As we ring in the Year of the Dragon, we’re taking a look back at one of Hollywood’s most beloved classics, Enter The Dragon. Heralded as Bruce Lee’s finest works, Enter The Dragon has etched its way into film history, serving as a seminal bridge between Eastern and Western cinema.
Although Jackie Chan would go on to captivate Western audiences by combining Kung Fu with comedy, Bruce Lee’s short but impactful stint as a martial arts hero on screen brought a level of respect and awe, unmatched by his successors.
The 1973 classic opened in Hong Kong just days after Bruce Lee died on 23 July – “death by misadventure.” Enter The Dragon would open a month later in the US, sweeping audiences off their feet in a metaphorical parallel to Bruce Lee’s elaborate Kung Fu choreography.
Also starring John Saxo, Jim Kelly, Sammo Hung, Chuck Norris, and even Jackie Chan, Bruce Lee faced off with an army of muscle that would make today’s The Expendables seem like The Teletubbies.
On camera, Bruce Lee is fierce, menacing, and ruthless, but yet mesmerizing. Kung Fu had never looked so cool, and until today, still hasn’t.
Bruce Lee’s on-screen magnetic confidence and style were a product of his hard work, diligence, and commitment to his role. “He wanted to make this film very special,” Bruce Lee’s widow, Linda Lee Cadwell recalled.
“And he had ideas he would like to see added to the script. He was very adamant about it. He really put a lot of work into studying how to improve this film. To make it the best product that it could be because this was an important film for Bruce. It was going to be his first introduction to the American market.”
Despite pushback from the filmmakers, Bruce Lee was adamant that elements of his mantra were injected into the movie. “There was some reticence on the side of the people making the film,” Cadwell explained. “They wanted Bruce to get on the set and get going but he didn’t want to show up and get going on the film until the things he wanted — namely all the philosophy –- in the film were done.”
Read more: ‘Warrior’ Seasons 1-3 Coming to Netflix in February 2024
Bruce Lee’s daughter, Shannon Lee, also revealed that her father asked Warner Brothers to re-write Enter The Dragon to encompass his goals.
In an excerpt from Shannon Lee’s book, ‘Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee’, Lee explained that the 1973 film’s original script did not feature many of the iconic Bruce Lee scenes.
“This original script had none of the iconic scenes that exist today,” Shannon Lee writes. “No ‘finger pointing at the moon.’ No ‘art of fighting without fighting.’ No philosophical scene with the monk discussing the true nature of mastery — ‘I do not hit. It hits all by itself.’”
In a letter to Ted Ashley, then-head of Warner Brothers, Bruce Lee explained that he had a desire to showcase the “glory” of Chinese martial arts.
“I am sure you agree with me that quality, extreme hard work, and professionalism is what cinema is all about,” the Hong Kong martial artist wrote. “My twenty years of experience, both in martial arts and acting has led to the successful harmony of showmanship and genuine, efficient, artful expression. In short, this is it, and ain’t nobody knows it like I know it.”
“Pardon my bluntness, but that is me! You see, my obsession is to make, pardon the expression, the f—ingest action motion picture that has ever been made. In closing, I will give you my heart, but please do not give me your head only. In return, I, Bruce Lee, will always feel the deepest appreciation for the intensity of your involvement.”
When the producers ignored his request, Lee refused to turn up to the set on the first day of filming.
“He knew that if he didn’t take a stand, he would be marginalized over and over again by people who ‘knew better’” Shannon Lee explains.
After a two-week standoff between Lee and the studio, filming resumed with his changes. Lee’s daughter revealed that the producers “created cover-up stories about how my father was so nervous about being in a Hollywood movie and being a failure that he was terrified to show up to set.”
Read more: Bruce Lee asked Warner Bros to re-write ‘Enter The Dragon’ to show ‘the glory of Chinese gung fu’
Suffice it to say, Bruce Lee’s insistence paid off. Enter The Dragon is the ultimate showcase of Bruce Lee’s talents as an actor, performer, and even filmmaker.
His legendary performance is perhaps best displayed in the iconic mirror scene. Regarded as one of the standout moments in martial arts cinema, the mirror scene sees Bruce Lee’s character take on henchman O’Hara (Bob Wall) in a room comprised of mirrors. As the fight intensifies, the mirrors disorientate the characters as well as the audience. It’s a visually stunning sequence, which unfolds to see Lee manipulate the mirrors to his own advantage, demonstrating his martial arts prowess.
The film follows the story of a martial artist, Lee (Bruce Lee), who is recruited by a British intelligence agency to infiltrate a martial arts tournament, hosted by crime lord Han (Shih Kien). Lee is told to gather evidence on Han’s criminal empire and bring him to justice. Lee enters the tournament and uncovers Han’s illicit operations.
Espionage, betrayal, revenge, honor, and justice are all themes that run throughout Enter The Dragon. Whilst the film is known primarily for its martial arts, Enter The Dragon is a thrilling ride for any action film enthusiast.
Enter The Dragon is the perfect film to rewatch to welcome the Year of the Dragon on Chinese New Year. Not only does it promote Chinese martial arts, but it’s an exemplar of Chinese culture and philosophy, and ultimately a celebration of Asian cinema.
