No comments about Grand Collection of "Swordsman II & III" (2 Disc Set).

No comments about Samurai Chicks.

5 comments about All New Wu Tang: Wu Tang Soldiers of Darkness Collection.

1. This is an interesting collection, if you're into wu-tang and early kung-fu movies. It's got some very obscure low budget stuff that would probably be hard to find anywhere, and a couple classic flicks, like Hells Wind Staff and Fatal Flying Guillitines. There are however, problems that almost make me wish I hadn't gotten it.
   
   The transfer quality of all the movies is very poor quality. The encoding seems very wierd and freezes up my DVD player when trying to fast forward, and choosing to start from a chapter breaks the sound. The menus are very poorly done, as are the DVD cases, which are all the same, with a number stamped at the top. There is no track listing of what movies are on what disc, and some of the items are hidden on random discs, with no mention of where they are. I almost thought they left out two discs, but everything is there, just hard to find.
   
   Contrary to the description, there are only 8 double-sided discs in the collection.
   Here's a list of what's included with the collection for the guy who asked.
   
   1-Wu-tang Clan Old Skool Kung-fu (a collection of clips, with some description from wu members)
   2-Shaolin Temple Instructional (clips of kung-fu being performed)
   3-Wu-tang Instructional
   4-Kickboxing clips
   5-Wrestling clips (tiger mask extreme wrestling)
   6-Operation Ironman
   7-Escape from Brothel
   8-Hidden Darts
   9-Shaolin Soul:Arhats in fury
   10-Thunderfist
   11-Soldiers of Darkness
   12-Superweapon
   13-Death Promise (low budget new york movie about fighting slumlords)
   14-Built 4 the streets: cop killer
   15-Fatal Flying Guillotine
   16-Hells Wind Staff
   17-The Wu-tang (I think it's called Undaunted Wu Dang on the disk)
   18-Kung-fu Vampire
   19-Royal Family
   20-Tribute to ODB (audio recording of a european radio show with members of the wu-tang, including ODB)
   
   Remember, everything about this set is low quality, it almost seems like a bootleg, but if you're interested in wu-tang influences, it's probably worth the price.



2. This is a whole lot of value for the money!
   The materials range from a documentary on the Wu Tang Clan to chinese kung fu films to pro wrestling to low budget blaxploitation.
   There's something for all!
   
   The whole package is budget since they are giving so many things for a low price but beyond that it's fine.
   
   To buy these films and items individually would cost hundreds of dollars so no complaints.
   
   This will take you at least a whole weekend if not more to watch.
   Also included is a great interview with the late ODB and some other WTC members.
   Some great films including Escape from Brothel,Fatal Flying Guillotine and Undaunted Wu Tang are well worth the price alone.



3. Some of the titles here are wrong, they are represented as different titles on the discs.
   I have found out the real names of the movies that were Labeled differently as well as the
   dates each film was actually released. For example, there is no such film as Operation Ironman
   on earth, the name of this Movie Starring Angela Mao is actually The Association released in
   1974. Even though most of these movies start with the same intro they left actors and directors
   so i was able to discover the real names of all the titles because i wanted to know myself.
   Ive had this 20 pack for about six months and now i finally know the names to all the titles.
   
   First off thats Dragon Lee on the Cover from Champ Vs. Champ this movie nor Dragon Lee are in any of these films.
   
   THE WU TANG SOLDIERS OF DARKNESS 20 PACK - SHEDDING SOME LIGHT ON THE REAL DEAL, by Sleepman
   
   1)Wu Tang Clan : The Mystery of Kung Fu real title is "Da Mystery of Kung Fu" a look into the Hip Hop band itself and their Comments on the Films that Inspired them. They never credit the Clips but i uncovered most of them as well.
   The Names of the clips in this Documentary of the band NOT a feature film as stated on the box are.(Shaolin Vs. Wutang, Raiders of Wu Tang, Seven Steps of Kung Fu, Mystery of Chess Boxing, Unbeaten 28, Hitman in the hand of Buddah, Crystal Fist) None of which they credit on the DVD.
   
   2)Shaolin Temple Teachings : Not a feature film but a look into styles of Kung Fu from real monks, wild stunts and showmanship this is straight from china and is rare.
   
   3)Wu Tang Instructional : An instructional from one Wu Tang teacher, this is also straight from china and is very rare.
   
   4)Brutal Kickboxing : still we havent gotton to any films yet this is as the title describes, clips about kickboxing.
   
