Jaguar Lives! (1979)

Director:

Ernest Pintoff

Writer:

Yabo Yablonsky (written by)

Release Date:

November 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Action

Tagline:

These treacherous times demand a new style of hero. NOW IS THE TIME FOR JAGUAR [Video Australia]

Plot:

A world's new kung-fu hero (Joe Lewis) is out to stop drug dealers, gangs and help save the world from an evil con (Christopher Lee). |

Plot Keywords:

Hero | Exclamation Point In Title | Martial Arts | James Bond Imitation | James Bond Spoof

Cast

Joe Lewis	...	Jonathan Cross (Jaguar)
Christopher Lee	...	Adam Caine
Donald Pleasence	...	General Villanova
Barbara Bach	...	Anna Thompson
Capucine	...	Zina Vanacore
Joseph Wiseman	...	Ben Ashir
Woody Strode	...	Sensei
John Huston	...	Ralph Richards
Gabriel Melgar	...	Ahmed
Anthony De Longis	...	Bret Barrett
Sally Faulkner	...	Terry
Gail Grainger	...	Consuela
Anthony Heaton	...	Coblintz
Luis Prendes	...	Habish
Simón Andreu	...	Petrie

Also Known As:

El felino (Spain)

Runtime:

UK:88 min | USA:90 min

Country:

USA | Spain

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Netherlands:12 | Australia:M | UK:12 | Finland:(Banned) | USA:PG | Norway:18 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

Belmonte, Cuenca, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain

Company:

Jaguar Productions

Trivia:

Four actors in this film were in Bond films prior to this movie; Joseph Wiseman played the title role as the first Bond villain Dr. No; Donald Pleasence played Bond's chief nemesis Ersnt Stravo Blofeld in You Only Live Twice. Christopher Lee also played a Bond villain as the title role The Man with the Golden Gun, and Barbara Bach played the main Bond girl Major Anya Amasova in The Spy Who Loved Me.

Quotes:

Jonathan Cross: Look, I'm sure you and your little bulldog didn't just fly in to see the cows.
Anna Thompson: That's what I like about you, Jonathan, always direct. No fat, no lean.

Movie Connections:

Edited into 42nd Street Forever, Volume 3: Exploitation Explosion (2008) (V)

Soundtrack:

Smokin'

Wasted opportunity.

"Jaguar Lives" is very slow and plodding entertainment, despite a tip-top cast being associated. The action (well that's when it gets around to it) is too little and unexciting martial arts... because we have to wait through long dry spells of talk. The climax battle is the only thing worth waiting around for. Not helping is that the twists in the story are plain easy to pick up on and it doesn't make too much sense. Wow, just look at the names! The main reason I decided to give it a look. The likes of Christopher Lee, Donald Pleasence and Barbara Bach are simply wasted, and Joe Lewis is just too deadpan in the lead role. Fun this is not. No wonder why it's not too well known, as it's largely dismissible.