Reviews (1)

the man got down...the brothers were ready...you must see it
Billy Dee Williams stars as Johnny Johnson, a young black man with a promising future and an impatience for racism. This gets out of control when the job he applies for is given to a less qualified white man. As a result, he joins a radical civil rights group, and takes matters into his own hands through a violent revolution and ultimate confrontation with police.

Starring: Billy Dee Williams, D'Urville Martin, Celia Kaye, Raymond St. Jacques, R.G. Armstrong, Madie Norman ... Read more

Description

Thailand-set actioner involving a Karate expert and two cohorts who try to rescue a kidnapped senator's daughter from oriental villains. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

I... that... what was that?
Oh man.

Absolutely horrible. Not even good horrible, either, and it has all the elements to be a kung fu B movie classic: Terrible editing, atrocious acting, ridiculous action, and brain-numbing dialogue. And yet... what a horrible movie!

The editing is TOO terrible, the acting TOO atrocious, the action (if you can call it action) TOO very ridiculous, and the dialogue... The dialogue. Oh God, the dialogue.

The cast is terrible. Jim Kelly would be the movie's only saving grace, if only he were in top form. His afro is nice and picked out, but even his 'fro-blowing skills are not enough to pull this motley crew out of the Toilet of the Sucks. The guy who plays "Rhino" -- I don't remember his name because I tried to block out as much of this movie as possible -- is... is... well, I'm sure he's a good guy in real life. It's just that his character needs to be pushed off a cliff. Same goes for... uh, Joe Chicago, or whatever. The movie is absolutely filled with their, erm, interaction, much to its detriment.

Do not watch this movie. Never watch this movie. If you want a horrible movie that makes no sense, watch Fantasy Mission Force. If you want a good Jim Kelly movie, watch Black Belt Jones. If you want to torture yourself for 88 minutes, go right ahead and watch Hot Potato. Do it. I dare you.

OH! My Aching Head!
How did this movie ever make my local video store shelf? I too, love "B" movies, but this one left me in shock! Are we to take this flick seriously? One question..........how did Rhino keep that toy car under that poncho as he traveled through the jungle fighting off armies of little men dressed like cavemen??? What about the scene where the armies run out in pairs and stand with their backs to the camera looking at the forest?? My mouth was hanging open throughout this film, trying to figure out if it was a martial arts movie or a comedy. I told my son that he was in for a thrill when he watched it after me. He's the one that paid the 50 cents to rent it anyway. I liked the other reviews and laughed when I read them too.

Hot What?
The only good thing about this movie is the fight scenes with Kelly looking cool and smooth as usual. Yes Kelly is an outstanding martial artist but Bruce Lee he is not. Kelly only wished to achieve Lee's popularity and skill. But by making movies like this one its a no brainer why Kelly is all but UNKNOWN!

"oscar williams is a genius"...
...this is what you would NOT say after viewing either/both hot potato or its poor predecessor black belt jones. these movies try for nothing and succeed wildly. the problem with hot potato over BBJ, though, is the insertion of "actor" George Mommoli as the "comic relief." believe me, if i could adjust the font size for this review, i'd make those quotes point 72. Mommoli couldn't be more idiotic and has--get this--MORE lines than jim kelly himself. in short, this movie is so painful to watch, the mere 87 minutes seem twice as long as the time it takes for the bering glacier to reach buenos ares. to boot, the other reviews here make it seem like you'll enjoy viewing it as long as you're a fan of bad movies. now i enjoy watching bad movies as much as the next guy, but sitting through this is painful with a capital 'p.' remember that the next time you think about watching this movie or spending as much as one penny for it.

Jim Kelly is one Smooth Dude
This is easily one of the best 70's martial arts films. Jim Kelly is the coolest character of them all. He really does put Bruce Lee to shame. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

really tight film
films like this tackled so many issues&covered a wide array of subject matter.very much on point Soul Film.a film like this in the early 70's still isn't brought to light in the modern era of film making&find that ironic.very well written&a really good film.

A Soul Cinema Classic
The summary of the movie on the back of the video cover says it all--glorified, unified, and filled-with-pride. "Five on the Black Hand Side" portrays an African-American family going through changes during the 1970s. The older brother Booker T. Washington Brooks is a socialist who talks the talk, but doesn't walk the walk. His younger brother Gideon, is a black revolutionary who defies the father and everyone around him. Their sister is getting married and the mother, Mrs. Brooks has had it with her husband. She doesn't really want out of her marriage but she wants some change in their marriage, which not only means her, but her husband. Mrs. Brooks goes to war with help from her neigbors and children. Mr. Brooks wants the best for his children but he is too controlling of how they should live their lives which creates a friction between Gideon and him. He is also resistant to change.
This movie during its period dealt with the issues of gender within the African-American community as well as racism and socialism. I wonder if "Barbershop" got their idea from this movie!

Wish they made movies like this now....
Five on the Black Hand Side follows the familiar seventies vein of confronting political issues in Black films. The subject matter of Black Hand Side ranges from the Black family, to interracial dating, to the Black political conciousness that unfortunately is lacking in recent days. I would highly recommend this movie to every Black person, in particular every Black family. This movie is a true, and unfortunately rare gem.

An AfroAmerican Classic !!!!....A Must See For All Races!
I can remember seeing "Five On The Black Hand Side" as a teenager in Los Angeles California at the Baldwin Hills Movie Theater in 1973. This movie gave me a sense of being very proud of my blackness, It gave me hope in being who I am...To walk with dignity and hold my head and not be ashamed of who I am. Every human being on this planet earth regardless of race, color or creed should be proud of their heritage and most of all, be very proud of THEMSELVES and to go for your positive dreams..This movie represents just that.I strongly suggest this movie to be purchased from AMAZON and add it to your movie collection.

The Best of the Best
"Five On The Black Hand Side", is a great movie. A must see for all African American families. Thank you Amazon for making it available. ... Read more