News

“Martin Scorsese only makes movies for men.” That’s often the prevailing wisdom about one of our finest filmmakers, an assertion that has dominated the discourse around his work as much as the falsehood that he endorses the bad actions of his characters. It’s an idea so embedded in...

"Enter The Dragon" may be one of the best martial arts films of all time, but the Bruce Lee-led project didn't exactly come together easily. Over 50 years after its release, the lore surrounding the movie's fraught creation is by now stacked higher than a pile of guys taken down by super-skilled fighter Lee (played by the late actor with the same last name). Among the anecdotes surrounding its production? Behind-the-scenes fights, recasts, a minuscule budget, script problems, and more.

"The whole budget was $450,000," associate producer Andre Morgan told the BBC last year, paring down the already shockingly small $850,000 number that's commonly cited. Morgan was confident in his number, saying, "Remember, you heard it from somebody that was there. I prepared the budget; I signed the budget." The shoestring budget didn't get in the way of the movie's success; in theaters, it earned over $100 million worldwide according to the BBC piece,...

Netflix generates more contemporary content than anyone, but they’re dipping into the past to curate the great movies from the ’70s. These are the films that people like myself discovered as kids in the early days of when HBO premiered on cable. Bravo, I say. Here’s the preliminary list.

Alice Doesn’T Live Here Anymore

A widowed singer and single mother starts over as a diner waitress in Arizona, befriending her coworkers and romancing a ruggedly handsome rancher.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Writer: Robert Getchell

Producers: Audrey Maas, David Susskind

Key Cast (Alphabetical): Ellen Burstyn, Jodie Foster, Diane Ladd, Alfred Lutter, Harvey Keitel, Kris Kristofferson, Vic Tayback

Distributed By: Warner Bros. Discovery

Initial Release Date: December 9, 1974

At the 47th Academy Awards, Burstyn won Best Actress

Black Belt Jones

High-kicking Black Belt Jones is dispatched to take down a group of Mafia goons trying to muscle in on a downtown karate studio.

1974 was quite a year for cinema; 50 years later, Netflix (of all places) is celebrating the golden jubilee.

In recognition of the anniversary, the streamer on Wednesday launched a new, dedicated content row (and direct URL link) with the first films being honored under its new “Milestone Movies: The Anniversary Collection” banner. Each of the 14 films came to Netflix this month by way of Warner Bros., Paramount, or Sony — the distributors that license content to Netflix.

The 1974 collection includes “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Black Belt Jones,” “Blazing Saddles,” “California Split,” “Chinatown,” “The Conversation,” “Death Wish,” “The Gambler,” “The Great Gatsby,” “It’s Alive,” “The Little Prince,” “The Lords of Flatbush,” “The Parallax View,” and “The Street Fighter” (“Gekitotsu! Satsujin ken”).

Netflix doesn’t plan to stop with disco’s heyday. In April, the streaming service will do the same for films from 1984 (turning 40); July will celebrate 1994 movies (turning 30); and in October...

Bruce Lee changed the cultural landscape. But he never lived to see just how he influenced martial arts and martial arts movies, the image of Asian men on screen, numerous directors from Ang Lee, who is planning on making a movie about Bruce Lee starring his son Mason, and Quentin Tarantino, action stars such as Jackie Chan, Arnold Schwarzenegger, comedians such as Eddie Murphy and Margaret Cho and singers including LL Cool J and RZA.

Lee was just 32 when he died on July 23, 1973 of what was described as “death by misadventure.” There have been numerous theories of what actually caused his death. One forensic scientist announced he died of cerebral edema due to a reaction to ingredients in the medication Equagesic he had taken. A 2022 study in the Clinical Kidney Journal stated that the cerebral edema was caused by hyponatremia-a lack of sodium in his blood. (Lee actually underwent surgery...

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.

Also Read:

Film Academy Appoints Meredith Shea to Newly Created...

