“Enter the Dragon” (燃えよドラゴン), Original Japanese Promotional Movie Poster 1973, Ultra Rare Variant, B2 Size (51 × 73 cm) Q205
This is an original Japanese B2 promotional poster printed in 1973 for the first-release campaign of Enter the Dragon (燃えよドラゴン), the landmark martial-arts film starring Bruce Lee. Produced by Warner Bros. and released at the very height of Lee’s international fame, the film became the defining crossover martial-arts picture of its era and remains one of the most important action films ever made.
This particular Japanese B2 is especially notable for its striking “white title” design variant, which differs from the more commonly encountered first-release style that uses fiery yellow-to-red title colouring. As such, it is a scarcer and highly desirable country-of-release Japanese variant, prized by Bruce Lee collectors for both its rarity and its stark visual impact.
Film background
Released in 1973, Enter the Dragon was Bruce Lee’s final completed film and the picture that cemented his global screen legacy. Directed by Robert Clouse, the film follows Lee as a Shaolin martial artist recruited to infiltrate a private island tournament run by the sinister Han, blending kung fu spectacle with espionage, revenge, and tournament drama. Co-starring John Saxon and Jim Kelly, the film brought Hong Kong martial arts cinema decisively into the international mainstream.
Its influence on popular culture is immense. Beyond launching generations of martial-arts fandom around the world, the film helped define the visual and physical language of modern action cinema. For many collectors, Enter the Dragon stands at the absolute summit of Bruce Lee memorabilia.
Poster design
This Japanese B2 uses a wonderfully austere and powerful design. The upper field is dominated by a high-contrast black-and-white photographic image of Bruce Lee, shown bare-chested in fighting stance, his expression calm but alert, with the distinctive battle scars across his torso clearly visible. The image has the authority of a publicity still, and its monochrome treatment gives the sheet a harder, more dramatic tone than the more colorful international poster campaigns.
The lower section is anchored by a dense black title band, across which the Japanese title 燃えよドラゴン is printed in bold solid white lettering. This is the key feature that distinguishes the poster from the better-known standard version with its warmer gradient title treatment. At lower left, the small Bruce Lee identification appears in English, while the bottom margin carries the Japanese billing line ●主演／ブルース・リー and the Warner Bros. presentation credit.
The overall effect is elegant, severe, and unmistakably collectible: a poster that relies on Bruce Lee’s iconic screen presence and graphic restraint rather than busy montage or decorative excess.
Condition
Excellent vintage condition. Please review the photos; they show the exact poster for sale.
This poster is an original Japanese B2 promotional poster from the 1973 first-release campaign.
It is not a reproduction or a reprint.
It is over 50 years old!
Certificate of Authenticity included.
