With the 50th anniversary of “Enter the Dragon” around the corner, the TCM Classic Film Festival held a special screening on Saturday night of the iconic film to a packed audience to celebrate the legacy of the timeless martial arts classic.
The screening was part of the WB100 festivities, celebrating the Warner Bros. Studio’s 100th anniversary.
“I was a punk kid, I was 28 years old and I had a friend who believed in me and his partner was Fred Weintraub who had a relationship with Bruce who said ‘If you come up with something for me I will do it’ because by then he had become a big star in Hong Kong and they asked me to write it,” screenwriter Michael Allin said as part of the Q&A which took place before the screening. Watch the embed below.
Allin added that it took three weeks to write the script, “From treatment to finished movie was four months.”
Actor, hip-hop artist and film composer RZA described how the movie was the inspiration for his rap group Wu-Tang Clan’s first album, “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers).”
“Hip-hop itself starts in August 1973 so ‘Enter the Dragon’ and hip hop have this parallel life,” Rza said. “It’s the 50th anniversary of hip hop, it’s the 50th anniversary of this film.”
“It is no coincidence that my first album is partly named after this film,” Rza added.
Released theatrically in August of 1973, “Enter the Dragon” remains one of the most influential and beloved martial arts films of all time, thanks in no small part to the legendary performance of its magnetic star, Bruce Lee. With a cast of memorable characters, catchy one-liners, thrilling action sequences, and a powerful message about the importance of self-discipline and inner strength, “Enter the Dragon” continues to inspire and entertain audiences around the world, five decades after its initial release.
Of course, the legacy of “Enter the Dragon” extends far beyond its impact on martial arts and action cinema. Bruce Lee’s performance in the film remains one of the most iconic and influential in film history, and his impact on popular culture cannot be overstated. From his signature fighting style to his philosophy of self-improvement, Lee’s influence can be seen in everything from video games to hip-hop music.
Made on a budget of about $875,000, “Enter the Dragon’s” worldwide gross is estimated to be over $2 billion when adjusted for inflation.
Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will also release the 50th Anniversary edition of “Enter the Dragon” remastered and available for the first time in 4K Ultra-High Definition.
