What I’m watching: a drive-in movie from the 70s and a new season of a Netflix showDate: 8/9/2018 What I’m watching: a fascinating drive-in movie from the 1970s, a new Netflix movie and a new season of a great Netflix show.
On Blu-ray: J.D.’s Revenge
I have a pile of movies sitting both at home and my office and I’ve been meaning to get to this one for some time.
The 1970s were a heyday for movies that featured African Americans in front of and behind the camera. Some people call these films “blaxpoitation,” a play on exploitation. This phrase is controversial to many African Americans because it does not truly reflect the wide range of subjects and genres on films made at that time.
Besides that, non-black audiences were going to these films as well. The economic model would not have allowed for these films simply to be distributed to audiences of color.
“J.D.’s Revenge” is a horror film of sorts as it deals with a supernatural theme. Glynn Turman stars as Ike, a young law student working his way through school by driving a cab. He lives with his girlfriend and the two have a healthy loving relationship.
All of that changes when Ike participates in a nightclub hypnotism act. Somehow the restless spirit of a black mobster killed in 1942 begins to take over Ike while he is in a trance.
The mobster, J.D. Walker, is seeking revenge against the man who killed his younger sister. Slowly but surely he takes over Ike and seeks out the murderer and his brother.
The screenplay was written by Jaison Starkes and was directed by Arthur Marks. Set and shot in New Orleans, the film has an authentic quality to it. In the documentary that accompanies the film, Turman describes how Marks helped him establish subtle acting conventions denoting the takeover of Ike’s body by the malevolent spirit.
For Turman the film marked his second starring role and he is chilling as the razor-wielding gangster. The supporting cast includes Louis Gossett Jr. as a cynical preacher who sees his own sins through his involvement with J.D.’s appearance.
There are several segments to the film that are not easy to watch. There is a realistic attempted rape scene, while not shot in a truly exploited manner, still is difficult to see. The “n-word” is used quite often in the film and there is a horrendous dialogue scene in which Ike’s friend, a medical professional, describes how hitting women is good for them as they need boundaries set.
As Turman says in the documentary it was a different time.
Although a far from perfect film when viewed in 2018, “J.D.’s Revenge” packs a punch because of Turman’s star turn. We feel sorry for Ike who has no idea what is happening to him. It’s a Jekyll and Hyde story; only the victim is truly a victim.
Despite the inappropriate elements I’m glad I watched it.
On Netflix: Extinction, Glow Season Two
This may be my shortest review ever – if you like an interesting science fiction film with a hard twist halfway through, try “Extinction.”
I can’t really tell you much more. Set in the near future, Michael Pena and Lizzy Caplin star as a married couple with two daughters and a problem: the nightmares he is having is affecting his work and marriage. He is dreaming of some sort of attack and one night it happens.
That’s all you need to know. Watch it.
And if you’ve not watched “Glow,” you can now binge on the first and second seasons. A comic drama based on the actual 1980s syndicated wrestling show, “Glow” tells the story of a diverse group of women who are making their living as professional wrestlers for a small TV station in southern California.
Alison Bree plays Ruth Wilder, a frustrated actress who is determined not only to succeed in her role on the show but to add to the show creatively. Marc Maron is the director, a man who sees the show as a step down for his career but a needed paycheck.
The first season ended with the Glow cast taping their pilot. The new season shows the challenges of putting and keeping the show on the air.
It’s a lot of fun and a great show for a weekend of binging.
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