Product Details

• Actors: Glynn Turman, Louis Gossett Jr., Joan Pringle, Carl W. Crudup, James Watkins
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Original recording reissued, NTSC
• Rated: R (Restricted)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: MGM (Video & DVD)
• VHS Release Date: January 9, 2001
• Run Time: 96 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (27 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000035P7B
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #237,727 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It's been branded with the "blaxploitation" label, but there is little that's exploitive in J.D.'s Revenge, a film of well-drawn, articulate characters dragged into a supernatural showdown. Glynn Turman (Cooley High) is especially fine as the sensitive and quiet Ike, a determined student moonlighting as a cab driver, so wound up he's on the verge of cracking. Enter (literally) the ghost of J.D., a violent, vengeful gangster murdered in the opening moments. He could be Ike's own Mr. Hyde, a dapper, flamboyant ladykiller with a fiery temper and a straight razor who slowly smothers Ike's easygoing personality. Driven by flashes of memory, he sets his vengeful sights on fire-and-brimstone preacher Reverend Bliss (Louis Gossett Jr.), whose dark past is intricately tied up with J.D.'s murder. Director Arthur Marks (Detroit 9000) sidesteps the usual spooky clichés to stir up a modern New Orleans gumbo of ghost story, gangster tale, and character drama. J.D. is both devilish sadist and avenging angel, while the tortured Ike awakens from J.D.'s violent rampages with a hole in his memory but a sick feeling from his imagined complicity in the crimes. The story gets wrapped up a little too neatly in the end, but the dark character shadings and the evocative mystery at the center of Ike's possession makes J.D.'s Revenge an unexpectedly compelling supernatural thriller. --Sean Axmaker

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Endless Repetition..., November 28, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: J.D.'s Revenge (DVD)

I first saw this in the late 70's while on a USN ship in the Med. It was a good distraction - and absolutely hilarious! In those days, the crews would exchange movies while underway via a large canvas bag. We'd send our "viewed" movies to another ship in exchange for the movies they'd seen.
EVERY EXCHANGE we'd end up with a copy of J.D.'s Revenge and Revenge of the B Girls. J.D.'s Revenge was so funny that the crew and wardroom watched it nearly every night for nearly 6 months. In a few months, nearly everyone had memorized the entire movie. It was like J.D. was taking over the crew...
Yup. Life was much harsher in the "Old Navy". How could anyone NOT want such an enjoyable (and quotable) movie?

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Real Surprise! This Supernatural Thriller Is!, January 7, 2002

By 

Tsuyoshi (Kyoto, Japan) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Jd's Revenge [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Devoted fan of Soul Cinema Collection, I was not a little glad to find "J.D.'s Revenge" another hidden gem of the series. Not exactly a blaxploitation work (though originally released from American International, company famous for Pam Grier's movies), "J.D.'s Revenge" is a rivetting shocker that has still considerable power to grip your heart.

Set in modern New Orleans, the film tells a story of a law school student working as a taxi driver, Ike (Turnan, superb acting). One day, just for fun, he and his friends decide to see a hypnotist's show, in which Ike volunteers to be on the stage. Being hypnotized as part of the show, however, he sees something very weird ... and his plight begins. Haunted by the repeated nightmarish vision, he starts to behave like someone else. Or, maybe, he really became another person....

The film uses fine locations of New Orleans, and all the cast give their great performance. Most notable is Turnan, whose changing personality compels you to keep watching the film; also good is Gosset Jr. (credited as Lou Gosset) as a preacher who has a secret in his past (though his part is smaller than Tarnan) Though made with low budget, "J.D.'s Revenge" entertains you more than you expect. But note: the film is very violent, and sometimes repellent (one character is physically assaulted, and the scene is painful to watch). Still, the vitality of the film is undeniable. My only complaint is its banal title and a little flat ending. The film's good, though.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting..., August 12, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Jd's Revenge [VHS] (VHS Tape)

This movie came out when I was about nine years old. Just out of the blue, the title popped into my head and I decided to purchase it....

The movie literaly had me on the edge of my seat once JD's spirit took over Ike's body. I disliked how this possession affected those close to Ike. He couldn't remember hurting his girlfriend or one of his customers. JD was CRAZY!!! It really did not take me long to figure out who killed JD and his sister, but I don't want to give it away. If your into "blaxplotation" movies, check this one out...