Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
Encyclopedia
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is a 1993 American semi fictionalized
biographical
martial arts
action film
telling the story of actor and martial arts expert Bruce Lee
, starring Jason Scott Lee (no relation) as Bruce Lee, Lauren Holly
(as Linda Emery
) and Robert Wagner
. The film was directed by Rob Cohen
and written by Cohen, Edward Khmara, and John Raffo.
(Ric Young), who sees a demon (Sven-Ole Thorsen
) in medieval armor that hunts the young Bruce Lee (Duncan Chow
). Bruce is shown as a child receiving instruction in traditional Chinese martial arts
in a montage that passes quickly through his teenage years in Hong Kong. As a young adult, Bruce (Jason Scott Lee) becomes involved in a fight with British sailors (who are harassing a young Chinese woman) and this results in him having to leave Hong Kong because of the incident. His father suggests that Bruce go to the US, since he was actually born in San Francisco
when his father was on a tour there and has a US birth certificate. His father asks Bruce to become a success, so big a success that his name will be famous even back in Hong Kong.
In the US, Bruce starts off working as a dishwasher at a Chinese restaurant, where he becomes involved in a fight with some of the staff, and he fends them off until the restaurant owner (Nancy Kwan
) arrives and fires Bruce. As well as severance she gives him an all-purpose loan and convinces him to use the money to invest in a future with education. At a university, he begins to teach martial arts classes, and during these classes he meets Linda Emery
(Lauren Holly
), and the two begin dating. They eventually marry in defiance of Linda's racist mother. Linda suggests that Bruce open up a martial arts training school, which he does, but some other Chinese martial arts schools feel that he should not train non-Chinese, and they challenge him to fight Johnny Sun (John Cheung) to resolve the issue. Bruce wins the fight but Sun attacks Bruce from behind after the fight is over, resulting in a serious back injury.
While immobilized and recovering Bruce and Linda quarrel of why he did not tell her about this duel, but she furiously rejects his despairing assumption that she will abandon him because of this injury. To give his recovery time purpose, Linda coaxes him to examine the weaknesses of his combat technique, which leads to him developing the fight philosophy of Jeet Kune Do
while she helps him write "The Tao of Jeet Kune Do
." During this period Linda gives birth to their first child, Brandon
, and he is the key for the couple to reconcile with Linda's mother (Michael Learned
). Later at Ed Parker
's martial arts tournament, Bruce has a new face-off with Johnny Sun, this time in a 60-second demonstration of his new fighting style. Johnny Sun appears to have the upper hand in the first half of the match but then Bruce recovers and ends up kicking Sun over the top rope.
After the match, Bruce meets Bill Krieger (Robert Wagner
) and is hired for The Green Hornet
TV show. Bruce and Bill work together and create the idea for Kung Fu
. At a cast party, Linda says she is now pregnant with their second child, Shannon
. Shortly afterwards, there is an announcement for the cancellation of The Green Hornet. The show Kung Fu makes it onto television, but starring David Carradine
and not Bruce.
Bruce travels back home for his father's funeral and whilst in the country is soon approached by Philip Tan (Kay Tong Lim), a Hong Kong film producer. He says that Bruce is well-known in Hong Kong and that The Green Hornet show is called The Kato Show there. Bruce begins work on The Big Boss
. In the filming of the final scene, set in an ice factory, the brother of Johnny Sun attacks Bruce, wanting revenge. Bruce successfully defends himself against the attack. The Big Boss is a success and Bruce makes several more films – working as actor, director and editor. This causes a rift between Bruce and Linda, as the latter wishes to return to the States. Bill Krieger shows up, and although he knows that Bruce is still angry with him, he offers him a chance to work on a big-budget Hollywood movie, which Bruce decides to do, particularly as Linda feels she must return. On the 32nd day of shooting Enter the Dragon
, Bruce is embroiled in a final battle with his childhood demon. At the end, he decides to walk off of the set and go home to see his family. The film ends during a shot of the final scene of Enter the Dragon, with a voice-over by Linda informing the audience of his death before the movie's release, and her preferred choice to discuss his life, not his death.
