Few martial arts movies have been as iconic as Bruce Lee's extraordinary swan music Enter the dragona kung fu basic that can depart many viewers wanting extra of the identical. Crammed with extremely choreographed struggle sequences, infused with parts of the espionage and exploration style, and mixing Japanese and Western sensibilities in a approach that appealed to a world viewers, this launch was important in securing Lee's legacy as maybe cinema's greatest star. of martial arts that you've got ever skilled.
Enter the dragon has earned its place among the many finest kung fu movies of the Nineteen Seventies, though there may be a lot extra to select from when audiences are searching for one thing related. Whether or not it's extra movies starring Lee, of which there are tragically few contemplating his premature demise at simply 32, or extra trendy movies that pay homage to his legacy, Enter the dragon had an simple affect on martial arts cinema. Though greater than 50 years have handed for the reason that launch of Enter the dragoncuriosity on this basic movie has not waned one bit.
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Heroes of the East (1978)
Directed by Lau Kar Leung
With out Enter the dragonthere wouldn't be Heroes of the Easta Shaw Brothers manufacturing that took heavy inspiration from the story and motion parts of that basic kung fu movie. Heroes of the East begins with Ho Tao (Gordon Liu) arriving in Japan for an organized marriage that he prefers to not undergo and changing into concerned in a misunderstanding that leads him to take part in a martial arts competitors to struggle the very best fighters within the nation. With martial arts shenanigans aplenty, it's arduous to not discover that a lot of it Ho Tao's story remembers the very best points of Enter the dragon.
A particular facet Heroes of the East it was how the narrative of the event allowed for a lot of several types of preventing kinds and methods to be showcased. As in Enter the dragonHo Tao faces off towards a litany of fighters, and as soon as Bruce Lee has emerged victorious, this kung fu grasp eliminates his competitors in a sequence of terribly choreographed struggle sequences. As probably the greatest kung fu movies of the Nineteen Seventies, Heroes of the East would make a wonderful double function alongside Enter the dragon.
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Ong-Bak: Muay Thai warrior (2003)
Directed by Prachya Pinkaew
Bruce Lee helped revolutionize martial arts cinema and launched kung fu movies to Western audiences who in any other case wouldn't have seen them. Whereas the crossover's first success got here primarily from Hong Kong, the twenty first century has seen martial arts lovers uncover the wealthy cinematic historical past of struggle movies throughout cultures. This was definitely the case Ong-Bak: Muay Thai warriormaybe the best martial arts movie launched in Thailand.
Ong-Bak: Muay Thai warrior starred kung fu star Tony Jaa, channeling Lee's celebrity enchantment on this iconic movie. Just like the story of a younger warrior who tries to get better the stolen head of a sacred statue taken from his village, Ong-Bak was Jaa's extraordinary efficiency which led to a number of sequels and different acclaimed Thai martial arts movies akin to The Protector. Just like the emergence of a brand new martial arts icon, Ong Bak was as important to Thai martial arts movies as Enter the dragon it was for the style as an entire.
8
Sport of Loss of life (1978)
Directed by Bruce Lee
One of many heartbreaking issues about Bruce Lee's tragically younger demise at simply 32 was that he solely starred in 4 totally accomplished movies. This meant that work in progress akin to Sport of Loss of lifewhich was written, directed and produced by Lee himself, was by no means totally accomplished. Nonetheless, martial arts followers who can't get sufficient of the type and really feel Enter the dragon You possibly can return and watch the launched model.
Sport of Loss of life was launched in a number of variationstogether with the primary version launched in 1978, the anniversary version Sport of Loss of life Redux from 2019, and The tip recreation of demise in 2023, which additionally included a documentary about its manufacturing. Because the story of a martial arts star faking his personal demise to take down a felony syndicate exploiting him and different celebrities for cash, whereas the haphazard approach the movie was put collectively might not have been Lee's unique imaginative and prescient, it was nonetheless a insightful imaginative and prescient of what his subsequent movie could be.
7
The thirty sixth Chamber of Shaolin (1978)
Directed by Lau Kar-leung
Those that don't get drained Enter the dragon ought to take the time to take a look at different iconic kung fu releases from the Nineteen Seventies, like The thirty sixth Chamber of Shaolin. As the very best movie of all time about Shaolin monks, The thirty sixth Chamber of Shaolin acted as the start line for an unimaginable trilogy led by Gordon Liu. This movie turned Liu into an enormous star and one of many few martial legends whose legacy might stand as much as that of Bruce Lee.
Telling the story of a legendary Shaolin monk named San Te, who skilled to struggle towards the oppressive Manchu authorities through the early 18th century, The thirty sixth Chamber of Shaolin was adopted by two sequels, Return to the thirty sixth Chamber and Disciples of the thirty sixth Chamber. Like the opposite film subsequent door Enter the dragon which impressed the debut of hip-hop group Wu-Tang Clan, Enter Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)any self-respecting kung fu fan wants to look at this movie.
6
Kill Invoice (2003/2004)
Directed by Quentin Tarantino
Though movies like Enter the dragon helped convey martial arts cinema to Western viewers, there have been nonetheless many viewers members who had by no means really encountered a kung fu movie till they noticed Quentin Tarantino's love letter to the style, Kill Invoice. This two-part revenge story featured many references to basic kung fu cinema and the legacy of Bruce Lee was a serious affect on Tarantino's stylistic presentation of the movie.
