You Won’t Believe This Bruce Lee Sequel

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As a devoted cinephile, I found Black Belt Jones to be an unexpected spiritual heirloom to Bruce Lee’s martial arts magnum opus, the legendary Enter the Dragon. The Dragon, as it were, was the swan song of the inimitable Bruce Lee, completed just before his untimely demise in 1973. It served as a grand finale, building upon the groundbreaking work that Lee had been doing in Hong Kong, such as The Big Boss and Fist of Fury.

The rising fame of martial arts films, especially that of Bruce Lee, paved the way for him to star in his own Hollywood martial arts film. With a larger budget and a talented cast, Enter the Dragon became a global sensation, sparking even more curiosity about martial arts movies during the 1970s.

Apart from significantly impacting the film industry, the release of “Enter the Dragon” also sparked similar ventures among those associated with the production. Not only was “Enter the Dragon” a showcase for Bruce Lee’s talent, but it also served as a stepping stone for both the director and the cast members. Many individuals involved in the movie went on to achieve great success following “Enter the Dragon.” For instance, “Black Belt Jones,” produced in 1973 and featuring two key players from the film, was an immediate sequel that capitalized on their newfound fame.

Black Belt Jones Is A 1974 Cult Classic From Enter The Dragon’s Director And One Of Its Main Cast Members

Black Belt Jones Sees Jim Kelly Try To Emulate Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee was undoubtedly the star of the film “Enter the Dragon“, yet the plot followed the journey of three martial artists on the island, with John Saxon’s character Roper and Jim Kelly’s character Williams being the other two. The studio decided to give Jim Kelly a significant role in “Enter the Dragon” and this led to them signing him for a three-film contract, ultimately resulting in Kelly starring in “Black Belt Jones“.

In the realm of cinema, Black Belt Jones – a movie now recognized as a key contributor to the martial arts sub-genre known as Blaxploitation – brought together actor Jim Kelly and director Robert Clouse, who had previously collaborated on the successful film Enter the Dragon. Similarly, both Kelly and Clouse were beneficiaries of the popularity surge ignited by the 1973 release.

Jim Kelly made his leading debut in the film “Black Belt Jones,” where he portrayed the main character, a skilled martial arts master who earns a living as a hired gun. In this movie, Black Belt Jones accepted a task that involved protecting a dojo from criminals intent on taking over the property through intimidation and eviction of its inhabitants.

In essence, the character Black Belt Jones resembles a Blaxploitation adaptation of the plotline from Bruce Lee’s film, Way of the Dragon. Notably, in this movie, the protagonist, portrayed by Bruce Lee, aims to safeguard his cousin’s restaurant from rowdy gangs.

Just as Bruce Lee’s films exemplified his unstoppable presence, Black Belt Jones showcases Jim Kelly’s character as a formidable figure. Building upon the martial arts prowess he displayed in Enter the Dragon, the director amplifies this in Black Belt Jones, providing an opportunity for the actor to decimate waves of adversaries.

The film’s martial arts sequences, its playful elements, and the skillful integration of Jim Kelly’s martial arts expertise set it apart, making it a strong contender for one of his finest films – perhaps even surpassed only by Enter the Dragon in second place.

Both Robert Clouse & Jim Kelly Continued To Make Martial Arts Movies After Black Belt Jones & Enter The Dragon

Jim Kelly Starred In Several 1970s Martial Arts Movies

Following their collaborations on “Black Belt Jones” and “Golden Needles”, Robert Clouse and Jim Kelly parted ways but maintained links with the martial arts film genre. Jim Kelly remained prominent during the 1970s, featuring in numerous Blaxploitation martial arts movies such as “Hot Potato” and “Black Samurai”. Regrettably, his stint as a martial arts star was fleeting, not lasting into the 1980s.

For many years, Robert Clouse remained busy in the film industry, occasionally producing martial arts films among his other projects. In 1980, he notably directed one of Jackie Chan’s initial attempts to gain fame in America, titled “The Big Brawl“, and was also involved in the controversial effort to complete Bruce Lee’s “Game of Death“. In 1992, this director completed his final film, similar to “Black Belt Jones” in that it allowed Clouse to direct yet another cast member from “Enter the Dragon“, specifically Bolo Yeung in “Ironheart“.

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2025-07-04 15:49