, written by Linda Lee Cadwell
, the late Bruce Lee's wife and widow.
The role for Bruce Lee was first offered to his real-life son Brandon Lee
, who declined. Brandon Lee died in a fatal shooting accident while filming for the film The Crow
in March 1993, less than two months before this film's release. The film is dedicated to his memory at the end credits. In the film Brandon was portrayed as a child by Iain M. Parker.
To prepare for their roles both lead actors Jason Scott Lee and Lauren Holly
trained in Bruce Lee's Martial Art Jeet Kune Do
for months under former Lee student-turned-instructor Jerry Poteet
. Jason Scott Lee has continued to train in Jeet Kune Do under Poteet since 1993.
Jerry Poteet also portrays himself in the film, he can be seen in the background of many scenes. Van Williams
, who played The Green Hornet
in the 1960s TV series of the same name
appears as the director of The Green Hornet in this film. Bruce Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee
, has a cameo appearance
as a singer in the party scene (singing "California Dreamin'
"), at which Linda tells Bruce she is pregnant for the second time – carrying Shannon.
The tombstone that Bruce is forced to see when confronting his demon towards the end of film is the actual tombstone of Bruce Lee. The picture on it is different from the one that is actually on the real one but the date of birth, date of death and the epitaph are the same.
's soundtrack is best known for its use in film trailers, particularly the love theme Bruce and Linda. There is an uncredited song named Green Onions
in the restaurant fight scene.
While making The Green Hornet, Van Williams actively petitioned the studio in support of equal screentime for his non-white co-star. Williams' pleas to the studio fell on deaf ears.
Wong Jack Man
did not kick Bruce Lee in the back while Lee was walking away from the fight. The fight did in fact take place, but it was at Lee's own school, not at the strange temple seen in the film. Bruce won successfully, but his fighting style was very limited at the time. This fight was the reason that Lee would develop his own style, Jeet Kune do. Lee later injured his back during exercises.
There was no rematch between Lee and Wong Jack Man or a fight against Wong Jack Man's brother while making The Big Boss. However, a challenge match did take place between the real Bruce Lee and a local Thai boxer while filming The Big Boss
.
The book Tao of Jeet Kune Do was published after Lee's death.
Linda in the closing narration states that Lee died three weeks before the release of Enter the Dragon. Lee passed away six days before the films release.
The ending of Dragon only says that Lee died from a mysterious coma of unknown cause. In reality, there was more information about the cause of death.
, in particular the Lantern Festival
dance scene in Hong Kong where a foreign sailor who abuses a woman, is confronted by Bruce Lee.
, this film was on Dominic Toretto
's television during a scene in his house. Both films are directed by Rob Cohen
.
Fictional film
Fictional film or narrative film is film that tells a fictional story or narrative. Narrative cinema is usually contrasted to films that present information, such as a nature documentary, as well as to some experimental films...
biographical
Biographical film
A biographical film, or biopic , is a film that dramatizes the life of an actual person or people. They differ from films “based on a true story” or “historical films” in that they attempt to comprehensively tell a person’s life story or at least the most historically important years of their...
martial arts
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
action film
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
telling the story of actor and martial arts expert 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...
, starring Jason Scott Lee (no relation) as Bruce Lee, Lauren Holly
Lauren Holly
Lauren Michael Holly is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the TV series Picket Fences, as Mary Swanson in the 1994 film Dumb & Dumber, and as Jenny Shepard on the TV series NCIS. She was married to comic actor Jim Carrey from 1996 to...
(as Linda Emery
Linda Lee Cadwell
Linda Lee Cadwell is an American teacher and the widow of martial arts master and actor Bruce Lee.-Life and career:...
