Jim Kelly

For most people, Enter the Dragon is a quintessential action film. The first Chinese martial arts film co-produced in Hollywood, it launched the genre, not to mention its late leading man Bruce Lee, to Western audiences. Not only does it compass elements of a thriller and an action film, but it is also culturally relevant.

  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 …