“Enter the Dragon”

Part of what makes the Milwaukee Film Festival great is that you can find select classic films nestled among the new ones. Everything from 2001: A Space Odyssey to The Land Before Time will be screened at the festival, a treat for those who never saw their initial screenings. Among these is Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon, the 1973 film that catapulted both Lee and martial arts films to international stardom. In honor of the film’s 40th anniversary, Enter the Dragon is presented on the big screen in glorious 35mm.

For those of you unfamiliar with the film–a little background: Lee plays a martial arts master in Hong Kong who gets invited to a highly elite martial arts competition on a remote island. After initially turning down the offer, Lee learns that the organizer of the tournament, Mr. Han, is under investigation by the British government. In an attempt to apprehend Mr. Han and seek justice for his deceased sister, Lee agrees to attend the tournament, working undercover for the British government. Upon his arrival on the island, Lee sees that there is much more to Mr. Han’s island than martial arts.

It’s all here: fantastic fight sequences, the quote worthy words of wisdom, and of course, the incredible talent of Bruce Lee. If you’ve never seen it, or you’d love to see it again on the big screen, get there. With just one midnight showing scheduled, once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Enter the Dragon screens at the Oriental Theatre at 11:59 p.m., Saturday September 28. Tickets are $10, $9 for students/seniors available online or on-site, while availability lasts.