) and Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
. The film was directed by Rob Cohen
Rob Cohen
Robert "Rob" Cohen is an American film director, producer and writer.-Early life:Cohen was born in Cornwall, New York. He was raised and spent his childhood in the Town of Newburgh and graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 1967...
and written by Cohen, Edward Khmara, and John Raffo.
Plot
The film begins with a nightmare of Bruce Lee's fatherLee Hoi-Chuen
Lee Hoi-Chuen was Bruce Lee's father and was a Hong Kong Cantonese opera singer and film actor.Lee Hoi-chuen and his wife, Grace Ho, were in San Francisco in 1940 when Bruce Lee was born; they were on a one-year U.S. tour with the Cantonese Opera Company...
(Ric Young), who sees a demon (Sven-Ole Thorsen
Sven-Ole Thorsen
Sven-Ole Thorsen is a Danish actor, stuntman, bodybuilder and strongman competitor. Sven won Denmark's Strongest Man in 1983....
) in medieval armor that hunts the young Bruce Lee (Duncan Chow
Duncan Chow
Duncan Chow , September 19, 1978) is a Hong Kong-born actor who is popular in Taiwan. Originally he was a professional windsurfer and a fashion show model, but chose acting as a career in 2001...
). Bruce is shown as a child receiving instruction in traditional Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts
Chinese martial arts, also referred to by the Mandarin Chinese term wushu and popularly as kung fu , are a number of fighting styles that have developed over the centuries in China. These fighting styles are often classified according to common traits, identified as "families" , "sects" or...
in a montage that passes quickly through his teenage years in Hong Kong. As a young adult, Bruce (Jason Scott Lee) becomes involved in a fight with British sailors (who are harassing a young Chinese woman) and this results in him having to leave Hong Kong because of the incident. His father suggests that Bruce go to the US, since he was actually born in San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
when his father was on a tour there and has a US birth certificate. His father asks Bruce to become a success, so big a success that his name will be famous even back in Hong Kong.
In the US, Bruce starts off working as a dishwasher at a Chinese restaurant, where he becomes involved in a fight with some of the staff, and he fends them off until the restaurant owner (Nancy Kwan
Nancy Kwan
Nancy "Ka Shen" Kwan is a Eurasian-American actress, who played a pivotal role in the acceptance of actors of Asian descent in major Hollywood film roles...
) arrives and fires Bruce. As well as severance she gives him an all-purpose loan and convinces him to use the money to invest in a future with education. At a university, he begins to teach martial arts classes, and during these classes he meets Linda Emery
Linda Lee Cadwell
Linda Lee Cadwell is an American teacher and the widow of martial arts master and actor Bruce Lee.-Life and career:...
(Lauren Holly
Lauren Holly
Lauren Michael Holly is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the TV series Picket Fences, as Mary Swanson in the 1994 film Dumb & Dumber, and as Jenny Shepard on the TV series NCIS. She was married to comic actor Jim Carrey from 1996 to...
), and the two begin dating. They eventually marry in defiance of Linda's racist mother. Linda suggests that Bruce open up a martial arts training school, which he does, but some other Chinese martial arts schools feel that he should not train non-Chinese, and they challenge him to fight Johnny Sun (John Cheung) to resolve the issue. Bruce wins the fight but Sun attacks Bruce from behind after the fight is over, resulting in a serious back injury.
While immobilized and recovering Bruce and Linda quarrel of why he did not tell her about this duel, but she furiously rejects his despairing assumption that she will abandon him because of this injury. To give his recovery time purpose, Linda coaxes him to examine the weaknesses of his combat technique, which leads to him developing the fight philosophy of Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
while she helps him write "The Tao of Jeet Kune Do
The Tao of Jeet Kune Do
Tao of Jeet Kune Do is a book expressing Bruce Lee's martial arts philosophy and viewpoints, published posthumously . The project for this book began in 1970 when Bruce Lee suffered a back injury during one of his practice sessions. During this time he could not train in martial arts...
." During this period Linda gives birth to their first child, Brandon
Brandon Lee
Brandon Bruce Lee was an American actor and martial artist. He was the son of martial arts film star Bruce Lee...
