Hello Stripey Enter the dragon is the movie that started it all. Bruce is outstanding in it and if he looked unbeatable, it is simply because he was. I can only see 2 reasons why the "author " of this article wrote it. Either he is dumb or suicidal ! Great video Stripey ! Take care 🙂 Cheers 🍻 mate
When ETD was in cinemas again for the 50th anniversary I took a lady who isn't really into Martial Arts films. She was impressed, it is hard not to be. It is a classic.
Great job on this video as always and that writer is full of it. Lee did not write the script, Hollywood was gambling on kung fu movies and building up his strength to the max was a good idea.
Enter the dragon them fight scenes way ahead of it's time especially the caven fight. And still holds up Today even there's no CGI involved. Still the greatest martial arts movie of all time. And probably the most profitable movies of all time. Thanks again stripes 👍
I don't really like kung-fu fu movies, av watched all the highly regarded films but they don't click with me. The Drunken Master with Jackie Chan was the last one I purchased due to it's supposed legendary status but it really wasn't my cup so sold it on. Bruce lee brought a realism to the fighting that nobody has bettered. The Way Of The Dragon is my personal favourite but Enter The Dragon is pretty much perfect
ETD will always be a timeless classic. But if Bruce Lee had lived to complete "Game of Death" I'm sure both it, and many other of his future projects would have been better than ETD. Would've been great to see him team up with Samo Hung when he began directing and starring in his own movies as well as seeing what Lee would have came up with if he worked with Lau Kar Leung.
"Enter" is the best by a country mile!....It has everything! ...the choreography is powerful, explosive and dramatic in a way that no one else came close to. Yes, Jackie chan is great but that is always more comedic.
Jackie Chan is great and can be recognized for his great acrobatic prowess as a martial artist ... but let's face it: He didn't measure up to Bruce Lee. NOBODY did -
Another cool video mate this guy is entitled to his own opinion i do agree that ETD is similar to Dr No where's the harm in that its an iconic movie and a classic in its own right my favourite movie is fist of fury then ETD and its the first Bruce movie i saw on the big screen in 1980 .all the best Pete
The bloke who wrote the article was possibly trying to see what response he could get from the Bruce Lee fans. Which he got plenty. I believe he is a fan. As he seems to know a lot about the other films that also star our favourite hero. Enter the dragon is a great film. There was no better introduction to the west regarding martial arts. It grabbed the audience and they grew from their. I truly believe he only wrote the article to wind people up. Thanks for a interesting read. Love to listen to readings.
Guilty as charged! This clip brought back memories of writing this one 6 years ago, and certainly never expected to hear it being read out (and by your dulcet tones no less!) on RUclips! Thanks for the respectful dissection Stripey, as with any opinion piece it was simply written for some fun and to express my honest thoughts on ETD. There was certainly no expectation for everyone to agree, and I fully appreciate its army of passionate fans! At the end of the day every movie is judged within the context of the environment and time the viewer watches it. For myself as a child of the early 80’s, I watched ETD in the 90’s off the back of watching Bruce Lee’s other movies, and I thought it was a weak effort compared to his Hong Kong work. It was even more of a punch in the gut upon learning that he paused filming on ‘Game of Death’ to work with Robert Clouse! Happy to see the article being taken to task by a Bruce Lee fan like yourself, and really enjoyed your differences of opinion, keep up the awesome work!
He paused filming Game of Death not to work with Robert Clouse. He seized the moment to make an international picture which was his dream come true. Bruce later chose Clouse to direct as he had seen a film called ' Darker than amber' that contains a too realistic fight sequence in it ( both actors actually hit eachother) Bruce was impressed with Clouse's direction and Clouse got the job.
Hey Stripey great video, I was wondering if you could perhaps do an episode talking about the other material Bruce did such as his tv series roles and any releases on physical media that have been made available, it seems hard to track down some of his lesser known work, and I would be interested in knowing what you have in your collection physical or digital/bootleg etc
Clouse was known for Darker Than Amber before ETD. Bruce was impressed with the famous, brutal extended fight scene that featured William Smith, who was originally considered for Saxon's role! A major studio film was an opportunity that Bruce could not pass up, and it made him a legend.
Well that's one way of looking at it . But each to there own . Nothing can take away our love of Bruce. Also it was a movie of the time . Thanks Stripey.
My favourite movie while growing up it a classic that would stand the test of time like you said can’t compare his movie with the other cast once again Stripey thanks congratulations on your guys victory over the 🇳🇱
Hi Stripey, I also have heard something similar about this story, in one of the documentaries on Enter The Dragon Jim Kelly did mention that he wanted to show more of his fighting skills on the part he got but was restricted because it was a Bruce Lee Movie, he states when it was his time to showcase his skills whoever was in charge did just couple of takes and said that's fine when it was Bruce Lee's time they took a few days, Bruce Lee didn't want anyone to look good or better than him, maybe there is some Truth in all this, people are entitled to their own opinions. Keep up the great work.
Regarding Jim Kelly, you would've thought when he was starring in his own movies, contributing to his own fight choreography he would have looked much better than he did in Enter The Dragon, right? But, for my taste, anyway, he rarely looked better than he did when he was choreographed by Bruce, and it looked like he never really cared about the overall quality of the movies he starred in, Black Belt Jones is kind of fun in a goofy, light-hearted way, & after that they just got progressively worse.
Having watched your video, I have to say that whilst I agree that the article was well written I can only conclude that the author of this article has a deep dislike or distain of Bruce Lee and Enter the dragon . I am fine with anyone who does not like or enjoy any movie title but to say that this movie is under rated is simply untrue. As you pointed out the finincial return of a shoe string budgeted production would be the envy of any movie company or producers would be over the moon at the thought of this return on there investment. I am of course completely bias re this subject matter even I must conceed that there are weaknesses re the plot and direction this movie in no way detracts form the incrdible genius and undeiable screen prescence. In conclusion I can only say the following the stats dont lie. As alway stripey totally enjoyed the show, keep up the great work.
Great video SR. I'll admit, ETD isn't my favourite Bruce film (that would be FOF). However, the film is iconic, bringing martial arts to the world and giving action films a much needed kick up the ar*e.
Overrated absolutely not its started the proper kung fu craze that was to follow,no one has made a film to even come close to enter the dragon and probably never will imo for its time its brilliant work from all involved,but in hindsight and retrospect i do wish enter the dragon had come along later i really wanted Bruce lee to complete game of death it would have been a masterpiece im sure of it great video stripey as always.
In fairness to Mr Bramhall, I think his criticisms are borne out of a regret we all have: that Bruce didn’t go on to complete GoD or make more movies. If he had lived I’m sure we would have been treated to Bruce v Bolo, Bruce v Kung Fu master, Bruce the serious director etc. It’s easy to criticise a movie for what it doesn’t have… but what’s the point in that? ETD is not “perfect “ but we’re still watching it, re-watching it and being thoroughly entertained by it 50 years after its release. That says it all really.
Is ‘Enter The Dragon’ is a good movie? NO! It’s a great movie. Read that review years ago. Picking Iron Monkey II over ETD is mind boggling and all you need to know about Paul and his BS review.
I've never seen Iron Monkey 2, I've seen the first one (pretty good movie) but it don't come close to ETD. Apologies for the late reply, mate, was up the pub watching England win 😁 Cheers Pal 👍
@@StripeyR you don’t want to Stripey. It is simply awful. The first one is a classic. Think Part II is in name only. Fantastic finish by Watkins to win the game. Don’t think I could have handled about 30 minutes. Spain have been by far the best team I’ve seen in the tournament. So it is going to be tough on Sunday. Come on England 🏴🤞
I’ve never been bothered about what people I don’t know think about stuff I like. Who could care? Facts and opinion - different beasts entirely. Roll credits… fade to black.
Bruce Lee wanted Hollywood success. So it would be obvious for him to put G.O.D. on hold when his hard earned Hollywood chance came a knocking. One of the most technically sound quality kung fu film's of the day was Hapkido. The martial arts displayed in this film is probably second only to Bruce Lee's film (In my humble opinion). Bruce was in Hong Kong at the time when Hapkido and was being filmed popped into the studio and met the actors in the film. Maybe he was soundly impressed; because many of actors from Hapkido's would go on to appear in Bruce's coming productions. The ''Face off '' between Bolo and Lee was a film tease. It was a fight audiences anticipated seeing. 50 plus years on I would of expected other martial arts films to have eclipse Bruce's films but for the full package I don't think they have. The some of Seagel's earlier films maybe. But not the full package.
Hi Stripey - Would you ever consider reviewing other icons of action cinema? Possibly a 2nd channel? I know time is limited, but I would love to hear your thoughts on less discussed stars such as Sonny Chiba. Thanks.
We're all entitled to our opinion, however, facts speak for themselves, the most profitable "kung fu" movie ever made means the vast majority of us happen to have a different opinion from the author... 😅
ETD is a classic film, it's the film that mesmerised me as a kid. Us westerners hadn't seen nunchuck being used before, Bruce was excellent. I tried copying him dressing in black trying to be a ninja type persona sneaking about without being seen lol.
The guy clearly isn't a fan of Bruce. He takes every opportunity to pick fault with the film . Yes, I'm sure Bruce would have liked to have made improvements. If he had lived, I'm sure we would have had a wonderful portfolio of fantastic films from him. What we got was fantastic and for me will always be treasured. Wouldn't it be fantastic if further scenes were found from the Game of Death or the Big Boss, unlikely but stranger things have happened!
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and to agree or disagree, all I can say is that I'm in my mid 50's and watching Enter the Dragon for the first time as a Kid was a " WOW" moment and stayed with me til this day. is it now dated, yes, but the Man " Bruce " give something on screen that in my Humble opinion has never been improved on since. It was 1973 when it was released and so much has changed since. I still watch "ETD" and recently purchased the 4K edition and fully recommend to any Bruce lee Fan out there. Appreciate the video Stripey.👍
Hi Stripey, Enter the Dragon is a fabulous film showcasing many great martial artists but of course this film was a launch pad for Bruce into Hollywood and, like you said, the amount of money that was spent producing the film was miniscule when you put it up against the millions of dollars/ pounds available today. There will always be a difference of opinion but Bruce put his heart and soul into ETD, it is a raw, fast paced explosion of action and I love it. 😊✌️ Thank you Stripey.
Okay, okay I have seen Blood Brothers and When Taekwondo Strikes. Both are great but the latter has a plodding plot for sure. So ETD stacks up quite nicely against those imho. It has been speculated (by The Kung Fu Genius - who I rate quite highly as a voice on the subject) that Game of Death even if completed would have been an incoherent mess. Police Story?! - Great film. Silly article.
Enter The Dragon, to me is the greatest martial arts movie ever made. Without it, there wouldn't be half the action movies that are around today. Remember, it wasn't just an action movie, but a movie that contained martial arts, which were unheard of back then to a lot of people. Bruce Lee was a cultural icon. What's more bizarre about the article, is the amount of readers comments left . Most of them agreeing with the author. Obviously these are a younger generation who don't realise what a significant piece of movie history the film is.
I think the Bruce Lee thing should be put to rest with Bruce Lee. At the time he was something else, something new, but as people try and rubbish him fifty years later makes me sick. At 72 years of age and practising martial arts from 16. I think he was superb his style and speed was far better than anyone. For the knocker’s of Bruce, grow up you know nothing.
I watched this"overrated" kung fu film since i was a kid and there is nothing overrated about it. Enter The Dragon will endure more than any souless blockbuster that gets made today.
I could write an essay on this, but to be honest I think he has written it just to really annoy Bruce fans as he seems to ingnore everything about the time it was made. So to keep this as short as possible. 1. he seems to of forgotton this was the first east/west production and all the problems associated 2. Bruce did not like the script but was finally convinced with tweaks 3. Sammo is a genius but was only just starting on that path for choreography 4. No one but Bruce could put together fight scenes with his style at that time or make everyone else look good. 5. The other films he mentions, not seen them all but I have when tae kwon do strikes and the film and fight scense aint that great even with Angela mao and Jhoon Rhee in them 6. wang yu, serioulsy his fight scenes are crap 7. As the first East/West collabriation they had to have some western actors, if they could of got an A lister then Bruce would not of been the star. John Saxon was excellent as far as I am concerned and they had to give him at leat one good fight. 8. I dont agree with his opinion on the Han fight, kung fu films consistantly have very old masters fighting young guys, however it did limit the kind of fight Bruce could have. 9. In 2004, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. Doesnt that say it all. I could go on but I will leave it there
People make silly comments to be controversial and attract views or engagement. Anyone with a brain would know how magnificent ETD is. My opinion is his article is trash and misinformed from a place of arrogance. Great video Stripey.
Hi stripey, I think the author of this article is talking shite, I think he must be a Jackie Chan fanatic 😂 no disrespect to Jackie Chan that is. Enter the dragon is the most iconic film ever made, its the daddy of all martial arts Films. Great video stripey, keep them rolling in. 👏👏👍👌🐉
I added a comment to the original article. I didn't agree, but acknowledged the opinions of Bramhall. There's a reason why the film endures over so many others. It very well may have been different if Bruce Lee were to have had a full career. As it is, it's the only time Bruce got to work with a Hollywood production.
I have seen ETD at least over a 150 times since I saw it the first time in 1979 I don't think the article writer is a Bruce Lee fan though 😂 Sammo Hung didn't have the best fight coreography in his movies at the time, they were really more like the basher punch and block style, but he evolved greatly around the late 70's and he directed the wardrobe scene in game of death with Kim Tai Jeong and Bob Wall. I really love this fight as a tribute to Bruce Lee and the Greenhouse fight vs Casanova Wong. What the article writer misses is the intensity of the plot and the build up of the characters. Directors tend to like the intensity of the John Wick and the Raid movies these days, but not me. It's overkill and too videogamey. The suspension is lost because there is no emotion and screen presence in the fight from the actors.
Jim Kelly was suppost to be in the big battle at the end with Bruce Lee. John Saxon was to be killed off, but John Saxon's agent put pressue on the director to swich this around and Kelly got the chop as his agent argued that 'Saxon' was the star. Saxon even used to wind up Bruce on set telling him that he (Saxon) was the main star of the movie. I got this from Kelly himself in a one to one presonal conversation I had with him. I have to say, he did not seem like the kind of guy to make that up, a proper nice man.
Ive heard all that too. But I will say that Jim Kelly had a "colorful" history of inexplicable statements in interviews. So I do not take everything he ever said as "gospel." For example in a 1975 issue of "Fighting Stars" magazine, Kelly boasted that he could beat Muhamad Ali. And, not only that he could "easily" beat Ali, but that he could, in fact beat Ali, Frasier and Foreman, ALL IN THE SAME night. As absurd a statement as any human being has ever made in the eons of recorded history.
@@GINKBB I'd love to hear the uncut 'fighting stars' recorded interview but it probaby does not exist now. I've found that so many people are taken out of context in interviews or their words are embellished. I'm not saying that it's not true, all I can say is that he came accross as a really nice genuine man.
@@Boards-dont-hit-back I am sure JK was a gracious and nice guy. And I can imagine that Saxon could have engaged in some "star" behavior, I mean lets face it, no one knew that ETD would become the global and cultural bombshell that it did. And in 1972, Saxon had more than 60 Hollywood films and TV credits to his name, Lee had 8 US titles to his credit. I wonder if Saxon may have even been paid more than Lee? In any case, yes, when I read the Kelly quote, I also thought: "He's kidding right????"
Hi Stripey thank you for this video what you said it is so true, how can this guy said Enter the Dragon is overrated that movie was done 51 years ago and we can still watch it today compared to some kung fu or action movies that were done in the 80s and 90s. The article is well written but what he said its just a negative attitude toward Enter the Dragon. About football I am a hardcore Spanish Fan so Stripey will meet in the final.
I would add, that I also, do not, consider ETD to be a "kung fu" Movie, any more than "General Tso's Chicken" is real Chinese food. It is an American "action" film featuring "martial arts." "Crippled Avengers", "Five Venoms", "King Boxer" are all "KUNG FU movies." ETD is an AMERICAN film, and, exactly why it was Lee's least successful picture in Hong Kong. The audiences thought the film and Lee were "too westernized." And for this exact same reason, was why it was such a huge success in the US, and the UK.
It actually doesn't matter if Enter the Dragon is a good film or not. It is the pioneer of the Hollywood martial arts film! That alone means it is deserving of it's status. I found most of the writer's reasons irrelevant because of the point I just made. But I will touch up on one thing about him saying that Bruce should have fought Bolo. At that time, Hollywood wasn't too sure about how bankable Bruce would be as a Hollywood star. So, having him co-star with John Saxon and have Roper face off against Bolo was likely a sensible decision. It's important to get the facts.
The whole point is ... Enter the Dragon absolutely IS a great film - No question of it. It's hardly a polished masterpiece with regard to production values, but it entertains to the MAX and every performance by every actor is at least acceptable, and in MOST cases is quite phenomenal. Just imagine ... a movie made for less than a million dollars which has made many multiples of that small total of dollars.
China o brien bob clouse directed both 1 and 2, hope you are well mate great reaction pal enter the dragon the greatest martial arts movie ever made facts, grandfather of mma, omg he's ranting a bit tho ✌️🇮🇪✌️
Stripey it's always a great pleasure to hear your defence on the The Little Dragon 🐉🐲 Lee Sui Loong, hey we will always have the; Doubtful Folk of the Dragon! But alas we know what we know. Peace love and support and respect. 🥋👊🏾🥋 PS : love that ETD t-shirt.
Interesting view. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I have for the life of me never heard of Enter The Dragon being called plodding, that's just a strange critique. Whatever people's view, without ETD, the West especially would never have heard of Kung-Fu. It deserves all the praise it gets for that alone. Thanks Stripey...
Another edgy reporter trying to get noticed 😂 whoah, he's so controversial. Nah, like you said many times Stripey, 'like an a hole, everybody has one'. ETD was a game changer in action and choreography. Bruce's untoucheble skill & screen presence. Timeless classic. It'll be remembered long after these nitpicking naysayers are 6 feet under.
Who was Pele, who was Maradona, who was John Wayne, who was Bruce Lee? If you were privileged to be in that era, or were lucky to have witnessed some aspect of their greatness through the stories of those who were there and if you had the wisdom to know greatness when you saw it then it’s a matter of ‘if you know, you know’. There will always be naysayers who refuse to see and refuse to believe. That is fine and they have a purpose. What else would have made you (and me) dig out our 4k Enter the Dragon. Going out to Tesco to get some popcorn and drinks courtesy of this reviewer. It’s testimony that if idiots have a purpose after all he has found his calling.
Stripey enter the dragon is a classic because of bruce lee i like jackie chan alot BUT he is a pup compared to bruce like all other martial artists are.
Post scripts...the movies he mentioned (ie when taekwondo strikes with Angela mao, Carter wong and Samo Hung) are damn good, not sure if I like them more than ETD. And you are right. While ETD was good, Clouse was a hack for the most part. I will admit, while I rate Bruce among the best, I pretty much love all Kung Fu movies.
I’m here for the comments … apparently Paul doesn’t like Enter the dragon well … their no accounting for taste eh ! I don’t agree with what he wrote at all , it’s purely a bait article designed to attract attention and upset the Apple cart .. just his opinion and I reject their synopsis!
This sounds like a dude who was not around at the time ENTER THE DRAGON was originally released. He seems to have no historical roots with the film or the zeitgeist it spawned. Nobody was confusing it with The Godfather back then, but it was an “American” martial arts movie and for or better or worse that really cemented its popularity immediately. The majority of people did not want to visit ailing movie palaces in big cities for a double feature of atrociously dubbed martial arts pictures imported from Hong Kong. Of course, none of this guarantees DRAGON would be a good film, but it already had built in appeal which may have inflated the praise, but the article writer seems unaware that the high ratings also incorporate the fact that the movie was a milestone. He also starts relying too much on woke criticism, which has no place in a contextual review of a film’s inherent qualities.
Its the best kung fu movie ever made and many people that started martial arts after seing it . Even now a day the martial arts movies dont get beter than than Bruce Lee movies. Ik i must choose between bloodsport or enter the Dragon i choose enter the Dragon. But everbody have there own opinion . Bruce Lee is the Dragon and the Legend. Greetings from the Netherlands 🥋 OSU 🥋 Keep on watching " Enter the Dragon " a martial arts classic
Enter the Dragon is the premier martial arts movie because of one man....Bruce Lee. Look how fluid Bruce moves when his fighting Han's men right before he starts fighting Han himself. No one moves or had the moves or level of intelligence that Bruce had that comes across in his movies especially Enter the Dragon.
You watch a movie hundreds of times then you will notice faults and short comings eventually . Enter the Dragon , Bloodsport , Ong Bak , Chocolate , Flashpoint , The Raid Redemption , The Raid 2 , The Protector , The Night Comes For Us, Super Ninjas , Raging Phoenix , Closer , Kung Fu Hustle, etc.
Enter the Dragon came out in 1973 and it was a master piece of its time. It set the standard started the Bruce Lee phenomenon in the West. I understand it is not the best anymore. Had Bruce lived he would have made many more better movies. However it is still a good movie. I don't think that article was well written just very opinionated. The comparisons are just silly. The first fight scene was not the best by far. Yes we have Super Bruce, but isn't that what makes this movie so good. It sounds like the writer wanted a shaw brother movie not a hollywood one. I do like me some good ol shaw brothers movies lol.
It is the single most pivotal martial arts movie ever made. I prefer the ‘long shot’ style of the fight scenes not the ‘close in’ approach that allows for unskilled actors in martial arts movies to look good. That is just a personal preference. A great overview and commentary on that article. You are into the finals….a close one OSS 🥋
I personally have a preference for his Hong Kong films, but there's no denying the popularity and influence of Enter the Dragon. It was the last of his films I saw as it wasn't available at my local video library where I'd rented all the others from, aged 13 at the time. The first time I saw it was when Central TV showed it late one night (fight scenes uncut!) and I recorded it. Even though it's not my favourite Bruce Lee film, I was still blown away by it enough to watch it over and over again. I think a Lee vs Bolo fight not happening was a very deliberate decision and they were saving it for a future film. Maybe a US remake of The Way of the Dragon?
God, ETD is my least favourite Lee film -Useless nudity -One sided fight scenes -Blatant racism -A weak villain -Two martial arts legends don't even frickin fight each other ..And yet I still gave it a 10/10.. my opinion on this film is very complicated
Okay, there's a lot to address here, so I'm probably going to miss some things without rewatching. I do think the article makes some good points. I would for example, choose to watch Way of the Dragon or Fist of Fury over Enter the Dragon. However, even though I wouldn't say Enter the Dragon was Bruce's best work, I would say it's probably his most important, and tragically he probably never even got to see it himself. I mean, it's all well and good slagging it off as a Bond rip off, but not only is this Bond character an Asian lead, it's an Asian lead Bond character in a western released movie and unlike Dr No the Asian in this isn't a white guy with plasticine stretched over his eyes to make him look Asian! As a British born Chinese of the 70s myself, this was to me an inspiring movie, and genre defining moment in western cinema. It even inspired an episode of Steptoe and son! Episode where Steptoe senior watches Enter the dragon at the cinema and fends off the local gangster making moves on his rag and bone business (episode: The Seven Steptoerai)! I absolutely agree it is a compromised movie though. Saxon especially is easily the worst martial artist in the film and as you alluded to, was there to satisfy doubts that an Asian lead at that time could carry any kind of Hollywood movie. I always felt the fight with Bolo was to there because you couldn't have a big white guy get bested by an Asian on screen (Bob Wall fight) without addressing it in return by having a big Asian guy bested by a guy that, let's face it, represented the majority of guys watching the film in the audience. Don't get me started with the awful depiction of Bruce Lee in QT's Once upon a time in America but that just smacks of this! I mean, If it wasn't Bruce fighting Bolo I would have rather seen Williams fight him, and in a perfect world, not have Saxon's scenes in the movie at all (why is that Saxon with nunchucks in the poster?). But with that said, what makes this probably the most important martial arts film for me is the fact that this IS the Bruce Lee film that everyone knows, and by this I mean people that would never even go out of their way to watch a martial arts film know of Bruce Lee because of it. The one western martial arts produced movie he ever made and it immortalised him, even though he was dead before it was released. Sure it only shows a glimpse of what he could do, but once you see that glimpse (and lets face it, this film is where most people in the west would have first ever saw him) it's almost impossible to resist wanting to find his other stuff and seek out his story and what he was all about. Considering my background being born in London with, let's face it, challenging surroundings of a family who ran a Chinese take away that regularly got it's windows smashed by less than tolerant locals, this film instilled a sense of pride in me. With regards to the opening fight scene with Sammo. I think this scene is actually more important and even spectacular than it's been given credit for. It's so obviously different in style to the other fight scenes in this movie or any martial arts movie ever, and even though the scene is itself compromised by some flashy flourishes, it basically reflects on film Bruce Lees personal fighting philosophy, and shockingly predicts UFC by about 30 years! For a start, just look at how they're dressed in that fight. Trunks and gloves. Apart from a few flashy flips the fight is messy and nasty, but technical and plays out like 99% of fights in the UFC do, circling, engaging from distance with kicks into fists range and, ending in floor work and grappling, ending in a submission choke and tap out! I mean, how many martial arts scenes end in a tap out... In 1973?! At the time I too didn't think much about that fight, why would he put in a fight scene like that? How was it okay to choreograph a fight scene like that and get it into the movie? But looking back on it it's like an Easter egg he snuck in about his fighting philosophy, real fights lasting 60 seconds, MMA. Let's face it, if Bruce really did fight Brad Pitt, this is really how he would have ended it! At the end of the day Enter the Dragon, despite being a "co production ", is a Hollywood martial arts movie and for a very long time the best Hollywood martial arts movie, and in terms of Hollywood martial arts movies, absolutely not overrated. Sure, there are absolutely better Hong Kong or Far East produced martial arts films, including his own, but in Hollywood this is the Godfather of martial arts movies and genre defining at that for martial arts films made in the west. It would have been interesting if he had lived if there would have been sequels or other franchise installments to Enter the Dragon. Clearly there was an appetite for it, enough to butcher and release Game of death. It certainly would have made sense considering this was more akin to his failed TV pitch "Number one son" where he was supposed to portray the secret agent son carrying on the legacy of Charlie Chan (and in doing so actually being a real Asian owning the part playing the character, unlike the guy who played Charlie Chan!). I actually think that could be a good idea for a TV series today.
Enter the dragon is the greatest martial arts film of all time! Still not been surpassed. All the cgi....talented martial artists of today. They don't come close.....its got many things apart from Bruce. But for Bruce alone. Ya never gonna get another!
ETD was not a big hit with the Hong Kong Audience upon initial release because Bruce was playing a Austin Powers type of civilian agent. The Hong Kong Audience would prefer Bruce playing a Simpleton like a Forrest Gump or The Jerk type with fighting prowess and good morals.
In order of my favorites.....1 Fist of Fury, 2 Way of the Dragon, 3 36 Chambers of Shaolin, 4 Heroes of the East, 5 Enter the Dragon. I think the 5 Venoms are overrated.
It is and always will be a great film, it was ahead of its time and still competes with modern films ! If Bruce had lived i think he would have been a top Hollywood actor and made even more blockbuster films ! Ps, love the podcast stripey 🙏🏻
Hi Stripey, ok well that was an article to trigger any fan of Bruce Lee or Enter the Dragon! Written in 2018, Bramhall’s appraisal of Enter the Dragon is a peculiarly dismissive effort and certainly warrants at most an upward rolling of the eyes as one observes his rather desperate effort to buck the trend in the general consensus that the movie is great. It’s a phenomenon. In spite of any flaws, inaccuracies, or lapses in quality, relative to a US production, ultimately it was a showcase for Bruce Lee and served this end perfectly, despite Clouse’s rudimentary directorship. That it’s not filmed with the grandiose flair of Lawrence of Arabia, or is a convenient composite of famous movie influences is irrelevant. Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Yuen Wah, Samo Hung, Angelo Mao, Bolo, Shiah Kien, Jim, John even Pat Johnson… this is as good as it gets in 1973, along with a snappy script that every fan loves to recite, and scenes people remember 50 years later with much affection, a drama off set that’s as intriguing as the movie plot, get out of here Bramhall you prize plum. Clause was a shit director, I’ll give you that but come on, watch the Arrow 4k version again with Stripey 😂
Good call Stripey, whilst I dont agree with it being overlong it would be interesting to see an ETD 50 minute TV movie edit that would make Bruce pretty much exclusively the main character
ETD is not overrated. Its continously being CELEBRATED 🍾 ✨️ ❤️ People still want to know more about Bruce Lee , his early film , TV appearances in America and his background in training in Martial arts. Lee is still the package. Come on somebody !!
Overrated? Of course not! After all it was with this one English speaking motion picture, ETD, that Bruce was able to shatter racial stereotypes and make himself arguably the first Asian Hollywood Star. Even though Fist of Fury is my overall favourite, ETD remains the granddaddy of modern martial arts films. It was the perfect vehicle to introduce a non-conventional martial arts master to the world. Even though it's more of a spy caper than a strict Kung Fu flick, we have never seen a spy move and fight like that. Yes, even to this day, the fancifully edited fights in the Bourne franchise can't hold a candle to Bruce's fight scenes in ETD! True there might not have been a lot of back and forth in the fights but this was intentional and ground breaking for it's time. ie the suspenseful way he uses trapping techniques in an almost quick-draw fashion when he is ready to square off with O'Hara is similar to what we would see in Westerns. The pacing of how he is clawed at by Han at the end is reminiscent of Japanese Samurai films. The way characters are popping in and out of frame in the cavern fight, whether that was Bruce's idea or director Bob Clouse's, it's brilliant because apart from capturing the claustrophobia of the scene, it allows us to use our own imagination. When Lee snaps a henchman's neck (played by a young Jackie Chan), it's off camera. The same when he stomps on O'Hara. Maybe they did it to avoid the censors, either way it works because of Bruce's expressions, his grimaces and mixture of emotions makes it stand out. Some might not like the slo-mo used in some scenes however this allowed people not versed in martial arts to better see what was happening. It's easy for people to criticise and say there should have been a Lee vs Bolo fight but if that happened it would detract from the end fight with Han in the mirrored room. ETD was, and continues to be a tour de force in martial arts cinema. Due to its cultural significance, it was chosen for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. That puts the final nail in the coffin for this argument, as does the fact that we are still talking about ETD 51 years after it was made.
I don't agree with this guy's article, it may not be Oscar material but is a classic in the truest sense. All the movies he pointed to as better etc would not have been on his radar if it wasn't for the trail blazed in the west by Enter the Dragon. Sammo's choreography at the time was still comedic so I don't think it would have suited the movie. If you haven't seen When Taekwondo Strikes, do check it out Angela Mao and a few others you'll know from Bruce's movies. Keep up the good work.
I was born in 1966 in the Philippines. The martial arts genre was going strong in Asia in the late 60's, we had a filipino discount Bruce Lee TV show, and imported many Japanese samurai and ninja TV shows. Nobody in asia cared about hollywood status because Asia had it's own great cinema culture. Only Bruce cared about getting into hollywood because he loved white women. But Hollywood rejected Bruce because they looked down on Asians, and because the western genre was still strong, but they regretted it when Bruce blew up with His Films.
I was already into Kung fu cinema when I saw Enter the Dragon myself, but I was talking about the west and general cinema goers. It was their first introduction to this wonderful genre, becoming a world wide craze, so in that sense it was a pioneering film, not the first, but the first to crack Europe and the USA, my first was King Boxer and remains a favourite...
@@pauldavies7407 Sure, I get it. ETD ushered in the martial arts genre to the west and beyond. But let's say Hollywood didn't dominate cinema culture, let's say hollywood never even existed. The Martial Arts genre still would've EASILY found audiences all over the world. I say this only because in the 80's I was very surprised when I heard about Japanese anime and Kaiju nerds like me in France and other parts in Europe. There were no comics and magazines back then, no internet. How the the heck did that happen in the 80's?? That's because Asians are excellent, and hollywood sweJ couldn't accept that fact. If hollywood totally rejected the martial arts genre and Asian cinema all together, it would've traveled east towards Europe and Africa, and America would've been late to the party.
Guess this guy just doesn't get it? Maybe change this to "The Most Underrated Movie Ever?". Sure you can pick holes in just about every film ever made, even Enter has it's faults, like the dude laughing in the background at the start of the big battle when Bruce is multi kicking the guard ,which i'm sure we all look out for and laugh right back?, i know i do. The most striking comment for me is the mention of people still looking for more footage, FFS!!!, if they found an old advert with Bruce advertising vitamin pills i'd literally shit myself in amazement!!, obviously he's not a fan of the man? Enter is the most iconic, ground breaking and influential film of it's era, everything Martial Arts orientated in future films and Tv came about because of that film. Sending love fella, keep the great work going. Personal regards Roger.
As much as I loved it, yea it was a little cheesy. Of course iv seen it 10 or 20 times. Bruce,s scenes were the highlight. Could have been better plot, but for the 70,s it was awesome, thanks Stripey.😊
I do not think it is an overrated Kung Fu movie. One of the greatest of all-time imo. 😎
I agree, m,ate 👍
Bruce Lee spirit box reading
ruclips.net/video/yx1m-5B2EBA/видео.htmlsi=T_qHpNYurjjDw6hM
Hello Stripey
Enter the dragon is the movie that started it all. Bruce is outstanding in it and if he looked unbeatable, it is simply because he was. I can only see 2 reasons why the "author " of this article wrote it. Either he is dumb or suicidal !
Great video Stripey ! Take care 🙂 Cheers 🍻 mate
When ETD was in cinemas again for the 50th anniversary I took a lady who isn't really into Martial Arts films.
She was impressed, it is hard not to be.
It is a classic.
Great job on this video as always and that writer is full of it. Lee did not write the script, Hollywood was gambling on kung fu movies and building up his strength to the max was a good idea.
Enter the dragon them fight scenes way ahead of it's time especially the caven fight. And still holds up Today even there's no CGI involved. Still the greatest martial arts movie of all time. And probably the most profitable movies of all time. Thanks again stripes 👍
I don't really like kung-fu fu movies, av watched all the highly regarded films but they don't click with me. The Drunken Master with Jackie Chan was the last one I purchased due to it's supposed legendary status but it really wasn't my cup so sold it on.
Bruce lee brought a realism to the fighting that nobody has bettered.
The Way Of The Dragon is my personal favourite but Enter The Dragon is pretty much perfect
ETD will always be a timeless classic. But if Bruce Lee had lived to complete "Game of Death" I'm sure both it, and many other of his future projects would have been better than ETD.
Would've been great to see him team up with Samo Hung when he began directing and starring in his own movies as well as seeing what Lee would have came up with if he worked with Lau Kar Leung.
"Enter" is the best by a country mile!....It has everything! ...the choreography is powerful, explosive and dramatic in a way that no one else came close to. Yes, Jackie chan is great but that is always more comedic.
Jackie Chan is great and can be recognized for his great acrobatic prowess as a
martial artist ... but let's face it: He didn't measure up to Bruce Lee. NOBODY did -
@@scotthullinger4684 Hi Scott. Agreed. 👍
@@CliffordMartinOnline - YUP!
Another cool video mate this guy is entitled to his own opinion i do agree that ETD is similar to Dr No where's the harm in that its an iconic movie and a classic in its own right my favourite movie is fist of fury then ETD and its the first Bruce movie i saw on the big screen in 1980 .all the best Pete
Cheers, mate. 👍
I absolutely love ETD...but the author does make some good points. I'd also like to add, why we never saw Han's "most personable guards" again...
Yeah, What happened to Han's daughters? Cheers Pal👍
The bloke who wrote the article was possibly trying to see what response he could get from the Bruce Lee fans. Which he got plenty.
I believe he is a fan. As he seems to know a lot about the other films that also star our favourite hero.
Enter the dragon is a great film. There was no better introduction to the west regarding martial arts. It grabbed the audience and they grew from their.
I truly believe he only wrote the article to wind people up.
Thanks for a interesting read. Love to listen to readings.
Your videos are a nice fun but informative Bruce Lee videos, I always look fwd to them, thanks as always
Guilty as charged! This clip brought back memories of writing this one 6 years ago, and certainly never expected to hear it being read out (and by your dulcet tones no less!) on RUclips! Thanks for the respectful dissection Stripey, as with any opinion piece it was simply written for some fun and to express my honest thoughts on ETD. There was certainly no expectation for everyone to agree, and I fully appreciate its army of passionate fans! At the end of the day every movie is judged within the context of the environment and time the viewer watches it. For myself as a child of the early 80’s, I watched ETD in the 90’s off the back of watching Bruce Lee’s other movies, and I thought it was a weak effort compared to his Hong Kong work. It was even more of a punch in the gut upon learning that he paused filming on ‘Game of Death’ to work with Robert Clouse! Happy to see the article being taken to task by a Bruce Lee fan like yourself, and really enjoyed your differences of opinion, keep up the awesome work!
There’s a rumour you’re not a bit fan of Enter the Dragon ..😂
He paused filming Game of Death not to work with Robert Clouse. He seized the moment to make an international picture which was his dream come true. Bruce later chose Clouse to direct as he had seen a film called ' Darker than amber' that contains a too realistic fight sequence in it ( both actors actually hit eachother) Bruce was impressed with Clouse's direction and Clouse got the job.
Hey Stripey great video, I was wondering if you could perhaps do an episode talking about the other material Bruce did such as his tv series roles and any releases on physical media that have been made available, it seems hard to track down some of his lesser known work, and I would be interested in knowing what you have in your collection physical or digital/bootleg etc
Clouse was known for Darker Than Amber before ETD. Bruce was impressed with the famous, brutal extended fight scene that featured William Smith, who was originally considered for Saxon's role! A major studio film was an opportunity that Bruce could not pass up, and it made him a legend.
Stripey, another superb video. Also Bruce Lee wanted Robert Clouse not WB 😮
the guy who made this article should make his own movie if he thinks that enter the dragon is over rated
Well that's one way of looking at it . But each to there own . Nothing can take away our love of Bruce. Also it was a movie of the time . Thanks Stripey.
My favourite movie while growing up it a classic that would stand the test of time like you said can’t compare his movie with the other cast once again Stripey thanks congratulations on your guys victory over the 🇳🇱
Hi Stripey, I also have heard something similar about this story, in one of the documentaries on Enter The Dragon Jim Kelly did mention that he wanted to show more of his fighting skills on the part he got but was restricted because it was a Bruce Lee Movie, he states when it was his time to showcase his skills whoever was in charge did just couple of takes and said that's fine when it was Bruce Lee's time they took a few days, Bruce Lee didn't want anyone to look good or better than him, maybe there is some Truth in all this, people are entitled to their own opinions. Keep up the great work.
Regarding Jim Kelly, you would've thought when he was starring in his own movies, contributing to his own fight choreography he would have looked much better than he did in Enter The Dragon, right? But, for my taste, anyway, he rarely looked better than he did when he was choreographed by Bruce, and it looked like he never really cared about the overall quality of the movies he starred in, Black Belt Jones is kind of fun in a goofy, light-hearted way, & after that they just got progressively worse.
Having watched your video, I have to say that whilst I agree that the article was well written I can only conclude that the author of this article has a deep dislike or distain of Bruce Lee and Enter the dragon . I am fine with anyone who does not like or enjoy any movie title but to say that this movie is under rated is simply untrue. As you pointed out the finincial return of a shoe string budgeted production would be the envy of any movie company or producers would be over the moon at the thought of this return on there investment. I am of course completely bias re this subject matter even I must conceed that there are weaknesses re the plot and direction this movie in no way detracts form the incrdible genius and undeiable screen prescence. In conclusion I can only say the following the stats dont lie. As alway stripey totally enjoyed the show, keep up the great work.
Great video SR. I'll admit, ETD isn't my favourite Bruce film (that would be FOF). However, the film is iconic, bringing martial arts to the world and giving action films a much needed kick up the ar*e.
Overrated absolutely not its started the proper kung fu craze that was to follow,no one has made a film to even come close to enter the dragon and probably never will imo for its time its brilliant work from all involved,but in hindsight and retrospect i do wish enter the dragon had come along later i really wanted Bruce lee to complete game of death it would have been a masterpiece im sure of it great video stripey as always.
In fairness to Mr Bramhall, I think his criticisms are borne out of a regret we all have: that Bruce didn’t go on to complete GoD or make more movies. If he had lived I’m sure we would have been treated to Bruce v Bolo, Bruce v Kung Fu master, Bruce the serious director etc. It’s easy to criticise a movie for what it doesn’t have… but what’s the point in that? ETD is not “perfect “ but we’re still watching it, re-watching it and being thoroughly entertained by it 50 years after its release. That says it all really.
Is ‘Enter The Dragon’ is a good movie? NO! It’s a great movie. Read that review years ago. Picking Iron Monkey II over ETD is mind boggling and all you need to know about Paul and his BS review.
I've never seen Iron Monkey 2, I've seen the first one (pretty good movie) but it don't come close to ETD.
Apologies for the late reply, mate, was up the pub watching England win 😁
Cheers Pal 👍
@@StripeyR you don’t want to Stripey. It is simply awful. The first one is a classic. Think Part II is in name only. Fantastic finish by Watkins to win the game. Don’t think I could have handled about 30 minutes. Spain have been by far the best team I’ve seen in the tournament. So it is going to be tough on Sunday. Come on England 🏴🤞
I’ve never been bothered about what people I don’t know think about stuff I like. Who could care? Facts and opinion - different beasts entirely. Roll credits… fade to black.
My favorite of all time!
Saw it as a kid in the theater. (Whoops! Dating myself!)
Still inspiring!!!!
Bruce Lee wanted Hollywood success. So it would be obvious for him to put G.O.D. on hold when his hard earned Hollywood chance came a knocking. One of the most technically sound quality kung fu film's of the day was Hapkido. The martial arts displayed in this film is probably second only to Bruce Lee's film (In my humble opinion). Bruce was in Hong Kong at the time when Hapkido and was being filmed popped into the studio and met the actors in the film. Maybe he was soundly impressed; because many of actors from Hapkido's would go on to appear in Bruce's coming productions. The ''Face off '' between Bolo and Lee was a film tease. It was a fight audiences anticipated seeing. 50 plus years on I would of expected other martial arts films to have eclipse Bruce's films but for the full package I don't think they have. The some of Seagel's earlier films maybe. But not the full package.
Enter the dragon cemented the martial arts genre.
Hi Stripey - Would you ever consider reviewing other icons of action cinema? Possibly a 2nd channel? I know time is limited, but I would love to hear your thoughts on less discussed stars such as Sonny Chiba. Thanks.
Robert Clouse also directed China O'brien (Cynthia Rothrock)
Clouse directed the film Darker Than Amber. Bruce had watched and liked the film and that probably helped Clouse in getting the ETD directors job.
We're all entitled to our opinion, however, facts speak for themselves, the most profitable "kung fu" movie ever made means the vast majority of us happen to have a different opinion from the author...
😅
ETD is a classic film, it's the film that mesmerised me as a kid. Us westerners hadn't seen nunchuck being used before, Bruce was excellent. I tried copying him dressing in black trying to be a ninja type persona sneaking about without being seen lol.
Not my favorite of Bruce Stripey, Fist of Fury (Chinese Connection) is. But ETD was once called the Citizen Kane of martial arts films.
I heard that "Citizen Kane" quote somewhere, mate. Cheers 👍
@StripeyR Yeah I want to say it was someone on the I Am Bruce Lee DVD/Blu-ray. Cheers Stripey. Hope you're doing well.
The guy clearly isn't a fan of Bruce. He takes every opportunity to pick fault with the film . Yes, I'm sure Bruce would have liked to have made improvements. If he had lived, I'm sure we would have had a wonderful portfolio of fantastic films from him. What we got was fantastic and for me will always be treasured. Wouldn't it be fantastic if further scenes were found from the Game of Death or the Big Boss, unlikely but stranger things have happened!
Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and to agree or disagree, all I can say is that I'm in my mid 50's and watching Enter the Dragon for the first time as a Kid was a " WOW" moment and stayed with me til this day. is it now dated, yes, but the Man " Bruce " give something on screen that in my Humble opinion has never been improved on since. It was 1973 when it was released and so much has changed since. I still watch "ETD" and recently purchased the 4K edition and fully recommend to any Bruce lee Fan out there. Appreciate the video Stripey.👍
Hi Stripey, Enter the Dragon is a fabulous film showcasing many great martial artists but of course this film was a launch pad for Bruce into Hollywood and, like you said, the amount of money that was spent producing the film was miniscule when you put it up against the millions of dollars/ pounds available today.
There will always be a difference of opinion but Bruce put his heart and soul into ETD, it is a raw, fast paced explosion of action and I love it. 😊✌️
Thank you Stripey.
😉👍
Okay, okay I have seen Blood Brothers and When Taekwondo Strikes. Both are great but the latter has a plodding plot for sure. So ETD stacks up quite nicely against those imho.
It has been speculated (by The Kung Fu Genius - who I rate quite highly as a voice on the subject) that Game of Death even if completed would have been an incoherent mess. Police Story?! - Great film. Silly article.
Enter The Dragon, to me is the greatest martial arts movie ever made. Without it, there wouldn't be half the action movies that are around today. Remember, it wasn't just an action movie, but a movie that contained martial arts, which were unheard of back then to a lot of people. Bruce Lee was a cultural icon. What's more bizarre about the article, is the amount of readers comments left . Most of them agreeing with the author. Obviously these are a younger generation who don't realise what a significant piece of movie history the film is.
I think the Bruce Lee thing should be put to rest with Bruce Lee. At the time he was something else, something new, but as people try and rubbish him fifty years later makes me sick. At 72 years of age and practising martial arts from 16. I think he was superb his style and speed was far better than anyone. For the knocker’s of Bruce, grow up you know nothing.
I watched this"overrated" kung fu film since i was a kid and there is nothing overrated about it. Enter The Dragon will endure more than any souless blockbuster that gets made today.
I could write an essay on this, but to be honest I think he has written it just to really annoy Bruce fans as he seems to ingnore everything about the time it was made. So to keep this as short as possible.
1. he seems to of forgotton this was the first east/west production and all the problems associated
2. Bruce did not like the script but was finally convinced with tweaks
3. Sammo is a genius but was only just starting on that path for choreography
4. No one but Bruce could put together fight scenes with his style at that time or make everyone else look good.
5. The other films he mentions, not seen them all but I have when tae kwon do strikes and the film and fight scense aint that great even with Angela mao and Jhoon Rhee in them
6. wang yu, serioulsy his fight scenes are crap
7. As the first East/West collabriation they had to have some western actors, if they could of got an A lister then Bruce would not of been the star. John Saxon was excellent as far as I am concerned and they had to give him at leat one good fight.
8. I dont agree with his opinion on the Han fight, kung fu films consistantly have very old masters fighting young guys, however it did limit the kind of fight Bruce could have.
9. In 2004, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant. Doesnt that say it all.
I could go on but I will leave it there
People make silly comments to be controversial and attract views or engagement. Anyone with a brain would know how magnificent ETD is. My opinion is his article is trash and misinformed from a place of arrogance. Great video Stripey.
Hi stripey, I think the author of this article is talking shite, I think he must be a Jackie Chan fanatic 😂 no disrespect to Jackie Chan that is.
Enter the dragon is the most iconic film ever made, its the daddy of all martial arts Films. Great video stripey, keep them rolling in. 👏👏👍👌🐉
I added a comment to the original article. I didn't agree, but acknowledged the opinions of Bramhall.
There's a reason why the film endures over so many others. It very well may have been different if Bruce Lee were to have had a full career. As it is, it's the only time Bruce got to work with a Hollywood production.
One of the best films ever made
It certainly was more than just overrated it was Fantastic right outta of one of Bruce’s Lee Best. have a Goodnight Mate
I have seen ETD at least over a 150 times since I saw it the first time in 1979 I don't think the article writer is a Bruce Lee fan though 😂 Sammo Hung didn't have the best fight coreography in his movies at the time, they were really more like the basher punch and block style, but he evolved greatly around the late 70's and he directed the wardrobe scene in game of death with Kim Tai Jeong and Bob Wall. I really love this fight as a tribute to Bruce Lee and the Greenhouse fight vs Casanova Wong.
What the article writer misses is the intensity of the plot and the build up of the characters. Directors tend to like the intensity of the John Wick and the Raid movies these days, but not me. It's overkill and too videogamey. The suspension is lost because there is no emotion and screen presence in the fight from the actors.
Jim Kelly was suppost to be in the big battle at the end with Bruce Lee. John Saxon was to be killed off, but John Saxon's agent put pressue on the director to swich this around and Kelly got the chop as his agent argued that 'Saxon' was the star. Saxon even used to wind up Bruce on set telling him that he (Saxon) was the main star of the movie. I got this from Kelly himself in a one to one presonal conversation I had with him. I have to say, he did not seem like the kind of guy to make that up, a proper nice man.
Ive heard all that too. But I will say that Jim Kelly had a "colorful" history of inexplicable statements in interviews. So I do not take everything he ever said as "gospel." For example in a 1975 issue of "Fighting Stars" magazine, Kelly boasted that he could beat Muhamad Ali. And, not only that he could "easily" beat Ali, but that he could, in fact beat Ali, Frasier and Foreman, ALL IN THE SAME night. As absurd a statement as any human being has ever made in the eons of recorded history.
@@GINKBB I'd love to hear the uncut 'fighting stars' recorded interview but it probaby does not exist now. I've found that so many people are taken out of context in interviews or their words are embellished. I'm not saying that it's not true, all I can say is that he came accross as a really nice genuine man.
@@Boards-dont-hit-back I am sure JK was a gracious and nice guy. And I can imagine that Saxon could have engaged in some "star" behavior, I mean lets face it, no one knew that ETD would become the global and cultural bombshell that it did. And in 1972, Saxon had more than 60 Hollywood films and TV credits to his name, Lee had 8 US titles to his credit. I wonder if Saxon may have even been paid more than Lee? In any case, yes, when I read the Kelly quote, I also thought: "He's kidding right????"
I could watch Enter the Dragon over and over, unlike some of the rubbish they make these days!
E.T.D is a classic film. I watch this movie 2 or 3 times a year. Lee is magnificent in this movie. 👏
I also liked Angela Mao against Wilson Tong. She's a Dynamo
You’ve made the Kung fu fandom website,your going places mr Stripey
Hi Stripey thank you for this video what you said it is so true, how can this guy said Enter the Dragon is overrated that movie was done 51 years ago and we can still watch it today compared to some kung fu or action movies that were done in the 80s and 90s. The article is well written but what he said its just a negative attitude toward Enter the Dragon. About football I am a hardcore Spanish Fan so Stripey will meet in the final.
I would add, that I also, do not, consider ETD to be a "kung fu" Movie, any more than "General Tso's Chicken" is real Chinese food. It is an American "action" film featuring "martial arts." "Crippled Avengers", "Five Venoms", "King Boxer" are all "KUNG FU movies." ETD is an AMERICAN film, and, exactly why it was Lee's least successful picture in Hong Kong. The audiences thought the film and Lee were "too westernized." And for this exact same reason, was why it was such a huge success in the US, and the UK.
It actually doesn't matter if Enter the Dragon is a good film or not. It is the pioneer of the Hollywood martial arts film! That alone means it is deserving of it's status. I found most of the writer's reasons irrelevant because of the point I just made. But I will touch up on one thing about him saying that Bruce should have fought Bolo. At that time, Hollywood wasn't too sure about how bankable Bruce would be as a Hollywood star. So, having him co-star with John Saxon and have Roper face off against Bolo was likely a sensible decision. It's important to get the facts.
The whole point is ... Enter the Dragon absolutely IS a great film - No question of it.
It's hardly a polished masterpiece with regard to production values, but it entertains to the MAX and every performance by every actor is at least acceptable, and in MOST cases is quite phenomenal. Just imagine ... a movie made for less than a million dollars which has made many multiples of that small total of dollars.
Thank you my friend.
That was fast, buddy 😉👍
@@StripeyR ⚡️
China o brien bob clouse directed both 1 and 2, hope you are well mate great reaction pal enter the dragon the greatest martial arts movie ever made facts, grandfather of mma, omg he's ranting a bit tho ✌️🇮🇪✌️
As Eric Morcambe said “The boy’s a fool “
Roper had to fight Bolo Stripey as for the story Roper was taking revenge regards his friend's Williams death.
Stripey it's always a great pleasure to hear your defence on the The Little Dragon 🐉🐲 Lee Sui Loong, hey we will always have the; Doubtful Folk of the Dragon! But alas we know what we know. Peace love and support and respect. 🥋👊🏾🥋 PS : love that ETD t-shirt.
Interesting view. Everyone is entitled to their opinion, but I have for the life of me never heard of Enter The Dragon being called plodding, that's just a strange critique. Whatever people's view, without ETD, the West especially would never have heard of Kung-Fu. It deserves all the praise it gets for that alone. Thanks Stripey...
Agreed, mate. Cheers 👍
Another edgy reporter trying to get noticed 😂 whoah, he's so controversial. Nah, like you said many times Stripey, 'like an a hole, everybody has one'. ETD was a game changer in action and choreography. Bruce's untoucheble skill & screen presence. Timeless classic. It'll be remembered long after these nitpicking naysayers are 6 feet under.
Who was Pele, who was Maradona, who was John Wayne, who was Bruce Lee? If you were privileged to be in that era, or were lucky to have witnessed some aspect of their greatness through the stories of those who were there and if you had the wisdom to know greatness when you saw it then it’s a matter of ‘if you know, you know’. There will always be naysayers who refuse to see and refuse to believe. That is fine and they have a purpose. What else would have made you (and me) dig out our 4k Enter the Dragon. Going out to Tesco to get some popcorn and drinks courtesy of this reviewer. It’s testimony that if idiots have a purpose after all he has found his calling.
Stripey enter the dragon is a classic because of bruce lee i like jackie chan alot BUT he is a pup compared to bruce like all other martial artists are.
The article is stupid. ETD is ace. ☯️
Hey Stripey, did you know John Saxon is buried very close to Bruce Lee? Keep up the great work. 👍
Thanks, Pal. Yes, I knew John Saxon was buried near Bruce at Lake View Cemetary. Cheers 👍
Post scripts...the movies he mentioned (ie when taekwondo strikes with Angela mao, Carter wong and Samo Hung) are damn good, not sure if I like them more than ETD. And you are right. While ETD was good, Clouse was a hack for the most part.
I will admit, while I rate Bruce among the best, I pretty much love all Kung Fu movies.
Stripey thoughts on Cody ITC latest video
I’m here for the comments … apparently Paul doesn’t like Enter the dragon well … their no accounting for taste eh !
I don’t agree with what he wrote at all , it’s purely a bait article designed to attract attention and upset the Apple cart .. just his opinion and I reject their synopsis!
This sounds like a dude who was not around at the time ENTER THE DRAGON was originally released. He seems to have no historical roots with the film or the zeitgeist it spawned. Nobody was confusing it with The Godfather back then, but it was an “American” martial arts movie and for or better or worse that really cemented its popularity immediately. The majority of people did not want to visit ailing movie palaces in big cities for a double feature of atrociously dubbed martial arts pictures imported from Hong Kong. Of course, none of this guarantees DRAGON would be a good film, but it already had built in appeal which may have inflated the praise, but the article writer seems unaware that the high ratings also incorporate the fact that the movie was a milestone. He also starts relying too much on woke criticism, which has no place in a contextual review of a film’s inherent qualities.
Its the best kung fu movie ever made and many people that started martial arts after seing it . Even now a day the martial arts movies dont get beter than than Bruce Lee movies. Ik i must choose between bloodsport or enter the Dragon i choose enter the Dragon. But everbody have there own opinion . Bruce Lee is the Dragon and the Legend. Greetings from the Netherlands 🥋 OSU 🥋 Keep on watching " Enter the Dragon " a martial arts classic
Enter the Dragon is the premier martial arts movie because of one man....Bruce Lee. Look how fluid Bruce moves when his fighting Han's men right before he starts fighting Han himself. No one moves or had the moves or level of intelligence that Bruce had that comes across in his movies especially Enter the Dragon.
Angela Mao is iconic in this movie.
You watch a movie hundreds of times then you will notice faults and short comings eventually . Enter the Dragon , Bloodsport , Ong Bak , Chocolate , Flashpoint , The Raid Redemption , The Raid 2 , The Protector , The Night Comes For Us, Super Ninjas , Raging Phoenix , Closer , Kung Fu Hustle, etc.
Enter the Dragon came out in 1973 and it was a master piece of its time. It set the standard started the Bruce Lee phenomenon in the West. I understand it is not the best anymore. Had Bruce lived he would have made many more better movies. However it is still a good movie. I don't think that article was well written just very opinionated. The comparisons are just silly. The first fight scene was not the best by far. Yes we have Super Bruce, but isn't that what makes this movie so good. It sounds like the writer wanted a shaw brother movie not a hollywood one. I do like me some good ol shaw brothers movies lol.
Dude, I just read a 'POLICE STORY' (1985, Jackie Chan) review on the same site, and someone gave it a 6/10!!
Does anyone know where the Bruce Lee Vs Sammo Hung fight was filmed? I don't remember ever reading about where it was filmed.
It is the single most pivotal martial arts movie ever made. I prefer the ‘long shot’ style of the fight scenes not the ‘close in’ approach that allows for unskilled actors in martial arts movies to look good. That is just a personal preference.
A great overview and commentary on that article.
You are into the finals….a close one OSS 🥋
When he wrote this review I'm thinking it was co written with Tarantino 😂😂😂
😅🤣😂
I personally have a preference for his Hong Kong films, but there's no denying the popularity and influence of Enter the Dragon.
It was the last of his films I saw as it wasn't available at my local video library where I'd rented all the others from, aged 13 at the time.
The first time I saw it was when Central TV showed it late one night (fight scenes uncut!) and I recorded it. Even though it's not my favourite Bruce Lee film, I was still blown away by it enough to watch it over and over again.
I think a Lee vs Bolo fight not happening was a very deliberate decision and they were saving it for a future film. Maybe a US remake of The Way of the Dragon?
Enter the dragon is my least favourite Bruce Lee movie if im being honest his Low Budget Movies are the Best Stripey!!!
God, ETD is my least favourite Lee film
-Useless nudity
-One sided fight scenes
-Blatant racism
-A weak villain
-Two martial arts legends don't even frickin fight each other
..And yet I still gave it a 10/10.. my opinion on this film is very complicated
Okay, there's a lot to address here, so I'm probably going to miss some things without rewatching. I do think the article makes some good points. I would for example, choose to watch Way of the Dragon or Fist of Fury over Enter the Dragon. However, even though I wouldn't say Enter the Dragon was Bruce's best work, I would say it's probably his most important, and tragically he probably never even got to see it himself. I mean, it's all well and good slagging it off as a Bond rip off, but not only is this Bond character an Asian lead, it's an Asian lead Bond character in a western released movie and unlike Dr No the Asian in this isn't a white guy with plasticine stretched over his eyes to make him look Asian! As a British born Chinese of the 70s myself, this was to me an inspiring movie, and genre defining moment in western cinema. It even inspired an episode of Steptoe and son! Episode where Steptoe senior watches Enter the dragon at the cinema and fends off the local gangster making moves on his rag and bone business (episode: The Seven Steptoerai)! I absolutely agree it is a compromised movie though. Saxon especially is easily the worst martial artist in the film and as you alluded to, was there to satisfy doubts that an Asian lead at that time could carry any kind of Hollywood movie. I always felt the fight with Bolo was to there because you couldn't have a big white guy get bested by an Asian on screen (Bob Wall fight) without addressing it in return by having a big Asian guy bested by a guy that, let's face it, represented the majority of guys watching the film in the audience. Don't get me started with the awful depiction of Bruce Lee in QT's Once upon a time in America but that just smacks of this! I mean, If it wasn't Bruce fighting Bolo I would have rather seen Williams fight him, and in a perfect world, not have Saxon's scenes in the movie at all (why is that Saxon with nunchucks in the poster?). But with that said, what makes this probably the most important martial arts film for me is the fact that this IS the Bruce Lee film that everyone knows, and by this I mean people that would never even go out of their way to watch a martial arts film know of Bruce Lee because of it. The one western martial arts produced movie he ever made and it immortalised him, even though he was dead before it was released. Sure it only shows a glimpse of what he could do, but once you see that glimpse (and lets face it, this film is where most people in the west would have first ever saw him) it's almost impossible to resist wanting to find his other stuff and seek out his story and what he was all about. Considering my background being born in London with, let's face it, challenging surroundings of a family who ran a Chinese take away that regularly got it's windows smashed by less than tolerant locals, this film instilled a sense of pride in me. With regards to the opening fight scene with Sammo. I think this scene is actually more important and even spectacular than it's been given credit for. It's so obviously different in style to the other fight scenes in this movie or any martial arts movie ever, and even though the scene is itself compromised by some flashy flourishes, it basically reflects on film Bruce Lees personal fighting philosophy, and shockingly predicts UFC by about 30 years! For a start, just look at how they're dressed in that fight. Trunks and gloves. Apart from a few flashy flips the fight is messy and nasty, but technical and plays out like 99% of fights in the UFC do, circling, engaging from distance with kicks into fists range and, ending in floor work and grappling, ending in a submission choke and tap out! I mean, how many martial arts scenes end in a tap out... In 1973?! At the time I too didn't think much about that fight, why would he put in a fight scene like that? How was it okay to choreograph a fight scene like that and get it into the movie? But looking back on it it's like an Easter egg he snuck in about his fighting philosophy, real fights lasting 60 seconds, MMA. Let's face it, if Bruce really did fight Brad Pitt, this is really how he would have ended it! At the end of the day Enter the Dragon, despite being a "co production ", is a Hollywood martial arts movie and for a very long time the best Hollywood martial arts movie, and in terms of Hollywood martial arts movies, absolutely not overrated. Sure, there are absolutely better Hong Kong or Far East produced martial arts films, including his own, but in Hollywood this is the Godfather of martial arts movies and genre defining at that for martial arts films made in the west. It would have been interesting if he had lived if there would have been sequels or other franchise installments to Enter the Dragon. Clearly there was an appetite for it, enough to butcher and release Game of death. It certainly would have made sense considering this was more akin to his failed TV pitch "Number one son" where he was supposed to portray the secret agent son carrying on the legacy of Charlie Chan (and in doing so actually being a real Asian owning the part playing the character, unlike the guy who played Charlie Chan!). I actually think that could be a good idea for a TV series today.
Enter the dragon is a great movie an to be honest deserves its reputation as the greatest kung fu movie of all time.
Enter the dragon is the greatest martial arts film of all time!
Still not been surpassed.
All the cgi....talented martial artists of today. They don't come close.....its got many things apart from Bruce. But for Bruce alone. Ya never gonna get another!
ETD was not a big hit with the Hong Kong Audience upon initial release because Bruce was playing a Austin Powers type of civilian agent. The Hong Kong Audience would prefer Bruce playing a Simpleton like a Forrest Gump or The Jerk type with fighting prowess and good morals.
In order of my favorites.....1 Fist of Fury, 2 Way of the Dragon, 3 36 Chambers of Shaolin, 4 Heroes of the East, 5 Enter the Dragon. I think the 5 Venoms are overrated.
It is and always will be a great film, it was ahead of its time and still competes with modern films ! If Bruce had lived i think he would have been a top Hollywood actor and made even more blockbuster films ! Ps, love the podcast stripey 🙏🏻
ETF is the greatest martial arts movie ever made.
ENTER THE DRAGON, BRUCE LEE. = MASTERPIECE.
Yep 👍
Hi Stripey, ok well that was an article to trigger any fan of Bruce Lee or Enter the Dragon!
Written in 2018, Bramhall’s appraisal of Enter the Dragon is a peculiarly dismissive effort and certainly warrants at most an upward rolling of the eyes as one observes his rather desperate effort to buck the trend in the general consensus that the movie is great. It’s a phenomenon.
In spite of any flaws, inaccuracies, or lapses in quality, relative to a US production, ultimately it was a showcase for Bruce Lee and served this end perfectly, despite Clouse’s rudimentary directorship. That it’s not filmed with the grandiose flair of Lawrence of Arabia, or is a convenient composite of famous movie influences is irrelevant. Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Yuen Wah, Samo Hung, Angelo Mao, Bolo, Shiah Kien, Jim, John even Pat Johnson… this is as good as it gets in 1973, along with a snappy script that every fan loves to recite, and scenes people remember 50 years later with much affection, a drama off set that’s as intriguing as the movie plot, get out of here Bramhall you prize plum. Clause was a shit director, I’ll give you that but come on, watch the Arrow 4k version again with Stripey 😂
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I really wouldn’t call enter the dragon a kung fu movie
I agree, but that's the article, mate 🤷♂️
@@StripeyR it’s more of a spy thriller with action/martial arts in it 🤷♂️
Good call Stripey, whilst I dont agree with it being overlong it would be interesting to see an ETD 50 minute TV movie edit that would make Bruce pretty much exclusively the main character
ETD is not overrated. Its continously being CELEBRATED 🍾 ✨️ ❤️ People still want to know more about Bruce Lee , his early film , TV appearances in America and his background in training in Martial arts. Lee is still the package. Come on somebody !!
Overrated? Of course not! After all it was with this one English speaking motion picture, ETD, that Bruce was able to shatter racial stereotypes and make himself arguably the first Asian Hollywood Star.
Even though Fist of Fury is my overall favourite, ETD remains the granddaddy of modern martial arts films. It was the perfect vehicle to introduce a non-conventional martial arts master to the world.
Even though it's more of a spy caper than a strict Kung Fu flick, we have never seen a spy move and fight like that. Yes, even to this day, the fancifully edited fights in the Bourne franchise can't hold a candle to Bruce's fight scenes in ETD!
True there might not have been a lot of back and forth in the fights but this was intentional and ground breaking for it's time. ie the suspenseful way he uses trapping techniques in an almost quick-draw fashion when he is ready to square off with O'Hara is similar to what we would see in Westerns. The pacing of how he is clawed at by Han at the end is reminiscent of Japanese Samurai films. The way characters are popping in and out of frame in the cavern fight, whether that was Bruce's idea or director Bob Clouse's, it's brilliant because apart from capturing the claustrophobia of the scene, it allows us to use our own imagination. When Lee snaps a henchman's neck (played by a young Jackie Chan), it's off camera. The same when he stomps on O'Hara.
Maybe they did it to avoid the censors, either way it works because of Bruce's expressions, his grimaces and mixture of emotions makes it stand out. Some might not like the slo-mo used in some scenes however this allowed people not versed in martial arts to better see what was happening.
It's easy for people to criticise and say there should have been a Lee vs Bolo fight but if that happened it would detract from the end fight with Han in the mirrored room.
ETD was, and continues to be a tour de force in martial arts cinema. Due to its cultural significance, it was chosen for preservation in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. That puts the final nail in the coffin for this argument, as does the fact that we are still talking about ETD 51 years after it was made.
I don't agree with this guy's article, it may not be Oscar material but is a classic in the truest sense. All the movies he pointed to as better etc would not have been on his radar if it wasn't for the trail blazed in the west by Enter the Dragon. Sammo's choreography at the time was still comedic so I don't think it would have suited the movie. If you haven't seen When Taekwondo Strikes, do check it out Angela Mao and a few others you'll know from Bruce's movies. Keep up the good work.
I was born in 1966 in the Philippines. The martial arts genre was going strong in Asia in the late 60's, we had a filipino discount Bruce Lee TV show, and imported many Japanese samurai and ninja TV shows. Nobody in asia cared about hollywood status because Asia had it's own great cinema culture. Only Bruce cared about getting into hollywood because he loved white women. But Hollywood rejected Bruce because they looked down on Asians, and because the western genre was still strong, but they regretted it when Bruce blew up with His Films.
I was already into Kung fu cinema when I saw Enter the Dragon myself, but I was talking about the west and general cinema goers. It was their first introduction to this wonderful genre, becoming a world wide craze, so in that sense it was a pioneering film, not the first, but the first to crack Europe and the USA, my first was King Boxer and remains a favourite...
@@pauldavies7407 Sure, I get it. ETD ushered in the martial arts genre to the west and beyond. But let's say Hollywood didn't dominate cinema culture, let's say hollywood never even existed. The Martial Arts genre still would've EASILY found audiences all over the world. I say this only because in the 80's I was very surprised when I heard about Japanese anime and Kaiju nerds like me in France and other parts in Europe. There were no comics and magazines back then, no internet. How the the heck did that happen in the 80's?? That's because Asians are excellent, and hollywood sweJ couldn't accept that fact. If hollywood totally rejected the martial arts genre and Asian cinema all together, it would've traveled east towards Europe and Africa, and America would've been late to the party.
Guess this guy just doesn't get it? Maybe change this to "The Most Underrated Movie Ever?". Sure you can pick holes in just about every film ever made, even Enter has it's faults, like the dude laughing in the background at the start of the big battle when Bruce is multi kicking the guard ,which i'm sure we all look out for and laugh right back?, i know i do. The most striking comment for me is the mention of people still looking for more footage, FFS!!!, if they found an old advert with Bruce advertising vitamin pills i'd literally shit myself in amazement!!, obviously he's not a fan of the man? Enter is the most iconic, ground breaking and influential film of it's era, everything Martial Arts orientated in future films and Tv came about because of that film. Sending love fella, keep the great work going. Personal regards Roger.
In terms of king fu and martial arts movie its one of the most important movies ever made.
Yep, agreed 👍
As much as I loved it, yea it was a little cheesy. Of course iv seen it 10 or 20 times. Bruce,s scenes were the highlight. Could have been better plot, but for the 70,s it was awesome, thanks Stripey.😊