Fist Fight at the OK Coliseum! (The Way Of The Dragon (DVD))

Member Name: thedevilinme

Product:	The Way Of The Dragon (DVD)
Date:	22/02/08 (85 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Marvel in his skills..

Disadvantages: Corny viewing these days

Bruce Lee is an American, born in San Francisco. Yep! I bet you didn't know that, as I didn't know that. He also had one leg shorter than the other by an inch and he was myopic (short-sighted) from birth, equally unexpected revelations, considering he also went on to be the most famous martial arts star of all time-and that is why you should always listen to audio commentaries when you get the chance as you find out all sorts of interesting and revealing things on classic movies.

After enjoying the layered track on Fist of Fury, one of Lee's other classics (the cult film that including the bizarre scene where the words greatest Kung-Fu master is caught off guard at a funeral by a surprise frying pan attack to the back of the head of all things, sending him tumbling into the hole where the coffin is) I rented this for more of the same and wasn't disappointed. It's an iconic film I have seen many times and I needed to know more about it, again the commentary by Bay Logan, who did the 'Fist of Fury' one, a renowned martial arts writer from the then British colony of Hong Kong.

So, 'The Way of the Dragon'- known as the Return of the Dragon to American audiences- is Lee's last but one movie before his mysterious death in 1973, tragically taken half-way through the filming of his final film, the 'Game of Death', skillfully re-mastered to get the movie out as his epitaph. Rather oddly his son Brandon Lee also died during filming one of his movies, almost to the same minute, hour and day. But it all adds to the enigma of the man and sealed the legend Bruce Lee most certainly was. Even as late as 1995 this move was still in the all-time top 50 worldwide VHS grosses, such was Lee's appeal to film fans around the globe, the main reason why China has such a flourishing fake DVD industry today. Everyone in South East Asia had to have his movies in the 1970s as he transcended politics and royalty across the region.

In many ways Lee was a pioneer of cinema, one of the first stars of a movie to also direct himself in the same movie, as well as being one of the first to use specifically composed and selected music for the movies soundtrack, including some Ennio Morricone from the western' C'era una volta il West'.
The film was also known for its pioneering special effects, Lee the first to use powders bags on the actor's bodies that gave a realistic dust effect to try and express impact of his light speed kicks and blows, a common effect used in all movies today.

-The Cast-

Bruce Lee ... Tang Lung
Nora Miao ... Chen Ching Hua
Chuck Norris ... Colt
Ping-Ao Wei ... Ho
Chung-Hsin Huang ... 'Uncle' Wang)
Robert Wall ... Fred (Bob Fred)
Ing-Sik Whang ... Japanese Fighter
Tony Liu ... Tony
Unicorn Chan ... Jimmy
Malisa Longo ... Italian Beauty
Fu Ching Chen ... Waiter
Chin Ti ... Ah Quen
Wu Ngan ... Waiter
Robert Chen ... Robert
Jon T. Benn ... Boss

-The Plot-

Bruce plays country bumpkin Tang Lung, sent over to Rome by his Uncle Wong (Chung-Hsin) from Honk Kong by his extended family to help resolve a problem with some local mobsters at the family restaurant, managed by of Uncle Ho (Ping-Ao Wei), the thugs threatening to trash the place if the family don't sell up. At first the Restaurant owners and family are not impressed with Tang, especially the pretty front-of-house manager Chen (Nora Miao), but all still oblivious to his martial arts skills, they expecting their uncle Wong to come over and sort things with amore methodical approach. But Uncle is ill so they have to make do with Tang, the local mob boos (John Benn) and his goons soon turning up to trash the restaurant once again.

The waiters (as you would expect in these movies) all fancy themselves at Karate and ready to impress their new cousin with Japanese martial arts, but soon smashed around the place by the goons in front of him. Later, after letting the staff hit him with some lucky shots in the yard using karate, he demonstrates the true power of Kung Fu, he, too, smashing them, and then the bad guys, through the wall. The message is clear: Kung Fu is better than Karate and Tang Lung is the only one who can save the restaurant and the day. So enter western Karate champion Colt (Chuck Norris), hired by the boss to take out Tang, leading to the memorable final showdown in Rome's world famous Coliseum. This was really was Japan V China on the big screen and no other movie has been allowed to be shot inside the Coliseum since to preserve the historic moment on film, whether meant or not by the Italians.

Chow: "What's this?"

Chen: "It's the Coliseum"

Chow: "That's nothing. My neighborhood has more run-down areas than that".


-The conclusions-

Lee deliberately made a movie that would suit American audiences, playing up to Chinese stereotypes and using crude American slang in the sub-titles (frequently referring to the toilet as the 'shi**er', an example) to earn that audience interest for future movies, but mixing things up some with Chinese humor that only they would get. The film did an impressive £5.3 million in America at the time and would top the Billboard charts and would be the one that would cement his God like status on the planet.
It was low budget stuff in Rome, believed to be the first Chinese kung fu film ever to be shot outside of Asia, Lee roping in local backpackers to play the bad guys, accidentally punching a couple of them out in rehearsals. The film was also shot without sound; Lee dubbing most of the other male characters himself in the edit suit at his own studios. It was very much a one cut movie and made for just $150, 000 dollars in coalition with Golden Harvest Studios.

Although the film is geared towards the US, the westerners are knocked down like skittles here for that mass Chinese audience. Lees name in the film, Tang Lung, means 'Chinese Dragon' and the film is very much east takes on west. It's never explained in the plot why some American thugs want to run some Chinese immigrants out of a dingy restaurant in Rome and the film doesn't really matter much until Chuck Norris turns up for the last 15 minutes, very much chopsuey stuff up until that point. But for its time it was big news and Lee looks incredible on screen, not an ounce of fat on his mind-boggling physique and his feet and fists as fast as a lizards tongue. To think that he would be dead just 6 months later is hard to fathom. Originally the American boxing champ Joe Lewis was lined up to play the Chuck Norris role.
One scene from the film was banned for 20 years from western audiences, the Nunchuka sticks fight scene deemed too violent, but almost comical on screen as the wooden sticks hitting foreheads made sounds like two coconuts being hit together on the audio effects.

-Ratings-

Imdb.com scores it: 6.90 out of 10:0 (Votes, 4,088)
Radio Times Film book scores it 3/5
Leonard Maltin's film book scores it: 3/5
Martin and Marsha's film book scores it: 3/5
Halliwells Film Almanac scores it: 3/5

= = = = = SPECIAL FEATURES = = = = =

-Audio commentary by Bay Logan-

Bay is English born and knows his stuff. This is one of the more interesting and talky style of layered tracks out there and well worth a go. Bey is joined by the now aging John Benn to share his experiences of the film as we hear some greats stuff on the great Bruce lee. One amusing story Benn tells is when they first met, Benn smoking a cigar, which Lee immediately kicked out of his mouth with lightning speed, his little toe brushing the ash off, an astounded Benn left in awe and open mouthed, the cigar sticking to the sweat on his rubbery red lip.

-A Retrospective-

A text option to read up on Bruce's career...

-Photo Gallery-

-Original Trailer-

-Cast and crew-

The surviving cast talks about their experiences with Lee and the making of the movie, which again is interesting and poignant stuff for fans.

-Reflections of the Life of the Dragon-

Again, more intriguing and funny behind the scenes stuff as Benn and co talk about their role in the film, and more memories of Lee, including Bruce doing 100 one finger push-ups. Remember. Now think about that feat for a moment. That's how fit and strong Lee was. that was just 6 months before his death...

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RuN-TiMe 100 minutes
Adult violence
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Summary: Clsssic martials art western