, and he is the key for the couple to reconcile with Linda's mother (Michael Learned
Michael Learned
Michael Learned is an American actress known for her role as Olivia Walton on The Waltons.-Personal life:Learned was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Elizabeth Duane "Betti" and Bruce Learned, a diplomat. Her maternal grandfather was an attaché for the United States Embassy in Rome...
). Later at Ed Parker
Ed Parker
Edmund Kealoha "Ed" Parker was an American martial artist, promoter, teacher, and author.-Life:Parker was born in Hawaii, and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He began his training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later boxing...
's martial arts tournament, Bruce has a new face-off with Johnny Sun, this time in a 60-second demonstration of his new fighting style. Johnny Sun appears to have the upper hand in the first half of the match but then Bruce recovers and ends up kicking Sun over the top rope.
After the match, Bruce meets Bill Krieger (Robert Wagner
Robert Wagner
Robert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
) and is hired for The Green Hornet
The Green Hornet (TV series)
The Green Hornet is a television show on the ABC US television network. It aired for the 1966–1967 TV season, and starred Van Williams as the Green Hornet/Britt Reid and Bruce Lee as Kato.- Episodes:...
TV show. Bruce and Bill work together and create the idea for Kung Fu
Kung Fu (TV series)
Kung Fu is an American television series that starred David Carradine. It was created by Ed Spielman, directed and produced by Jerry Thorpe, and developed by Herman Miller, who was also a writer for, and co-producer of, the series...
. At a cast party, Linda says she is now pregnant with their second child, Shannon
Shannon Lee
Shannon Emery Lee is an American actress. She is the daughter of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee and Linda Lee Cadwell, and the younger sister of Brandon Lee.-Personal life:...
. Shortly afterwards, there is an announcement for the cancellation of The Green Hornet. The show Kung Fu makes it onto television, but starring David Carradine
David Carradine
David Carradine was an American actor and martial artist, best known for his role as a warrior monk, Kwai Chang Caine, in the 1970s television series, Kung Fu, which later had a 1990s sequel series, Kung Fu: The Legend Continues...
and not Bruce.
Bruce travels back home for his father's funeral and whilst in the country is soon approached by Philip Tan (Kay Tong Lim), a Hong Kong film producer. He says that Bruce is well-known in Hong Kong and that The Green Hornet show is called The Kato Show there. Bruce begins work on The Big Boss
The Big Boss
The Big Boss, previously known by its U.S. title Fists Of Fury is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts action crime thriller film. The Big Boss was Bruce Lee's first major film. It was written to star James Tien; however, Lee's strong performance relegated Tien, already a star in Hong Kong, to second...
. In the filming of the final scene, set in an ice factory, the brother of Johnny Sun attacks Bruce, wanting revenge. Bruce successfully defends himself against the attack. The Big Boss is a success and Bruce makes several more films – working as actor, director and editor. This causes a rift between Bruce and Linda, as the latter wishes to return to the States. Bill Krieger shows up, and although he knows that Bruce is still angry with him, he offers him a chance to work on a big-budget Hollywood movie, which Bruce decides to do, particularly as Linda feels she must return. On the 32nd day of shooting Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
, Bruce is embroiled in a final battle with his childhood demon. At the end, he decides to walk off of the set and go home to see his family. The film ends during a shot of the final scene of Enter the Dragon, with a voice-over by Linda informing the audience of his death before the movie's release, and her preferred choice to discuss his life, not his death.
Cast
- Jason Scott Lee (Duncan ChowDuncan ChowDuncan Chow , September 19, 1978) is a Hong Kong-born actor who is popular in Taiwan. Originally he was a professional windsurfer and a fashion show model, but chose acting as a career in 2001...
