Enter the Dragon (1973)

Director:

Robert Clouse

Writer:

Michael Allin (written by)

Release Date:

19 August 1973 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

The first American produced martial arts spectacular!

Plot:

A martial artist agrees to spy on a reclusive crime lord using his invitation to a tournament there as cover.

Plot Keywords:

Tournament | Martial Arts | Shaolin | Island | Temple

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Bruce Lee	...	Lee
John Saxon	...	Roper
Kien Shih	...	Han (as Shih Kien)
Ahna Capri	...	Tania
Angela Mao	...	Su Lin (as Angela Mao Ying)
Jim Kelly	...	Williams
Robert Wall	...	Oharra (as Bob Wall)
Bolo Yeung	...	Bolo (as Yang Sze)
Betty Chung	...	Mei Ling
Geoffrey Weeks	...	Braithwaite
Peter Archer	...	Parsons
Li Jen Ho	...	Old Man
Marlene Clark	...	Roper's Secretary
Allan Kent	...	Golfer
William Keller	...	Los Angeles Cop #1
Mickey Caruso	...	Los Angeles Cop #2
Pat E. Johnson	...	Hood
Darnell Garcia	...	Hood
Mike Bissell	...	Hood
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Hidy Ochiai	...	(unconfirmed)
Jackie Chan	...	Thug in Prison (uncredited)
Roy Chiao	...	Shaolin Abbott (uncredited)
Paul M. Heller	...	Radio Operator (uncredited)
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo	...	Shaolin Fighter (uncredited)
Tony Liu	...	Tournament Fighter (uncredited)
Hoi Mang	...	Ship's mate (uncredited)
Steve Sanders	...	BKF Karate Instructor (uncredited)
Chin-lai Sung	...	Han's guard (uncredited)
Wei Tung	...	Lao, Lee's Student (uncredited)
Donnie Williams	...	BKF Assistant Karate Instructor (uncredited)
Biao Yuen	...	Tournament Fighter (uncredited)
Wah Yuen	...	Tournament Fighter (uncredited)

Directed by
Robert Clouse

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Michael Allin		written by

Produced by
Raymond Chow	....	associate producer
Paul M. Heller	....	producer (as Paul Heller)
Bruce Lee	....	producer
Fred Weintraub	....	producer
Leonard Ho	....	producer (uncredited)
Andre Morgan	....	associate producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Lalo Schifrin

Cinematography by
Gil Hubbs		(director of photography) (as Gilbert Hubbs)

Film Editing by
Yao Chung Chang
Kurt Hirschler
George Watters

Costume Design by
Louis Sheng

Makeup Department
John Hung	....	makeup artist
Chun Lai	....	hair stylist
Sun Sheung	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Wah Kam	....	unit manager
Louis Sit	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Chaplin Chang	....	assistant director
Yao-chang Chih	....	assistant director
Wen Tu	....	assistant director

Art Department
John Chong	....	property master

Sound Department
Robert Lin	....	sound mixer

Stunts
Mickey Caruso	....	stunts (uncredited)
Jackie Chan	....	stunts (uncredited)
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo	....	stunt coordinator (uncredited)
Sammo Hung Kam-Bo	....	stunts (uncredited)
Pat E. Johnson	....	stunts (uncredited)
Ching-Ying Lam	....	martial arts and acrobatic double: Shih Kien (uncredited)
Ching-Ying Lam	....	stunts (uncredited)
Mars	....	stunts (uncredited)
Charlie Picerni	....	stunts (uncredited)
Kien Shih	....	stunts (uncredited)
Robert Wall	....	stunts (uncredited)
Biao Yuen	....	stunt double: Bruce Lee (uncredited)
Biao Yuen	....	stunts (uncredited)
Wah Yuen	....	stunts (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Wai Yin Cheng	....	electrical gaffer
Charles Lowe	....	camera operator: second unit
Henry Wang	....	camera operator
Dave Friedman	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Henry Wong	....	camera operator (uncredited)

Music Department
Eugene Marks	....	music editor (as Gene Marks)
Richard Hazard	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Lalo Schifrin	....	conductor (uncredited)
Lalo Schifrin	....	orchestrator (uncredited)
Dan Wallin	....	scoring mixer (uncredited)