   5)Extreme Wrestling : clips from Extreme Wrestling.
   
   
   The rest of these are Feature films. All the ones with false titles are shown with asterisks, and the real titles of the ones named on the 20 pack are here for the first time probably anywhere along with dates.
   
   *6)Operation Ironman : [real name] The Association (1974)
   
   7)Escape from Brothel - (1991)
   
   *8)Hidden Darts : [real name] The Prisoner of Five Boulders (1996)
   
   9)Shaolin Soul:Arhats in Fury : Arhats In Fury (1985)
   
   10)Thunderfist (1989)
   
   *11)Soldiers of Darkness : [real name] Challenge the Ninja (1986)
   
   12)Superweapon : (1975) Kung Fu Documentary
   
   13)Death Promise (1977)
   
   *14)Built for the streets:Cop Killer : [real name] Trap (1982)
   (Cop Killer HK title)
   
   15)Fatal Flying GUillotines (1977)
   
   16)The Hell's Wind Staff (1979)
   
   *17)THE WU TANG : [real name] Undaunted Wudang (1983)
   
   18)Kung Fu Vampire (1993)
   
   *19)Royal Family : [real name] Eunuch of the Western Palace (1979)
   
   The following is a radio show only Audio, featuring the Wu Tang Clan
   Rap Group.
   
   20)Tribute to O.D.B
   
   All in all to spite the quality of the films being low i reccomend it Just because it still has some good titles. Namely Fatal Flying Guillotines, Hells Wind Staff, Arhats in Fury, The Undaunted Wu Dang, Royal Family was ok has Meng Fei in it. Escape from Brothel Looks Wild so Does the Association.



4. This is at best buy for 24.99 brand new, just wanted to throw that out there.
   
   I will give reviews on the movies I have so far viewed from this.
   
   Now you will have to search through these all because even though there is not 20 movies, there actually is 20 features.
   
   Wu-tang clan-------------rap group how they got the name for their siong the mystery of chess boxing, but mainly it's just a slew of clips from great movies that runs just over an hour long, it is hilarious how on the box it tells you this has an all-new feature film by wutang. It hqas THE GREATEST CHIOP STICK FIGHT SCENE on here freom Hitman in the Hand of Buddha, part of final scene from chess boxing, and final scene from born invincible to name a few.
   
   the kickboxing feature is pretty good.
   
   operation ironman-------standard kungfu AT BEST
   
   escape from brothel----------softcore porn with BILLY CHOW in it, he has one real fight scene, a good one, but a quick one.
   
   Hidden Darts--------OH MY GOD WHAT A HORRIBLE MOVIE, but if you are a fan of bad dubbing, then I think I found the worst ever for you.
   
   Arhats in fury--------------decent movie that does not have much kungfu, was surprised to see how good the reviews were on this though, so maybe I have to watch it again.
   
   soldiers of darkness--------i turned it on saw a bunch of american names then godfrey ho, so I didn't make it past the credits.
   
   superweapon-------reviewer before says it's a documentary so can't be that bad.
   
   Fatal Flying guillotines------------good if you wanna see a movie set the record for the most close up flips, and guillotines that move at 1-2 mph, and then watch carter wong dodge these stupid things for 5 minutes at a time.
   
   The Hell'z windstaff---------------------THE REASON YOU BUY COLLECTIONS LIKE THIS. I had never seen this, butit instantly becomes one of my favorite Hwang Jang Lee movies ever, it may be the best, then add in like 8 other guys who can fight and you get a classic classic classic movie. I swear that wong fei-hong is in this!!!!!
   
   Undaunted wudang---------A freaking huge surprise. This movie is about a wudang school champion who competes, alright screw it, I really don't know the story too well for this. The action I can certainly comment on it though. I guarantee that you will be studying the choreogrphy a lot more than the story like I did, and you will notice they are trying to come up with a new movie fighting style in this movie. I have never seen anything like it, but it sure is fun to watch. The movie gets VERY slow i nthe middle, but that is why we fastforward.
   
   Alright that is all that i have seen and it will probably stay that way. But I have heard some disturbing storuies about eunuch of the western palace, and if kungt fu vampire is from 93, I guess I will have to check it out.



5. The first thing you'll notice upon ordering this thing is that none of the dvd lists match up with the back of the box. The next thing you'll notice is that if you try to find a review for almost any of the given names, you'll likely be scratching your head..
   