, young) as Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce 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... - Lauren HollyLauren HollyLauren Michael Holly is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the TV series Picket Fences, as Mary Swanson in the 1994 film Dumb & Dumber, and as Jenny Shepard on the TV series NCIS. She was married to comic actor Jim Carrey from 1996 to...
as Linda LeeLinda Lee CadwellLinda Lee Cadwell is an American teacher and the widow of martial arts master and actor Bruce Lee.-Life and career:... - Robert WagnerRobert WagnerRobert John Wagner is an American actor of stage, screen, and television.A veteran of many films in the 1950s and 1960s, Wagner gained prominence in three American television series that spanned three decades: It Takes a Thief , Switch , and Hart to Hart...
as Bill Krieger - Michael LearnedMichael LearnedMichael Learned is an American actress known for her role as Olivia Walton on The Waltons.-Personal life:Learned was born in Washington, D.C., the daughter of Elizabeth Duane "Betti" and Bruce Learned, a diplomat. Her maternal grandfather was an attaché for the United States Embassy in Rome...
as Vivian Emery - Nancy KwanNancy KwanNancy "Ka Shen" Kwan is a Eurasian-American actress, who played a pivotal role in the acceptance of actors of Asian descent in major Hollywood film roles...
as Gussie Yang - Ed Parker, Jr. as Ed ParkerEd ParkerEdmund Kealoha "Ed" Parker was an American martial artist, promoter, teacher, and author.-Life:Parker was born in Hawaii, and raised a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He began his training in the martial arts at a young age in judo and later boxing...
- Kay Tong Lim as Philip Tan
- Ric Young as Bruce's FatherLee Hoi-ChuenLee Hoi-Chuen was Bruce Lee's father and was a Hong Kong Cantonese opera singer and film actor.Lee Hoi-chuen and his wife, Grace Ho, were in San Francisco in 1940 when Bruce Lee was born; they were on a one-year U.S. tour with the Cantonese Opera Company...
- Wang LuoyongWang LuoyongWang Luoyong is an actor from China who appeared in American films. He first appeared in Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story as Grandmaster Yip Man. He had recently appeared in CCTV's The Legend of Bruce Lee as Shao Ruhai, a master of Hung Ga and the first to train Bruce Lee . His character "Shao Ruhai"...
as Yip ManYip ManYip Man , also spelled as Ip Man, and also known as Yip Kai-Man, was a Chinese martial artist. He had several students who later became martial arts teachers in their own right, including Bruce Lee.-Early life:... - Sterling Macer as Jerome Sprout
- John Cheung as Johnny Sun
- Sven-Ole ThorsenSven-Ole ThorsenSven-Ole Thorsen is a Danish actor, stuntman, bodybuilder and strongman competitor. Sven won Denmark's Strongest Man in 1983....
as The Demon - Eric Bruskotter as Joe Henderson
- Aki AleongAki AleongAssing "Aki" Aleong is an American character actor and singer who has also been active in songwriting and musical production. He is probably best known for portraying Senator Hidoshi during the first season of the critically acclaimed series Babylon 5, as well as portraying Mr. Chiang, the aide to...
as Principal Elder - Clyde KusatsuClyde KusatsuClyde Kusatsu is a U.S. actor.Kusatsu was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he attended ʻIolani School. Kusatsu began acting in Honolulu summer stock, and after studying theatre at Northwestern University, started to make his mark on the small screen in the mid-1970s...
as History teacher - Michael CudlitzMichael CudlitzMichael Cudlitz is an American actor. He can be seen in the TNT drama Southland, starring as John Cooper, and the HBO miniseries Band of Brothers as Sgt. Denver "Bull" Randleman.-Life and career:...
as Tad Overton - Van WilliamsVan WilliamsVan Zandt Williams is a former actor best known for his television role as Britt Reid/the Green Hornet. He teamed for one season with the late Bruce Lee as his partner Kato, in the television series The Green Hornet, broadcast on ABC during the 1966-67 season.Williams was also known for his...