The director of Over The Edge and The Accused takes us on a journey through some of his favorite movies.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

The Student Teachers (1973)

Night Call Nurses (1972)

White Line Fever (1975)

Truck Turner (1974)

Heart Like A Wheel (1983)

The Accused (1988)

Over The Edge (1979)

Modern Times (1936)

City Lights (1931)

Manhattan (1979)

Some Like It Hot (1959)

The Apartment (1960)

North By Northwest (1959)

Moon Pilot (1962)

Mr. Billion (1977)

White Heat (1949)

The Wizard of Oz (1939)

The Three Musketeers (1973)

The Four Musketeers (1974)

Superman (1978)

Superman II (1980)

The Three Musketeers (1948)

Shane (1953)

The 400 Blows (1959)

8 ½ (1963)

Fellini Satyricon (1969)

Richard (1972)

Millhouse (1971)

The Projectionist (1970)

El Dorado (1966)

The Shootist (1976)

Woodstock (1970)

Payback (1999)

A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962)

Billy Liar (1963)

Ford Vs Ferrari (2019)

The Wild Bunch (1969)

The Ballad of Cable Hogue (1970)

Bad Girls (1994)

Masters of the Universe (1987)

Giant (1956)

The More The Merrier (1943)

The Graduate (1967)

The Victors (1963)

…And Justice For All (1979)

Citizen Kane (1941)

An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn...

On August 19, 1973, Warner Bros. unveiled Enter the Dragon, the 98-minute, R-rated actioner starring Bruce Lee, in theaters. The Hollywood Reporter's original review is below: 

Bruce Lee's last movie is the only one that gives him the star treatment he deserved. His charismatic presence is remarkable in Enter the Dragon, and it's a shame he didn't have the chance to become the great, unique star he seemed destined to be. 

The movie itself, produced by Fred Weintraub and Paul Heller in association with Raymond Chow of Hong Kong's Concorde Productions, is a whoop-and-holler entertainment,...

On August 19, 1973, Warner Bros. unveiled Enter the Dragon, the 98-minute, R-rated actioner starring Bruce Lee, in theaters. The Hollywood Reporter's original review is below: 

Bruce Lee's last movie is the only one that gives him the star treatment he deserved. His charismatic presence is remarkable in Enter the Dragon, and it's a shame he didn't have the chance to become the great, unique star he seemed destined to be. 

The movie itself, produced by Fred Weintraub and Paul Heller in association with Raymond Chow of Hong Kong's Concorde Productions, is a whoop-and-holler entertainment,...

Craig Lines Nov 1, 2017

Every now and then, martial arts movies go, er, a 'little leftfield', Here are some examples...

There are few feelings I enjoy as much as watching a movie that shakes me out of my complacency, wakes me up from my jaded quasi-slumber and makes me go “I’ve not seen that before!” I watch way too many films and it can take a lot to genuinely shock or surprise me, but there are few genres that manage it as often as martial arts.

Now, I appreciate there’s a lot of base level ‘weirdness’ to the genre if you’re not used to it. There’s curious dubbing, an emphasis on physicality over plotting, some eastern cultural touchpoints that baffle unfamiliar western audiences… but fans get used to all that. I’m talking about something slightly different.

To clarify, it might seem strange to new viewers when...

Fred Weintraub, producer of the Bruce Lee cult classic Enter the Dragon, has died. He was 88. His daughter Sandra confirmed that he died March 5 at his Pacific Palisades home of Parkinson's complications. In the early '60s, Weintraub opened the Bitter End coffee house in New York and helped launch the careers of notables such as Bob Dylan, Woody Allen, Barbara Streisand, Richard Pryor, Lily Tomlin, George Carlin, Neil Diamond, Stevie Wonder, Joni Mitchell, Joan Rivers…...

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences kicks off its new exhibition, “Kick Ass! Kung Fu Posters from the Stephen Chin Collection,” with a 40th anniversary screening of “Enter the Dragon” on Wednesday, April 17, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. The evening will feature an introduction by Stephen Chin and an onstage discussion with the film’s cast and crew, including actor John Saxon, screenwriter Michael Allin, cinematographer Gil Hubbs and producers Fred Weintraub and Paul Heller. There will be special evening gallery hours immediately following the screening.

In 2011, producer and screenwriter Chin donated his collection of more than 800 kung fu film posters and related materials to the Academy. A six-sheet poster from “Enter the Dragon” is featured prominently in the exhibition, along with such collectibles as early English-language kung fu manuals, skateboards, trading cards and lunchboxes. A viewing station will feature action-packed...

