Enter the Ninja (1981)

User Rating:

4.4/10   

Director:

Menahem Golan

Writers:

Dick Desmond (screenplay)
Dick Desmond (story)

Release Date:

2 October 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Drama

Tagline:

Warriors of a lost martial art! Hired assassins ...human killing machines!

Plot:

After just completing his training at a ninja school, an army vet travels to the Phillippines and finds...

Plot Keywords:

Fight | Ninja | Army Buddy | Extramarital Affair | Friend In Distress

Cast

Franco Nero	...	Cole
Susan George	...	Mary Ann Landers
Shô Kosugi	...	Hasegawa
Christopher George	...	Charles Venarius
Alex Courtney	...	Frank Landers
Will Hare	...	Dollars
Zachi Noy	...	Siegfried 'The Hook' Schultz
Constantine Gregory	...	Mr. Parker (as Constantin de Goguel)
Dale Ishimoto	...	Komori
Joonee Gamboa	...	Mr. Mesuda
Leo Martinez	...	Pee Wee
Ken Metcalfe	...	Elliot
Subas Herrero	...	Alberto
Alan Amiel	...	Maroon Ninja
Douglas Ivan	...	Maroon Ninja (as Doug Ivan)

Also Known As:

Ninja I
Die Rache des Ninja (West Germany) [de]
L'implacable ninja (France) [fr]
L'invincibile ninja (Italy) [it]
La justicia del Ninja (Spain) [es]
Ninja - A Máquina Assassina (Brazil) [pt]
Ninja, die Killermaschine (West Germany) [de]
Ninja: I mihani pou skotonei (Greece) [el]
Wejscie ninja (Poland) [pl]

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Finland:(Banned) (uncut) (1981) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (1984) | Finland:K-18 (cut) (DVD rating) (2008) | Australia:R | France:-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1983) | Norway:(Banned) (video) (1984) | Norway:(Banned) (1981-2003) (cinema release) | Germany:BPjM Restricted

Filming Locations:

Manila, Metro Manila, Luzon, Philippines

Company:

City Film (1980s)

Trivia:

Franco Nero had no martial arts training, so he was doubled by writer and fight choreographer Mike Stone for the fight sequences.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the final fight, Cole's sword is thrown out of the arena. Ten seconds later he is miraculously holding it again.

Quotes:

Frank Landers: You know Mary Ann there are times when I... when I wake up in the morning and I look at this guy in the mirror and I say "What the hell are you doing with your life frank?" and you know something, son of a bitch never answers me!

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Blade II (2002)

Revenge of the 80's: The Cannon films.

Enter the Ninja (1981) was the first of several "Ninja" films produced by Cannon starring or co-starring Japanese sensation Sho Kosugi. But the star of the first "Ninja" film was legendary tough guy Franco Nero. Sadly not even Mr. Nero or Sho Kosugi couldn't make this film watchable. When you have two bad dudes in an action film and it's neither watchable or fun, somethings amiss. But I digress. Skip this chapter and watch the next films in the series. They're more interesting and a whole lot of fun.

Next is Revenge of the Ninja. Instead of playing the "evil oriental" (I use that term tongue in cheek mind you). He's the star! Strange for a western film. Watch that one instead.

Not recommended except for die hard Sho Kosugi fans or Cannon film buffs.