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:

Cameo: [Sammo Hung Kam-Bo]Bruce Lee's sparring partner during the fight before the opening credits.

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:

Old man: [about Lee's sister] Now you know the truth. When you get to the city, pay your respects to your sister and your mother.
Lee: I will old man.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Pistol Whipped (2008) (V)

Don't think! Feeeeeeelll!

When it comes to kung fu, Bruce Lee is a legend. When it comes to kung fu cinema, Enter the Dragon is the most highly regarded. In other words, you owe it to yourself to see this flick! The story is relatively simple but quite sufficient and sprinkled with humor. The locations and setting are wonderful as well. The characters are one of the main attractions here though, with the gambling but honorable Roper (John Saxon), the feisty and unorthodox (but effective!) Williams (Jim Kelly), Chinese Hercules Bolo, and the great baddie Han, the hand man. Bruce Lee's presence, of course, steals the show. While some of the fight scenes from Lee's Chinese Connection (I think that's the one) may rival the ones here, ETD is a far more well-rounded film. The variety of exciting fights are skillfully choreographed and there's not too much downtime from the action either; even in the flash back we have some excellent female butt-kicking. And you gotta love that 70's soundtrack! This is a classic action film that will never be forgotten. The two-disc DVD was loaded with goodies; you really couldn't ask for more, except for maybe a better commentary. Producer Paul Heller was dull, dry, and had little to offer.