Def by Temptation

Last updated

Def by Temptation
Def by Temptation (1990) poster.jpg
Theatrical release poster
Directed by James Bond III
Written byJames Bond III
Produced byJames Bond III
Starring
Cinematography Ernest R. Dickerson
Edited by
  • Brian O'Hara
  • Li-Shin Yu
Music by Paul Laurence
Production
companies
  • Bonded Filmworks
  • Orpheus Pictures
Distributed by Troma Entertainment
Release date
  • May 11, 1990 (1990-05-11)
Running time
94 minutes [1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Budget$5 million
Box office$2.2 million [2]

Def by Temptation is a 1990 American horror film written, produced, and directed by James Bond III, who also stars in the film alongside Cynthia Bond, Kadeem Hardison, Samuel L. Jackson, and Bill Nunn. Set in New York City, the film's plot follows a succubus (Bond) who preys on Black men, drawing the attention of a minister-in-training named Joel (Bond III), Joel's childhood friend K (Hardison), and a police officer (Nunn).

Contents

Plot

Joel, a minister like his deceased father, was raised by his religious grandmother after both of his parents were killed in a car accident. Joel's childhood best friend, K, abandoned his religious upbringing and moved to New York City to become an actor.

Joel becomes disillusioned with Christianity and decides to take a trip to New York to visit K. While awaiting Joel's arrival, K visits a bar and meets an attractive woman, who is known by the bar patrons and bartenders as an unusual "Temptress" who brings a lot of men home with her, but unbeknownst to them, she kills the men after they engage in sex. K and the Temptress spend most of the night together at the bar. K, who refuses to go home with the Temptress, returns home in time to help Joel get settled in, saving his life. K catches up with Joel, telling him about the Temptress.

The Temptress' first victim is a womanizing bartender who sleeps with and disrespects women. Her second victim is a married man named Norman, whom she has given AIDS and back slashes to. Norman's wife later finds out he had gotten AIDS from sleeping with another woman, then she shoots and kills him for cheating and transferring AIDS onto her. Her third victim is a gay man named Jonathan. K's friend Dougy, a police officer who deals in supernatural cases, notices the men's disappearances after they leave with the Temptress.

The next night, Joel and K go to the bar. While K goes to the bathroom, Joel meets the Temptress, who pretends not to have met K before, leaving K confused and suspicious. Dougy tells K the woman gives him "strange vibes".

The next morning, Joel prepares to go out on a date with the Temptress, who arrives at the house, still pretending she does not know K. K, frustrated over having his feelings manipulated, calls her out over the pretense until he notices she doesn't have a reflection in the mirror. The Temptress then grows hostile towards K. Joel and the Temptress leave, leaving K scared and certain of what he has seen.

At the bar, K tells Dougy about his suspicions. Dougy tells K he believes his suspicions about the Temptress. They review past cases Dougy has worked on, showing K the men who leave with the Temptress are never seen again. K and Dougy go and see Madam Sonya, a fortune teller who reveals the woman is a succubus who murders men who are unfaithful and tempted by her. The Temptress then possesses Sonya, and threatens K and Dougy.

K decides to tell Joel about his earlier meeting with the Temptress at the bar, and that she is not who she says she is. Joel refuses to believe the accusations and K tells Joel to go home for his safety. K then calls Joel's grandmother and informs her of the situations that have occurred and asks her to come to New York to save Joel.

Meanwhile, K and Dougy go to the bar, where the Temptress is, and tell the bartender to put blessed holy water in her drink and then to get away fast. The Temptress has a reaction to the drink. K and Dougy run out of the bar, noticing K's car is gone, and split up. Dougy is chased by a car, then gets into the backseat of another car, which is driven by the bartender, who has been turned into a demon. Dougy is attacked by another demon in the backseat.

Meanwhile, at his house, K is sucked into his television. Blood and viscera explode from the screen, leaving K stuck and screaming inside the television.

Joel visits the Temptress' house, where she drugs him. Joel dreams about his father walking into his bedroom and seeing the Temptress naked in his bed. Joel, knowing his father is dead, wakes up as his grandmother enters the room to be attacked by the demon. Joel grabs a cross and rebukes the succubus, killing her. Joel and his grandma then hug, happy to have survived the attacks.

Later, Dougy arrives at the bar in a limo driven by K. Dougy sits down at the bar, where a woman light his cigarette for him. Quoting an earlier suggestion by the Temptress, he is revealed to now be an incubus. The film ends with a recurring dream sequence of Joel running through smokey streets of New York.

Cast

Production

James Bond III directed Def by Temptation, his debut feature film, in four weeks with a $5 million budget. Unlike other low-budget films distributed by Troma Inc., the film employed actors who were members of the Screen Actors Guild. Troma initially aimed to release the film during Black History Month in February 1990 to coincide with the release of the film's soundtrack album. Instead, the film premiered on April 27, 1990, at the American Film Institute Los Angeles International Film Festival, before opening in theaters that May. [3]

Music

An official soundtrack was released in 1990 by Orpheus Records.

