Enter the Dragon turns 50

Happy 50th anniversary to Bruce Lee’s seminal classic, Enter the Dragon, which premiered half a century ago. It's a trendsetter and game changer, which also introduced the world to one of our most influential stars and artists. From all the reports, footage and accounts we have, Bruce Lee never took the scope and ambition of this film lightly, and carried an enormous amount on his shoulders throughout the production. Tragically, he passed away before it even premiered, and didn’t live to see the wave of success all over the world.

It’s important to remember that, for many of us, it was a gateway into the expansive world of martial arts cinema and continues having that effect today, with new fans discovering it even now. I had a great time celebrating the film recently with a fun panel at the London Action Festival and I still meet people seeing it for the very first time. I’m always fascinated to know their immediate reaction and it’s consistently one of awe and excitement. This is because, I believe, talent and charisma is timeless. This isn’t some old stuffy film from the 1970’s which doesn’t hold up today. The power and impact is palpable.

Apart from being historically significant as the first huge scale American produced martial arts movie, and Bruce’s international breakout, the film is so influential and woven into popular culture, through direct tribute, rip-off or parody, it’s hard to imagine the world without it. You can never see this enough times, so whether you’re a veteran or checking it out for the first time, I’d encourage everyone to experience the 50th anniversary 4K re-release. Film is forever, and this one has never looked better. Alongside Arrow Video’s recent “Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest” boxset, which I snapped up right away, these films are cherished classics and deserve to be rediscovered.