Billy Jack movies

[txteach]

Anyone remember these? I remember he was a kung fu indian who I always wondered why he would win. He sure wasn't quick. Maybe it was because he was fighting overweight, high bikers. My mother loved these movies and dragged us to the drive-in any time a new one came out.

[The Bat]

Hey...I was just thinking about this the other Day...and that I hadn't seen it in a long time! I love the first Billy Jack Movie...AWESOME Flick!!

[Joe90]

I was a Huge Billy Jack Fan!



What was I thinking?

[Megotu]

I was never sure if he was a Native American or just someone who attached himself to the reservation somehow...Kind of like Sam Houston.

[Johnny]

I loved Billy Jack when I was a kid.

[Megotu]

That's Sam Houston, the second President of Texas.

[DocDrako]

Billy Jack was cool. I wonder if there's ever been a custom of him? Or will be?

[Joe90]

I was never sure if he was a Native American or just someone who attached himself to the reservation somehow...Kind of like Sam Houston.

He was supposed to be of mixed heritage. I think they even used the term "Half Breed" in the movie. Funny, I haven't heard that expression used amongst the mainstream population in over 25 years. As someone who has taught on a couple of Indian Reservations, and a teacher of Native kids in the city, I hear Natives use that term all the time. But they call themselves Indians as well.

[Megotu]

I think Cher and Spock were the last big "Half Breed" users. I still remember one night in Manhattan listening to a rather large transvestite singing a parody of Half Breed as "InBreed" at a Chinese restaurant.

[jwyblejr]

VH-1 had a big segement about him in one of their I Love the 70s shows.

[Hector]

My dad loved Billy Jack, lol.

Tom Laughlin was not a martial artist...the most difficult fight stunts were performed by Bon Soo Han, a real Korean martial artist:



Here's a cool current interview with Tom Laughlin:

YouTube - Tom Laughlin Interview Part 1

One of the reasons it became so popular was the martial arts...up to this point in time (1971)...martial arts in films was practically unknown to American audiences...Billy Jack paved the way for Bruce Lee and other similar flicks to enter the American market. Plus Billy Jack was an anti-establishment flick...so it immediately appealed to a younger generation.

The flick was made for only $800,000...and it made $40 million...that makes Billy Jack one of the most successful movies of all times when you take adjusted inflation into account.

Today I find Billy Jack a bit preachy and outdated...and yes...the fights scenes seem a bit tame by today's standards (although they are more realistic than wire-fu, lol)...but it's without a doubt...a very influential film...and for that alone...a classic.

Here are my favorite two Billy Jack scenes...the ice cream shop incident...and the park scene...when Billy Jack tells the bad guy where exactly he's going to kick him...and that there's not a damn thing he's gonna do about it, lol:

YouTube - Billy Jack .........mannnnnnnnnnn!

[Manspider]

I was a huge Billy Jack fan. He was a no mess, keep to himself, bad ***.
My drinking friends back in the day nicknamed me Billy Jack -- half white man and half Native American. Wasn't the wrestler Billy Jack Haynes a knockoff from the flicks? I remember he wore a similar hat.

[palitoy]

YouTube - Billy Jerk goes to OZ

[dmo]

I'm gonna take this right foot ... and whop you on that side of your face....and there's not a dam thing you can do about it

[EmergencyIan]

The Billy Jack character was half white and half Cherokee indian. He was also a former Green Beret who fought in the Vietnam conflict.

I always have liked this movie, a lot! I disregard a lot of the politics involved and enjoy the story and, of course, the action!

I'm not sure if Tom Laughlin actually is part Cherokee, but I am and I thought the fact that his character is, is another pretty cool aspect of the movie.

- Ian