Lee, Bruce - DVD

Fists of Fury

Amazon Price: List Price: $19.99 By: United American Video Amazon Marketplace: 3 new & used starting at $8.05

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 64 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Bruce Lee kicked around Hollywood for years looking in vain for an American break when Hong Kong came calling. As Kato in the TV series The Green Hornet he had become an Asian star (the series was renamed for his character when it crossed the Pacific) and ripe for his own vehicle. This raw, low-budget effort, called The Big Boss in its native Hong Kong, is a generic revenge drama enlivened by Lee's intense screen presence and martial arts prowess. He's a country boy who takes a job at a Thailand ice-packing plant and discovers it's a cover for heroin smuggling. Lee is held back through the first half of the film by a promise he made his sweet, gray-haired mom not to brawl (which means you have to wait to see him in action), but his indignation turns to fury as friends and coworkers disappear and the boss sends thugs to take care of the brooding, intense country boy. The final half of the film is a series of violent confrontations, culminating in a marvelously choreographed showdown at the ice plant. Lean, mean Lee, with a physique that looked sculpted in bronze, became an overnight sensation with this film, breaking all Asian box-office records and starting an international kung fu craze, but none of the pretenders ever touched Lee's cool cinematic charisma or his martial arts grace. Lee returned the next year in The Chinese Connection. --Sean Axmaker

The New Game of Death

Amazon Price: $9.95 List Price: $9.95 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Tai Seng - Model: D380924D Amazon Marketplace: 11 new & used starting at $5.24

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 24 Average rating: 3.0 of 5

Good Choreography, Bad Movie 4 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

Whoever thinks the choreography of this film is bad is highly mistaken, it's some of the best stuff ever. Also, Tong Lung's kicks show he's no hack, in fact he probably kicks in this movie more than all of Bruce's films in total.

Just like other Ng See-yuen and Yuen Woo-ping collaborations, this movie is all about TKD practitioners. Essentially, this film is Bruceploitation combined with a typical bootmaster filled Seasonal Films movie.

While bruceploitation is no doubt disrespectful stuff, Yuen Woo-ping's choreography and Yuen Biao's stunts saves this one.

Listen to Eric Jacobus, he knows what he's talking about (just search him up and you'll find out why).

Beware of the Killer Peacocks! 3 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

Game of Death II (aka Tower of Death) is a dichotomy of a film. It is a Bruceploitation film (though it is one of the better ones) and it is an exiting revenge flick. Raymond Chow had apparently not made enough money off of the insipid Game of Death and was slowly leaking "newly found" footage of Bruce so it was bound that he would create another film with spliced in footage, redubbed dialog and, of course, Bruce's namesake. A lot of people were using Lee's name to promote their own productions, but Golden Harvest (who Bruce worked for; though technically this was a Seasonal production) was the worst of these offenders.

The first act of the movie is the least interesting and worst part of the film. Bruce Lee stars (posthumously edited in) as Billy Lo (Bruce Lee) who visits his friend Chin Ku (Hwang Jang Lee) who is currently beating up an under-classed challenger. After an reestablishment of friendship between the two (never a good sign in a Kung Fu film), he visits an abbot (Roy Chiao revisiting his role from Enter the Dragon so they can reuse and redub footage) to discuss about his contumacious brother Bobby Lo (Tong Lung who also starred in Game of Death).

Of course, the scenes that compromise the first act are not only exploitative of Bruce Lee they are also poorly done. The most obvious is that the backgrounds do not match between Bruce's footage and the new footage. Also check out the sculpted back muscles of Bruce and compare them to his double. It is not even close. The fight scenes with Bruce (and his double) do not flow well. However, anytime you see a fight scene and that Bruce (or his double) does a difficult move such as a flip you will notice that it is the incomparable Yuen Biao (he even has a small role toward the beginning.)
Bruce later visits the funeral of his friend Chin Ku and he is prevented from examining the body (this must mean something to the plot.) When the ceremony takes place a helicopter comes by and snags the coffin. For some strange reason, well to dispose of the fake Bruce character, he jumps on the coffin as it is flying away and is hit with a dart and falls to his death. This is absolutely absurd. Though this is not as bad as the 70s clothes at the funeral or the tacky real funeral footage of Bruce Lee that would come next.

Now the movie gets more interesting and less exploitative. Bobby learns of his brother's death from his father who tells him to meet Sherman Lan. Sherman tells him to go to the Palace of Death. Now this is an interesting place. It is owned by Lewis, played by Roy Horan who has been an executive at Seasonal, an actor who also acted in Snake in the Eagle's Shadow, a student of Hwang Jang Lee and currently a lecturer at HK Polytechnic University; obviously his life is more interesting than this film. Bobby suspects Lewis as the culprit behind his brother's death. Lewis likes to eat raw meat, is surrounded by lions (who are fed the fighters that he defeats), Killer Peacocks and a one-armed valet (oh my). The one-armed assistant, a monk from the Fan Yu temple) does not seem that he could be of great use to Lewis, but Lewis says that he is faithful and he has known him for a long time (do not dwell on this fact because the absurdity of what happens later is quite hilarious). I really do not trust one-armed people in Hong Kong films unless they are played by Jimmy Wang Yu.

