Bruce Lee Fights Back From The Grave
Encyclopedia
Bruce Lee Fights Back From The Grave (아메리카訪問客 Visitor in America) is a 1976 Bruceploitation
movie starring Bruce Lee
impersonator
and tae kwon do instructor Jun Chong (using the name Bruce K.L. Lea). The movie was directed by Doo-Yong Lee, though persistent rumour claims that the movie was directed by Italian horror director Umberto Lenzi
. (He may have directed the Bruceploitation elements that were tacked on to the original film.) The poster for the film bears a resemblance to the Meat Loaf
album, Bat Out of Hell
, but the film was released a year before the album's release date. The poster's artwork was very common among exploitation
films.
The version of the film seen on UK and US videos and DVDs comes from an US edit of an English dub prepared in Hong Kong. Although the film was released in Korea in 1976, it isn't clear if the film had a release in Chinese markets. The music score for the Chinese/English version contains music lifted from the soundtracks to Rocky (1976) and Rollercoaster (1977), two films not released until after the Korean release date of this film. The sound FX on this version is typical HK sound FX rather than the sort heard in Korean films. Also, the script for the English dub makes repeated references to the Asian characters being Chinese, when the visual evidence is that they are Korean. The US distributors added the infamous "Bruce Lee" opening sequence.
The UK VHS added their own bit of Bruceploitation falsehood, by stating that Danny Inosanto [Bruce Lee's student and an actor in Game Of Death (1978) and The Chinese Stuntman (1981]) was in the cast, and listing the plot synopsis for Exit The Dragon, Enter The Tiger (1976) on the video sleave, probably because they realised the film had nothing to do with Bruce Lee fighting back from the grave!
is struck by lightning
. While the title and intro of the movie imply a story involving Bruce Lee returning from the afterlife
in order to do battle, the bulk of the movie involves a plot having nothing to do with Bruce Lee.
Jeong Jun plays Han-Wuk, a Korean
man trying to discover the truth behind the death of his brother Han Ji-Hyeok. He travels to America
and allies himself with a woman named Susan (Deborah Dutch). Han-Wuk is harassed by a number of petty criminals and thugs
in his attempt to find his friend. Eventually, he begins to suspect that Ji-Hyeok is still alive, and involved in a criminal racket
.
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...
movie starring 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...
impersonator
Impersonator
An impersonator is someone who imitates or copies the behavior or actions of another. There are many reasons for someone to be an impersonator, some common ones being as follows:...
and tae kwon do instructor Jun Chong (using the name Bruce K.L. Lea). The movie was directed by Doo-Yong Lee, though persistent rumour claims that the movie was directed by Italian horror director Umberto Lenzi
Umberto Lenzi
Umberto Lenzi , is an Italian film director who was very active in low budget crime films, peplums, spaghetti westerns, war movies, cannibal films and giallo murder mysteries ....
. (He may have directed the Bruceploitation elements that were tacked on to the original film.) The poster for the film bears a resemblance to the Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
album, Bat Out of Hell
Bat out of Hell
Bat Out of Hell is the second album by American rock musician Meat Loaf, and his first collaboration with composer Jim Steinman, released in October 1977 on Cleveland International/Epic Records #PE-34974. Selling approximately 200,000 copies per year as of 2010, it is the fifth best-selling album...
, but the film was released a year before the album's release date. The poster's artwork was very common among exploitation
Exploitation
This article discusses the term exploitation in the meaning of using something in an unjust or cruel manner.- As unjust benefit :In political economy, economics, and sociology, exploitation involves a persistent social relationship in which certain persons are being mistreated or unfairly used for...
films.
The version of the film seen on UK and US videos and DVDs comes from an US edit of an English dub prepared in Hong Kong. Although the film was released in Korea in 1976, it isn't clear if the film had a release in Chinese markets. The music score for the Chinese/English version contains music lifted from the soundtracks to Rocky (1976) and Rollercoaster (1977), two films not released until after the Korean release date of this film. The sound FX on this version is typical HK sound FX rather than the sort heard in Korean films. Also, the script for the English dub makes repeated references to the Asian characters being Chinese, when the visual evidence is that they are Korean. The US distributors added the infamous "Bruce Lee" opening sequence.
The UK VHS added their own bit of Bruceploitation falsehood, by stating that Danny Inosanto [Bruce Lee's student and an actor in Game Of Death (1978) and The Chinese Stuntman (1981]) was in the cast, and listing the plot synopsis for Exit The Dragon, Enter The Tiger (1976) on the video sleave, probably because they realised the film had nothing to do with Bruce Lee fighting back from the grave!
Plot overview
The opening sequence of the movie shows a Bruce Lee imitator leaping out from under a tombstone after the graveGrave (burial)
A grave is a location where a dead body is buried. Graves are usually located in special areas set aside for the purpose of burial, such as graveyards or cemeteries....
is struck by lightning
Lightning
Lightning is an atmospheric electrostatic discharge accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms...
. While the title and intro of the movie imply a story involving Bruce Lee returning from the afterlife
Afterlife
The afterlife is the belief that a part of, or essence of, or soul of an individual, which carries with it and confers personal identity, survives the death of the body of this world and this lifetime, by natural or supernatural means, in contrast to the belief in eternal...
in order to do battle, the bulk of the movie involves a plot having nothing to do with Bruce Lee.
Jeong Jun plays Han-Wuk, a Korean
Korean people
The Korean people are an ethnic group originating in the Korean peninsula and Manchuria. Koreans are one of the most ethnically and linguistically homogeneous groups in the world.-Names:...
man trying to discover the truth behind the death of his brother Han Ji-Hyeok. He travels to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and allies himself with a woman named Susan (Deborah Dutch). Han-Wuk is harassed by a number of petty criminals and thugs
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
in his attempt to find his friend. Eventually, he begins to suspect that Ji-Hyeok is still alive, and involved in a criminal racket
Racket (crime)
A racket is an illegal business, usually run as part of organized crime. Engaging in a racket is called racketeering.Several forms of racket exist. The best-known is the protection racket, in which criminals demand money from businesses in exchange for the service of "protection" against crimes...
.