Movie Review: J.D.’s Revenge

 
J.D.’s Revenge begins with a mobster (named J.D. ‘natch) being eliminated in 1940’s New Orleans. Fast forward to the groovy-ass 1970’s and mild mannered student Issac is out on the town with his pals. The gang takes in a hypnotist act with ol’ Issac hopping on stage to volunteer…but instead of quitting smoking, or clucking like a chicken, our hero slowly starts to be possessed by the spirit of J.D. (amid headaches, slaughterhouse imagery, rough sex, and jaunty hat purchasings…and on a side note, his Doctor tells him to smoke some weed and relax…way to be forward thinking movie!). Soon Joltin’ J.D. is completely in command and he begins a murderous plan to even the score with Issac as his unwilling vessel!
J.D.’s Revenge is a fun entry in both the blaxploitation and possession genres; it has a likable cast full of familiar faces, with Glynn Turman as Issac giving a great turn going from mild mannered everyman to sadistic mobster (the voice he uses as the late mobster is fantastic) at the flick of a switch (and being convincing at both), and Louis Gossett Jr. giving an energetic performance as an over-the-top preacher man with a sketchy past, and a great story that not only features the supernatural shenanigans, but a mystery that is pieced together as the flick un-spools.
The only issue I had with J.D.’s Revenge is the use of real slaughterhouse footage. While it is effective, and makes sense in the scenes it’s utilized in I never dig on seeing that kinda stuff, put your mileage may vary. There’s also some jaw dropping advice given for keeping your lady in line…how the times have changed my fiends…for the better.
This being an Arrow Video release, there are some beastly bonus features included (along with the usual excellent transfer of the main event). First up is a brand new documentary about the film featuring screenwriter Jaison Starkes, director Arthur Marks, editor George Folsey Jr, and actor Glynn Turman. This is a great feature, and really expertly details the film’s production. Following that we get an audio interview with J.D. himself; David McKnight, a still gallery, the film’s trailer, radio spots, and a hand full of trailers for director Mark’s other features.
If you dig on possession flicks or blaxploitation,  J.D.’s Revenge is a must own, not only for the film itself, but for the first hand accounts of what it was like to produce these films in the ’70’s afforded by the included doc!