That's still my favorite biopic ever on him. Even better I saw that **** on opening day at Greenspoint Mall baby!!
I must’ve seen it at least 100 times and it never gets old. The Randy Edelman tune really puts it together nicely and LH looks fine AF as always.
"Dragon: TBLS" gets so much completely wrong or just makes stuff up from his life, but it is rousing as ****. "Be Water" was ok. I don't understand why they didn't talk much about his impact on MMA and other combat sports. The gist of his life has been covered so many times, and you're on ESPN! That would've been more interesting, I think.
specifically, the circumstances surrounding his death. i was an ex-pat working in HK for several years. the general concensus among the HKers is that Bruce die a joyful man. he die in the middle of a fornication session w his mistress, who got a bit part in the Game of Death. she called the ambulance, who picked up Bruce's naked body, unconscious, on her bed in her house. the documentary also left out his futile attempts, in the early 1960s, after leaving Seattle, to open a kung-fu studio in SF, then the most fertile ground, in the US, for kung-fu masters within the Chinese community in No Cal, SF is referred to as "Big Port", and Oakland across the bay "2nd Port". SF is to NYC, as Oakland is to Hobokien, NJ Bruce left Seattle, aiming to open a kung-fu studio in SF. but he ran into too many hurdles put up by the traditional Si-Fu's in SF. he had to settled for one in "2nd Port". but, he continued to go to SF chinatown challenging kung-fu masters for fights. finally, the kung-fu establishment in SF, arranged a fight between Bruce and another 24-yr master, surname wong, who was also trying to open a studio in SF the agreement was the winner gets to open up a kung-fu studio in SF Chinatown, the loser leaves town. no one really knows the details of this fight/match; but this much is fact si fu Wong soon opened a kung-fu studio in SF chinatown. Bruce Lee re-located to LA then, as compared to SF, a desert for kung fu masters, a down grade from Oakland Bruce rented a house in Inglewood, CA and opened a kung fu studio on College Street in LA's Chinatown
Its a big let down. They sugarcoat a lot of stuff and don't really dive into any of the interesting things. I guess the most interesting topic they explored was his breaking down racial barriers in Hollywood, but even then, they built up a narrative that even he didn't really believe in to an extent. Didn't seem to have the quality that a lot of other 30 for 30s have either. I found it quite disappointing.
I'm sorry I missed it and will try to catch it on demand. Regarding Dragon, that was based on Linda Lee's accounts and made with the cooperation of the family including his daughter. That is one reason why it paints him a very good light and other than saying he died never addresses any of the controversy. There have been several other Bruce Lee bio pics and Ip Man 4 references a lot of Bruce Lee's life including problems with Chinese Kung Fu masters in SF and other martial arts schools. Bruce Lee has become such a mythic figure that I think it's hard for people, especially people in MA, to really take in his life in totality including his shortcomings.
I didn't see it but race did play a big factor in Hollywood at the time. Star Trek was revolutionary at the time for having black and Asian officers. Most role for Asians were either small times roles such Hop Kid on Bonanza or villains. Even some of the top Asian roles were taken by white people in yellow face. Bruce Lee himself was the victim of this Kung Fu the series taken from him and rewritten and cast with a white man in the title role. As a side note tagging @jiggyfly. We'd been talking about the Cinemax series "Warrior". which is based on what Bruce Lee had in mind for "Kung Fu" and deals very heavily with racial issues in 1880's SF.
A world champion grappler with 80-90 pound weight advantage is going to pretty much win 99% of the time, especially when Bruce didn't have those skills at the time. Bruce was 130-140 standing weight which means he's equivalent to a pro boxer or UFC fighter that weighs 120 pounds or less.
There was a asian actress and actor who they talked about on the PBS Asians in America who talked about the roles they got in the 1950's and how they only got roles that were evil asians or very small. I had never noticed how most asians where mostly depicted as evil when I was growing up.
That's kind of the point Lee had that old martial art mindset that a high level black belt could destroy anyone and Gene showed he the error of ways. Bruce from what I've gathered was already thinking about this but their altercation really drove it home. They started training together and became good friends -- Lee started using some grappling moves in his movies. Gene was always really cool and didn't talk **** -- I think the Seagal story is the only famous incident he would talk about because he like everyone else couldn't stand Seagal.
Yes it was only until relatively recently that we saw Asians regularly on TV or in movies. I've heard interviews with George Takei and Pat Morita about how few roles they had before they got their chance on Star Trek and Happy Days. and even after they were done with those it was years before they got other big roles. The Original Hawaii 5-0 had one Asian regular and Magnum PI none, not even a recurring character even though Hawaii actually has an Asian majority.
Jackie Chan is a clown. Yes, the stunts and such are most impressive. So are Tom Cruise's, doesn't mean Tommy's not a lunatic..
Bruce was a great fight scene Choreographer,but if he and Richard Simmons teamed up to fight the 50+ old Mike Tyson , they will loose badly if they don't run away, there's so much exaggeration of Bruce's skillset and legacy
Floyd Mayweather would lose to a 50 year old Tyson. What's your point. Bruce Lee is the reason martial arts became big in the west. That is his legacy.