Starring Uma Thurman because the Bride, a girl who vows revenge on a gaggle of assassins and their chief, Invoice, who tried to kill her and her daughter, Kill Invoice would by no means have existed if it weren't for kung fu classics from the Nineteen Seventies like Enter the dragon. With appearances from icons like Gordon Liu, we are able to solely think about that if Lee had lived within the twenty first century, he would have been on the high of Tarantino's name record to be on this movie.
5
5 Lethal Poisons (1978)
Directed by Chang Cheh
5 lethal poisons was a cult kung fu basic that represented considered one of Shaw Brothers Studio's finest movies through the Nineteen Seventies. With a robust mixture of martial arts and thriller, the central idea of 5 lethal poisons is said to a scholar who fulfills his dying grasp's want and eliminates his 5 earlier college students who had been taken over by evil. As this noble scholar encounters the insurgent fighters, who had been primarily based on the 5 Toxic Creatures from Chinese language folklore, many intense struggle sequences ensue.
With spectacular stylistic expertise and attention-grabbing characters linked to Chinese language mythology, 5 lethal poisonsas Enter the dragon earlier than that, it was one of the vital standard kung fu movies of its time. 5 lethal poisons additionally had a notable affect on director Quentin Tarantinowhich included allusions to the movie by means of the Lethal Viper Assassination Squad in Kill Invoice.
4
The Ip Man (2008)
Directed by Wilson Yip
Those that are fascinated by Bruce Lee and Enter the dragon will probably be nicely conscious of Ip Man's legacy, the Wing Chun grasp with whom Lee skilled. Though the story of the good grasp informed in Ip Man didn't but function Lee, a fictionalized portrayal of his character seems in subsequent entries on this martial arts franchise, akin to Ip Man 3 and Ip Man 4: The Finish. As an intense and well-choreographed biopic that explored Ip's troubles within the metropolis of Foshan through the Sino-Japanese Conflict, Ip Man gave nice perception into the person who taught Lee.
With Donnie Yen within the title position Ip Man was really one of many biggest martial arts movies of the twenty first century, whose historic connection to Lee's legacy made it a must-see. Whereas Ip Man blurring the strains between truth and fiction, the core message of perseverance and dedication to the martial arts remained true to the true man.
3
The Large Boss (1971)
Directed by Lo Wei and Wu Chia-hsiang
Whereas Enter the dragon will at all times be Bruce Lee's defining movie, it's essential to recollect his previous releases and admire the ability of every movie he starred in. The Large Boss It was Lee's first main main position and represented his rise from Hong Kong martial artist to one of the vital essential kung fu artists who ever lived. The Large Boss was initially a field workplace success in Asia earlier than Lee's success unfold all through the world.
In The Large BossLee starred as Cheng Chao-an, a martial artist who lives along with his cousins in Thailand and works at an ice manufacturing unit and shortly finds his promise to his mom to not struggle examined when he encounters an area gang. Predictably, Cheng Chao-an broke his oathand kung fu viewers had been launched to Lee's intense martial arts talent for the primary time. Whereas The Large Boss might not have been as compelling as Lee's later releases, it laid the groundwork for him to grow to be probably the greatest kung fu stars to ever exist.
2
Fist of Fury (1972)
Directed by Lo Wei
Bruce Lee shortly adopted up his nice success in The Large Boss with one other all-time basic in Fist of Fury. As a movie constructed round themes of Chinese language nationalismLee performed Chen Zhen, a scholar of Huo Yuanjia, who defends the honour of the Chinese language within the face of aggressive forces. With factions at odds, Chen's motivations grow to be even stronger after his grasp is murdered, and he vows revenge for Huo's demise.
Very related Enter the dragon, Fist of Fury is a necessary facet of Lee's legacy and has even had a number of sequels and remakes. Though subsequent movies akin to The brand new fist of fury with Jackie Chan or the Donnie Yen tv sequence had been lots of enjoyable, none of them examine to the unique. As an action-packed revenge story the place the coed defends the honour of his late grasp, Fist of Fury It might not have had essentially the most unique premise, but it surely was one of the vital memorable of the martial arts movie style.
1
The Means of the Dragon (1972)
Directed by Bruce Lee
Means of the Dragon is a 1972 martial arts movie starring Bruce Lee, who additionally directed and wrote the screenplay. The story revolves round Tang Lung (Lee), who travels to Rome to assist buddies threatened by a criminal offense syndicate. That includes notable struggle scenes, together with a climactic battle with Chuck Norris, it showcases Lee's martial arts prowess and distinctive strategy to motion cinema.
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August 14, 1972
Being the primary movie directed by Bruce Lee himself, The Means of the Dragon introduced this kung fu star not simply as a gifted fighter, however as a inventive powerhouse able to doing all of it. A movie written, directed, produced and starring Lee, this kung fu basic tells the story of Tang Lung, a person who travels to Rome to assist his family cope with a vicious gang. With a mixture of motion and humor, The Means of the Dragon genres blended in a approach that appealed to each japanese and western movie lovers.
As an exciting showcase of martial arts prowess from begin to end, The Means of the Dragon culminated in an epic showdown between Lee and a karate knowledgeable named Colt, performed by Chuck Norris. Whereas Enter the dragon might have been Lee's most profitable movie, The Means of the Dragon is a real contender for his magnum opus. This was the movie the place all the pieces utterly fell into place for Lee as he started to take full management of his personal movies, a indisputable fact that made his premature demise the next yr all of the extra tragic.