Flashback Review: Way of the Dragon

If you only see one Bruce Lee film in your life see Way of the Dragon, not because it is Lee’s best film, but for two reasons:

1.  Way of the Dragon is Bruce, he wrote, directed, choreographed, produced and starred in this film.  His personality and charisma comes through like no other and we really get a glimpse of who Lee was as a person.

2.  Chuck Norris

Following the success of Lee’s first two major film he had in a year earned the power to create his own film in his own image in every aspect.  While not a professional filmmaker he could have fooled anyone watching as this is arguably as good as any work he produced in his short career.

Happy November, Here Comes All-Bruce Month! WAAAAAAaaaaaa!

Once again its time for the 4th annual All-Bruce Month, as November 27th nears I would like to mark the 72nd celebration of Lee Jun Fan’s life with an entire month dedicated to Bruce Lee’s life, impact on culture, his teachings and of course his movies.

Bruce gave birth to an entire genre culture when his first film The Big Boss/Fists of Fury took America by storm and spawned an entire decade of Kung Fu Cinema, costumes, ninjas and a generation of actors such as Tony Jaa, Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, Jet Li and his own son the late Brandon Lee.  Without Bruce we probably would not have 3 or 4 martial arts studios in every town, Chuck Norris would not be cool, Daniel Larusso would not have inspired every kid to stand up for himself with a crane kick and Sho Kosugi would not have spawned the ninja age.  It all started with Bruce.

Bruce Lee was not just movies, his teachings in Jeet Kune Do, philosophy and life still remain relevant today.  The title banner of this site is highlighted with a Chinese Character that resembles a double-sided K, in fact that is the character for “water.”  When I created this site I added it along with the “wisdom of the Dragon” section.  The character for water is a reference to what I consider Bruce’s most inspirational quote: “Don’t get set into one form, adapt it and build your own, and let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; You put water into a bottle it becomes the bottle; You put it in a teapot it becomes the teapot. Water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.”

Look for All-Bruce in November!

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

Flashback Review: G.O.D. – A Warrior’s Journey

Everything that was wrong with Game of Death is made right with A Warriors Journey. John Little, one of, if not, the premier historians on Bruce Lee takes a look into the life of Bruce Lee prior to his death.

While Little covers many points of Lee’s life, philosophy and films, what really makes this documentary different from all the rest is the presentation of Game of Death. With the help of Lee’s notes and unused film Little brings us the intended vision of Bruce Lee.

Way of the Dragon – Retro Review

If you only see one Bruce Lee film in your life see Way of the Dragon, not because it is Lee’s best film, but for two reasons:

1.  Way of the Dragon is Bruce, he wrote, directed, choreographed, produced and starred in this film.  His personality and charisma comes through like no other and we really get a glimpse of who Lee was as a person.

2.  Chuck Norris

Following the success of Lee’s first two major film he had in a year earned the power to create his own film in his own image in every aspect.  While not a professional filmmaker he could have fooled anyone watching as this is arguably as good as any work he produced in his short career.

The story takes Tang from his home in Hong Kong to Rome where his family has a restaurant that is under shakedown from the Mafia and he is sent to help.  All is easy until he runs into the Mafia’s biggest henchman, Colt played by Norris.  While the school scene in Fist of Fury is Lee’s most famous, the final confrontation with Colt is Lee’s greatest one-on-one moment.  The talent of Lee and Norris make the scene not only Lee’s best, but also the most talent in one room in the history of Kung Fu films.  Norris is not the only famous face from the Karate World, Robert Wall also makes his first appearance in a Lee film here also as a Mafia henchman.  History has it the three were good friends and training partners.

Because Lee had such control Dragon is filled with comedy and character depth.  The scenes in the restaurant are greatest acting moments in all of Lee’s films.  And the scene on the fountain with the beautiful Italian beauty is far underrated as one of the best explanations of international etiquette.  The funniest character in the film is hands down the eccentric and flamboyant Ho played by Wei Ping-Ao who had prominent roles in several of Lee’s films.

The one and only flaw in this film was the quality of the video and some of the shots.  It seems to have not restored as well as some of the others, does it have to do with a smaller budget?  Foreign products used from Italy?  Damage and not stored as well all these years?  Who knows but the picture is not as sharp as Fist of Fury and looks even less quality the old film of Big Boss.  Maybe with Lee’s control he did not spend as much on the quality of film, or bought what he thought was a better quality of film.  Also at times especially on location shots the focus of the shot is off.

A top notch film as were all of Lee’s completed works, but the one film he had total control over that actually made it to the theaters in his vision.