Plot: What’s it about?
Ike (Glynn Turman) is a laid back law student, just having a night out on the town with some friends, but his life is soon to take a turn for the worse. He volunteers to be part of a hypnotist’s performance and while he expects little to happen, he ends up under the spell and while he is under, a force overtakes his mind & body. This is not some kind of joke either, where the person thinks he is naked when he isn’t, this is a serious problem with serious consequences. You see, while Ike was under the influence of this hypnotist, the spirit of a 1940s era mobster took control of his mind & body and now with using it, he plans to settle his scores. Now Ike has turned into J.D. and as time passes, he seeks out more and more people responsible for his downfall, as well as the murder of his sister. No one seems to be able to avoid his wrath, but there is one man who decides to take a stand and try to end the carnage. This man is Reverend Bliss (Louis Gossett) and while he is now a man of the cloth, he used to be a common hood from the streets. But can even Bliss manage to exorcise J.D.’s spirit in time to prevent additional losses?
MGM’s Soul Cinema has quickly become one of my favorite collections, as it includes some classic (and not so classic) soul driven movies at some fantastic prices. I happen to own the entire series and of course, that means I picked up J.D.’s Revenge. This is a cool movie too, loaded with memorable moments and tons of Soul Cinema thrills. The premise sounds a little corny, but I think it works out well enough and it is executed better it sounds, to be sure. As expected, the budget is low and as such you won’t see any dazzling set pieces or the like, but J.D.’s Revenge isn’t hampered much by the lack of those elements. In truth, this does turn a little bizarre as it heads toward a close, but it only adds to the entertainment value, I think. A sort of Soul Cinema meets The Exorcist, this picture is a strange one indeed, but a most welcome addition to this series. The cast is more than solid and includes Louis Gossett Jr. (Diggstown, Iron Eagle), Joan Pringle (Gia, Original Sin), and Glynn Turman (Men of Honor, The Inkwell). If you’re a fan of this Soul Cinema line, then without a doubt, you’ll want to check out J.D.’s Revenge.
Video: How does it look?
J.D.’s Revenge is presented in a 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer, with a full frame edition included on the disc’s flip side. The image here shows some age & wear signs, but nothing too serious and if you ask me, this kind of movie just wouldn’t look right with a pristine print, it needs some grain and slight defects, I think. The colors look a tad faded and the contrast does as well, but in truth, this is exactly how I expected the film to look. Yes, it has some flaws, but a movie of this nature & age is bound to have them, perhaps even needs them. As such, I won’t complain too much and I think genre fans should be pleased here.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original mono option is included here and while it isn’t too impressive, it is more than up to the needed tasks. I heard minimal hiss and distortion here, so age wasn’t really an issue with this mix, aside from the limitations of mono itself. The music is as full as mono allows, while sound effects are clean and well placed also. I had no trouble with the dialogue either, as vocals seemed crisp and at a proper volume balance, never hard to hear or understand. This disc also contains a French language option, as well as Spanish & French subtitles.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc contains the film’s theatrical trailer.
