# Billy Jack - Have you seen it? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 26, 2011, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317 "2011-05-26T16:56:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/21 "2011-05-26T17:54:13Z")
I’m in my 50s and remember it clearly. And when I hear people bashing it, I try so hard to not let it bother me. I really do. But when I think of that little movie - which was so special to me that I call it God’s Little Movie Gift - being bad-mouthed…I…just…go…BESERK! mmm ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/22 "2011-05-26T17:55:06Z")
I’m 48. I saw it several times over the years - it used to air on TV after its theatrical run. I also remember “Billy Jerk” and “Billy Paul” on SNL. Horrible, steaming pile of crap movie for sure. I think the pitch probably went something like this: “Hey, you know that popular show ‘Kung Fu’? How about a modern-day Kung-Fu, and we’ll mix in a bunch of hippie stuff to make it ‘deep’. The kids will love it!” It was a very bad movie, but it came out in a time filled with even worse movies, and at least there were people being booted in the head. That and the hit soundtrack made it memorable. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/23 "2011-05-26T17:59:48Z")
I’m 45 and I saw _Billy Jack_ at the movies–may have been on re-release or something. Any political message flew way over my head. I liked the fight scenes. ---
**Author:** ![Contrapuntal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e274bd/32.png) [@Contrapuntal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Contrapuntal)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/24 "2011-05-26T18:03:53Z")
Saw it. Liked it. It didn’t age well. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/25 "2011-05-26T18:09:28Z")
I saw all the Billy Jack movies.:o ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/26 "2011-05-26T18:12:37Z")
I’m 50. I remember enjoying all the rhe Billy Jack movies when I was a kid, I don’t dare comtemplate re-watching them for fear I’d want to invent a time-machine to go back to the 1970’s and shoot myself. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/27 "2011-05-26T18:26:46Z")
1. Saw it in the movies. Was quite young and thought it was awesome. Saw it a year ago or so on Netflix streaming - boy does it suck! But it made me laugh. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5f8ce5/32.png) [@The\_Peyote\_Coyote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Peyote_Coyote)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/28 "2011-05-26T18:29:36Z")
I saw it on its first TV release – I was in the 14 to 16 range – and I didn’t think it was that bad althought I figured in real life the Arizona cops would have shot him dead at the end. That would have made for a better film in my opininon. Don’t know what I would think of it at the age of 51. On the other hand, “One Tin Soldier” is a crime against humanity. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/29 "2011-05-26T18:31:02Z")
I saw as much as I could bear to watch. I used to work at the same place as the woman who, years earlier, played the young blonde gal who uttered the line, “Oh man, this council really sucks.” ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/30 "2011-05-26T18:31:23Z")
I’m 46. I saw it at summer camp in 1976 or 1977. I thought it kicked royal ass back then. I have not seen it since. We also sang “One Tin Soldier” _a lot_ in elementary school. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/31 "2011-05-26T18:33:15Z")
I saw it in the theater when it came out. I’m 55. I am morally compelled to recommend that you seek out _The Trial of Billy Jack_, which is that rarest of all gems - a movie so irretrievably awful that it has its own charm. I have never been able to find _Billy Jack Goes to Washington_, perhaps fortunately. I have even seen _Born Losers_, the movie only which _Billy Jack_ was based. Almost equally silly, but with Evil Bikers instead of Evil Townspeople. You have to consider that most of these came out during the 70s, the lowest point in the whole history of Western culture. Leisure suits, disco, and _Billy Jack_. All three a kick in the head. ETA: If I am not mistaken, the SNL “Billy Paul” skit had Paul Simon, and aired after _Billy Jack_’s first TV screening. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/32 "2011-05-26T18:42:20Z")
52 - I saw Billy Jack, Born Losers, and The Trial Of Billy Jack. I thought they were great at the time but have since changed my mind 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/33 "2011-05-26T18:42:55Z")
I saw it at the drive-in, the way it was meant to be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Profound\_Gibberish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/65b543/32.png) [@Profound\_Gibberish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Profound_Gibberish)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/34 "2011-05-26T18:46:55Z")
1. It was awsome. At the time. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/35 "2011-05-26T18:49:26Z")
I’m 66. I saw it at the drive-in too, as well as _Last House on the Left_, _Born Losers_, _Easy Rider_, and _Night of the Living Dead_. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![NAF1138](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/naf1138/32/3245_2.png) [@NAF1138](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NAF1138)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/36 "2011-05-26T18:52:25Z")
I am 28 and I have not only seen it, I own the trilogy! _Billy Jack Goes to Washington_ is my favorite\*. \*not actually true, it’s a terrible movie, but an awesome idea. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/37 "2011-05-26T19:05:04Z")
1. I saw The Trial of Billy Jack first run. I was in 9th grade, and most of us hadn’t seen the first two films. Our P.E. teacher overheard the kids talking about it, and told our class about the shot between the eyes scene in The Born Losers. I saw Billy Jack when it aired on TV (I also remember the Billy Paul sketch). I finally saw The Born Losers about nine or ten years ago on TCM. I’ve never seen Billy Jack Goes to Washington. (Never tried, for that matter.) ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/38 "2011-05-26T19:08:17Z")
I’m 53, I saw it. It seemed like a good thing at the time (being a very young teen) but by college when I saw it again, I found it pretty lousy. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/39 "2011-05-26T19:11:04Z")
[QUOTE=bup] We also sang “One Tin Soldier” _a lot_ in elementary school. [/QUOTE] 44 and ditto. I didn’t see the movie in the theater but I saw it when it came on TV, this being back when movies coming on network TV was a big deal. Never saw BJGT-Washington but I’ve always wanted to because it promises to be a must-see. “We need to fill a Congressional seat… what’s the name of that Indian activist who got convicted of terrorism a while back? See if he’s available.” Supposedly Tom Laughlin spent a fortune on the sets to get the most realistic Senate chamber set in the biz; he later leased it to other movies. IIRC he lost the fortune he made on the first Billy Jack with the Washington pic. ---
**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317/40 "2011-05-26T19:12:08Z")
> [@ministryman](#): > > So, I’m in my semi-monthly “holy crap, I’m old” mood, and I mention the movie _Billy Jack_ (1971). It seems that only guys 50 and up remember this. > > But to add insult to injury, the “youngsters” have heard of and have seen The Sting (1973) and The Godfather (1972). > > So I ask my fellow dopers: have you seen this movie, and how old are you? Based on the success of this thread and what seems to me to be a plurality of disapproval of the quality of the movie, may I suggest another thread that tries to find other “dogs” from that era that excel in their awfulness. _Billy Jack_ may lead the parade, but I suspect we each have at least one other to put alongside it for a “Do Not See” prize. It’s fun to see that the age range has little bearing on how dismal this thing is/was. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/billy-jack-have-you-seen-it/583317.md?page=3)