Lewis tells Bobby of a tower built by abbot Hung Kuang. However, it cannot be found above ground. The abbot had it built underground (this is a nice twist until you see how much they spent on the set design and how many levels there actually are). Obviously there is going to be a show down there with Bobby fighting however is behind all of this madness. I will not give it away (or tell what happens at the Palace of Death) but it is fairly obvious who it will be.

The final act of the film leads to some good fighting scenes, obviously with the help of action director Yuen Wo-Ping, as Bobby makes his way down the tower (try to see how many times Yuen Biao is used as a stunt double; hint check every other move Bobby makes). Most of the film is entertaining (not counting the irritating and unnecessary flashbacks). There is always going to be tackiness involved anytime you invoke Bruce Lee's inimitable name; but once the movie gets past that it is fun to watch. In fact it is the best Bruceploitation film out there -- though that does not necessarily mean that much.

Death by Misadventure [Region 2]

Amazon Price: List Price: Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $27.45

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 6 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

KUNG FU ACTION!!!!!! 5 out of 5 stars.
4 of 8 people found this review helpful.

At long last, Death by Misadventure gets a U.S. DVD release! Starring Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee! Check out the other Bruce Lee movies in the collection:
FIST OF UNICORN (1972)
BRUCE LEE - TRUE STORY (1976)
YOUNG BRUCE LEE: THE LITTLE DRAGON (1982)

Excellent documentary!! 5 out of 5 stars.
3 of 5 people found this review helpful.

Wow!Finally,a no holds barred account of how Bruce Lee REALLY died!
The documentary is the best I've seen to date,and the rare footage is amazing.Bruce as Jerry Lewis and James Dean is priceless(clips from his childhood films).Some awesome demos by Bruce and lots of photos.
Bonus materials are plentiful.Loads of extra and extended interviews,and a killer audio commentary.
Very good work on the whole.

Good but could have been better 2 out of 5 stars.
2 of 2 people found this review helpful.

This is not for real Bruce Lee fans as we have all seen the childhood footages, imitators, and movie documentaries many times. The so called "never before seen footages" can also be seen in other Bruce Lee documentaries and demonstration tapes. What is most upsetting is the use of Bruce bio movie clips when talking about Bruce's movies. Why weren't actual Bruce Lee movie clips used to better describe his movies and martial arts ability. The only part that were worth paying for are the interviews and demonstrations.

Jackie Chan: My Story

Amazon Price: List Price: $29.95 By: Tai Seng Video Amazon Marketplace: 4 new & used starting at $98.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 14 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

Jackie Chan spent many years as a relatively obscure Hong Kong stuntman and actor; it was only after he took over his own films that he started on the path to superstardom. Realizing that nobody bought him as the next Bruce Lee, Chan shrugged off stoicism in favor of characters and situations that capitalized on his comedic abilities and everyman's charm. Portraying an average guy caught up in extraordinary situations allowed his fans to believe that they, too, could pull off some of Chan's incredible stunts--which, as the painful outtakes that run at the end of most of his films remind us, he largely performs himself.

Unfortunately, Chan might have learned his lesson a little too well: now that he trusts his own instincts above all others, he seems to be loath to let others tell his story for him. On the 75-minute My Story, it's a fatal flaw: rather than providing what fans want--either non-stop action or a truly revealing look at Chan's life would be fulfilling--this documentary feels more like a late-night low-budget infomercial for those who don't really care about Chan. (It even includes the full trailer from Chan's first Hollywood starring effort, Rush Hour.)

The only time Chan truly lets people into his life comes in My Story's final moments, when he talks about what his monomaniacal professional drive has cost him in terms of a personal life and what his life's goals truly are. Even that falls flat in the end, when Jackie, surrounded by children, tells of his one, true dream: "Peace." For a more professional look at Chan's life and career, try the A&E-produced Biography installment on him. --Randy Silver

The Real Bruce Lee

Amazon Price: List Price: $12.98 By: Essex Amazon Marketplace: 4 new & used starting at $1.00

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 12 Average rating: 2.0 of 5

This Is A Fraud! 1 out of 5 stars.
5 of 5 people found this review helpful.

