Jim Kelly: Black Samuran
by Al Adamson
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Product details
Actor: Bill Roy, Essie Lin Chia, Jim Kelly (II), Marilyn Joi, Roberto ContrerasDirector: Al Adamson
Edition: VHS Tape
Audio: English (Original Language), Analog
Format: Color, NTSC
Running Time: 84 minutes
Release Date: 2001-01-30
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Publisher: Bci / Eclipse
Studio: Bci / Eclipse
VHS Movie Reviews of Jim Kelly: Black Samuran
Movie Review: Presenting Murdering by Funny Way
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a first movie I notice Kelly in, and he performed in Hollywood much prior to other talents of Afro-America, surely.
Relaying on personal physics rather than on contemporary sci-fi tricks, film impresses with the funny presenting of the murdering unstoppable.
Movie Review: reviewing brentweood home video version
Summary: 1 Stars
I have to agree with the past reviewer that the scenes they cut out would have made it a watchable movie. All that I was left with was Jim Kelly beating up other grown men AND midgets. The final fight against the strong guy was the most trouble I had paying attention to a movie in a long time. I do have to say that Kelly did have acting ability, just don't expect for it to get showcased in this movie.
So make sure that the version that you get is uncut, and it might help you make it through the movie. The Brentwood version is 81 minutes long.
Movie Review: NEVER The White Knight, Baby...
Summary: 4 Stars
This is an excellent Kung-Fu classic from the 70's that has unfortunately been neutered by the ridiculous (and unexplained) editing of Brentwood Home Video. Look for the VHS copy made by Continental Video in the 80's & 90's. The Continental video has ALL the nudity, cursing and explicit violence that movie goers in the 70's would have seen. Don't buy this jive-turkey by Brentwood unless you are desperate to see the movie. Instead, search around for the Continental copy. You won't be disappointed. On to the review...
First of all, this movie is made for people like me who have always wondered, "what would it be like if the cool black dude from 'Enter the Dragon' survived the movie, went back to the USA and became secret agent?" This movie is a testament to the enduring star power of Jim Kelly II, who churned out a few Blaxploitation Kung-Fu movies after "Enter the Dragon" made him a star. Of all those movies, "Black Samurai" is the most ambitious and a heck of a lot of fun.
Kelly plays Robert Sand, tennis pro, secret agent and Kung-Fu assassin. Sand is reluctantly drawn away from his three-week vacation in Mexico to save his old girlfriend Toki (Essie Lin Chin) who has been kidnapped by agents of the evil Voodoo Witch-Doctor/ Anton LeVay wanna-be Janicott (Bill Roy). Bill Roy is one of the worst actors I have ever seen in any movie, EVER. And let me tell, you I have seen some horrible movies (see my other reviews!). Roy is so bad that he is one of the main factors that makes this movie much worse than it should have been. Regardless, along the way to confront Janicott, Sand drives a souped-up purple sports car, flies around in a one-man jet pack (which is amazing!), beats up several midgets and dwarves, calls lots of dudes "faggot" (?), kills a couple of people that are always in a body of water (weird...), fights a trained vulture named Vultan (major cool points for the name alone) and manages to refuse the seductive powers of the super-hot Synne (Marilyn Joi). The final fight scene is excellent, mainly because so many people that were purportedly killed earlier mysteriously come back to life and show up to fight again. Hey, maybe Janicott brought them back to life with his voodoo! I love the end credits, too. Someone named Ray Wells is credited with "Haitian Voodoo Research." Marilyn Joi worked as her own stylist. Oh, and stunts were performed by the "Jim Kelly Stuntman Association." Still, no one is listed as composing the cool "Black Samurai Theme." A shame. This is a great movie and it's sad more people don't know about it. Watch it; it will change your life. I have to go now, I've got a call in on a jet-pack and a purple sports car.
Movie Review: The Greatest Movie Ever Made
Summary: 5 Stars
Black Samurai has everything you could ever want in a movie: Karate, Jim Kelly, midgets, poisonous snakes, shag carpeting, babes, a purple sports car, a gay warlock, the sleaziest Argentinian henchman imaginable, bad Seventies fashion, blue eye shadow, guys in 30's Tarzan movie African outfits, voodoo, samurai swords, snappy dialogue, and an amazing story line.
I only wish that Jim Kelly had made more of this level of screen gem. Jim Kelly is the man!!!!!!!
Movie Review: Waiting A Long Time
Summary: 1 Stars
I first saw this movie on VHS back in the early 90s. It was so horrible, I remember my buddy and I were almost sick with laughter. Many reviews talk about the bad editing job on the DVD - but I remember the VHS version being just as horrible, which made the movie even more halarious. I'm sort of glad the swearing & nudity are gone so that I can show this sad piece to my son. I can't wait to see the jet-pack scene with his afro-fitted helmet.
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