Li Xiao Long zhuan qi

If this is the true story of Bruce Lee, he certainly led a pretty hectic life. All he seems to do is get into fights. But they are pretty well staged, and they make exciting viewing. Li is a good lookalike. And does a good impression of him. But he has neither the charisma or style of the man. What it all boils down to is just another cash-in on the icon's death. The exercise sequences are the most interesting.

I imagine that somewhere, somebody has sat down to watch BRUCE LEE - THE MAN, THE MYTH expecting to see a worthwhile biography of the late, lamented martial arts master and instead found themselves sitting through a plot less (though action-packed) fight flick. Bruce Lee's life story is told through action rather than words as its basically little more than one long series of elaborate fight sequences in different locations with only the bare backbone of a storyline that manages to incorporate footage of Lee's corpse at his funeral and even his gravestone (which I presume isn't faked). All is not lost, however, as this is actually a fairly big budget and official-feeling version of the big man's life and times, managing to convey at times his struggle to bring Chinese cinema and kung fu to the western world, and even managing a little foreboding towards the end of the movie as his death becomes imminent.

Production values are good, with crisp, clear photography and great locations. However, where this film really excels is with the action sequences which are exceptionally good. Bruce Li acquits himself beautifully with his imitation of the master and manages to be very close to the man he plays in terms of style, action and characteristics. He fights very well indeed (some of the slickest, fastest, most powerful fighting I've seen in a kung fu film here) and the choreography, being excellent, adds to the experience. About 80% of the movie consists of the action and the rest involves elaborate training sequences and plot filler, wasting time until the next inevitable bout of martial arts mayhem. The only flaw is in the occasional bad dubbing, especially the hilarious interlude with a crowd of British joggers! This is a solid actioner, nothing more and nothing less, that pays tribute to Bruce Lee as it should.

I've watched this movie long time ago, and more recently after watching Young Bruce Lee (2011). It was curious to find that this movie picks up right where Young Bruce Lee ends. Put both of them back to back, and you get a complete story of Bruce's rise to stardom.

While Young Bruce Lee was a recent production and style was of modern people and props made to look like '50s Hong Kong, this movie was made in the '70s, and all the fashion, and hairstyle are authentic '70s style. It was such a different world back then.

Bruce's greatness was he believed in himself when no one else believed that he could be a star. He had to battle his way up both as martial artist and a movie star. Without his pioneering effort, likes of Jackie Chan wouldn't have had the market to thrive in. All the kung fu movie stars of the world owes a lot to Bruce in this sense.

It's amazing that after almost 40 years since his death, his presence has not diminished.I guess that's the true quality of a star. In this sense, he's maybe topped the likes of Humphrey Bogart, Joan Crawford etc. in that they remain as old actors, but Bruce Lee continues to find new audiences.

It would be interesting to see how this segment of Bruce Lee's life would be remade into a movie using modern production.

I saw this film under the title "Bruce Lee:the Man and the Myth" If this is the true story, he certainly led a pretty hectic life. All he seems to do is get into fights. But they are well staged and make exciting viewing.Li is a good lookalike for Lee and does a good impression of him. But he has neither the charisima or style of the man who meant as much to his generation as Valentino and Dean did to theirs. What is all boils down to is just another cash in on Lee's death. The exercise sequences are the most interesting.

As a kid, Bruce Lee was (& still is) one of my biggest heroes.

I saw this movie on the big screen during a revival of it sometime in the early 80's and absolutely ate it up.

FF to this week I revisited this & watching it again through adult lenses gave me a very different perspective of it.

This often unintentionally funny movie is a wild hybrid- It's part documentary (complete with occasional narration), drama, low budget kung fu flick, & biopic.

Of all the Bruce Lee clones that came in his wake, Bruce Li was arguably the best of the bunch.

"The Man, The Myth" loosely (& I emphasize *loosely*) follows his life starting as a young man in Hong Kong before he was sent to the US. It takes enormous liberties with his real life story with several ridiculous embellishments & outright fabrications of altercations with rival martial arts schools. Also some greatly exaggerated depictions of his training regimen.

(The massive machine he threw punches in) The scene that stuck with me as a kid (that was likely yet another total embellishment) was when he was advised to go into hiding for 10 years & return in 1983. I recall hoping that was true.

What was funny to me about this film (& so many kung fu movies of that era) is the way they really drove the point of putting other martial arts down in favor of kung fu. Any long time fan knows this is something Bruce Lee would never do as he was always looking at other fighting styles to improve what he strove for. Taking what was useful & leaving behind the unnecessary.

I always wonder what Linda Lee went through during the 70s having to see all these sub-par movies being made with cheap imitations of her husband.

Still, nostalgia is a powerful thing & it was fun to revisit this movie again.

Do I recommend it? I'll say this is definitely Not a must-see. If you want a FAR more accurate retelling of Bruce's life watch "Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story" with Jason Lee.