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VaBeachGuy

Billy Jack

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Is there more than one? I remember seeing a Billy Jack movie in the theatre when it first came out, but I don't remember any subsequent ones. Actually maybe it was a drive-in... :giggle:

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Yeah, there was The Trial of Billy Jack about 3 or 4 years after the first and the last was Billy Jack goes to Washington or something like that (Maybe Billy Jack in Washington).

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Yeah, I really liked the first one. Unfortunately, I haven't seen the others.

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I love the Billy Jack movies! The first one was the best. The other two were ok too. I think those movies are the only thing Tom Laughlin ever did but I may be wrong.

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I agree, the first one was the best. It's been a lot of years since I've seen any of them though.

 

I'm also curious as to who's never even heard of them lol.

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I just went and added the first movie to my Netflix queue. They don't have the others available though. From what it says on Netflix there were actually 4 Billy Jack movies (they only had 3 listed though).

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I saw the one called Billy Jack at the drive-in when I was a kid. One of the things I remember most about the movie is one of the songs from the soundtrack called One Tin Soldier.

 

I love the Billy Jack movies! The first one was the best. The other two were ok too. I think those movies are the only thing Tom Laughlin ever did but I may be wrong.

 

He does have other credits but there really wasn't anything memorable. Here's a link to his profile at IMDB:

Tom Laughlin

 

I just went and added the first movie to my Netflix queue. They don't have the others available though. From what it says on Netflix there were actually 4 Billy Jack movies (they only had 3 listed though).

 

According to IMDB, Billy Jack was actually the second movie of the series. The first was called The Born Losers. That one had Billy Jack doing battle against a biker gang that was terrorizing a town. After reading the synopsis for that movie, I think I saw it too but I don't know if it was at the drive-in or on television.

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I saw the one called Billy Jack at the drive-in when I was a kid. One of the things I remember most about the movie is one of the songs from the soundtrack called One Tin Soldier.

 

I love the Billy Jack movies! The first one was the best. The other two were ok too. I think those movies are the only thing Tom Laughlin ever did but I may be wrong.

 

He does have other credits but there really wasn't anything memorable. Here's a link to his profile at IMDB:

Tom Laughlin

 

I just went and added the first movie to my Netflix queue. They don't have the others available though. From what it says on Netflix there were actually 4 Billy Jack movies (they only had 3 listed though).

 

According to IMDB, Billy Jack was actually the second movie of the series. The first was called The Born Losers. That one had Billy Jack doing battle against a biker gang that was terrorizing a town. After reading the synopsis for that movie, I think I saw it too but I don't know if it was at the drive-in or on television.

 

 

I remember that one, The Born Losers. But it's been so long since I've seen any of them I think I just merged it all into one lol

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Thats right! "The Born Losers" was Billy Jack's firs appearance. That was a pretty good movie!

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I remember seeing Billy Jack and the Trial of Billy Jack for sure. The message was certainly compelling at the time. I would probably watch them again.

 

Trivia from Wikipedia:

Films in the series: The Born Losers (1967), Billy Jack (1971),

The Trial of Billy Jack (1974), Billy Jack Goes to Washington (1977)

 

Billy Jack was the first movie to be marketed with the "BlockBuster" technique:[citation needed] To release a movie at a great many theaters on the same day in the same market. Before Billy Jack, movies would test the market at a few theaters and blossom to more if the reaction proved positive. BlockBusters would get a much stronger reaction and result in a more popular acceptance. This marketing got Billy Jack its top grossing credit. Today, virtually all major releases open in thousands of theaters at the same time.

 

Laughlin plans to make a fifth film, Billy Jack for President, which was supposed to be released in 2007[2] or 2008[3] but wasn't finished.

 

Billy Jack in popular culture

In 1976 musician Paul Simon played Billy Jack in a parody sketch on the second season of Saturday Night Live.

 

In the series Mystery Science Theater 3000, at least two episodes make reference to Billy Jack: on the episode Werewolf, after a fight breaks out between a racist dig supervisor and his Indian help, Tom Servo says, "This is where Billy Jack should come riding up."; on the episode Track of the Moon Beast, after the Native American professor finishes telling a story, Crow says, "Uh huh...do you know Billy Jack?"

 

In an episode of The Simpsons ("Bart of War"), Bart joins a Boy Scouts-like group called the "Pre-Teen Braves", and they engage in a rivalry with "the Cavalry Kids". A montage of the two groups fighting each other is set to Coven's version of One Tin Soldier.

 

Billy Jack is also referenced in an episode of Gilmore Girls ("Red Light on the Wedding Night") while Lorelai and Rory are watching the movie in their living room. At the line "Billy Jack, I'm gonna kill you if it's the last thing I do!", Lorelai responds, "Ugh, he so jinxed himself with that one." Rory replies, "Yeah, he should've said 'Billy Jack, I'm gonna kill you or buy myself a lovely chenille sweater."

 

Billy Jack was referenced by Jim Carrey in Yes Man.

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I saw the movie Billy Jack ages ago. It had the flavor of an anti-establishment film, but in the end he allowed himself to be arrested after he had meted out his own 'justice', which showed, in my opinion a respect for law and order. I think I am remembering it right. Billy Jack killed a bad guy that murdered an Indian and raped his girlfriend. I liked the movie back then. I'd have to see it again to see if still like it. I really liked the song 'One Tin Soldier.'

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Well, if ever one could be reminded of one's age..heh heh. Yep, I remember ''Billy Jack'', and I think at least hearing of the ''Trial of..'' part of that mental trivia soundtrack buried in my cortex. Maybe someone should start a 'That 70's Stuff'' thread.....challenged, anybody? :roflmao:

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