The title is misleading. Less than 1/3 of this 'film' is about Bruce Lee, which features films made when he was a child actor, and a paltry amount of other photos. Then the shmucks who created this 'film' completely forget the 'real' Bruce Lee and show a wanna-be named Bruce Li whose martial arts are marginal at best. After that debacle, we get to watch a poorly made Kung Fu movie featuring another wanna-be named 'Dragon Lee', who, whilst he may physically resemble the real Bruce, is much slower, and his style of Kung Fu rather ornate and silly which the real Bruce thought was a waste. What's really a waste is any money spent on this fraud of a film. The hucksters who threw it together did so withthe obvious intent of duping the public looking for a quality documentary on the one and only late Bruce Lee. It's an insult to his legacy. The shysters who spliced this crap together should be flogged in public. Whatever you do, don't buy this film!

Shysters Cash In on Star's Untimely Death 1 out of 5 stars.
3 of 3 people found this review helpful.

For all that is sacred and holy, do not spend money on this atrocity. I came across it because it was included in a budget-priced DVD collection that I picked up, full of old so-bad-they're-good kung fu flicks, but this item isn't even good enough for that crowd. Produced by some hack named Serafim Karalexis, this film is shameless enough to call itself "The Real Bruce Lee" even though it primarily features the look-alikes that movie producers trotted out after Bruce's sudden death in 1973, hoping to make money off a gullible public that was hungry for more of Bruce's incredible martial arts mastery. There were many inferior films (with equally inferior Bruce imitators) that tried to cash in, and this one is among the most brazen.

This so-called "biopic" starts out with a basic life story of Bruce Lee, information that is freely available anywhere, and presents excerpts from some of the Hong Kong films that Bruce appeared in as a child actor in the '40s and '50s. This material might actually be of interest to collectors and historians, but there's not much of it and the video quality is horrendous. Next, the narrator tells us about Bruce's classic films, but accompanied only by still shots of movie posters, and with no actual footage. This means that the clowns behind this biopic couldn't get the rights. And then the ultimate shamelessness commences.

The narrator tells us that Bruce was so great that he spawned many knock-offs, because imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. (Bring me a shovel.) After some brief footage of various useless wooden-faced imitators, this film then concludes with 63 minutes (that's right SIXTY-THREE minutes) of action scenes starring another look-alike named Dragon Lee, a crony of Karalexis. Concerning this Dragon Lee, he had some serious martial arts skills and could have been a legitimate star in his own right. But he will be forever remembered as a shallow wannabe who got mixed up with hucksters and charlatans, often imitating the real Bruce's menacing facial expressions but coming up woefully short on Bruce's complex charisma (just like all the other look-alikes). At the end of Dragon Lee's incredibly lengthy on-screen audition, the narrator says, "we all know there is only one Bruce Lee... his memory will live forever." You hear this while watching an imitator, and no image of Bruce himself has been seen since the still movie posters back near the beginning of this travesty. Shameless, pathetic, unforgivable. [~doomsdayer520~]

Cinema of Vengeance [Region 2]

Amazon Price: List Price: Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $17.75

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 1 Average rating: 4.0 of 5

an in-depth study of hong kong cinema by one who knows 4 out of 5 stars.
4 of 4 people found this review helpful.

UK born Toby Russel is considered an expert on HK cinema even in HK itself and his knowledge is put to great use in the documentaries he produces like this one and the "Top Fighter" series (recommended). Although fairly cheaply produced this doc contains many interesting clips and interviews with the stars from the famous to the not so famous. If yoy're interested in learning more about HK cinema then this is recommended and be sure to also check out the "Top Fighter" tapes as well.

Fist of Fear, Touch of Death

Amazon Price: List Price: $7.98 By: Direct Source Label Amazon Marketplace: 12 new & used starting at $0.02

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 36 Average rating: 2.0 of 5

A Friend gave me this 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I thanked him and said nothing. I had already viewed this "Messterpiece" long before on one of those "Mega" collections of Martial Arts movies. Yes, Masterpiece is miss spelled on purpose, so no coments please. As for this junk, skip it and watch "Game Of Death", As bad as it is, its better than this crap!!!!!!!!!!

Descriptions and titles can be misleading 1 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

This is not a real Bruce Lee film. Some people said it was funny, but it is really just horrible. I couldn't even watch the whole thing. The extra cartoon "Casper" is probably the best part. If you want real Bruce Lee fighting action, you may have to spend more than $4.99.

Here Comes The Beaver 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Unlike me, you have the help of these hilarious reviews to spell it out for you: this is a very uproarious rip-off of Bruce Lee. It's kinda like Shaft and Tiger Lily sitting down to dinner at the Cleaver's. It's so shockingly bad, it's good. I paid a buck for a copy. It was a good price.

Everyone is missing the point. 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful.

