Syllabus ENG 4910 / 5910 CRN 25557 / 25558

Bruce Lee Film and Lit: Greetings Children of the Dragon!

University Course on the Dragon

It starts with love. .

I am working on a book about Bruce Lee, for I am part White and part Asian, just like Bruce Lee.

Kick It

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I understand how he as rejected by both Asian and Whites, because I went through the same patterns of racism.

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To The Children of the Dragon!

Learn about the child star, the Little Dragon, as he was known, about being multiracial or part white, about his struggles as a street fighter, and about his philosophy of life!

Learn about his rejection from Hollywood and his final triumphant return with Enter the Dragon (1973).

Learn about his stardom as the first international Asian superstar, famous in every culture: the Middle East, Europe, Africa, South America, North America, and of course, in Asia.

Learn about his death at a young age, 32, and about the death of his son Brandon Bruce Lee while making a film, like father like son.

The Cinematic Samsara: Beyond Stereotypes

In Enter the Dragon, the director Robert Clouse wanted Bruce Lee to wear a yellow outfit as part of the costume. Bruce refuses to wear yellow in the film.

Bruce Lee in Enter the Dragon

Hollywood means coward. Note that the flag of the antagonist Han is yellow. In the cinema of stereotypes from Hollywood, Asians were always thought as cowards. In the film, Bolo enters the room and reminds Lee to wear the yellow outfit. He does not.

Half and Half

Bruce Lee fought hard against stereotypes. He was born in San Francisco, but when he helped to create the role of the protagonist of television show Kung Fu, he wasn’t Asian enough for the role. Oddly to Hollywood, only a white man can portray an Asian well. The role is supposed to be a half Chinese and half Caucasian person.

The truth is that Bruce Lee’s grandmother was part German. In actuality, Bruce Lee was part Caucasian. But Hollywood didn’t care.

Bruce fought against racism. When he started to teach kung fu to White and African Americans, someone was sent to his school to teach him a lesson. Bruce did not back down. Kung Fu was supposed to only be for Chinese.

In Hong Kong, when Yip Man’s students wanted to kick Bruce Lee out of the Wing Chun school for not being Chinese enough, Yip Man refused. To some Chinese, Bruce was not Asian enough, in Hollywood Bruce was too Asian. Bruce could not win. The irony is that he would make some of the most nationalistic Chinese action films ever highlighting.

The Cinema

Dark Theatre

Projector

Images on the Screen

Audience face away from the projector . . .

Bruce in Enter the Dragon

The films of postmodernity record the insanity of our times.

Bruce Lee had to fight for his right for self expression as a film artist. What other forms of expression do we continue to silence?

So the next time you criticize a film for being different, weird, or strange, you might be responsible for the dread of sameness and boringness that Hollywood continues to produce.

Demand the Other and you might get it. Look for films that are unique.

Crave the unusual and the cave might change.

Watch the films in this class with a new critical eye!

Course Objectives:

Bruce Lees contributions to cinema. Specifically, we will study what was unique about Bruce Lee, especially by examining Fist of Fury (Chinese Connection 1972) and comparing Bruce Lee to other famous actions starts like Jackie Chan and Jet Li.

We will also explore cultural differences between what Eastern audiences and Western audiences liked in action films when we critically examine the film Enter the Dragon (1973).

This class will also investigate the contradiction between his philosophy of Jeet Kune Do and the martial action he created for his films. Some research is required. We will refer to the original names of the film as The Big Boss (Fist of Fury 1972), Fist of Fury (Chinese Connection1972), and Way of the Dragon (Return of the Dragon 1972)

A) Fist of Fury Report (Comparison to other “Fury” films)

B) Twin Dragon (Way of the Dragon vs Enter the Dragon)

C) Choose a topic related to the cinema of Bruce Lee

A) Fist of Fury Report (Released as Chinese Connection) The character of Chang Zhen, played by Bruce Lee, was created by screenplay writer Ni Kuang in 1972. Fist of Fury (Jīng wǔ mén 1972, released in America as Chinese Connection) broke all box office records in Hong Kong and became the defining film for Bruce Lee. Other kung fu stars have made their own versions of this film. Examine the impact the film had on cinema both in Asian and in Hollywood while comparing Bruce Lee to other Asian action stars.

Watch other versions of Fist of Fury. • Jackie Chan (New Fist of Fury 1976), sequel • Jet Li (Fist of Legend Jīng Wǔ Yīngxióng 1994; Fearless, Huò Yuán Jiǎ 2006, a prequel of sorts) • Stephen Chow (Fist of Fury 1991) • Donnie Yen (Fist of Fury television series, 30 episodes 1995; Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen 2010)

Be sure to quote from the sources, notes, articles and books, using MLA style. Come up with an interestinBe sure to quote from the sources, notes, articles and books, using MLA style. Come up with an interesting title for the paper which should include the title of the film and Bruce Lees name. You might examine these aspects of the film in your report.

I) How did Fist of Fury (Chinese Connection 1972) change or impact action cinema forever?

It was released before Enter the Dragon and was his second film. Keep in mind when watching any action film before 1972, they dont seem as exciting, especially the fight sequences. Bruce Lee was an original. What was new in this film?

II) How is this Bruce Lee action film different from other action films from the past and present?

Instead of listing a dozen films, focus on one star or a few stars like Jackie Chan or Jet Li. Both Jackie Chan and Jet Li did their own versions of Fist of Fury.

Trying to be the next Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan did a sequel with the original director and starts while Jet Li did a remake and reworked the plot, making the Japanese more heroic.

Jackie Chan version failed at the box office. For some fans, Jet Lis version in considered one of his best films. What about Donnie Yens versions?

III) You can also examine other aspects that you think are important.

It starts with love. . . Love everyone. STOP THE WARS