   I've sat and watched several of these (arhats, hells wind staff, kung fu vampire, one or two others) and so far I've been very pleased.. If you like good ol' kung fu and can ignore the eternal mystery of what they were smoking when they labled these, you'll dig it.
   
   My 2 cents :: shrug ::

3 comments about Final Impact.

1. I was pleased to see that Final Impact was released on DVD. Upon watching this the first time, I was pleasantly surprised with this film. I wasn't expecting much because I never heard of the title, but I was glad to see Michael Worth from "To Be The Best" playing the 2nd role. Lorenzo Lamas, who usually is a lousy actor, does one of his better performances in Final Impact as the lead. There are also lots of ring fights and most of the movie takes place in Vegas.
   
   Lorenzo Lamas plays Nick Taylor, the formal light heavyweight champion, who trains Danny Davis (Michael Worth) to beat Jake Gerard, the fighter Nick lost to in the ring years earlier. Its not a deep story but there is a surprising twist I did not expect. There are a good deal of fights throughout the movie, most in the ring and one outside in Vegas at night. The choreography is pretty well done thanks to choreographer Eric Lee (who played in Ring of Fire 1 & 2). Gerard is a lousy actor, but keeps the villain role alive with great fights in the ring. The final fight in this movie is a good 5 minutes, but I didn't like the way it ended so suddenly. There is a really cool uppercut that is executed in the fight that is awesome.
   
   If you liked To Be The Best or Deadly Bet, Final Impact is right around the same neighborhood. Final Impact is a lot better than most of those cheesy martial art films.



2. this movie was around 6-8 yrs ago and i watched it a few times then in went off the shelves at the video shops about 4yrs ago until i came across it at amazon and brought it stragiht away and am very very pleaseed that i did because its 1 of my fav movies,this is a great company to deal with and i will be buying more in the future



3. This was a outstanding purchase. Movie was great and in perfect condition. Would definately do business again. 5 stars grade a+ across the boards. Thank You!

4 comments about Pride FC - Cold Fury.

1. Pride 12 (a.k.a. Cold Fury) contains the the Sakuraba vs Ryan Gracie fight in which Sakuraba literally spanks him in the corner for laughs. His fourth Gracie...Incredible!
   It also has the amazing battle between Vanderlei Silva and Dan Henderson.
   Those in themselves are fantastic but there are a bunch of other great matches on it as well.
   Order it right now!!!



2. This dvd was full of lay and pray tactics. Most of the matches consisted of one person laying in the guard and doing nothing. They didn't even try submissons or the typical ground and pound. Save your money.



3. Like every event I guess, there were some boring fights, but overall, this DVD had enough big names to keep it entertaining at least. The Sakuraba fight was a little disappointing from the start, but some of the undercard fights made it worth the money - like watching Mezger, Vovchanchyn, Silva, Herring, Rodriguez, Newton, Henderson, and Yvel.



4. this pride was an impressive event on paper. consisting of fighters like kerr, igor, newton, henderson and sakuraba i thought how could this be anything but great? however once i actually began watching did i realize that good fighters does'nt necessarily mean good fights. most of the fights basically consisted of lay and pray tactics on the ground, however some of the fights worth mentioning are
   1) dan hendrson vs. vanderlei silva - i have a mixed opinion of this fight. standing it was a war with both fighters looking as if they could knock the other out, but once it went to the ground it basically foreshadowed the fights to come.
   2) carlos newton vs. johil de oliviera - at first glance a boring match, but on closer inspection a superb chess match display of skill and timing. oliviera defending his guard and newton constantly trying to pass. Very educational.
   3) sak vs. gracie - where are the antics????? probably the worst sak vs. gracie encounter i ever seen! sure sakuraba gave Ryan a nice spanking at the end of the fight but more than 90% of it was booring.

5 comments about Enter the Fat Dragon.

1. a classic film that makes fun of all the Brucexploitation in Chinese Cinema in the 70's and early 80's. The movie is very funny and is a well done spoof. The plot is very similar to Bruces Return of the Dragon - a young country boy traveling to the city to help out a restaurant and running into trouble with local gangster types. Sammos hero in the movie is Bruce Lee and he does a great job copying all of the moves(occasionally throwing in some of his own)and can pretty much whip everybody until he runs into three bodyguards - one white dude(an expert in boxing), one chinese dude(an expert in kung fu), and one black/chinese dude(an expert in karate) this is when the movie
   steps up the martial arts - the final fight scenes are very well
   done as well. A great addition to any kung fu movie collection and a must for any Sammo Hung fan.



