My love of martial arts actually started back in the waning days of our very local video rental shop, 'Swaythling Video Library'. I'd started really enjoying the clips that they'd show on tv so my dad took the leap and despite me not being quite of age to see them, my dad plonked "Wheels On Meals" in front of me and thus changed my life.
Yup, my first taste of the world of Martial Arts films was through a traditional Jackie Chan action-comedy. Of course, I knew who Bruce Lee was at that point but his movies were still in BBFC hell due to his liberal use of nunchaku throughout. Over here in the UK, any reference for them was banned so we wouldn't get full cuts of a lot of Bruce's films.
It's the early 90s to boot and a high profile biopic was being made of the man at the same time. That being said it wasn't until well into the late 90s that I believe Channel 4 finally did a retrospective of his films.
It's sadly a lost thing now. Back then the 'arty' channels like BBC2 and Channel 4 would present a season of films highlighting a particular actor or director. It was through this I got to see a bunch of Marx Brothers movies, Leone's Dollars trilogy and ultimately Bruce Lee's back catalogue. Which brings us up to:
THE WAY OF THE DRAGON (1972 dir. Bruce Lee)
Why I bought it/Why I liked it:
Of the five 'main' Bruce Lee films, I own four of them. That's mainly because I argue that "Game Of Death" is at best a quarter of a Bruce Lee film. His action scenes are excellent but where it's infamously the film he never completed, the exploitative story and overall lack of Bruce make it an unenjoyable watch. No point in owning a film for 15-20 minutes of action sequences...
For years I was adamant that THIS was the best Bruce Lee film. In my later years, I'd say it was tied with "Enter The Dragon", solely on the basis that "Enter" flies by at a crazy pace and the spy element and the banter between Jim Kelly and John Saxon coupled with crazy handless villain makes it an insane watch.
The running theme in those other films though was Bruce often played a stoic man. He was mostly all action rarely letting his personality shine through. "The Way Of The Dragon" changed all that, unsurprisingly as it's the only film Bruce managed to write, direct and star in before his untimely demise.
Those who knew Bruce behind the scenes knew that he had a fun sense of humour and that's evident throughout this film. He's more relaxed, he gets to have fun and it makes for a far more enjoyable film than say "The Big Boss" does.
Of course, there are lashings of action sequences including the infamous fight scene where Bruce and Chuck freaking Norris fight in the Rome Colleseum but just as fondly remembered is his impish sense of humour which shines throughout.
If I think it'll stay in the collection:
To date, I think it's still the only Bruce Lee film I shelled out full price for when I was building the collection. As such it's one of the oldest films in my collection and I see no reason as to why it should leave any time soon.
The review:
The great thing about this film is that Bruce subverts your typical image of him. The first part of the film he brilliantly plays the 'fish out of water' while in Rome speaking none of the language and unaccustomed to their culture. Simple things such as finding the toilet or ordering some food result in comedic circumstances.
They even tease action early on but hilariously deprive you of it when customers in the restaurant arrive. It's essentially Bruce sending up the image of himself and having fun with it, challenging the viewers who think they know what he's all about.
The plot is one of those gloriously simple ones, often associated with the martial arts genre. A Chinese restaurant in Rome is under threat from gangsters, Bruce Lee's Ah Lung or Tang Lung (depending on what day the subtitlers were working) has been sent from Hong Kong to help out. He's the Cantonese Equalizer!
Hilariously because of the time period, the gangsters resemble the rock group Boston upon entering the restaurant and thus by today's standards would probably pose little threat but it's still fun to watch Bruce kick all of their butts.
I've watched this in the original Cantonese with English Subtitles as I often do with Bruce films. Odd really as I often watch Jackie films with Dubbing. I have done this so I can experience the pure annoyance of effeminate henchman Ho's mocking in the Colleseum as I like to punish myself. I can assure you it is quite annoying but purposefully so.
Finally, the big bad boss realizes that the combined efforts of Boston and The Doobie Brothers weren't going to cut it and brings in the big guns in the form of then beardless sasquatch Chuck Norris. Yes, for better or worse this was the film that jump-started Chuck Norris' film career. I say for worse as despite cheesy performances in 'Walker, Texas Ranger', his back catalogue is pretty fucking awful and not in the so bad its good way. TRY watching "Missing In Action", I dare you.
Despite these minor niggles, "The Way Of The Dragon" is still a fantastic piece of kung-fu cinema, even if Bruce is still hammering home the Chinese Kung-Fu is better than Japanese Karate them he'd used in "Fist Of Fury". It's a really fun film and it's a shame Bruce never had the opportunity to make more under his own direction.
Should it stay or should it go?
Just as easy to watch as the first time I managed to back on a Saturday night on Channel 4. The backdrop and extras are hilariously dated but the film still remains a tasty slice of entertainment and a must-see for any fans of the martial arts genre. A chunky 9 out of 10 rating here.
Action time rolls on with the next film. So until next time, I remain,
Matt Major
Wow, somebody else on the internet remembers Swaythling Video Library! I used to 'hangout' there between 1992- early 1994 playing video games. Stopped once it changed ownership and reverted to film rentals only. Do you remember 'Video To Go' in Burgess Road by any chance?
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