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."All Over You" (performed by Freddie Jackson)
4:49
2."Hungry for Me Again" (performed by Ashford & Simpson)6:34
3."In a Sexy Mood" (performed by Eric Gable)
4:55
4."What Makes You Feel That About Me?" (performed by Wayne Cockerham)
  • Arthur Zamora
  • Eric Strickland
  • Michael Carpenter
3:53
5."Sex and the Single Man" (performed by Slick Love)
  • James Bond III
  • Mark Plaza
4:20
6."Face to Face" (performed by Melba Moore)
4:34
7."Fool" (performed by Paul Laurence)
  • Darryl Dash
  • James McKinney
  • Dempsey
  • Louis Humphrey
4:03
8."In and Out" (performed by Jeral Vickers)
  • Marc London
3:39
9."On a Mission" (performed by Dasez Tempo)
  • Bond III
  • Jerome Scott
  • Richard Draen
3:41
10."Do You Really Want to Rock?" (performed by Frankie B.)
  • Frank Burnett
  • Darryl Dash
  • Humphrey
  • Scott
5:26
11."New Love" (performed by Keith Robinson)
  • William A. Rhinehart
4:33
12."Temptation" (performed by Najee)
2:16
Total length:52:43

Release

Def by Temptation was theatrically released on May 11, 1990, and earned $54,582 in eleven venues. [4] At the end of its run, the film grossed $2,218,579. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Troma Entertainment</span> American film production and distribution company

Troma Entertainment is an American independent film production and distribution company founded by Lloyd Kaufman and Michael Herz in 1974. The company produces low-budget independent films, or "B movies", primarily of the horror comedy genre, all geared exclusively to mature audiences. Many of them play on 1950s horror with elements of farce, parody, gore, and splatter.

<i>Rappin</i> 1985 film directed by Joel Silberg

Rappin' is a 1985 American film directed by Joel Silberg, written by Adam Friedman and Robert J. Litz, produced by Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus and starring Mario Van Peebles. The film is a sequel to Breakin' 2: Electric Boogaloo, and is also known as Breakdance 3. Although it features Ice-T, Rappin' has a plot unconnected to the previous two films and features different lead characters and locations. It is also considered to be a companion piece to the documentary Breakin' 'n' Enterin'.

<i>Im Gonna Git You Sucka</i> 1988 film by Keenen Ivory Wayans

I'm Gonna Git You Sucka is a 1988 American blaxploitation parody film written, directed by and starring Keenen Ivory Wayans in his directorial debut. Featured in the film are several noteworthy African-American actors who were part of the genre of blaxploitation: Jim Brown, Bernie Casey, Antonio Fargas and Isaac Hayes. It co-stars John Vernon, Kadeem Hardison, Ja'net Dubois, John Witherspoon, Damon Wayans, Clarence Williams III and Chris Rock, and acts as the film debuts of comedian Robin Harris and brothers Shawn and Marlon Wayans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kadeem Hardison</span> American actor (born 1965)

Kadeem Hardison is an American actor. The son of fashion model Bethann Hardison, he rose to prominence after landing the role of Dwayne Wayne on the television series A Different World, a spin-off of the NBC sitcom The Cosby Show. He is also known for playing Craig Cooper, the title character's father, in the Disney Channel series K.C. Undercover. Hardison has also appeared in the first season of the Showtime comedy Black Monday and starred as Bowser in the Netflix series Teenage Bounty Hunters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Nunn</span> American actor (1953–2016)

William Goldwyn Nunn III was an American actor known for his roles as Radio Raheem in Spike Lee's film Do the Right Thing, Robbie Robertson in the Sam Raimi Spider-Man film trilogy and as Terrence "Pip" Phillips on The Job (2001–02).

<i>The 6th Man</i> 1997 American film

The 6th Man, sometimes titled The Sixth Man, is a 1997 American sports comedy film directed by Randall Miller, and starring Marlon Wayans and Kadeem Hardison. The film features real National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) schools, although the rosters are fictitious. Some schools shown in the film include the University of Washington, University of Massachusetts Amherst, California State University, Fresno, Georgetown University, the University of Kentucky, the University of Arkansas, UCLA, and others. The film features cameos from college basketball personalities such as Jerry Tarkanian and Dick Vitale.

<i>A Trap for Santa Claus</i> 1909 American film

A Trap for Santa Claus is a 1909 one-reel American silent drama film. A Biograph Company production, it was directed by D. W. Griffith and stars Henry B. Walthall, Marion Leonard, and Gladys Egan.

<i>Ride Beyond Vengeance</i> 1966 film by Bernard McEveety

Ride Beyond Vengeance is a 1966 American Western film starring Chuck Connors.

<i>The Return of Superfly</i> 1991 crime film

The Return of Superfly is a 1990 American crime drama film directed by Sig Shore. The film is a sequel to the 1973 film Super Fly T.N.T.. It stars Nathan Purdee as Youngblood Priest and Margaret Avery.