2. Terribly charming, that is. Sammo Hung portrays a starstruck Bruce Lee fan, imitating him down to the haircut and monkey-like shrieks. Otherwise a simple-minded man, he displays throughout the movie Bruce Lee-like fighting prowess which, coming from a man his size, is hilarious to behold. The storyline is crap, there's no two ways about it, but the content is what makes it great. The various stupid moments (Sammo trying to buy sunglasses that look like a Bruce Lee picture, the millionaire's "revenge" daydreams, any time Sammo goes into Bruce Lee mode, the terrible english, the Black-faced Asian) are incredibly corny and fun to watch.
   
   Not only that, but the action scenes are actually decent. Normally I hate watching Bruce Lee's fight scenes, finding them FAR too contrived and silly, but Sammo manages to pull it off quite well. Maybe it's his funny and intense charisma, I don't know. Not only that, but Sammo even chooses to integrate some traditional Kung Fu fight scenes in the movie, bringing its worth in my eyes way up.
   
   The movie harkens back to the days when heros were idealized and worshipped, something severely lacking in today's society, with the dirt sheets and Hollywood scandals appearing everywhere. Chuck Norris did a similar theme with Sidekicks, and ideal heros, unfortunately, has become a dying breed of people. Something that endears the movie to me is that there's little swearing and the violence is surprisingly non-violent. Sure there are kung fu punches and kicks and the like, but the reactions are always almost Loony Toon-ish in their reaction, the victims having huge and goofy-looking sores where they were hit. And other than a single sex joke at the beginning of the movie, it's surprisingly clean, resorting to slapstick and farce for it's humor.
   
   So why am I giving it only three stars? Firstly, the movie quality is terrible in every aspect. It's easily seen that there was no budget for the movie (blackfaced Asian? What the hell?), although that definitely added to the campy silliness. Secondly, the video quality is horrible. The DVD claims to have it remastered, but it's incredibly grainy and looks antiquated, with even some marker markings showing up in some stills. The subtitles, as well, are pale and fuzzy white, making them really hard to see a lot of the time. Thank god the movie's plot is unimportant.



3. I never thought it would work but Sammo Hung does a fantastic Bruce Lee imitation in this film. But not of the lame parody kind. He really does move fast and performs many of the techniques and mannerisms of the man himself. Not only that, he does a lot of other fighting styles as well. The goofy comedy is great too. This is one of the few unique kind of movies that is fun to watch and not take too seriously.



4. Indeed a guilty pleasure! One of Sammo's greatest(and unjustly forgotten) films, Enter The Fat Dragon stars Hung as a pig farmer obsessed with his "hero" Bruce Lee and who spends most of his time getting into trouble and hamming it up(get it? Pig farmer... ham? Sorry, that's the last one I promise) while doing it. Rarely has Sammo been able to balance action with comedy so flawlessly. Don't get me wrong, I'm an enormous Sammo(get it? Enormous... Sammo? He's fat people, and THAT is the last one... I hope) fan but... we all know that he nearly always brings great action, but his comedy? It doesn't always work so well, I mean there have been moments in his other movies but nothing like this, which plays out ridiculous scenario one right after the other that actually provide laughs... and when all else fails, he resorts to mimicking Bruce Lee in uncanny and amusing fashion(sure to induce smiles EVERYtime). Now obviously my 5 star rating will be more than a little skewed for most. I mean, can the movie really stack up to other so-called cinematic "classics" such as ET, The Godfather, or Citizen Kane? The answer is "hell yes!" Well, for fans of Kung Fu and Sammo Hung at least... Sammo using Jeet Kune Do on a herd of unruly swine, Hoi San Lee(36th Chamber Of Shaolin, Last Hurrah For Chivalry, Twin Warriors) painted black and sporting an afro and puffy purple shirt as an African American fighter(not the most PC thing ever... but bizarre and must-see to be sure), and my personal favorite scene featuring Sammo breaking up the filming of a Bruceploitation film by taking on the main imitator and his entire entourage(in a matchup featuring plenty of Lee's trademark howls and posturing). This film comes highly recommended for fans of classic martial arts mayhem or even those with any passing interest in this films star OR the man he obviously greatly admired. As for the DVD from Crash Masters? It's complete garbage unfortunately, with an awful print of the film and subtitles that are so small and light in color that they become near illegible oftentimes(and even when you can see them, they rarely read right... like the word "is" whenever "have" should be used), also no dubbed track is available here either. An extremely poor, bare-bones release for a film worthy of far more... hopefully someday it will get the release, and viewing public, that it rightly deserves.



