Movie Of The Day: Black Belt Jones

Ahhh...Jim Kelly. Every one's favorite light-skinned badass.

That dude had the baddest afro in the game for about 5 years straight. With his slick talk and trademark swagger and that all important "oooyyeee!" he used to belt out upon dishing blows. Man this dude was the truth.

I used to watch this movie all the time as a kid. My pops had it in VHS along with other movies from the time. But this was one of my favorites. That boy was living the life.

For anyone who has not seen the movie here is a brief synopsis:

The Mafia, who learns that the City is planning a new civic center is buying the land where it will be, and the one piece they don't have is the karate school owned by Papa Byrd. Now Big Tuna, the Mafia Don's right hand man goes to Pinky, their representative in that area and they tell him that he owes them $250,000 but in lieu of paying him they want him to get Papa Byrd's school. He tries to muscle him but he throws him out and one of the teachers calls Black Belt Jones, a friend of Papa Byrd to talk to him but before could Pinky accidentally kills him. Before dying he said that the school belongs to Sydney, whom nobody knows. But Black Belt knows that Sydney is his daughter whom he hasn't seen since she was a child. Black Belt asks a government friend of his to find her and he does and she arrives for the funeral and learns about Pinky and goes there and roughs up some of his people. Pinky then goes over to the school and with some back up manages to subdue them and take one of them, and demands either Sydney turn the school over to him or pay him $250,000. Black Belt asks his friend to look into it and discovers the Mafia connection and decides to kill two birds with one stone it seems that his friend wants him to break into the Mafia stronghold and get some photos that they have and some hot cash. Black belt succeeds and hold $250,000 for Pinky and after giving it to Pinky, he calls his boss to tell that it was Pinky who raided his place. When Pinky convinces Tuna that he is innocent they go after Black Belt.

The thing I always liked about Jim Kelly, unlike other heroes of the day was the fact that he was pretty, but he did look like he could kick your fuckin teeth in.
He wasn't no punk bitch. He was about 6'2", cut like a muhfukka, and had mad moves. That boy had a way with the ladies and always had gear. He stayed clean.
I cant figure out for the life of me why they did Papa Byrd like that, but I can say that he had one of best "death" faces in cinematic history.
Lets not forget about the memorable cast, but the most important next to Black Belt Jones was the lovely Sydney, played by Gloria Hendry. There were a slew of thick pieces back in the day but most of them fell from off the map. Every one's favorite red bone Brenda from Cooley High, Synne from Black Samurai, Dorinda from Truck Truner ( She was never that thick in Star Trek) and Pam Grier. I mean the list goes on. But one of the things that separated Gloria fromt the rest was that she was a Bond girl. Before she licked the sweat off Jim Kelly's booty cheeks in BBJ, she was making Roger Moore's toes pop. That funny bodied Brit never new what good loving was until then. Turtle necks and all, that fool was in love. I have to say, the story was your typical Jim Kelly story, but this movie is a good time. They even had a nice little car chase and some sexy scenes.
This is definitely a classic and if you don't own it I'm sure you can order it on dvd somewhere. Find a day when its sunny out and you ain't got shit to do. Get together with some of your guys and I guarantee you will trip the fuck out on this shit.

This movie needs no rating. You should see it just because.