Other crew
Madalena Chan	....	executive assistant
Hua Ku	....	script supervisor
Bruce Lee	....	fighting sequences stager
Andre Morgan	....	assistant to producer: Hong Kong
Jeff Schechtman	....	assistant to producer: USA
James Wong Sun	....	set supervisor
Ching-Ying Lam	....	assistant action director (uncredited)
Bruce Lee	....	teaser writer (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Concord Productions Inc.
• Sequoia Productions
• Warner Bros. Pictures

Distributors

• Warner Bros. Pictures (1973) (USA) (theatrical)
• Chapel Distribution (2003) (Australia) (theatrical) (re-issue 30th anniversary version)
• Creative Design (USA) (DVD)
• Sandrews (1999) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Sandrews (2004) (Sweden) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (UK) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2000) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD) (Blu-Ray Disc)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (Blu-ray)
• Warner Home Video (2007) (Sweden) (DVD) (HD-DVD)
• Warner Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1994) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (DVD) (special edition)
• Warner Home Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (2001) (USA) (VHS) (special edition)
• Warner Home Video (2004) (USA) (DVD) (two-disc special edition)
• Warner Home Vídeo (2004) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Warner Home Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Long zheng hu dou (Hong Kong: Mandarin title)
Operation Dragon (Europe: English title)
The Deadly Three (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for martial arts violence and brief nudity.

Runtime:

98 min | USA:110 min (25th Anniversary Edition) | USA:99 min (theatrical version)

Country:

Hong Kong | USA

Language:

English | Chinese

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS (re-release) | Dolby Digital (re-release) | Mono (original release) | SDDS (re-release)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1973) | Finland:K-18 (1999) | Iceland:16 | UK:18 (uncut) | Sweden:15 (edited for re-rating) | Sweden:(Banned) (original rating) | Australia:MA (DVD rating) | Australia:R (original rating) | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Japan:R-15 | New Zealand:R16 | Singapore:PG | South Korea:15 (DVD rating) | Spain:18 | UK:18 (director's cut) (1998) (uncut) | UK:18 (video rating) (1988) (cut) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Norway:18 (video) (cut) | Norway:(Banned) (1973-2003) (cinema release)

Filming Locations:

Aberdeen Harbour, Aberdeen, Hong Kong, China

Company:

Concord Productions Inc.

Trivia:

The opening fight sequence between Bruce Lee and Sammo Hung Kam-Bo was shot after filming was completed at Lee's request.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: In a Bruce Lee fight scene that includes a flurry of kicks to a guards head (toward the end of the movie), the extra in the background laughs after Lee inflicts this punishment.

Quotes:

Han: The battle with the guards was magnificent. Your skill is extraordinary. And I was going to ask you to join us.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Boogie Nights (1997)

The films of Bruce Lee: Enter the Dragon.

Enter the Dragon (1973) was Bruce Lee's first (and only) solo big Hollywood production. Too bad he never got to see the fruits of his labor. He passed away during the film's post production (don't fret, two more official Bruce Lee films were made after this one. Despite all of the years of hard work and finally making it to the big times, he wasn't around long enough to enjoy it. Even though Robert Clouse is credited as director and another person is credited for writing the screenplay. This film has Bruce Lee's fingerprints all over it.

The movie is about a shady underworld crime lord (aren't they always) who controls most of the world's opium drug ring and a lot of other illegal dealings. British Intelligence is stumped, so they seek out someone who's slick, sly, stealth and who can kick a lot of butt and take care of himself. They find their man (Bruce Lee). After a great deal of convincing they get him to go to the island and participate in the crime lord's fighting tournament. Along the way, Bruce meets two American fighters (John Saxon and Jim Kelly) who are in the tournament for various reasons. Whilst on the island, Bruce does his nightly snooping around so he can find out more about the crime lord and his illegal activities. Will Bruce topple the organization? Can he make it out alive? Does Bruce really kick a whole lot of butt and take names? To find out you'll have to watch Enter The Dragon!!!!

Bruce Lee worked a great deal on this picture. He wrote most of the screenplay (uncredited), filmed all of the action scenes (uncredited) and directed several scenes (uncredited). Lam Ching-Ying, Angela Mao, Jackie Chan and Bolo Yeung appear in this film. If you haven't seen this film already then you're either a kid, lame or something is wrong with you.

Highly recommended.