Enter the Dragon

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Enter the Dragon (《龍爭虎鬥》 aka. The Deadly Three, originally titled Blood and Steel is a 1973 Warner Brothers martial arts film starring Bruce Lee, John Saxon and Jim Kelly. It is the last completed film Bruce Lee appeared in before his death. He died the month before it was released.

It is considered by many to be the definitive Kung Fu film, and was the first Kung Fu film to have been made by a Hollywood studio. It has one of the most influential martial arts scenes ever made - the Nunchaku scene. The film is largely set in Hong Kong (see Hong Kong in films). In 2004, it was deemed "culturally significant" and selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.

Although they had acted in films and Peking opera decades before, the Seven Little Fortunes, including Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung, had cameo appearances, and appearances as extras. This was arguably instrumental in Jackie Chan's further association with Golden Harvest studios, which later launched his international career.

The finished version of the film was significantly different from the original drafts. Bruce Lee was ultimately successful in using the film as a vehicle for expressing what he saw as the beauty of his culture, rather than just another action movie.

The Warner Brothers Special Edition video includes footage from the only live interview of Bruce Lee, as well as a few minutes of movie footage, philosophical in tone, cut from the original theatrical release.

Plot

"Enter the Dragon" follows three international martial artists during their participation in a fighting tournament on an island run by a crimelord called Han. The island is beyond international jurisdiction. Lee (played by Bruce Lee), Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly) each have their own reasons for entering the tournament initially, though they all find themselves at odds with their host, the mysterious Han (played by Kien Shih).

For Lee, an intelligence agency recruits him to investigate Han's operations using his participation in the tournament as cover and since Han forbids firearms on the island, Lee's martial arts skill would be vital in case of trouble. Lee has even more personal reasons for dealing with Han, who left Lee's Shaolin temple in disgrace. Some of Han's thugs were also responsible for the death of Lee's sister.

Roper and Williams are former army buddies who have had to leave the US in a hurry. Gambler Roper is wanted by the mob, black activist Williams is wanted by the cops.

In the course of the tournament, the protagonists discover that Han uses his untouchable island and the tournament as a front to recruit new talent for his drug running operation.

On Set Incidents

Bruce was bitten by a cobra during filming of the scene in which he infiltrates Han's base.

According to Bob Wall and John Saxon, Bruce Lee beat up an actor who was taunting him, but on the Enter The Dragon DVD this incident was played down. Bruce Lee was said to have been challenged by many actors and stunt men in order to prove himself.

Some of the extras were thugs who used their fighting skills to enforce local protection rackets. During a fight, Lee is said to have literally smashed the teeth out of a man's mouth. This led to speculation that his death, soon after the film was completed, was a Triad revenge.

During the fight scene with Bob Wall, Bruce Lee cut himself on glass bottles that weren't sugar glass props.

During the making of Enter The Dragon it is said that Bob Wall never quite got along with Bruce Lee and at the fight on the parade ground (where Oharra smashes the bottles) the attack at Lee was more then just a managed fight. Wall and others however, deny these allegations, stating the whole event was blown out of proportion.

Additional information

In a list of channel four's top 100 movies compiled by critics in the UK, Enter The Dragon charted at No 85.

On the Your Movie Database website it is ranked at 60.

It is often regarded as one of the most influential films of all time, kickstarting the kung fu movie genre during the '70s in the West and establishing Bruce Lee as a popular culture icon.

In October 1973, Enter The Dragon was the box office No. 1 in the United States.

The film grossed $100 million in the United States alone and became Warner Brother's highest grossing film in 1973.

By 1977, Enter the Dragon was listed as one of the twenty most profitable movies in the history of cinema.

Enter The Dragon in popular culture

This movie is parodied in The Kentucky Fried Movie as A Fistfull of Yen, complete with Lee quote, "This time, with feeling."

Many of the moves performed by Bruce Lee in this film are used as moves for the characters Marshall and Forest Law in the best selling videogame series Tekken.

The driving and haunting score by Lalo Schifrin is also used on Takeshi's Castle screened by UK cable channel Challenge TV during the Honey Comb maze.

Some parts of the music during the walls of mirrors climax is used in the Bollywood hit Sholay.

In Aaliyah's video of Try Again which features martial arts actor Jet Li, there is a similar mirror scene set used, like the climax at the end of Enter The Dragon.

UK Bhangra group RDB have also sampled Lalo Schifrin's thumping score for one of their tracks.

Liu Kang, from the Mortal Kombat series, seems to be based mostly on Bruce Lee's character, Lee. This is evident due to the fact that both are former shaolin monks who are trying to restore honor in a corrupted tournament. Also, in the Mortal Kombat (film), Liu Kang seeks to avenge the death of a family member, his brother, just as Lee seeks to avenge the death of his sister.

Rush Hour 2 seems to reference Enter The Dragon during the scene where Chris Tucker's character is in the massage parlour and he begins selecting the women he'd like to be massaged by. Jim Kelly's character also does this.

Trivia

• Jackie Chan appears briefly, as one of the guards. Here he gets his neck snapped by Bruce Lee during a long battle, where Bruce Lee demonstrates his abilties with a number of weapons including the nunchukas.

• Bruce Lee was initially against the idea of the now famous hall of mirror scene. He did not think it would work.

Famous Dialogue

You have offended my family...and you have offended the shaolin temple - Lee

It is like a finger pointing away to the moon. Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory...you understand? - Lee

Boards...dont hit back - Lee

It is not the art, but the combat that you enjoy - Han

Man...You come right out of a comic book - Williams

There is a point where I won't go beyond - Roper

Gentlemen, we will have our tournament... - Han

Bolo!- Han (to which Bolo responds to with) DA!

Corruption is highly profitable -Han

Remember, the enemy only has images and illusions behind which he hides his true motives...destroy the image and you will break the enemy - Monk

A human Fly - Williams

We are investing in corruption - Han

What was that, an exhibition? We use emotional content. Try again, this time with feeling. - Lee

Further Reading/Sources

http://www.channel4.com/film/newsfeatures/microsites/G/greatest/results/control.jsp?resultspage=81

http://www.bbc.co.uk/films/2001/10/09/enter_the_dragon_1973_review.shtml#rating#rating

Cast includes

Template:HK-film-stub Template:Martialart-stubde:Der Mann mit der Todeskralle ja:燃えよドラゴン ru:Выход дракона (фильм) zh:龍爭虎鬥