Enter the Dragon (1973)

Enter the Dragon
Directed by Robert Clouse
1973/Hong Kong/USA
Concord Productions Inc./Golden Harvest Company/Sequoia Productions/Warner Bros.
First viewing
One of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die
IMDb users say 7.6/10; I say 7.5/10

Lee: You have offended my family and you have offended the Shaolin Temple.

I am in the wrong demographic for this combo of James Bond spectacular and Hong Kong martial arts movie but enjoyed it nonetheless.

Lee (Bruce Lee) has many reasons to attend a martial arts tournament on the mysterious island of Han.  First, Han studied at the Shaolin Temple and has disgraced it.  Second, the British Government needs evidence to convict Han of heroin trafficking and murder. Finally, Han’s henchmen attempted to gang rape his sister (in an awesome martial arts battle featuring Angela Mao) who committed suicide rather than submit.

Lee is joined on the island by wise cracking Roper (John Saxon) and defiant soul brother Williams (Jim Kelly).  The three are first tempted by Han’s hospitality and many voluptuous drug-addicted mistresses.  They defeat all comers at the tournament and take on hordes of guards single-handedly.  But can any of them defeat the evil Han, who has turned his artificial hand into a blade wielding deadly weapon?

This may be the first martial arts movie I have seen.  Although I have no basis on which to rate Lee’s skill, he certainly impressed me.  I loved all his facial expressions as well.  It was interesting to see how much havoc can be wrought with the human body alone. His co-stars are lots of fun as well.

I was pleased to learn in the commentary that my old friend Keye Luke (No. 1 Son in the Charlie Chan movies) over-dubbed the actor portraying Han.

Trailer