Bruce Lee to star in new movie 28 years after his death.
November 16, 2001 1:39 PM   Subscribe

Bruce Lee to star in new movie 28 years after his death. The Hong King film legend will be recreated using computer technology, with the blessing of the Lee estate. ACIN has links to some of the early modelling the studio did last year.
posted by tranquileye (17 comments total)
 
Sure, let's bring back all the deceased movie stars we can. This should be followed by resurrections of Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, et al. Maybe they can even resurrect the careers of some half dead movie stars like Steven Seagal and Mickey Rourke.
posted by mikhail at 2:09 PM on November 16, 2001


A caretaker and three visitors to the local cemetary were killed today when Bruce Lee's corpse performed the Angry Dragon Grave-Spinning technique.

I don't know how to properly summarize why I think this is a bad idea. It's some combination of how wrong it is to recreate a dead person, and how lame it's going to be to hear Bruce Lee style acting, but not actually see the on-screen presence and charisma that made it watchable the first time around.

So, my objections are partly ethical and partly geekish.
posted by Hildago at 2:13 PM on November 16, 2001


Hmmm. Didn't know Bruce Lee was dead.
posted by aacheson at 2:29 PM on November 16, 2001


You'd think you'd need a signed document from Mr. Lee himself indicating he wouldn't mind having his likeness pimped out after his death. In this case, the family consented. If my family consented to something like this, I'd be sure to come back in zombie form and hunt them down. But then again, my kung fu isn't that great, so it's not a big worry.
posted by D at 3:20 PM on November 16, 2001


He's probably a better actor dead than half the ones we call living, today.
posted by trioperative at 3:22 PM on November 16, 2001


We need emotional content.
posted by dlewis at 5:15 PM on November 16, 2001


Translation: Lee estate running out of money.
posted by dhartung at 5:22 PM on November 16, 2001




Coors brought back the Duke to sell fizzy water (can't bring myself to call it beer). And let's not even think about Plan 9 From Outer Space...
posted by tommasz at 8:46 PM on November 16, 2001


as has been said here before.... bad idea jeans.
posted by lotsofno at 12:12 AM on November 17, 2001


I would rather have Bruce Lee as idoru than any other iconic person
posted by roboto at 5:44 AM on November 17, 2001


Speaking as a frustrated, bitter actor, this utterly ticks me off. Whether this Computer Dragon movie will succeed due to the novelty factor, or crash and burn like I predict, the point is there's no reason to give a script to the dead, when the living need jobs. This trend of waking the dead is pathetic.

In an attempt to put this in perspective, personally I find anti-abortionists a bit absurd. "Right to life" types try to protect the unborn, when there are young people all over the world, already born, who need protection from countless threats to their well-being. However despite my pro-choice leanings for women, compared to the rebirth of Bruce Lee as ones and zeroes, even I have to admit protecting the unborn is a better cause than is virtually raising the dead!

For every multi-million dollar actor like Harrison Ford or Julia Roberts, there's easily one thousand talented people on this planet dying for a role, and willing to accept a paycheck at a fraction of the cost it takes to bring back the dead on screen. And what do the people with the money do? They spend it trying to fill roles in films with the famously deceased.

I've also seen this kinda crap done in commercials and TV shows. Bill Cosby once had Jack Benny visit him briefly for an episode of his failed attempt to Americanize the British series "One Foot In The Grave." And of course who can forget the scene in the movie Forrest Gump where they CGI'd Jack Kennedy into the film, when there's easily a score of competent actors in Hollywood who could have played the part of JFK with just a little makeup help. The movies Star Wars 1 and Final Fantasy further instilled the premise that producers don't have to hire actors when a little computer animation can do the trick. Or how about the scene in the movie Contact where they worked Bill Clinton into the movie by taking news footage and tweaking the backdrop and his tie with the help of a computer? Clinton's administration reportedly got upset about that. Nowadays Slick Willie's available for roles, but why should anybody hire him when all they need is footage from CNN and some off-the-shelf software?

Even Katie Couric's job could be in jeopardy. Come to think of it, the entire computer industry is partly at fault regarding the downsizing of America as a whole. One person with a computer does now what used to take as many as ten people less than a decade ago. Viva Progress. And people wonder why our unemployment rate is higher now than it has been in years. This isn't just Hollywood.

Besides, Jet Li and Jackie Chan are each twice as good as Bruce Lee ever was. Why bring back the dead, when the living are much more.. well, ALIVE, DAMMIT! I know my opinion will cause die-hard Bruce Lee fans to wanna storm my house and torch it. I don't care. For me it's a simple fact. Bruce Lee was a terrible actor. He was a fine martial arts performer, fine, but both Chan and Li excel past Lee's talent in martial arts, AND they can read lines believably. Plus Chan's funny. Something Lee could never achieve dead, alive or undead.

Our society is so obsessed with looking back, when we should be moving forward. Makes me sick. Leave the dead be. Support the living.
posted by ZachsMind at 5:57 AM on November 17, 2001


ZachsMind:

Lighten up. Movies are made to entertain people, not serve as a jobs program. If you want guaranteed work, join an electricians' union or something
posted by delmoi at 7:30 AM on November 17, 2001


What is this, an exhibition?
posted by D at 9:45 AM on November 17, 2001


Bruce Lee would whup Jackie Chan and Jet Li in a fight anyday. I'm going to have to disagree with you there Zach. Lee dedicated his life to making himself a greater martial artist. Jet Li may have been a world champion, but he doesn't compare to Lee. Jackie Chan is a great stuntsman and that's about it.
posted by PWA_BadBoy at 11:15 PM on November 17, 2001


Actors = glorified meat puppets.
He-he.
posted by owillis at 1:32 AM on November 18, 2001


"Bruce Lee would whup Jackie Chan and Jet Li in a fight anyday."

Yeah, but could Superman beat up Mighty Mouse?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 12:29 PM on November 18, 2001


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