Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story
Encyclopedia
Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story is a heavily fictionalized biopic about martial arts
actor Bruce Lee
. The film centres on his supposed affair with actress Betty Ting-Pei. This lurid film is notable for being the first biopic of Bruce Lee
http://www.kungfucinema.com/reviews/bruceleeadragonstory.htm (it was released the year following his death), the debut film of notorious Lee imitator Ho Chung-Tao (A/K/A Bruce Li
), and quite possible the first film in the odd Bruceploitation
subgenre.
(Bruce Li
) delivering newspapers in Seattle, Washington. (However, he is seen distributing copies of a Washington D.C. newspaper). We then see Lee competing in various martial arts tournaments and eventually landing a role on the television show The Green Hornet
. He also gets married, and has to fight a whole lot of challengers.
Later, Lee goes to Hong Kong, and, after being discovered on television by the wife of director Lo Wei
, is given a contract at Golden Harvest
.
Lee also meets and falls in love with actress Betty Ting-Pei, who announces that she is pregnant with his love child (the film's most radical departure from the facts of Lee's life). The soap opera-style romance takes over the film in its second half, and at one point there is a love triangle between Lee, Betty Ting-Pei, and one of Lee's co-stars (almost certainly based on Nora Miao
).
's worst movies. Many have lambasted the film for its tendency to stray heavily from the facts of Lee's life, for the poor pacing, the lack of frequent fight scenes, and the soapy love story
Bruce Li
himself has also spoken about his dislike for this and his other early films.
Martial arts
Martial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
actor Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
. The film centres on his supposed affair with actress Betty Ting-Pei. This lurid film is notable for being the first biopic of Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
http://www.kungfucinema.com/reviews/bruceleeadragonstory.htm (it was released the year following his death), the debut film of notorious Lee imitator Ho Chung-Tao (A/K/A Bruce Li
Bruce Li
Bruce Li is one of the stage names of Ho Chung Tao , a Taiwanese martial artist and Bruce Lee imitator who starred in martial arts movies from the Bruceploitation movement.-Early life:...
), and quite possible the first film in the odd Bruceploitation
Bruceploitation
Bruceploitation is a cultural phenomenon mostly seen in the 1970s after the 1973 death of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. Movie makers in mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan hired a great number of Bruce Lee look-alike actors to star in many cheap knock-off martial arts movies to cash in on...
subgenre.
Synopsis
The film opens with a pre-fame Bruce LeeBruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
(Bruce Li
Bruce Li
Bruce Li is one of the stage names of Ho Chung Tao , a Taiwanese martial artist and Bruce Lee imitator who starred in martial arts movies from the Bruceploitation movement.-Early life:...
) delivering newspapers in Seattle, Washington. (However, he is seen distributing copies of a Washington D.C. newspaper). We then see Lee competing in various martial arts tournaments and eventually landing a role on the television show The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet is an American radio and television masked vigilante created by George W. Trendle and Fran Striker, with input from radio director James Jewell, in 1936. Since his radio debut in the 1930s, the Green Hornet has appeared in numerous serialized dramas in a wide variety of media...
. He also gets married, and has to fight a whole lot of challengers.
Later, Lee goes to Hong Kong, and, after being discovered on television by the wife of director Lo Wei
Lo Wei
Lo Wei was a famous Hong Kong film director and film actor best known for launching the martial arts film careers of both Bruce Lee, in The Big Boss and Fist of Fury, and Jackie Chan, in New Fist of Fury....
, is given a contract at Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market for an extended period of time, especially with the films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan...
.
Lee also meets and falls in love with actress Betty Ting-Pei, who announces that she is pregnant with his love child (the film's most radical departure from the facts of Lee's life). The soap opera-style romance takes over the film in its second half, and at one point there is a love triangle between Lee, Betty Ting-Pei, and one of Lee's co-stars (almost certainly based on Nora Miao
Nora Miao
Nora Miao ); born February 8, 1952 ) is a Hong Kong actress who appeared in many kung-fu films in the 1970s. She was contracted to Golden Harvest, and spent her time making films in Hong Kong and in Taiwan, where she starred in several romance movies....
).
Criticism
Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story is almost universally considered one of Bruce LiBruce Li
Bruce Li is one of the stage names of Ho Chung Tao , a Taiwanese martial artist and Bruce Lee imitator who starred in martial arts movies from the Bruceploitation movement.-Early life:...
's worst movies. Many have lambasted the film for its tendency to stray heavily from the facts of Lee's life, for the poor pacing, the lack of frequent fight scenes, and the soapy love story
Bruce Li
Bruce Li
Bruce Li is one of the stage names of Ho Chung Tao , a Taiwanese martial artist and Bruce Lee imitator who starred in martial arts movies from the Bruceploitation movement.-Early life:...
himself has also spoken about his dislike for this and his other early films.
"After my first movie, the films would be crafted around the life and times of Bruce Lee. However I would like to make an important point, I did not like these films. Without my knowledge or consent the producers changed my name to Li Hsiao Lung."http://web.archive.org/web/20091028103931/http://geocities.com/many_bruces/brucelizine/index.htm