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BEASTS
BREASTS
Directed by:
Arthur Marks
Starring:
Glynn Turman ... Isaac / 'Ike'
Louis Gossett Jr. ... Rev. Elija Bliss
Joan Pringle ... Christella
David McKnight ... J.D. Walker
Country: USA
Runtime: 95 min
Arthur Marks
Starring:
Glynn Turman ... Isaac / 'Ike'
Louis Gossett Jr. ... Rev. Elija Bliss
Joan Pringle ... Christella
David McKnight ... J.D. Walker
Country: USA
Runtime: 95 min
J.D.'s Revenge (1976)
Blaxploitation comes in all shapes and sizes. Sure, the layman might think that the only kind of film from
this genre involves pimps and hoes and bad muthas with a bad (as in good) attitude. While those type of
films account for about 80% of this particular genre's output, there exists a solid 20% in the
blaxploitation genre that is downright fantastic cinema. I present to you one of the better, if silly, outings.
First thing's first, this is not sequel. There is no part one from which the character of JD must return to
have his "revenge". This is a one-shot, and damn entertaining film to boot. The film concerns itself with
an event that took place years ago when JD Walker, a hardass pimp (OK, I know what your thinking, but
there is more to this movie), walks in on his sister being slaughtered and is subsequently blamed and
killed for the murder. Twenty or so years later (I don't remember the exact jump in time) we meet the
young and driven Ike, who is studying to be a lawyer while driving a cab to pay the bills. Ike is played by
the affable and extremely talented Glynn Turman, who is instantly likable and endearing. One night, Ike
and his gal accompany their friends for their anniversary and the first stop is a strip club. You can't help
but smile as the gals smile up at the shaking boobies and seem to enjoy themselves immensely. The
next stop is a regular nightclub ...or is it? Here Ike takes part in a fun hypnotism act, but the fun soon
fades for him when he inexplicably starts to get visions of the murder of JD Walker. Sooner than later,
our pal Ike starts to walk, talk, and act like that bad Mo'fo, who's looking for some sweet, sweeeeet
revenge. Why did JD chose our pal Ike? We never really find out.
The film hops back and forth between Ike's life falling apart and his possessions by JD, which lead to a
new hairstyle and a brand new method in dealing with his woman. This method chiefly involves slappin'
the bitch upside the head every once and while to keep her in line, and his pal Tony supports this
method of couples counseling. Soon, JD/Ike tracks down his old friend and his brother, who were
responsible for both deaths. Family secrets come to the surface and the terrible truth behind the
murders is revealed. There are some weak moments throughout, but usually Turman and the rest of the
cast pull it off with some compelling aplomb. The one major, huge, drawback is that JD's actual revenge
involves him dancing and spinning in circles while he laughs like an idiot and basically just explains
everything to Eljia (played by Iron Eagles badass Louis Gossett Jr.). The climax certainly lacks some
panache, but the rest of the film is damn fun.
The best scene in the film involves a taxi ride through the city. Ike is instantly possessed by JD and
takes a scared old lady on a wild tour through the city. The hilarious sequence ends when the woman
smashes her head against the side window and starts bleeding. JD/Ike stops the car and proceeds to
yank her out, steal her wallet, and leave her for dead on the road. It doesn't sound very nice, but it sure
is funny! This, of course, adds fuel to the fire and the audience starts to realize that JD was kind of a
dick, and maybe he doesn't really deserve his revenge after all. I don't know if the filmmakers were really
concerned with his story point, but it kept nagging me.
Directed by Arthur Marks (writer of The Centerfold Girls) and produced by the wonderful AIP, who
were responsible for most of Roger Corman's films, this unique slice of blaxploitation is one you should
not miss. It dips into the ridiculous and the stereotypical every once and a while, but that just adds to the
fun. This is definitely one of the better quality blaxploitation films ever made. Everything from the acting
to the direction are fantastic, even if the dialog and the production values come off a little badly. This is
not your average, everyday possession movie, but it is solidly entertaining, fun to watch, and one of the
few in this much-maligned genre that is surprisingly worth repeated viewings. So next time someone
gives you grief, just tell them: "I'm JD Walker, motherfucker!" If they know what's good for them, they'll
back the fuck off!
- Jose Prendes
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