#38: ENTER THE DRAGON

Starring Bruce Lee, John Saxon, Jim Kelly, Ahna Capri, Bob Wall, Shih Kien. Written by Michael Allin, directed by Robert Clouse. Music by Lalo Schifrin. Budget $850,000 Box office $400 million. Running time 102 minutes. 

In his all to brief life, Bruce Lee starred in just three movies before he died, and this his fourth and final film, not counting Game of Death was the first to be released posthumously and would be the film that turned him into a global superstar equal in stature to Elvis, Marilyn Monroe and James Dean.

The film is slight in the story department. A Hong Kong martial artist master called Lee is asked by American intelligence to take part in a fighting tournament held once every three years by a mysterious crime lord called Han as a ruse to uncover his criminal activity. Along the way he teams up with Jim Kelly and John Saxon, and much action and death ensue.

The film's plot isn't why you go and see this, it's to see Bruce Lee in action, and he's simply astonishing, he is utterly magnetic and you can't take your eyes off him. He dominates each and every scene he's in and his athleticism, fighting skill and sheer presence is astonishing. Also is the setting of Hong Kong and last but by no means least the beautiful iconic musical score by Lalo Schifrin. 

The last Bruce Lee film I saw at the cinema was Game of Death back in 1980 in the Empire Cinema Bridgetown, Barbados. And to see Bruce in action 20 feet high was an utter treat. It's old fashioned, story wise it's dated, its attitudes are not in keeping with today's far more sensitive audiences, and it's about as deep as yogurt pot but I bloody loved it. 

8/10