Call it a bittersweet anniversary. This month is the 50th anniversary of the release of “Enter the Dragon,” aBarbenheimer-like phenomenonthat made San Francisco native and martial arts powerhouse Bruce Lee internationally famous.

Unfortunately, the release, on Aug. 17, 1973, came about a month after Lee’s death, at 32, of a cerebral edema and a subsequent allergic reaction to medication.

“Enter the Dragon,”a James Bondian martial arts extravaganza, was a coproduction between Warner Bros. and Hong Kong studio Golden Harvest co-starring Jim Kelly and John Saxon that cost $850,000 to make and returned $400 million and counting.

The film isback in theatersacross the Bay Area courtesy of Fathom Events for screenings on Sunday, Aug. 13, and Wednesday, Aug, 16.

The 4K restoration was released Tuesday, Aug. 8, on digital home video and on aUHD disc.

The impact of “Enter the Dragon” is hard to overstate. Not only was the iconic poster a ubiquitous accessory in teenage boys’ bedrooms, but martial arts participation in the United States also exploded from a few million people to around 40 million.

Of course, Lee had made movies before. Though he was born atChinese Hospital in San Francisco in 1940, he grew up in Hong Kong and became a child and teen star. His family sent him back to San Francisco in 1958, and he later lived in Seattle and Oakland before trying his luck in Hollywood.

He starred as Kato, the trusty assistant to superhero “The Green Hornet,” in the ABC TV series that lasted one season, 1966-67, but found Hollywood difficult to crack. After small parts opposite Dean Martin in “The Wrecking Crew” (1968) and James Garner in “Marlowe” (1969), he returned to Hong Kong, where he became an instant star.

The success in Asia of “The Big Boss,” “Fist of Fury” and “The Way of the Dragon” in 1971-72 paved the way for what would be his Hollywood breakthrough, “Enter the Dragon.”

李的posthumous legend and cultural impactrecalls the tragic career of James Dean in the 1950s. Dean made three films, but only one was released before his death in a car accident on Sept. 30, 1955. A month later, his signature film “Rebel Without a Cause” was released, sending his popularity into the stratosphere.

And just like Dean, Lee’s fame has never really diminished.His filmsare still widely watched,还在写书about him, documentaries are still being made about him and even his unfinished projects are still being realized — witness the success of the Max series“Warrior,”a Lee concept set in 19th century San Francisco currently in its third season.

Now “Enter the Dragon” is back, better than ever. But the Dragon’s spirit has been with us all along.

Reach G. Allen Johnson:ajohnson@sfchronicle.com