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Review : Enter the Dragon : Special Edition DVD
Bruce Lee is the greatest martial artist film star of all times and there will never be anyone else who can approach the impact that he had on our culture. I can write that with no exaggeration or hyperbole and few will dispute it. If it were not for him the very existence of the martial art film genre existence would be in question and I can't think of anyone else who was more responsible in bringing the Eastern martial arts to the West. Bruce Lee is not just like other martial arts stars only better but he has a screen presence that has never been matched or surpassed.
Last weekend I was over in Seattle and I purchased the Enter the Dragon : Special Edition DVD and Chinese Connection DVD at a used CD store for a song and a dime. Enter the Dragon is one of those movies that one can watch and not help but to think of all the later movies, animation and videogames that were influenced by it. This was Bruce Lee last picture before his early tragic and highly controversial death in 1973. Bruce Lee did not live to see this film premiere but did finish the picture complete the editing process. This edition of the movie contained character scenes that were removed from the final theatrical cut but they are here on the DVD in the exact way that Bruce left them.
When watching this movie you will notice things that are now considered cliches but this is the real deal. There is a commentary track by the movies producer and on the B side of the DVD there are interviews with Bruce Lee's Widow, documentary of interviews with Bruce Lee as well as a on the set documentary about the making of the movie back in 1973. The "suggested films" on the DVD are laughable in comparison with Bruce Lee's work and I thought that the part of the DVD that hyped Jackie Chan movies was out of place.
There are a couple of things that Bruce Lee fans should never do.
1.Refer to martial arts moves and Chop-Sockey.
2.Watch the bad knockoff "Biographies" of Bruce Lee
3.Compare the long line of Bruce Lee rip-off movies starring Bruce Li and Bruce Le with that of the real guy.
4.Think that Dragon The Bruce Lee story was non-fiction.
This movie was parodied in The Kentucky Fried Movie and Enter the Fat Dragon. Both are damn funny and Sammo Hung was one of the extras in Enter the Dragon.
This movie was a blast to watch on DVD and it looked brilliant. It is a true classic and it has aged like a fine wine since the three decades since it was made. I am going to have to get my hands on the rest of Bruce Lee films on DVD and sometime I am going to have to go find his grave over in Seattle.
Jake at August 12, 2004 
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Comments
Bruce Lee is the man! No one could top him!
Posted by: Mike of GML Productions at August 13, 2004 6:58 AM
baah! have the same dvd at home, couldn't find what anybody finds about this movie.
it's laughable at best, which does not mean that I'm not impressed by the physical presence of Bruce Lee.
can't recommend this dvd, the interviews about Bruce are just baaad.
Posted by: Jim at August 13, 2004 8:58 AM
So Jim did you think it needed more T&A with a rap sound track? What about more explosions and car chases?
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at August 13, 2004 11:13 AM
No, no, it needs Vin Diesel on a motorcycle and outrageously funny one-liners. A hip hop soundtrack would definitely help though.
Posted by: BBQ at August 13, 2004 11:34 PM
what's wrong with more TNA? ;-)
no, I meant the "look and feel" of the movie is funny. Bruce's cries always make me laugh etc.
also I can't understand what's so "cool" about the movie, overall I was bored.
also picture and sound quality could have been better -> a littel bit lame for a "special edition" don't you think.
Posted by: Jim at August 14, 2004 6:31 AM
It's not as cool as the Jacob's Ladder special edition. That has features like "English audio" and "Dual Layer Disc." Dude I could spend hours checking those out!
Posted by: BBQ at August 14, 2004 2:12 PM
so... violent... meh.
Posted by: gringo at August 14, 2004 3:18 PM
Huh? Is there spam in heaven? I couldn't spend eternity away from that salty meaty goodness.
Posted by: BBQ at August 15, 2004 5:12 PM
holy crap, was that spam?
wow. did you dry heave jake?
Posted by: gringo at August 15, 2004 7:21 PM
Well this movie was made back in 1973. Richard Nixon was President back then and it was a quite a long time ago. The look of the movie fit into the look and feel of 1973 Hong Kong.
With access to almost unlimited amounts of porn via the internet I would rather have kick ass fighting rather than some T& A but this movie did have some sex in it.
I guess it would have been hard to have Bruce do the DVD commentary track given the fact that he has been dead for over thirty years.
Posted by: Jake of 8bitjoystick.com at August 15, 2004 8:52 PM
it's kinda crude to suggest this BLOODY FUNNY TRASH...
http://www.i-mockery.com/minimocks/storyofricky/default.php
*snickerin*
and sorry for this absolute unnecessary post that was inspired by NINTENDORKS.
Posted by: Jim at September 1, 2004 1:27 PM