<i>DC Showcase: Jonah Hex</i> 2010 DtV film

DC Showcase: Jonah Hex is a 2010 short animated Western superhero direct-to-video film directed by Joaquim Dos Santos and written by noted western comics writer Joe R. Lansdale, featuring the voice of Thomas Jane as disfigured bounty hunter Jonah Hex on the trail of a ruthless brothel madame who has murdered his latest quarry. The film, which was released on July 27, 2010 as a bonus feature on the Batman: Under the Red Hood 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, was the second of the DC Showcase series and was included on the compilation DVD DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection in an extended version.

<i>Sweet Revenge</i> (1987 film) 1987 film

Sweet Revenge is a 1987 American motion picture starring Nancy Allen as Jillian Grey, a newscaster abducted and sold into white slavery while doing an undercover expose. Ted Shackelford, Martin Landau, Gina Gershon, Michele Little, and Lotis Key round out the cast of this R-rated action adventure directed by Mark Sobel with Roger Corman acting as executive producer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jade Mitchell</span> Fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours

Jade Mitchell is a fictional character from the Australian soap opera Neighbours, played by Gemma Pranita. Pranita's casting was announced on 7 September 2010 and she began filming her first scenes the day before. The actress was in Russia when she received a call from her agent about the audition for Neighbours. She returned to Australia and her agent managed to get her in on the last day. Pranita won the part of Jade and she was given a twelve-month contract with the show. She relocated to Melbourne for filming and she made her first screen appearance as Jade during the episode broadcast on 10 December 2010. In June 2012, Pranita announced her departure from Neighbours. She filmed her final scenes in August and departed on 29 October 2012.

<i>Rich Girl</i> (film) 1991 romantic drama film by Joel Bender

Rich Girl is a 1991 American romantic drama film directed by Joel Bender and written from the screenplay of Robert Elliot. The film stars Jill Schoelen in the title role, along with Cherie Currie and Paul Gleason in the supporting cast. The film centers around a wealthy girl from Bel-Air, who is tired of living off her wealthy family's name and decides to prove her independence from her overbearing father and obnoxious ex-fiancé by making her way in life by becoming a waitress at a nightclub and ends up falling in love with one of the club's rock musicians.

<i>Android Cop</i> 2014 American film

Android Cop is a 2014 American science fiction action film produced by The Asylum and directed by Mark Atkins. The film stars Michael Jai White, Charles S. Dutton, Randy Wayne and Kadeem Hardison. It is a mockbuster of RoboCop.

<i>Three Blind Mice</i> (1938 film) 1938 film by William A. Seiter

Three Blind Mice is a 1938 American romantic comedy film directed by William A. Seiter and starring Loretta Young, Joel McCrea, and David Niven that was based upon a play by Stephen Powys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kansas Bowling</span> American filmmaker and actress

Kansas Bowling is an American film director, screenwriter, cinematographer, and actress. She is best known for directing B.C. Butcher (2016) and Cuddly Toys (2022) and acting in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood (2019).

<i>B.C. Butcher</i> 2016 horror comedy film by Kansas Bowling

B.C. Butcher is a 2016 American horror comedy film directed by Kansas Bowling and starring Natasha Halevi, Kato Kaelin, Kadeem Hardison, and Rodney Bingenheimer. The film's plot is about a tribe of cavewomen being stalked by a prehistoric monster. It has been dubbed as "the first prehistoric slasher film". It was released in January 2016 by Troma Entertainment.

Go Tell It on the Mountain is a 1985 American made-for-television drama film directed by Stan Lathan, based on James Baldwin's 1953 novel of the same name. It stars Paul Winfield, Rosalind Cash, Ruby Dee, Alfre Woodard, Douglas Turner Ward, CCH Pounder, Kadeem Hardison, Giancarlo Esposito, and Ving Rhames in his first film role. The film was initially broadcast on the PBS television program American Playhouse on January 14, 1985.

<i>Psych 2: Lassie Come Home</i> 2020 television film directed by Steve Franks

Psych 2: Lassie Come Home is a 2020 American mystery-comedy film. The film is a stand-alone sequel to the first film from 2017 and the second installment of the Psych film series, based on and serving as a continuation of the USA Network dramedy series of the same name. The movie was released on July 15, 2020 on Peacock. James Roday Rodriguez, Dulé Hill, Timothy Omundson, Maggie Lawson, Kirsten Nelson, and Corbin Bernsen all reprised their roles from the series and first film, with frequently recurring actors Kurt Fuller and Jimmi Simpson also appearing. The film was directed by series creator Steve Franks, who co-wrote the script with Roday Rodriguez and Berman.

References

  1. "DEF BY TEMPTATION (18)". British Board of Film Classification . April 23, 1992. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  2. 1 2 "Def by Temptation (1990)". Box Office Mojo . Internet Movie Database . Retrieved November 29, 2015.
  3. "Def by Temptation". American Film Institute . Retrieved January 29, 2024.
  4. "Weekend Box Office Results for May 11-13, 1990". Box Office Mojo . Internet Movie Database. May 14, 1990. Retrieved November 29, 2015.