Return Of The Dragon

From a pure martial arts standpoint, this is the best of Bruce Lee's films.In his other films, while some of his opponents were martial arts practitioners (like Jackie Chang and Sammo Hung) I'm pretty sure most of his fight scenes were done with stuntmen or actors learning the moves for the movie. This limited Bruce's ability to truly show off his skill. The problem is you can't really see that by watching one of those movies because the skill level of the participants is the same throughout each of them.Way of the Dragon is different. Watch very closely at the fight scenes in the beginning of the movie. When Tang Lung and his friends fight the gang members, the pace is slow, the movements aren't as crisp. You can see Bruce is fighting actors and stuntmen.Then compare that to the final two fight scenes. Hwang In-Shik, Bob Wall and Chuck Norris are real martial artists. They didn't start their careers as actors who then learned martial arts. They began their careers as martial artists and became actors later. The difference it makes in the fight scenes is stark.The speed increases 100 fold. You can tell there are times they are actually hitting each other. Their movements are crisp, concise and most importantly, Bruce doesn't have to hold back. This is when you really see just how good Bruce Lee's martial arts really was. It wasn't just his speed, it was his 'preciseness'. In karate we call it 'focus'. All that speed and velocity is focused to a small point to achieve power. Norris, Wall and Hwan as martial artists themselves understood that and brought that same dynamic to the fight scenes as well.There was only one other movie Bruce Lee did that showed this. And only for a brief moment. When he fights Bob Wall in Enter the Dragon, his first three strikes to Bob Walls face are simply exquisite. I'm not sure anyone but other martial artists can truly appreciate how perfectly executed those simple punches were or the skill it takes to do it. And I believe only another martial artist, like Bob Wall, could have done that scene with him.So the next time you watch this movie, try and notice the difference. Take the first fight scene then skip to the last two. I think you will have a better understanding then of just how insanely good Bruce Lee was.

There’s a lot to like about Way of the Dragon. First, it was famous for Bruce Lee’s standoff against Chuck Norris in Rome’s Coliseum at the end. Second, it was filmed in Italy so there are some nice location shots. Third, Lee tried his hand at comedy at the start with a white lady looking at him oddly, making fun of a kid and more. Fourth, Lee uses nunchucks in a stand off with some mafia henchmen which is always nice to see. Last, there’s a fight with Robert Wall who ran a Karate school with Norris in southern California and was also in Enter The Dragon. All together that makes it a step above your usual Hong Kong Kung Fu release from the 1970s.

More than any other single man, Bruce Lee brought appreciation for martial arts into the consciousness of the West via cinema. There was intense interest in it for many years after his untimely passing, with the torch probably being carried most visibly by Mr. Norris. I was a little surprised by how silly this movie was in places, but even those parts were entertaining to me because of the charisma of Lee (you've got to love his insulting dismissal of opponents by merely shaking his head or his finger "NO" LOL...). Thin plot aside, the real reason to watch any Bruce Lee movie is for the action, and this one does not disappoint. More than just a martial artist and movie star, Lee was also a philosopher and all-around fascinating human being (check out the book Bruce Lee - Artist of Life). He was extraordinarily well physically toned and mentally focused, and as he once said, you should "be like water" and adapt to your situation, whatever it may be. His graceful, fluid movements were the result of intense training, but he made it appear totally natural and effortless.The overall plot has already been discussed elsewhere here, but in the end, the baddies tire of losing every confrontation and resort to flying Chuck Norris to Italy to eliminate the pesky Bruce Lee do-gooder character. The epic end battle is, appropriately enough, staged at the immortal Roman Colosseum. It is the highlight of the movie and must be one of the best fight scenes either of them ever did (and I believe the only time Chuck was both the bad guy and was defeated). This is a legendary scene and is the kind that inspired movies and video games of the '80s and beyond. I've always noticed how incredibly rigid Chuck's posture was while fighting, with an upright torso and abdominal muscles that were doubtlessly highly conditioned, although he didn't have the rippling muscle definition of the hyperactive Lee. By contrast, Lee's style of was fluid and graceful, almost catlike, with Norris being more of a pale, hairy ogre of great strength and discipline.This movie and one of Chuck's earliest and best starring roles in A Force of One (another epic battle, this time vs kick boxing champion Bill "Superfoot" Wallace") are the two best places to see Norris as more of a true martial artist fighting another great martial artist rather than just being an actor. It's a shame to think of the great movies we missed as a result of losing Lee so early....I have to think he would have been in others with Chuck at some point.....

