Over 50 years since it was released, Enter the dragon Still packs a punch, with some of the most iconic action scenes in film history. Bruce Lee’s masterpiece follows a Shaolin martial artist as he infiltrates an island compound run by a violent drug kingpin. It combines elements of martial arts cinema with Western cultural influences, leading to a unique synthesis that draws from James Bond As much as Hong Kong cinema.
Enter the dragon has defined the martial arts genre for decades. Its huge success at the box office started a new wave of martial arts mania in American cinema, and the rest of the 1970s produced a number of genre classics following the same playbook. Bruce Lee had sadly passed away just a few days earlier Enter the dragon was released, but the movie’s unforgettable action scenes cemented his status as a martial arts icon.
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Roper vs. Liu
Roper’s first-round match-up in the martial arts tournament is one of the most brilliant action scenes in Enter the dragon. This scene is all about revealing his character, rather than providing lots of action thrills. Roper and Williams are in cahoots with a gambling scheme in which one will intentionally lose their fight while the other watches on. They will continue to lose until the other person is offered advantageous odds, at which point they will take the bet and unleash their full potential. Roper defeats his opponent in seconds after ensuring his payday. This shows the bond that Williams and Roper share, as well as their immense confidence.
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Williams vs. Parsons
Jim Kelly shows a flash of his brilliance
Williams’ first-round fight is much like Roper’s. He keeps one eye on his friend in the audience to make sure he maximizes their gambling earnings. Williams’ action is a bit more dynamic than Roper’s. Jim Kelly was a great martial artist, and Enter the dragon Allows him to show off his skills in a wide shot. In contrast, Roper’s action is directed with more close-ups and quick cuts. John Saxon was not as esteemed a martial artist as most of his co-stars Enter the dragon. He had some formal training, but he lost interest in the genre after enter the dragon, Prove that it is not his main focus.
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Williams resisted arrest
Williams travels to Hong Kong to escape prosecution
Before the group arrives at Han’s Island, their backstories are revealed in a series of flashbacks. Williams remembers the time two police officers called him in the United States. When they start to hurt him, he fights them off and steals their police car. This short scene reveals a lot about Williams’ treatment on home soil, even as a veteran of the Vietnam War. It also gives the first glimpse of his incredible skills, although the two corrupt cops aren’t exactly the most formidable of opponents. It’s just a taste of what’s to come from Williams.
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Roper fights off the crowd
John Saxon gets an early chance to show off his martial arts skills
Similar to Williams’ flashback, Enter the dragon Shows a brief scene of Roper’s life back in the United States. While playing golf, he is ambushed by three mobsters who pressure him to repay his debts. This highlights the depths of Roper’s gambling addiction, and it is not a habit that he seems to have any interest in shaking. Accosted by three men with weapons, Roper has little trouble fighting them all off. Just like with Williams’ flashback, the quick scene shows Roper’s skills, as well as the reason he had to flee his home country.
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Bolo punishes the guards
Bolo Jung takes on four challengers at once
When Han discovers that one of his guests has been snooping around his compound after hours, he decides to send a message by punishing his guards for their failure to catch the perpetrator. He unleashes Bolo’s full force on them in front of everyone else. Bolo is Han’s right-hand man, but he spends the first day or two on the island as a silent, intimidating observer. His first real fight scene highlights his formidable martial arts skills, but, more importantly, it shows his ruthless nature. Han believes that any politeness is a sign of weakness, and Bolo exemplifies this mindset.
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Lee vs. Ohara
Lee gets revenge for his sister’s death
Lee’s first fight in the tournament is much more meaningful than Roper’s or Williams’. Lee comes face-to-face with the Scarred Man who he holds responsible for his sister’s death. Lee starts dominating the contest from the early stages, which causes O’Hara to resort to cheating. Still, he’s no match for Lee. Bruce Lee pulls off some of his most impressive moves in this short fightIncluding a backflip kick that is slowed down to highlight the technical expertise involved. Lee is not a flashy fighter enter the dragon, But he turns around in his fight against O’Hara when he sees it tearing up his opponent. By killing him, he avenges his sister’s death.
