory, Elijah finally learns the truth before getting into a struggle with Theotis for his gun, during which the weapon discharges and kills Theotis while Ike watches and laughs maniacally as the event plays out. His business complete, J.D. appears to leave Ike's body and thanks to Elijah's testimony, he is allowed to go free to rejoin his wife and friends waiting for him outside.
Joan Pringle went on to star in the defunct NBC serial Generations; Glynn Turman went on to star as Colonel Taylor on NBC's A Different World and most recently appeared on The CW comedy, All of Us in 2006.
Cast
- Glynn TurmanGlynn TurmanGlynn Russell Turman is an American stage, television, and film actor as well as a writer, director, and producer. He is perhaps best known for his roles as high school student Leroy "Preach" Jackson in the 1975 coming-of-age film Cooley High, math professor and retired Army colonel Bradford...
as Isaac aka Ike - Louis Gossett Jr. as Reverend Elija Bliss
- Joan PringleJoan PringleJoan Pringle is an American actress best known for playing vice principal "Sybil Buchanan" in the TV series The White Shadow. During the third and final season her character was promoted to principal...
as Christella - Carl W. Crudup as Tony
- James WatkinsJames WatkinsProfessor James Watkins is Director, Sport and Exercise Science Research Centre at the University of Wales Swansea. He is an advisory board member of the Journal of Sports Sciences and an editorial board member of the European Journal of Physical Education.He was chairman of the biomechanics...
as Carl - Fred Pinkard as Theotis Bliss
- Jo Anne Meredith as Sara Divine
- Alice Jubert as Roberta 'Betty Jo' Bliss
- David McKnight as J.D. Walker
- Stephanie Faulkner as Phyllis
- Fuddle Bagley as Enoch Land
- Earl BillingsEarl BillingsEarl William Billings is an American character actor who may best be known as Rob in the 1976-1977 television series What's Happening!!.-Life and career:Billings was born in Cleveland, Ohio, the son of Willie Mae Billings....
as CaptainCaptain (nautical)A sea captain is a licensed mariner in ultimate command of the vessel. The captain is responsible for its safe and efficient operation, including cargo operations, navigation, crew management and ensuring that the vessel complies with local and international laws, as well as company and flag...
Turner - Paul GallowayPaul GallowayPaul Galloway was an American newspaper reporter, columnist and storyteller who wrote for both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune....
as Garage Man
External links
- J. D.'s Revenge at Rotten TomatoesRotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...