Bruce Lee is famous for being a foremost martial artist and action star but few recognize him as a film maker. This picture proves beyond any shadow of doubt that Lee was ingenious enough to be able to write, direct, produce (and even play drums on the soundtrack) a motion picture he stars in as well as choreographs all the fight scenes! This is astounding levels of proficiency in a myriad of aspects for production of a motion picture. This is one of the most successful martial arts films of all time and few can match its charm, humor, rich thematic content and mesmerizing pace. The movie got awards for editing and was one of the top grossing films upon its release for the countries it premiered in after initially being thought to only be possible for it doing well in Hong Kong. Chuck Norris makes his movie debut here in what may be his best film or at least one of the best film scenes for him with a dazzling sequence in Rome's Coliseum.It would be hard to surpass Lee as a talent in the history of motion pictures. It would also be easy to underestimate his prowess here as a film maker when seeing his amazing martial arts skills and acting ability.

What can be said about the late Bruce Lee? He was the "Real Ultimate Warrior" an inspiration to all martial artists around the world and in this unreal uncut version of the classic "Way Of The Dragon" Bruce is unleashed and in full flight with the double nunchaku scene re-instated in its full spectacular glory. The fight scenes are absolutely breath taking and the final show down between Bruce and Chuck Norris in the Colosseum is some thing you will not forget. When these two gladiators face off against each other a battle of epic proportions follows. This was also Bruce Lee's concept as he wrote, directed, choreographed and starred as Tang Lung our lone hero who comes to the aid of his Chinese relatives in Italy who are being harassed and bullied by a cruel and vicious crime lord, until Bruce arrives in town to do some bullying of his own with high kicks and lightning fast fists to entertain and thrill you from start to finish.This movie remains a classic to this very day rivaled only by "Enter The Dragon" which was Bruce Lee's final completed movie (He died soon after completing this movie in 1973 aged just 32). Many years after his death he still continues to stun us all with his superior skill and fans both old and new can appreciate the true meaning of Martial Arts and Bruce Lee was and always will be "The King Of Kung Fu" "The Little Dragon" maybe gone but he will never be forgotten. Legends never die.........

Bruce lee plays Tang Lun, a simple country boy with mad martial arts skills. He is sent to protect a young woman's restaurant from the mafia by her Uncle (and presumably Tang's master). Prepare yourselves for some hit and miss humour, the misses of which are swiftly countered by Lee's screen blurring feet and fists, Some dodgy tunes and some amazing 70's fashions.THE HIGH KICKS:- Lee is on top form here (as he always was) and shows why he is so prevalent in people's heart's and mind's as the greatest on screen martial artist of all time.- The humour is often maligned by fans and casual viewers alike, but when it's combined with Lee's unparalleled physical skills it really does shine - some of the moves in the duel nunchack scene still tickle me after countless viewings.- `That' fight scene with the ever fuzzy Chuckles Norris is as good as `they' say. Two fantastic fighters from different sides of the planet prove once and for all that face kicking, not love, is the universal language.- Considering this is Lee's directorial debut he gets a heck of a lot of things spot on but, again, the action is where it's at, shot for shot perfection.- The young lady that drags Lee off to a hotel room is pure 70's hotness of the highest order. That was one time where Brucey's flee footed antics really let him down. The silly billy.- I don't know about anyone else but the twist near the end, just after all the lads from the restaurant are helping Tang fight the two fighters, really threw me first time I watched it: I never saw it coming!BELOW THE BELT:- Some of the humour is really stilton drenched and misses the mark by a mile.- Some of the editing is a bit sloppy, but it's never off putting.- That old lady at the airport at the beginning is proper annoying.- Tang Lung! Why did you run away from that lovely lady in the hotel room! WHYYYYY! Get me a time machine now! I would not be leaving there for at least a good - ooh - two minuets!- Chuck Norris' back is like a hideous, hairy, forest fire of doom! GET IT AWAY!THE FINAL BLOW:Just stunning. This is Kung Fu heaven and if you appreciate the genre this should be high in your top 20 of all time. If you're not into martial arts film Lee's incredible physical prowess will still peel your dome (even if he can't make you laugh all the time!).

I am a big fan of Enter The Dragon, had it on DVD for years. I decided to check out this DVD, I have never seen it before.I was surprised how 'Hong Kong' it was. Bruce Lee is even attempting comedy at the beginning of the movie, he had a great need to use the Mens Room at certain occasions, Hong Kong slapstick humour at its best.I also enjoyed Nora Miao's performance, she was very restrained but very effective in her support role, very petite and really complimented Bruce Lee's role.The story really is the let down, considering its Bruce Lee's first movie as a director its not that bad.The action scenes are what this film is all about and the Gung Fu (Kung Fu) is magnificent. Bruce Lee's physical presence his incredible strength is very apparent.Overall a very entertaining film if listened to in the original Cantonese soundtrack, I found the American overdubs to be awful.

This is one of my favourite Bruce Lee films. The action is good. And of course the fight with Chuck Norris is well worth watching. The Chinese theatrical characters are very corny. Nowhere near as polished as Enter the Dragon. But somehow it has a certain charm. The attemp at humour doesn't really work on my modern western mind. I bought this, having seen it before in its cut version. So I knew what to expect and still love it and accept it's faults so that I can see the excellent action

Great film.Glad to have the option to watch it in Cantonese.Viva Bruce Lee.