More and more great films keep coming to the blu-ray format and details and dates for two classic films have been released, as well as details on the more recent film, Gangster Squad. Come inside to check out all the details on the latest films coming to the blu-ray format.

It's hard to believe, but it's been fifty years since Elizabeth Taylor's Cleopatra film released in theaters. In order to commemorate the milestone Fox is releasing a special 50th Anniversary blu-ray with never before seen footage and a slew of other features, on May 21, 2013. Read the press release below for full details:

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is proud to announce that the four-time Academy Award® winning* classic Cleopatra, will be released on Blu-ray Disc for the first time May 21 in a special golden anniversary edition and is available for pre-order at major retailers.

In honor of the iconic film’s 50th anniversary,...

The awesomeness of John C. Reilly’s Bruce Lee t-shirt in Step Brothers is about to be topped. Now, 40 years after its release, martial arts classic Enter the Dragon is set to be released with a collector’s Blu-ray giftset, which includes new special features, a collectible card, and even an embroidered patch.

Here is a portion of the news release:

Burbank, Calif., March 4, 2013 – Enter the Dragon, one of martial arts icon Bruce Lee’s last films, will debut June 11 on Blu-ray in the Enter the Dragon 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition giftset from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The film, which helped bring interest in the Asian martial arts genre to mainstream Western cinema, has been re-mastered for its 40th anniversary, and will now feature new bonus materials, such as the featurette, No Way as Way, on the legacy of Bruce Lee, plus other featurettes and commentary. Memorabilia — which includes collectible art cards,...

Every now and then you can tell someone is special. Every now and then you know just when something becomes an event, a trend-setter. That’s exactly who Bruce Lee was and his Enter the Dragon remains. All marital arts films are measured against this one and now Warner Home Video is giving us a 40th anniversary edition. Here are the details: Burbank, Calif., March 4, 2013 – Enter the Dragon, one of martial arts icon Bruce Lee’s last films, will debut June 11 on Blu-ray™ in the Enter the Dragon 40th Anniversary Ultimate Collector’s Edition giftset from Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. The film, which helped bring interest in the Asian martial arts genre to mainstream Western cinema, has been re-mastered for its 40th anniversary, and will now feature new bonus materials, such as the featurette, No Way as Way, on the legacy of Bruce Lee, plus other featurettes and commentary. Memorabilia — which includes collectible art cards,...

After all the debates, controversies, and stereotype accusations have cleared, looking back on Blaxploitation cinema today it’s easy to see healthy portions of the crime and action genres. Using these genres and the struggles of the black community, these films were created for those that wanted to see African American characters on the big screen not taking shit from the man, “getting over”, and–above all else—being the heroes in movies. In the documentary Baad Asssss Cinema, Samuel L. Jackson gives his take on the heroes of Blaxploitation: “We were tired of seeing the righteous black man. And all of a sudden we had guys who were…us. Or guys who did the things we wanted those guys to do.”

The unsung supporting players in these films that backed Fred Williamson and Pam Grier and many other stars were people acting and making a living off of it.

There are a bunch of great movies out this week on Blu-ray and some great ones to add to your Netflix Queue. Here are some of the most notable releases of the week. Keep reading and be sure to share your thoughts on which films you are looking forward to watching again or for the first time!

DVD/Blu-ray Releases:

Conviction

Add to Queue

My Thoughts: When I first saw the trailer I thought Conviction had Oscar written all over it. Unfortunately, it did not pick up the buzz when it was in the theater. I have yet to see the film, I'm likely to see it now that it's on DVD strictly for Rockwell. Is this a film worth seeing?

Synopsis:

Two-time Academy Award winner Hilary Swank and Sam Rockwell deliver unforgettable performances in this incredible true story that co-stars Minnie Driver, Juliette Lewis and Peter Gallagher. Swank plays Betty Anne Waters,...

Moola from music mayhem

The legendary Wood stock Music Festival in 1969 was a financial disaster for its organizers, who were unable to charge admission to thousands of attendees as security broke down, costs soared and the event descended into muddy chaos.

But Warner Bros. made a bundle off the festival from the famous music documentary "Woodstock" and its soundtrack album -- and continues to do so -- thanks to one of the most famous deals in Hollywood history.

The deal was actually consummated in New York by Fred Weintraub, who had just joined the studio as its vice...