5. Sammo Hung is amazing in this movie. The way he combines Bruce Lee's acting and fighting style with his own style is such a joy to watch. There's not much of a story here. Peter Yang plays a really weird guy who kidnaps a girl and Sammo has to save her. But Peter Yang has 3 tough fighters who Sammo needs to defeat in order to save th girl. Doesn't sound like much of a movie does it? Well, it's not. But the fighting is great and I don't ask for much more than that. Sammo uses a modern type fighting style the whole movie, and I love how he saves the only classic kung fu type fight for the finale. The comedy is decent at times, but the fights are what make this movie worth watching. It's a must see for Sammo fans. And not only is there Bruce Lee imitating going on, but also Jim Kelly. But couldn't they have found a black actor to play the Jim Kelly clone? What was Sammo thinking?
   
   3.5/5
   
   The picture quality on the Crash DVD is decent. Widescreen with subtitles that are readable about 80% of the time.

1 comments about Fighting Championships: Inferno.

1. PRIDE 27: Inferno
   
   Fight Card:
   Igor Vovchanchyn vs. Dan Bobish
   Cory Peterson vs. Sergei Kharitonov
   Alexander Otsuka vs. Murilo "Ninja" Rua
   Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Dos Caras Jr.
   Mark Kerr vs. Yoshihisa Yamamoto
   Gan McGee vs. Heath Herring
   Ron "H20" Waterman vs. Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic
   
   As you can see, not a thrilling fight card, but worth adding to your collection for PRIDE lovers.

5 comments about Fatal Blade.

1. One of the more generic martial arts films released as of late, Fatal Blade is an uninspired and droll film that features Gary Daniels as another cliche renegade cop that plays outside the rules. Contrary to the movie's box art, Mr. Daniels hardly wields a katana in this flick, and the few action scenes which could have been somewhat gratifying are played in fast-forwards, making them appear cheesy and goofy, instead of exciting. If you're a fan of Gary Daniels (all three of you), check out some of his better performances, such as Fist of the North Star and stay away from this turkey.



2. SEIKO is a Japanese top star.
   She has even a singer.
   But, the best work is being done even if it is made an actress.
   Such she is only out, and I think that it is the best work.
   And, neither DVD nor video is on market in Japan to this work with being disappointing.
   It is very envious of being on market in America.



3. Gary Daniels is not my favorite action hero, but in this film he does a very commendable job as a cop out to avenge his partner's death. It seems the yakuza and a local L.A. gang are engaged in warfare when the Yakuza send a specialist to eliminate their problems in L.A. unfotunately a mistaken identity leads Daniel's to believe that the hitman rubbed out his friend when in fact the hitman is a consumate professional who only in his own words eliminates the target and not innocents.The action is fast and furious and there is a pretty good car chase scene to keep us entertained as a corruptpolice captain also adds to the confusion betweeen the gangs as an informant for the local gang. With a few plot twists about a Japenese girl whom engages the Yakuza hitman to avenge her sisters death from a drug overdose the storyline has a nice even flow to it that makes this movie good popcorn material on a rainy day. Not a bad flick for Daniel's who actually shows here that he has a personality with a little help on character development that he gets here



4. i bought this movie because of gary daniels. but there i like one good fight scene. the rest of the movie is whack



5. Gary Daniels fights Yakuza gangsters and teams up with a Japanese killer. They look to take down a crazy crime boss.
   
   The story is not bad, but the direction is very weak and doesn't get anything out of the actors. Slow pace is really taken to the extreme.
   
   This certainly isn't one of the worst movies ever made, but is not recommended. It could have been good if the acting and dialogue were tolerable.
   
   There are only 3 fight scenes. The first 2 are mildy enjoyable and very short. The final fight is more of the same. The main problem is that while Gary Daniels looks outstanding and the stuntwork is good, the editor seems to have even less of a clue on how to make movies then the director.
   
   James Lew has a cameo but unfortunately doesn't fight, and in the credits I saw Cuba Gooding Sr. listed and it does seem to be Gooding's father. I wish I could explain what the heck he is doing in this movie, but I would be much more interested in finding out why James Lew just has a throw away role. Listed as a stuntman is J.J. Perry which is not surprising and explains why the stuntwork is so well done, but too bad about the editing.
   
