It was the first South African film to have an all-black cast, to appeal to black audiences.
[2] Independently released in 1973, Joe Bullet played at the Eyethu cinema in Soweto.
[4] The film was restored by Gravel Road Distribution under the supervision of its original producer, Tonie van der Merwe.
[5] Joe Bullet was scheduled to appear at the MoMA annual film preservation festival in 2014.
[5] Described by The Guardian as being modelled on something between Shaft and James Bond, Joe Bullet drives sports cars, drinks, does karate, shoots guns, throws knives, and climbs up mineshafts.