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Bolo Vs. Roper
Bolo Yeung’s final fight shows his skills
Bolo’s fight with Roper, after Lee is discovered by Han’s guards, is the highlight of Enter the dragon For both fighters. Bolo Young will display an impressive blend of skill and raw power, first by nearly choking Roper to death and then by picking him up over his head and tossing him onto the ground. Roper gradually gains the upper hand in the fight, just as the prisoners begin to escape elsewhere on the island. Bolo and Roper’s fight makes interesting use of POV shots. The fight is shown from Bolo’s perspective several times. Initially, the camera is squared up to Roper, but it starts to shake and tilts down to mimic Bolo’s exhaustion.
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The opening action
Enter the dragon starts off strong
Bruce Lee is not the only legendary martial artist in Enter the dragon. As well as Bolo Yeung and Jim Kelly, Sammo Hung makes a brief appearance near the beginning of the movie. He plays Lee’s opponent in a training bout in Hong Kong. Enter the dragon Starts off with a bang, as Hang and Lee trade ferocious blows. This is one of the purest showcases of technical ability in the entire movie, without the added embellishments of mirrors and blades. It is a simple scene between two great martial artistsFilmed largely in wide shots or from low angles to emphasize their skills without being too static.
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Williams vs. Rooster
Han takes a while to show his full power
Han has a reputation as one of the most dangerous martial artists around, but he hasn’t shown what he’s capable of for a long time. His first fight scene comes when he confronts Williams in his office. After ordering four of his minions to attack Williams, Han takes matters into his own hands. Before his different attachments later in Enter the dragonHan uses a metal hand for this fight. Williams seems extremely comfortable in every fight until this one, showing that Han is a cut above his other opponents. As the two fighters break into an adjoining room, the scene shifts gears to mirror the dreamy haze of the women there.
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Lee escapes the guards
Bruce Lee shows his mastery of different weapons
After releasing a cobra into the radio room and sending a message back to Hong Kong, Lee is attacked by scores of guards. The following action scene gives Bruce Lee the opportunity to show many different sides of his talents. He doesn’t use many weapons Enter the dragonEven in his final confrontation with Han when he is surrounded by options, but he does it in this scene. Lee uses a bo staff, kali sticks and nunchuka in quick successionShowing that he can master any weapon he picks up. The fight choreography is brilliantly done, making the most of each weapon’s potential.
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Su-Lin runs from Han’s guns
Angela Mao Ying has a short but unforgettable role
Angela Mao Ying only has one scene in enter the dragon, But she provides some of the movie’s most exciting action. Her scene is a fight and a chase rolled into one, and that makes it twice as exciting. She plays Su-Lin, Lee’s sister, who is taken in by a gang of Han’s goons, led by O’Hara. Despite being vastly outnumbered and much smaller than any of them, Su-Lin bravely fights them off. Mao delivers a great performance, capped with her emotional deadness as she sees defeat as inevitable. It’s important that this scene is so memorable, because it colors Lee’s emotional journey throughout the rest of the movie.
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The prisoners escape
The crowd brawl features Lee’s first fight with Han
Soon after Bolo’s death, Han’s compound is engulfed in violence. The prisoners escape and begin revolting against Han’s minions, leading to a large-scale brawl in the palace courtyard. The scene is a masterpiece of choreographed chaos, but there are also many small moments to focus on. Lee and Roper both have standout moments, but there are fights unfolding without either of them that are just as interesting, like the prisoner fighting a man with a stick in a narrow doorway. The Pandemonium also has Han’s unforgettable bear claw-style hand attachment.
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The mirror scene
Enter the Dragon Saves the Best for Last
Enter the dragons iconic mirror scene has gone down in martial arts film history For good reason. It’s the perfect synthesis of brutal action and nerve-shredding suspense, as Lee struggles to discern the real Han from the countless reflections that surround him. Han wields his most terrifying weapon yet, a hand attachment with long blades that he uses to slash at Lee. The score and the direction both emphasize the sense of anticipation in the mirror scene, and the brief moments when the two fighters come together are made all the more exciting. One of Lee’s slow motion shots, shown through a cascade of reflecting images, is the perfect example of Enter the dragons original, groundbreaking style.