   1/5
   
   The DVD from Platinum Disc has very good sound and picture quality.

5 comments about The Born Losers.

1. Contrary to one reviewer's information, "Born Losers" was a smash at the box office the FIRST time it was released in '67. And it's easy to see why. It's the most entertaining of the "biker movie" genre, because it has a story and vivid characters. Elizabeth James is Vicky Barrington, a vacationing college student who comes up against a nasty motorcycle gang in a California mountain town. Naturally, the gang, headed by a weathered Jeremy Slate, take off after Vicky (who is on a motorcycle wearing white boots and a matching bikini) and two of them eventually catch and rape her. She's not the only victim. Three incredibly foolish local girls visit the gang's "clubhouse" and meet a similar fate. But they don't have a champion like Tom Laughlin (in his first appearance as Billy Jack) who manages to get Vicky out of danger (at least for a while) and subsequently falls in love with her. "Born Losers" has a great score by "Wild Angels" composer (and future Lieutenant Governor of California) Mike Curb, good acting by a large cast, and a fine cameo appearance by Jane Russell as the trashy mother of one of the victimized girls. Add some beautiful locations and some slick motorcycle stunts, and you have a "Born Winner!" Incidentally, beautiful Ms. James turned up as a police dispatcher in the seventies cult classic, "Dirty Mary Crazy Larry". She also wrote the screenplay for "Born Losers" (under the pen name 'E. James Lloyd'). [phillindholm]



2. The Born Losers (1967) is the first film of 4 to introduce the character of "Billy Jack". Billy Jack (Tom Laughlin) doesn't really like townspeople that much. Today he is in the beach community of Seal Beach. A teenager is being harassed by a biker gang and then beaten up. Nobody wants to help the kid, but Billy Jack pulls out a rifle and shoots the biker. Billy Jack is arrested for taking "the law into his own hands". Four months in jail or $1000.00 fine. The bikers were guilty of assault. 30 days in jail or $150.00 fine.
   When six of the bikers rape three girls, they also go after Vicky (Elizabeth James) and her mother Mrs. Shorn (Jane Russell) is frantic. Billy Jack tries to keep Vicky safe and get rid of the pesty biker gang.
   Also in the cast: Jeremy Slate, Jack Starrett and Robert Tessier.
   Filmed in Seal Beach, California, Palace Verdes, Venice and Marina, Malibu, Paradise Cove, Big Rock, Pacific Palisades, Clear Lake Resevior.
   Tom Laughlin and his wife Delores Taylor wrote "Billy Jack" first (under different names), but they couldn't sell the idea. So they started with "Born Losers" with Tom laughlin and Delores Taylor writing this story (under different name) and was able to get Jane Russell for a part in the film. They were able to film it independently. Tom Laughlin also directed under a different name.
   Deolres Hart (who had a prominent role in the next 3 "Billy Jack" films, appears as a pedestrian with children.
   Mike Curb was the music conductor on this film. He was the head of MGM Records and became Lieutenant Governor of California.
   DVD includes a very interesting audio commentary with Tom Laughlin and Delores Hart. Film production information and Billy Jack website.
   Followed by BILLY JACK (1971)
   THE TRIAL OF BILLY JACK (1974)
   BILLY JACK GOES TO WASHINGTON (1977).
   
   Update: Tom Laughlin insists their will be a fifth film. The yet-to-be-financed movie is now titled Billy Jack For President (2008).



3. My husband just loves Billy Jack. The movie brought back many happy childhood memories. "Rooting for the underdog never gets old" he says!



4. This was the movie that started the Billy Jack franchise of the early 70s and it is definitely a product of that era in everything from costume to style to dialog to location.
   
   Tom Laughlin plays Billy Jack, a mysterious loner who is part Indian and recently released from the Special Forces in Vietnam. He is trying to get along in southern California but is handicapped with such traits as a conscience. He gets arrested on "vigilante" charges when he saves a young boy from being beaten to death by a biker gang. This puts him off of the good citizenship ideal.
   
   This same motorcycle gang mentioned before has more to its activities than just beating kids bloody. It also like such recreational pastimes as rape. When a group of girls is hospitalized after a particularly brutal rape, the DA desperately wants at least one of them to press charges but all of the girls are frightened of retaliation. The gang victimizes each one further to ensure their silence.
   
