[NOTE: Since the time I have received this for review and my posting the review, the release date has slipped, and now Amazon has this set being released in October. Hopefully this means some of the issues I bring up will have been fixed. If I hear of anything I will post corrections and additions as necessary.]
Have you seen this? I mean, it’s hard to be objective. This box set is truly epic in scope. There’s enough awesomeness on disc here to satiate even the most jaded of fans.
Bruce Lee is iconic – there is no disputing this fact. His movies not only helped to change the way they were made, but also helped to find a wider audience in North America. Then there are the careers he helped to launch in some small way (Chuck Norris and Jackie Chan perhaps most notably). And his influence in the style of martial arts, with so many imitators it is almost laughable to think that even to this day Bruce Lee’s impact and influence isn’t real.
Shout Factory now has The Bruce Lee Legacy Collection, featuring four of his five main films – The Big Boss, Fists Of Fury, The Way Of The Dragon and Game Of Death. Enter The Dragon is owned by Warner Brothers and saw a Blu-ray release earlier this year. Not only does it have these films, but it also compiles three documentaries about the man and another disc of bonus features.
Let me get my problems with the set out of the way first. With 11 discs (4 Blu-ray and 5 DVD) the set was going to be big, physically, so it was a matter of how to do it in an aesthetically pleasing and functional way. Unfortunately Shout Factory failed.
Not in a big way, at least in my opinion, but a definite failure. One of the most basic tenants of a Blu-ray or DVD case is to protect the disc. While the cardboard housings are stiff and should last a good long while, the fact that you can’t pull the discs out without touching the imaging side of the disc is very bothersome.
And I’m not quite sure why there are so many DVDs in this set. Honestly, if you’re going to plunk down the cash for 4 of Bruce Lee’s films on Blu-ray, you most likely don’t need the DVD copies. Then the 3 extra DVDs of documentaries and bonus material all could have fit on one Blu-ray disc keeping it in standard definition. So really, this whole set SHOULD have been a 5 Blu-ray disc set. Not only would the cost have gone down a little bit, but also the method to extricate the discs would have been less damaging.
Those are my two big problems with the set. However, these shouldn’t deter you from picking it up if you are a Bruce Lee fan.
First up is 1971’s The Big Boss, which was released in North America under the title Fists Of Fury. This was the breakout hit that made Bruce Lee a star. Originally he wasn’t even the star of the film, but as it stands, nobody remembers who else was in the film. Why? Because as uneven as The Big Boss is, Bruce Lee’s charisma and talent shine through. Here we get a family’s involvement in a drug smuggling ring, and while it does take a while to get going, is still a solid viewing.
Special features include what seems to be a newly recorded audio commentary, but with poor audio. It can be difficult to listen to, but there’s a lot of good information there. It’s a shame, really though, because at least one other audio commentary has been released in the past on another DVD release. Fortunately we get a few deleted/alternate/extended scenes and a couple of featurettes that were previously available.
Fist Of Fury from 1972 was released in North America as The Chinese Connection. Where The Big Boss helped to make Bruce Lee a star, Fist Of Fury made him a legend and would go on to permanently influence the martial arts genre. While it is the clichéd “You insult my school of martial arts, we must fight” plot, it is the number of times that Bruce Lee kicks ass that makes this the powerhouse film it is. I had actually forgotten just how brutal and relentless this film is.
Special features include another newly recorded audio commentary that features the same technical problems as on The Big Boss. It’s a shame the previously recorded audio commentary on other DVD releases couldn’t be used. A couple of alternate scenes and featurettes round things out. There are some featurettes from previous DVD releases that are not included.
Way Of The Dragon, also from 1972, helped not only to solidify Bruce Lee’s stardom, but helped to launch the acting career of Chuck Norris. Sure, he had dome a little bit here and there before, but it was this role that got him noticed. What is it about Way Of The Dragon (also known as Return Of The Dragon) that makes this film stand out? Bruce Lee not only stars, but directed and co-wrote this film about a man helping his family’s restaurant get out from under the local Italian mafia.
Again the special features lead off with a newly recorded audio commentary with technical problems. A couple of interviews and an alternate title sequence round out the offerings here.
Enter The Dragon from 1973 is not included as Warner Brothers has those rights.
Next up is Game Of Death from 1973/1978 – Bruce Lee died during filming, and this was released posthumously with additional footage pieced together. And this is the 1978 near-remake and not the film as originally intended to be seen. the plot has been redone, a stand-in for Bruce Lee is used. There is a version out there that uses more of the original Bruce Lee footage as well as the intended plot, but I can’t find it (I’ve heard about it though).
Once again the audio commentary leads off the special features, and once again, we have some of the same audio issues. Other special features include bloopers and outtakes, 40 minutes of original footage which is pieced together to sort of present and idea of how the film should have gone, alternate and deleted scenes, and even a Japanese cut of the film which runs a couple of minutes shorter for some reason (though I haven’t sat down to do a scene by scene comparison).
As for the remaining three DVDs, there’s a number of things included many fans will want to check out. Bruce Lee: The Man And The Legend was perhaps the first documentary to come out (in 1973) following his death. It is particularly interesting to watch 40 years later. Bruce Lee: The Legend from a few years later, but in worse condition – where was the print for this film from? Shout Factory’s own I Am Bruce Lee (released on Blu-ray earlier this year) is included as well. The last disc of bonus features includes a wealth of interviews and a British television documentary.
Should you buy this? Despite all of the problems the set has, I still recommend it.
Bruce Lee is … so many things. While this set isn’t the definitive collection, it does go a long way in honoring the man.