as TV director of The Green HornetThe Green Hornet (TV series)The Green Hornet is a television show on the ABC US television network. It aired for the 1966–1967 TV season, and starred Van Williams as the Green Hornet/Britt Reid and Bruce Lee as Kato.- Episodes:... - Lala SloatmanLala SloatmanLala Cassandra Sloatman is an American model, actress and costumer. Her uncle was musician Frank Zappa; her cousins are Ahmet, Diva, Moon and Dweezil Zappa. She is frequently billed by her first name only, and sometimes as Lala Zappa....
as Sherry Schnell - Rob CohenRob CohenRobert "Rob" Cohen is an American film director, producer and writer.-Early life:Cohen was born in Cornwall, New York. He was raised and spent his childhood in the Town of Newburgh and graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 1967...
as Enter the DragonEnter the DragonEnter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
director
Production
The film is based upon the novel Bruce Lee: The Man Only I KnewBruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew
Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew is a book about martial arts legend Bruce Lee, written by his widow, Linda Lee Cadwell. The book was written very close to the time of Bruce Lee's death, thus being very close in Cadwell's memories...
, written by Linda Lee Cadwell
Linda Lee Cadwell
Linda Lee Cadwell is an American teacher and the widow of martial arts master and actor Bruce Lee.-Life and career:...
, the late Bruce Lee's wife and widow.
The role for Bruce Lee was first offered to his real-life son Brandon Lee
Brandon Lee
Brandon Bruce Lee was an American actor and martial artist. He was the son of martial arts film star Bruce Lee...
, who declined. Brandon Lee died in a fatal shooting accident while filming for the film The Crow
The Crow (film)
The Crow is a 1994 American action film based on the 1989 comic book of the same name by James O'Barr. The film was written by David J. Schow and John Shirley, and directed by Alex Proyas...
in March 1993, less than two months before this film's release. The film is dedicated to his memory at the end credits. In the film Brandon was portrayed as a child by Iain M. Parker.
To prepare for their roles both lead actors Jason Scott Lee and Lauren Holly
Lauren Holly
Lauren Michael Holly is an American actress. She is known for her roles as Deputy Sheriff Maxine Stewart in the TV series Picket Fences, as Mary Swanson in the 1994 film Dumb & Dumber, and as Jenny Shepard on the TV series NCIS. She was married to comic actor Jim Carrey from 1996 to...
trained in Bruce Lee's Martial Art Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
for months under former Lee student-turned-instructor Jerry Poteet
Jerry Poteet
Jerry Poteet is an American martial arts instructor, recognized for his teachings in the art of Jeet Kune Do as an original Bruce Lee student. Since his teacher’s premature passing, Jerry has stood firm, refusing to water down the art that had such an enormous impact in his life...
. Jason Scott Lee has continued to train in Jeet Kune Do under Poteet since 1993.
Jerry Poteet also portrays himself in the film, he can be seen in the background of many scenes. Van Williams
Van Williams
Van Zandt Williams is a former actor best known for his television role as Britt Reid/the Green Hornet. He teamed for one season with the late Bruce Lee as his partner Kato, in the television series The Green Hornet, broadcast on ABC during the 1966-67 season.Williams was also known for his...
, who played 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...
in the 1960s TV series of the same name
The Green Hornet (TV series)
The Green Hornet is a television show on the ABC US television network. It aired for the 1966–1967 TV season, and starred Van Williams as the Green Hornet/Britt Reid and Bruce Lee as Kato.- Episodes:...
appears as the director of The Green Hornet in this film. Bruce Lee's daughter, Shannon Lee
Shannon Lee
Shannon Emery Lee is an American actress. She is the daughter of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee and Linda Lee Cadwell, and the younger sister of Brandon Lee.-Personal life:...
, has a cameo appearance
Cameo appearance
A cameo role or cameo appearance is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television...
as a singer in the party scene (singing "California Dreamin'
California Dreamin'
"California Dreamin is a popular song by The Mamas & the Papas, first released in 1965. The song is #89 in Rolling Stones list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time...
