By Lorraine LoBianco
Enter the Ninja
Brief Synopsis
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After finishing training in the martial art of ninjutsu in Japan, an American soldier named Cole returns to the United States. Cole goes to visit his army buddy Frank Landers, who was recently married. The young couple own a large parcel of farm land, and Cole learns that they are being harassed by Charles Venarius, the CEO of a large company who is intent on buying the property. The Landers do not know what Venarius does, that there is a large oil deposit underneath their farm land. The harassment escalates to coersion, and Venarius hires Hasegawa, Cole's rival from Japan, to kill Cole and get him out of the way.
Cast & Crew
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Emmett Alston
Director
Franco Nero
Susan George
Christopher George
Alex Courtney
Will Hare
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Action
Martial Arts
Release Date
1981
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 39m
Synopsis
After finishing training in the martial art of ninjutsu in Japan, an American soldier named Cole returns to the United States. Cole goes to visit his army buddy Frank Landers, who was recently married. The young couple own a large parcel of farm land, and Cole learns that they are being harassed by Charles Venarius, the CEO of a large company who is intent on buying the property. The Landers do not know what Venarius does, that there is a large oil deposit underneath their farm land. The harassment escalates to coersion, and Venarius hires Hasegawa, Cole's rival from Japan, to kill Cole and get him out of the way.
Cast
Franco Nero
Susan George
Christopher George
Alex Courtney
Will Hare
Leo Martinez
Ken Metcalfe
Subas Herrero
Konrad Waalkes
Jack Turner
Lucy Bush
Jonee Gamboa
James Gaines
Constantin De Goguel
Dale Ishimoto
Sho Kosugi
Isolde Winter
Don Gordon
Derek Webster
Alan Amiel
Bob Jones
Zachi Noy
Crew
Jun Amazan
Assistant Director
Willy Arce
Sound
Judd Bernard
Producer
Kent Beyda
Sound Editor
Richard C Bock
Assistant Editor
Thierry J Couturier
Associate Editor
Carlos Delarios
Sound
Tony Delumen
Unit Manager
Dick Desmond
Screenplay
Rex Devereaux
Music Supervisor
Michael Duthie
Editor
Yoram Globus
Producer
Mark Goldblatt
Editor
David Gurfinkel
Director Of Photography
Graham Harris
Sound Editor
Rina Hofmanis
Makeup
Moshe Klein
Production Associate
Manny Lee
On-Set Dresser
Robert Lee
Art Director
Schmulick Levi
Key Grip
Webster Michael Lewis
Music
Leo Martinez
Production Supervisor
Ken Metcalfe
Location Manager
Aurelio Navarro
Production Manager
Ben Otico
Special Effects
Ricardo Remias
Camera Operator
Laurin Rinder
Music
Roger Robles
Photography
Aaron Rochin
Sound
Martin Sagarabarria
Other
Giovanni Sanna-manila
Wardrobe
Danny Santos
Wardrobe
Elvie Santos
Wardrobe
Michael Sloan
Sound Editor
Jonathan Earl Stein
Sound
Michael Stone
From Story
Michael Stone
Stunts
Michael Stone
Stunt Coordinator
John Patrick Thompson
Production Coordinator
Alan Toomayan
Assistant Editor
Judy Wilson
Script Supervisor
Karl Zaske
Assistant Editor
Film Details
MPAA Rating
Genre
Action
Martial Arts
Release Date
1981
Technical Specs
Duration
1h 39m
Articles
Enter the Ninja -
Filmed on location in Manila, Philippines, Enter the Ninja (1981) was the brainchild of producer Menahem Golan, who wanted to create the first American film about ninjas. Golan first entered the project in the late fall of 1980 with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer set to make the film with a budget estimated at between $2 and $4 million. Enter the Ninja was to be one of a multi-film and television deal between MGM and The Cannon Group, Inc. Franco Nero was not the original choice for the lead role of Cole, a newly-minted ninja who goes to the Philippines to help a friend defend his plantation. That part was to have gone to Karate champ Mike Stone, who was working on the screenplay. Production began on January 13, 1981 in Japan and the Philippines with Emmet Alston directing, but by February, Variety reported that producer Golan had taken directing duties from Alston and Nero was now playing Cole. Although he did not star in the final film, Mike Stone was given credit for stunt coordination, choreographing fight scenes and the film's original story, with screenplay by Dick Desmond. Also in the cast were Susan George, Sho Kosugi, Alex Courtney and Christopher George. Production ended quickly by the end of March 1981 with the intention of screening the film at the Cannes Film Festival with a general release set for Easter of 1982. However, the film did not open in Los Angeles until April 30, 1982.
By Lorraine LoBianco
By Lorraine LoBianco
Enter the Ninja -
Filmed on location in Manila, Philippines, Enter the Ninja (1981) was the brainchild of producer Menahem Golan, who wanted to create the first American film about ninjas. Golan first entered the project in the late fall of 1980 with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer set to make the film with a budget estimated at between $2 and $4 million. Enter the Ninja was to be one of a multi-film and television deal between MGM and The Cannon Group, Inc. Franco Nero was not the original choice for the lead role of Cole, a newly-minted ninja who goes to the Philippines to help a friend defend his plantation. That part was to have gone to Karate champ Mike Stone, who was working on the screenplay. Production began on January 13, 1981 in Japan and the Philippines with Emmet Alston directing, but by February, Variety reported that producer Golan had taken directing duties from Alston and Nero was now playing Cole. Although he did not star in the final film, Mike Stone was given credit for stunt coordination, choreographing fight scenes and the film's original story, with screenplay by Dick Desmond. Also in the cast were Susan George, Sho Kosugi, Alex Courtney and Christopher George. Production ended quickly by the end of March 1981 with the intention of screening the film at the Cannes Film Festival with a general release set for Easter of 1982. However, the film did not open in Los Angeles until April 30, 1982.
By Lorraine LoBianco
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Released in United States 1981
Released in United States 1981