   On of the girls is spunkier than the rest. She decides to prosecute and the gang comes after her. She runs straight into Billy Jack's arms and Billy Jack stiffens her resolve and helps to protect her when the local sheriff proves unable to do so.
   
   The action in this movie is understated by today's standards and the fights are really laughable. They do make their points, though and the point of the movie is not action but justice.



5. This was the start of the Billy Jack Legacy as this movie hit the theaters on August 18 1967 starring Tom Laughlin as Billy Jack, Elizabeth James as Vicky Barrington, and Jeremy Slate as Daniel Carmody. A motorcycle gang led by Daniel Danny Carmody rides through the local towns terrorizing the people and the local law is afraid of them. Enters Vicky Barrington who races to the airport to pick up her dad only to find out that she was rejected again. While the gang is riding the come across a young kid who they beat up and Billy Jack comes to his rescue. Billy is arrested along with the bikers and thrown in jail. The gang ends up raping four women who they have threaten the women into not testifying. Vicki who was raped goes under the protection of Billy Jack who has also had several altercations with the gang. The gang escalates their pressure on both Vicki and Billy Jack to keep her out of the courtroom. Some facts you may not know. This picture was banned from Sweden because of its high violence rating in 1968, 1972, and 1975. When Billy Jack and Vicky go into eat at a local restaurant they are met by an astrologer. The astrologer asks Billy when his birthday is, Billy told him August 10, and that is the real birthday of Tom Laughlin. Thoughts on the movie! I thought it was a great movie that kept my interest all the way through. You can see way Tom Laughlin did all four Billy jack pictures because he was excellent in his role as Billy Jack. Elizabeth James was excellent in her role as Vicky Barrington. She was gorgeous riding around in that white bikini on her bike. Because of Vicky and the action in this movie I give this picture 5 weasel stars.
   

4 comments about Jeet Kune Do.

1. This DVD, authorized by the Bruce Lee estate, claims to be a training film on Jeet Kune Do. It shows old footage of Bruce Lee, in rare home movies and his films, and tries to use these clips to discuss his art Jeet Kune Do. The very serious person, who wants to either learn or research this art, will move on to much better things. This DVD, only scartches the service, and one is better off reading books by Bruce (Toa of Jeet Kune Do) or Jerry Beasley, if he or she cannot take lessons.

   Danny Inosanto is interviewed and demonstrates some concepts, but the direction and production lacks any real coherence as it shoots between Bruce Lee footage and Inosanto. It mixes Bruce's voice with another voice which sounds similar to Bruce's (sounds very close, but speaks of Bruce in the third person) and this interaction is a little distracting.

   It should probably be only two stars, but sentimentally, I gave it three, because Bruce Lee fans will probably want to collect rare footage not seen anywhere else.




2. This DVD will NOT teach you JKD. If you are already Familiar with it, then it is VERY helpful. I have been studying Jeet Kune Do for about 2 years now, only under Bruce Lee's original style and schooling. You must understand what JKD revolves around. Tao. The way. It doesn't matter how strong your axe kick is, because if I truely know the Tao about any martial art, my effectivity will be much better. Watching Bruce Lee's form is very helpful to realize how JKD looks in fluid movements and in combat situations. However, if you want to learn a martial art, I defenietly suggest buying the Tao of Jeet Kune Do, and after that move on to books on form, then finally go to perfecting motion, etc.



3. Given that the footage of Bruce Lee is so limited, as it seems is the budget of this production, I found this disc pretty enjoyable. The footage is very raw, but Bruce Lee's incredible energy still comes through. As a training video, it is good at teaching the concepts and philosophy behind Jeet Kune Do. A few basics are taught. There is footage of Lee teaching James Coburn with Lee analyzing the film. This to me is new, so I found it pretty interesting. The footage of his interview with Pierre Barton is amazing as always, though the picture quality is not as good as found on the Enter The Dragon bonus side
   
   I believe the one reviewer is wrong in saying part of the narration is done by a Bruce Lee soundalike. Lee is reading from an article written about him. That is why he refers to himself in third person. The same audio is found on the Enter The Dragon bonus, but here there is more of it.
   
   Overall I enjoyed it as I love to listen to Bruce Lee's philosophies as much as seeing his action in movies.



4. If you want some footage of Mr. Lee, go ahead & buy this. Otherwise, I can't recommend it.