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Bruce Lee, the Man, the Myth (1976)

Behind Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee: The True Story
Li Hsiao Lung chuan chi
Lee siu lung chuen kei
The Dragon Lives


Cast:

Bruce Li is Bruce Lee
David Chow is Murayaki
Chang Kuei
Ching Chi Min
Unicorn Chan is Himself


What the box says:

The life of a legend unfolds in this fascinating biopic. Filmed on location, it follows Bruce Lee as he journeys around the world, to finally settle in America, where he begins his successful film career.


Plot:


Just remember Bruce Li is Bruce Lee in his true story...

In an ambulance, paramedics try to revive Bruce Lee as the narration ensues.

At a martial arts studio, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) begins a workout. His master learns that Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) is going to America. He will teach kung fu all over the world. They spar one final time.

In Seattle, USA, on a college campus, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) invites more to his classes.


"Oh, you're so wild and crazy...."
Later, while he’s working at a gas station, he sees some goons chasing some old guy trying to rob him. So it is Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) to the rescue.

The goons report to their boss, Moriyahi, how they were mistreated. Apparently goons have ht right to rob anyone without fear of being beaten by a kung fu master.

At Lee’s studio, he explains the purpose of kung fu when Moriyahi and his goons pay a visit. The evil boss wants to show how karate is better than Chinese Kung Fu. They schedule a little competition.

As Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) is heading to the competition the next day; the goons try to run him over. At the meet, Moriyahi is gloating and claims victory. One of Lee’s students will stand in for him. Suddenly, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) arrives. He promptly wipes the floor with Moriyahi who vows revenge.

San Francisco, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) has expanded his ideas on kung fu. He meets with one of his friends


When you can take the chopstick from my hand, yo will learn the Golden Glow..
He learns that some people refuse to allow non-Chinese to study martial arts. Promptly, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) Kung Fues him severely.

On his way to a karate championship, in the airport, Moriyahi sends his goons to get Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li).

At the Long Beach Karate Championship let the grainy footage of Bruce Lee ensue. Narration explains how he got the role as Kato in the Green Hornet. Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) isn’t happy with how Hollywood is treating him and decides to go to Hong Kong to make movies.

On the set of Fist of Fury, one of the actors wants to see how tough Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) is. He runs of to get his brothers after learning one doesn’t fight with Bruce Lee. Agreeing to meet the Thai Boxers later, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) attends a Thai boxing match. Finally, at the temple, the fight is on.

On a run, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) chats with some road construction workers. Jogger goons want the barricade taken down when the brawl breaks out. Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) demonstrates how he can break apart 3 boards with one punch. The head goon, Chan, challenges Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) to a fight later.

At the fight, Chan insults Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li). Before the fight starts, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) is planning his next movie. After warming up, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) quickly dispatches with Chan.

The narrator explains how Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) moved into directing. In Rome, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) inspects the Coliseum. A few guys with guns take Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) to their boss. The hot chick who is the boss wants to know about his kung fu. Apparently, her father betted heavily on one of Lee’s opponents in a fight and lost. He wants to see if Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) is actually that good.

They want Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) to face 3 guys. After going through them, The Mafia don is impressed.

Later, Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) gets a phone call about how he’ll be beaten soon.

On the movie set, some evil goons spy on Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) and try to provoke Bruce into a fight. He first refuses to fight but quickly unleashes the beat-down.

Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) does another training regiment.


It's not healthy to be electrocuted by a car battery? Do it hit me again..
Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) wakes up suffering from a terrible headache. Flashback to the wizened master who tells how he’ll die young but will be reborn.

Bruce Lee (played by Bruce Li) is getting the final plans for his next movie: Game of Death. He suffers from another headache. Later, his wife tries to wake him to no avail. A doctor rushes in let the medical montage ensue.

Newspaper headlines proclaim Bruce Lee’s death. The memorials begin.

The narrator explains how many rumors about Bruce Lee’s death like being attacked by 4 swordsmen.

The wizened master warns Bruce Lee will only reach 35. He must fake his death and become a total recluse and return in 10 years: 1983?


What I say:

The 1970s really saw the rise of exploitation sub-genres like blaxsploitation, hicksploitation, nunsploitation, and far more than those. Brucesploitation, The late 1970s saw the rise of Dragon Lee and Bruce Li. They were to be the successors of Bruce Lee in films like Fist of Fury, Touch of Death and Real Bruce Lee.

If they wanted realism, Taimak from the Last Dragon would have been far more realistic as Bruce Lee. I'd look more like Bruce Lee than Bruce Li does. Bart Simpson would look more like Bruce Lee than any of these guys from these 70s movies. Now to demonstrate my point. Notice the similarities...
Bruce Lee          Bruce Li

Movies based on Bruce Lee are about as close to reality as I am to Anna Paquin. Bruce Li as Bruce Lee wanders around fighting people. Normally, the bad guys are some sort of martial artists that have to pick fights with anyone who are martial artists in other fields. The evil karate school, mafia, and angry joggers.

Imagine anyone doing their impression of badly dubbed martials arts movie, that would have closer mouth flaps to words than the dubbing in this movie. Yes, the dubbing is awful, too. If the dubbing were much worse, I'd expect it to be in a late 1960s Godzilla movie...

What is the point of having Moriyahi pop up every so often as if he's some sort of evil mastermind who has made his mind up to destroy Bruce Lee. I still doubt Moriyahi was some subtle word play of Moriarity. Lex Luthor never did anything that complicated to get Superman. Doctor Doom would even tell him to chill.

Just taking pieces of Bruce Lee movies and throwing an actor who looks mothing like Bruce Lee is a travesty. Biographies or whatever this kind of movie could be considered can't have 100% accuracy especially when it ends claiming many people believe that Bruce Lee will return from hiding in 1983 has to be taken with a grain of salt or all the salt from the Dead Sea...



2 NINJAS

Quotable Dialogue

"Direct menas doing what you've to do."
"The anger is here in your brain."
"What's he done, Mr. Karate?"
"This looks like the hooker district."
"I must show him Jeet Kun Do."
"My captor is very lvoely."


Morals of the Story

It is possible to grunt without moving one's lips.
The Seattle Space Needle can be seen for the Empire state Building.
Insulting Thai Boxing is fighting words.
Weightlifters in China believe they're from another country.
Ninjas need shilleaughies.
Punches are measured in volts.


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