Customer Reviews

Black Belt Jones 2 - The Tattoo Connection

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Pathfinder Pictures? Never heard of them. While I'm pleased this movie was released on DVD, I am very disappointed with the overall picture and sound quality. This is one of the worst video transfers I have ever seen and the sound is not far behind. Obviously no money went into restoring this movie for its release on DVD and that's too bad for Jim Kelly fans. Make no mistake; this movie has nothing to do with the martial art's classic Black Belt Jones. Jim Kelly had a supporting role in "Enter the Dragon" and he didn't really get a chance to show us what he could do with his ability. In "The Tattoo Connection" he is the man, but once again this movie doesn't really showcase his martial arts talent either. I struggled to give this movie a 3 star rating but hey it's Jim Kelly. This is a typical 1970's chop socky movie that could have been much better. For martial arts and Kelly fans the fight scene between Kelly and Bolo Yeung is still exciting to watch. The Tattoo Connection is still an entertaining movie, but I definitely think the price is too much considering the poor picture and sound quality from Pathfinder.

On the DVD
Interactive menus
Scene access
Filmographies
Trailer
Audio commentary by cinema critics Luke Y. Thompson and Gregory Weinkauf
Still gallery
Languages: English, Mandarin Chinese
On/off subtitles

after seeing jim kelly in 'black belt jones' i was looking forward to seeing this. this ended up being one of the worst movies i've ever seen. if you're bored, try counting all the cheesy zooms (after the first 20...it starts getting tedious.) the music is appropriately bad and the sound effects during the fight sequences seem to keep time like a metronome. all the voices are dubbed and you'll probably ask yourself why you're still watching.

good for a laugh with a bunch of friends over.

This typical Hong Kong 1970's kung fu flick has now been re-released as BLACK BELT JONES 2, although originally released as THE TATTOO CONNECTION.Obviously the distributers have called it BBJ2 to tie in with the popularity of the original movie.This movie is no BBJ but it's quite entertaining if you are a Kelly fan.The film is let down by a scene where a rather choppy fight scene goes horribly wrong,the illusion is ruined and the fight looks fake.What's more, Jim Kelly is hardly in this movie and looks a bit of a fool surrounded by all those unknown Chinese actors.

This film is for die hard Jim Kelly fans! "The Tattoo Connection" (TTC) is promoted as "Black Belt Jones 2" although it has no connection with the original Kelly classic. The producers of this title probably used the tie in to entice the casual fan to check this DVD out based on the popularity of "Black Belt Jones." The plot is sketchy as Kelly's secret agent character Lucas is given the assignment of retrieving a stolen diamond some where in Asia. The film never really gathers up enough steam to be considered as a top rate martial arts offering. However, TTC is at its best when Kelly is on the screen (as the star Kelly is notoriously absent during several rather long sequences) chopping up guys and laying down that ultra smooth soul brother rap. The highlight of the film occurs during the climatic fight on a ship were Kelly goes toe to toe with fellow "Enter the Dragon" alumni Bolo Yeung in a fight to the death. Kelly is fit and in fine form through out TTC. It's a shame that he wasn't given more to do in this effort it might have raised the over all quality of the film.

i remember watching this 70s jim kelly classic on saturday afternoon tv in new york when a local tv station played kung fu movies every week. ah those were the good ol' days of the late 70s/80s. THE TATTOO CONNECTION sticks out as the best of those kung fu flicks i have seen. i remember jim kelly ... as an agent named lucas sent overseas to find some diamond. i remember some goofy disco theme song titled 'diamond'. i remember a good car chase scene with kelly at some lumber or junk yard. i remember kelly making love to an asian girl while switching drinks where 1 contained a drug meant for him but the girl wound up drinking it and got high. i remember jim kelly telling his bosses that he's "the black six million dollar man". i remember in the bad dubbing 1 of the bad guys called kelly not lucas but "black man!" racist! i remember the climax on a ship and kelly kicking rear. what else? that's all i know. i am just happy that TATTOO CONNECTION will be out on dvd in april (why so many delays after original dates of feb., march 25 and now april 22?!) and i will buy it. hope it will be widescreen and remastered. i will have a good time. congrats to pathfinder video for releasing this treasure, ok 3 1/2 stars. if only they can put out other old kung fu classics like STREETS GANGS OF HONG KONG, STONER (w/ george lazenby post-007), DUEL OF THE IRON FIST. A HARD WAY TO DIE, SLAUGHTER IN SAN FRANCISCO with chuck norris, & ROOTS OF EVIL (with christian anders---who?).

it is june 9, and FINALLY, i bought THE TATTOO CONNECTION which sadly it isn't letterboxed and it is in need of windex w/ its filthy film prints. still, i had a good time. the fighting is surprising ly terrific and jim kelly is very good. to my surprise there is a lotta (A LOT! ) nudity that wasn't in the U.S. print when it first came out in theaters. there is commentary by 2 film critics who sound like a combo of beavis and butthead, dennis miller (one of 'em sounds like him) and MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000. and it is helpful and hilarious. 4 stars! if only those 2 critics can poke fun @ george lazenby's awful acting and kung-fu-ing in STONER.

This product is extremely corrupted; both in missing content and quality of visual and audio. It seems like it was filmed at theater using an 8mm camera with no sound then dubbed (badly) at editing. The two minute trailer in "karate: The Hand of Death" of "Tattoo Connection" is worth more than the 90 minutes of trash in this dvd. Its too painful to watch desecrated art.

Really funny movie I liked it, Jim Kelly is an amazing actor with true value and character! The movie itself was ok, but I prefer him in other movies though! But a good buy!

Hey all you jim kelley fans this movie is the one!
I personally bought it for yang sze!
Plus I like to go back to my childhood with these flicks we use to all go see in the movie house on a saterday after noon is southern california!
Those that lived this no exactly what I am talkin about!
These movies are just fun 70's early and mid 8o's chop sockey flicks!
Don't expect a serious high grade flick!
Unless you grew up in this time period (Bruce Lee era) these movies are not for you!
Sometimes they just might click with you!
Its something different made primarily by Asian directors etc.
But they got action,girls and very cool lookin people here!
Check it out!
70's fans of this stuff,get your copy now!
John McLoughlin

I've alway's been a Martial Art's,and action movie fan.Other than the greatest Bruce Lee,Jim Kelly's alway's been one of my favorite's.When I got the opportunity to get this movie I jumped on it.I also own Black Belt Jones,another cult classic.This movie is worth the purchase...you'll be glad you did.I've got a few more to $buy.

B movie at it's best but KUNG FU. Black Belt Jones is back and HE is the one that is gonna take bruce's place. He got on the train and fell off quick, but Jim Kelly had a few pretty good movies. This is definitelyone of them. Add in Lee Hoi-sang, Dorian Tan(delon tan), Bolo, Sing Chen, tony leung sei hung ( a great action director) and a couple of other stars I can't put a name to, and you have a really alomst good kung fu flick.

So some diamonds are stolen of course and Jim kelly shows up to track down the robbers. He says-"they call me the black 6 milion dollar man". AHHHHH the cheese, it is good cheese, but just liek anything, you can get too much of it. So save a litle for later if you need to, cause this is a classic and may take two sittings to get through the greatness of it. Sadly it gets REALLY borign at the midway point. So finally the ending comes around and is very unspectacular, but you do get 2 good fights, opne with jim and bolo, other with dorian tan and sing chen. All in all, worth a peek if you are a mega fan like me. And if you don't belieev me about the cheese, then here is the evry last line of the movie. "I'll see you on christmas". They may have finished this movie in 2 days time. For real.