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

Def by Temptation is a 1990 American horror film that was written, produced, and directed by James Bond III; and stars Cynthia Bond, Kadeem Hardison, Samuel L. Jackson, and Bill Nunn. The film takes place in New York City in 1990.

Plot

The story is set in New York City and revolves around the relationship between two childhood best friends: Joel (James Bond III), who is raised by his religious grandmother after both of his parents were killed in a car accident, and K (Kadeem Hardison), who abandons his religious upbringing and moves to New York to become an actor.

Joel, a minister like his deceased father (Samuel L. Jackson), becomes disillusioned with Christianity and decides to take a trip to New York to visit his friend, K. While awaiting Joel's arrival, K visits a bar and meets an attractive woman (Cynthia Bond), who is known by the bar patrons and bartenders as a weird "Temptress" 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 (Bill Nunn), 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

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.[3] At the end of its run, the film grossed $2,218,579.[2]

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. ↑ "Weekend Box Office Results for May 11-13, 1990". Box Office Mojo. Internet Movie Database. May 14, 1990. Retrieved November 29, 2015.
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