"), at which Linda tells Bruce she is pregnant for the second time – carrying Shannon.
The tombstone that Bruce is forced to see when confronting his demon towards the end of film is the actual tombstone of Bruce Lee. The picture on it is different from the one that is actually on the real one but the date of birth, date of death and the epitaph are the same.
Music
Randy EdelmanRandy Edelman
Randy Edelman is an American film and TV score composer.-Life and career:Edelman was born in Paterson, New Jersey. He was raised in Teaneck, New Jersey, the son of a first-grade teacher and an accountant. He attended the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music before heading to New York where he played...
's soundtrack is best known for its use in film trailers, particularly the love theme Bruce and Linda. There is an uncredited song named Green Onions
Green Onions
Green Onions is the debut album by Booker T. & the M.G.'s, released on Stax Records in October of 1962. It reached number 33 on the Pop Albums chart in the month of its release...
in the restaurant fight scene.
Divergences from real life
Lee started training in Wing Chun at the age of 13 after losing a fight with bullies, not because of inner demons.While making The Green Hornet, Van Williams actively petitioned the studio in support of equal screentime for his non-white co-star. Williams' pleas to the studio fell on deaf ears.
Wong Jack Man
Wong Jack Man
Wong Jack Man is a Chinese martial artist and martial arts teacher, best known for a martial arts duel with Bruce Lee in Oakland in 1964....
did not kick Bruce Lee in the back while Lee was walking away from the fight. The fight did in fact take place, but it was at Lee's own school, not at the strange temple seen in the film. Bruce won successfully, but his fighting style was very limited at the time. This fight was the reason that Lee would develop his own style, Jeet Kune do. Lee later injured his back during exercises.
There was no rematch between Lee and Wong Jack Man or a fight against Wong Jack Man's brother while making The Big Boss. However, a challenge match did take place between the real Bruce Lee and a local Thai boxer while filming The Big Boss
The Big Boss
The Big Boss, previously known by its U.S. title Fists Of Fury is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts action crime thriller film. The Big Boss was Bruce Lee's first major film. It was written to star James Tien; however, Lee's strong performance relegated Tien, already a star in Hong Kong, to second...
.
The book Tao of Jeet Kune Do was published after Lee's death.
Linda in the closing narration states that Lee died three weeks before the release of Enter the Dragon. Lee passed away six days before the films release.
The ending of Dragon only says that Lee died from a mysterious coma of unknown cause. In reality, there was more information about the cause of death.
Reception
The film received generally positive reviews, with a rating of 81% on RottenTomatoes, based on 16 reviews counted.Box office
The film debuted at #1 at the box office. The film had a domestic gross of $35,113,743, with an additional $28,400,000 earned in foreign territories. The film grossed $63,513,743 worldwide.Censorship
Scenes from Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story were deleted by British authorities prior to its release in the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, in particular the Lantern Festival
Lantern Festival
The Lantern Festival ; is a festival celebrated on the fifteenth day of the first month in the lunisolar year in the Chinese calendar, the last day...
dance scene in Hong Kong where a foreign sailor who abuses a woman, is confronted by Bruce Lee.
Legacy
In the film The Fast and the FuriousThe Fast and the Furious (2001 film)
The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 street racing action film starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez and Jordana Brewster. Directed by Rob Cohen, The Fast and the Furious was the first mainstream film to feature the Asian automotive import scene in North America. It is the first film...
, this film was on Dominic Toretto
Dominic Toretto
Dominic Toretto is a fictional character portrayed by Vin Diesel in The Fast and the Furious film series created by screenwriter Gary Scott Thompson. Dom is first introduced in the film The Fast and the Furious...
's television during a scene in his house. Both films are directed by Rob Cohen
Rob Cohen
Robert "Rob" Cohen is an American film director, producer and writer.-Early life:Cohen was born in Cornwall, New York. He was raised and spent his childhood in the Town of Newburgh and graduated from Newburgh Free Academy in 1967...
.