If you asked me to tell you exactly what it is about Bruce that is so incredibly, unbelievably cool, I don't think I'd have an easy time answering. BUT... this is my Bruce Lee tribute page, so I guess I'd better have a go!
It all started a long time ago - my fascination with Bruce that is - when I was about 10 years old. I had been training in Tae Kwon Do for about two years (although my mother stopped me going eventually 'cos I kept beating up my brothers!), and baisically loved kicking things in. So, my parents being the responsible adults that they are (bear in mind that I was ten), bought me a copy of the 18-certified Enter the Dragon. Nice one, Mum. Anyway, I thought it was absolutley amazing. Bruce moved like a cat crossed with the hardest thing ever. He kicked. He puched. He leaped. He also made the most ridiculous (but sooooo cool at the same time) noises. AAAADACK! WHOO! Indeed.
I was going to do an 'Entire History of Bruce' sort of thing for this page, but that would be too long. I'll just go through his films (though some of them he doesn't even star in!).
The BIG BOSS
This was Bruce's first ever Kung-Fu movie. It tells the story of a young man named Cheng Chao-An who goes to live with his uncle in Thailand, as he has got into lots of trouble back in his native Hong Kong. He starts work in an ice factory with his cousins, and is constantly reminded of his promise to his mother: not to get into any trouble (fights). So, for the first three-quarters of an hour of the film, Bruce does not fight. At all. Boo! BUT! when his necklace (a symbol of his promise) is torn away, off comes his shirt and in comes the kicks. Oohyah!!
Dood's Verdict: *****
A little slow at the beggining, but once Bruce gets his fighting trousers on, it's cool as poo.
FIST OF FURY
Bruce's second film (he only made five, bear in mind), that tells the story of a young man called Chen Chen (played by Bruce, obviously) who returns from a journey to find his martial arts teacher dead, in suspicious circumstances. Outraged by this, he swears that someone must have killed Teacher, that he was a healthy man who would not have died just like that. Of course, Bruce's suspicions are proven when it turns out a local Japanese martial arts school are responsible, and are trying to take over the school his teacher owned. Loads of cool fights in this one, especially the bit where Bruce returns the Japanese's message to the Chinese Dojo: ''The Chinese are the sick men of Asia''. Go, Bruce!!!
Dood's Verdict: *****
A lot faster paced than Big Boss, and the final fight is cool. Wicked!
WAY OF THE DRAGON
This film tells the story of a man named Tang Lung who (again) is far from his native homeland, and defending his people (the Chinese). This time, he has gone to his Uncle's Resteraunt in Rome, which is being threatened by the Mafia(!). Anyway, a bit like Big Boss, Bruce doesn't get to show for quite a while, but when he does... OH... MY.... GOD!!! A really good Kung-Fu movie (is that possible?) and especially brilliant purely because of the bit at the beggining, where Bruce tries to tell a child he's hungry. HA!
Dood's Verdict: *****
Definately Bruce's second best film (after Enter the Dragon). Awesome.
GAME OF DEATH I & II
Now this is strange. The original idea behind Game Of Death was that there was this multi-level pagoda inside of which was something. Something that a master of a different martial art was defending on each floor. And for some reason, Bruce wanted to get this something, so would have to fight all these different masters - and his Jeet Kune Do would triumph of course! BUT... since he went to make Enter the Dragon before they had filmed anything other than a few fight scenes, and that he tragically died shortly after that, Game Of Death was never finished. So the version(s) that were released had different stories (Game Of Death I even used footage of Bruce's funeral - sick or what?) and were subsequentally A Bit Crap Actually. Although Game Of Death I is worth watching for the fight scene at the end where he fights a massive black guy (whose name has escaped me at the moment). WOW!
Dood's Verdict: *****
They're alright I suppose. Just not Bruce...
ENTER THE DRAGON
Now this film is absolute class. YES! IT! IS! Bruce plays a secret agent who has to infiltrate a crimelord's island paradise hideout, by going through a martial arts competition. What makes this film so good? The fact that your never ten minutes away from a fight. The incredible Bolo Yeung. Bruce Lee vs. Bob Wall. Jim Kelly's afro. The fact that Bruce actually talks English! Nora Miao is in it! It's just sooooooo good I can't say anymore. The best martial arts film ever made. Really.
Dood's Verdict: *****
OH... MY... WORD... IT'S..... GOOD... SO... VERY.... GOOD!!!
So there you go. That's Bruce's films. There's I lot more I could've said, but there are some websites that do a much better job than I ever could. Go see:
