Introduction:
Enter the Dragon is a martial arts movie that came into the market in 1973 and was directed by Robert Clouse it was Bruce Lee’s final movie film before the actor’s death. The movie is said to have added steak to Korean martial arts films and is one of the most famous martial arts movies of the century. Being a blend of conventional martial arts, spies and action it has provided an authoritative experience by shaping countless films and film-makers.
Release Date:
It was released in the USA on August 19, 1973, in Los Angeles three weeks after Bruce died on 20, July 1973. It premiered on September 26, 1973, in Hong Kong and immediately achieved supra-industrial profits of more than $400 million in sales for worldwide distribution with a cost of approximately $ 850,000. It was rather an important event in the movie industry, which helped Bruce Lee to become an international star.
Crew:
| Role | Person(s) |
|---|---|
| Director | Robert Clouse |
| Writer | Michael Allin |
| Producer | Fred Weintraub, Paul Heller, Raymond Chow |
| Editor | Kurt Hirschler, George Watters, Peter Cheung |
| Music Director | Lalo Schifrin |
Cast:
| Actor/Actress | Character Name |
|---|---|
| Bruce Lee | Lee |
| John Saxon | Roper |
| Bolo Yeung | Bolo |
| Jim Kelly | Williams |
| Ahna Capri | Tania |
| Robert Wall | O’Harra |
| Shih Kien | Han |
| Angela Mao | Su Lin |
| Betty Chung | Mei Ling |
| Peter Archer | Parsons |
| Geoffrey Weeks | Braithwaite |
Story:
The film centres on Lee, a martial arts expert and Shaolin monk, who is actioned by a British secret service agency to spy in a martial arts competition that is den attended by Han (portrayed by Shih Kien). Han is an ex-monk, who left his place and became a bad man doing business of opium from his small island home.
Lee travels to Kentucky to build cases against Han, the man who killed Lee’s sister. Accompanying Lee are two other fighters: Roper who is played by John Saxon, a far from fortunate gambler, and William, a martial arts enthusiast justice seeker played by Jim Kelly. In the course of the tournament, Lee encounters very many struggles and fights some of the most brutal of Han’s men then finally in a mirror hall with Han.
Review:
Entering Wall Street, Enter the Dragon met with mixed reviews from critics but later grew into a favourite martial arts movie. The combination of action and drama along with the film’s cultural importance make for a concrete historical place in movie history.
Plus Points:
- Choreographed Action: It is famous for its great numerous fight scenes where Bruce Lee uses his mastery in martial arts. Martial arts incorporated in the musical are Freestyle word dance with kung fu and karate dance which makes it more colourful with a great deal of stunning steps. Enter the Dragon indeed helped deliver martial arts into the Western territory with smooth sailing for other present and future martial arts stars and films. The choreography blends various styles, including kung fu and karate, creating visually stunning sequences.
- Cultural Impact: Enter the Dragon played a pivotal role in introducing martial arts to Western audiences, paving the way for future martial arts films and stars. The success that Metal increased its popularity all around the World.
- Iconic Performances: Bruce Lee’s performance is incredibly passionate muscling out feelings with its body. Having a sophisticated personality, he can attract the audience and plunge them into a series of events, thus, he is a great hero.
- Production Quality: Through most of its scenes, the film finds many ways to offer the viewer some top-notch production for its period – good designs of sets, adornments, and costumes, as well as sufficient use of lights and shakes.
Minus Points:
- Simplistic Plot: Although the film is more than capable in regards to the action category several have observed that the storyline is simplistic and not very complex. This emphasis by the martial arts may be placed more on the physical world than on spiritual or moral growth.
- Stereotypical Characters: Some subsidiary characters, for example, the villain Han may be perceived as simply cast from moulds instead of being complex-witted characters.
- Pacing Issues: Having analysed the parameters of the motion picture several viewers have stipulated that, even though the middle part of the film is loaded with dramatics the pacing of the film might be too slow and therefore it may obstruct the continuous viewing of the movie.
Technical Aspects:
Enter the Dragon has a duration of 102 minutes and contains a mix of English and Cantonese-speaking actors. The thing with concern with the cinematography is Gilbert Hubbs, which understands and frames the necessary stunts and the rich geographical locations of an island village. This music by Lalo Schifrin is synchronised well with the movie to make scenes to be more emotive and enforce feelings in the fans.
Michael H. B. Lee was the film editor responsible for cutting the action scenes to ensure that the rhythms of the safety that the fight scenes needed. High-impact stunts completed in the film Me and many real stunt works added by Bruce Lee make the film realistic and thrilling.
Performance:
Undoubtedly, it will also be impossible to praise Bruce Lee’s performance as the main character in the film. He’s great at physical comedy, he has off-the-chart screen charisma and he shows emotions through actions. John Saxon and Jim Kelly are good at supporting this movie, especially John Saxon who takes the role of Roper with good twists as the actor struggles with his adversities. Kelly doing Williams’s portrayal adds justice and companionship to the three of them.
The actors who make other characters of the story also add to the movie’s aura and the film’s tension: Shih Kien plays Han’s role. In particular, Kien, who plays a villain, is rather fascinating and intimidating to become an opponent for Lee.
MoviePopTime Review:
Enter the Dragon is one of the roots of all martial arts films and it is one of the ten movies I enjoy most. Bruce Lee is still what makes this film popular today. His first full-scale Hollywood film to the best of my knowledge was Enter the Dragon and it was perfect. Why it is important? First, Bruce was not only extraordinarily gifted but also a demanding and passionate martial arts filmmaker. What made the movie very special was the fighting scenes and the martial arts: the basic hand-to-hand combat was daring, genuine, unique, and far removed from other action movies since they did not use trick sequences.
Storytelling in a matter-of-fact style works well, particularly, by keeping a tight narrative focus that hasn’t overburdened it with details yet has delivered legendary characters that are iconic today. 50 years after that performance no other movie can be compared with it according to the genre, thus receiving a 10 from me.
Conclusion:
Thus, Enter the Dragon is still one of the major motion pictures of the kung fu subgenre and world cinematograph in general. This is so because it has captivating action scenes, and fine performances, and has become a culturally relevant film. Bruce Lee’s contributions are still being experienced today and Enter the Dragon remains a movie that is a must-see for anyone who loves action movies and or martial arts.
Compelling performances and cultural significance have solidified its status as a classic. Bruce Lee’s impact on the film industry and martial arts can still be felt today, and Enter the Dragon remains a must-watch for fans of action films and martial arts enthusiasts alike. The picture reveals not only the peculiarities of Lee’s work but also performs the mission of a serious cinematographic work that has united generations and a nation.
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