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Saturday, February 21, 2009
This video translated from the short-lived DIVX format, so we've much more clarity than those found on YouTube. Heh!
Bruce Lee's "Way of the Dragon"...
Bruce Lee's "Way of the Dragon" is one of several re-issue titles for Lee's "Return of the Dragon". Filmed in Rome and Hong Kong, this exhilarating adventure flick finds Lee battling Chuck Norris, in one of the latter's few unsympathetic roles. The climax pits Lee against Norris in the middle of the Roman Coliseum! Directed by Bruce Lee himself (who exhibits an unsuspected flair for comedy), "Return of the Dragon" was the last "complete" Lee vehicle.I like the kitten's interaction, especially the symbolism where it's batting at a bit of troublesome cloth. Playing with it, actually. Much like Bruce did with Chuck. But this is not to be constred as catblogging!The fight between the two of them is, in my opinion, the most sophisticated fight ever captured on film. It may not look as stylish as some Jackie Chan or Jet Li fights but that is only the surface. Deep down this fighting sequence uses all the wisdom and martial arts knowledge that made Bruce Lee a legend. It was the first time that Bruce Lee as writer, producer and director had the creative freedom to do whatever he wished. The result is a final gladiatorial duel with 7 times world karate champion, Chuck Norris in the Coliseum. Two worlds collide in this fight: Chuck’s modern karate style fighting and Jeet Kune Do. If there were a martial arts film museum, this fight would be in it. A fighter can learn more about every aspect of fighting by studying this fight than by studying hundreds of real fights. In this movie you can see a combination of all Jeet Kune Do theories: timing, traping, rhythm, distance control, the element of surprise etc. Also in this scene there are no wires or acrobatics. This is pure martial arts wisdom in action. Need I say more?
