JD’s Revenge (1976) Review

J.D.’s Revenge was directed by Arthur Marks and stars Glynn Turman (from John Dies at the End), Louis Gossett, Jr. (from Bram Stoker’s Legend Of The Mummy, Jaws 3-D) and Julian Christopher (from Whisper, Severed). It’s about a guy named JD who was a real nice guy, before he became an ice cold bad-ass pimp, before reverting to a nice guy again, all thanks to the vengeful spirit of an ice cold bad-ass pimp.

He came back from the dead to possess a man’s soul

JD’s Revenge is a black horror movie from the 70’s, an era that produced other great classics including Blacula and Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde. Blackula was a vampire movie, Dr. Black, Mr. Hyde was a mad scientist movie and JD’s Revenge was a possession movie. But, not a possession movie like The Exorcist where the devil jumps in someone and makes them puke slime, JD is more stylish than that.

JD’s Revenge is more of a dramatic thriller than a horror movie. You follow along with two characters from two different era’s simultaneously. One, Isaac, is from the present and the other, JD Walker, from the 40’s. Isaac is a mild-mannered law student with a nice girlfriend. JD Walker is a gangster pimp with a stable of hoes. For reasons beyond the scope of this review, JD jumps into Issac and… well let’s just say he strains the relationship with Isaac’s nice girlfriend.

I really liked this movie, but not for the reasons I expected. I thought it was going to be a horror, but the characters, story and style ran so deep that I liked it despite the lack of a horror vibe.