First off the movie is an obvious comedy that knows it is being funny. It IS a funny movie that is a piss take on all the fake Bruce Lee movies being done at the time. The violence is comic to start with. Scenes like the eyeballs are played for laughs. Making Lee's voice fem was an obvious joke too, as was his "Samurai" background. The black and white footage IS Bruce as a child actor. Redubbed to be satirically biographical it cuts between the old film and the 70s B Samurai movie in a direct parody of "The Real Bruce Lee". The skits are meant to be funny as are the would be attackers. There are some real martial arts in the film by excellent practitioners and the point of the whole movie is that you should be yourself. The message is use Bruce to inspire you but be your own self in martial arts and in acting. I liked this very much its fun cheese that doesn't take itself seriously.

Enter the Dragon - Limited Edition Collector's Set

Amazon Price: List Price: $79.98 By: Steeplechase Video Amazon Marketplace: 4 new & used starting at $69.99

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 265 Average rating: 4.5 of 5

Editorial Review:

The last film completed by Bruce Lee before his untimely death, Enter the Dragon was his entrée into Hollywood. The American-Hong Kong coproduction, shot in Asia by American director Robert Clouse, stars Lee as a British agent sent to infiltrate the criminal empire of bloodthirsty Asian crime lord Han (Shih Kien) through his annual international martial arts tournament. Lee spends his days taking on tournament combatants and nights breaking into the heavily guarded underground fortress, kicking the living tar out of anyone who stands in his way. The mix of kung fu fighting (choreographed by Lee himself) and James Bond intrigue (the plot has more than a passing resemblance to Dr. No) is pulpy by any standard, but the generous budget and talented cast of world-class martial artists puts this film in a category well above Lee's primitive Hong Kong productions. Unfortunately he's off the screen for large chunks of time as American maverick competitors (and champion martial artists) John Saxon and Jim Kelly take center stage, but once the fighting starts Lee takes over. The tournament setting provides an ample display of martial arts mastery of many styles and climaxes with a huge free-for-all, but the highlight is Lee's brutal one-on-one with the claw-fisted Han in the dynamic hall-of-mirrors battle. Lee narrows his eyes and tenses into a wiry force of sinew, speed, and ruthless determination. --Sean Axmaker

Bruce Lee: The Chinese Connection/Fists of Fury

Amazon Price: List Price: $14.95 By: Good Times Video Amazon Marketplace: 1 new & used starting at $13.00

Buy at Amazon.com

Customer Reviews:
Total reviews: 84 Average rating: 3.5 of 5

Sound is bad but the movie is good 3 out of 5 stars.
1 of 3 people found this review helpful.

The voices are dubed in and it is in a deep voice but there a some great fight seens but if you want to see a really good Bruce Lee movie get Enter the Dragon.The Chinese Connection is still a good movie

Bruce shines in this, his best the lot 5 out of 5 stars.
1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

I love this movie and still think its Lee at his best. Between the scene of him as a very awkward phone repairman, and the scene where he takes on a horde of bad guys with Nunchucks, this is his most complete performance on screen to me and showed his talent at its best. This transfer is of a much better quality than most of the releases out there of this movie. If you ever wanted to see just how good and talented Bruce was, just watch this one and find out.
The story is standard for these movies but Lee bumps the action and the acting up to give this one it's true classic reputation.

The Early Bruce Lee... 4 out of 5 stars.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful.

1972's "The Chinese Connection" features a young Bruce Lee as the leading student at a King Fu Academy in 1908 Shanghai. The storyline is a simple tale of revenge, but in the context of a Shanghai dominated by Japanese and other outsiders, in which the natives are treated as second-class citizens, it resonated deeply with its original Chinese audience.

In the movie, Chen, played by Bruce Lee, returns to his academy to find that his beloved master, a famous martial artist, is dead. Chen is stricken with grief, but learns from his fellow students that his master's death may not have been an accident. Chen patiently but violently works his way back through the members of a rival Japanese school, looking for those responsible for the master's death. Highlights include a many-on-one fight at the school, which Chen wins decisively, and a confrontation with a Russian martial artist brought in to deal with Chen. Chen's willingness to stand up for his fellow Chinese forces the hand of the local authorities (including a police chief played by director Lo Wei), who are beholden to the Japanese. Cornered at the end, the gallant Chen will be left with only one option.

The original Chinese is dubbed over in English, unfortunately resulting in dialogue that sounds like it was lifted from a high school drama. Fortunately, the non-verbal qualities of the acting, including a touching performance by Nora Miao as Chen's love interest and some nicely choreographed fight sequences, carry the movie. "Chinese Connection" is a Raymond Chow production, and a better than average representative of the early martial arts genre.

This movie is highly recommended to fans of Bruce Lee and of the early martial arts movies.

The Super Gang

Amazon Price: $9.98 List Price: $9.98 Usually ships in 24 hours By: Passion Productions Amazon Marketplace: 26 new & used starting at $0.01

Buy at Amazon.com