Remembering the Dragon

July 21, 2003 12:12 PM

Remembering the Dragon On July 20th, 1973, Bruce Lee died, a month before the premiere of the film that would affirm his star power to Hollywood. As of 2003, an exhibition, a DVD boxset, a documentary and global fan worship continue to mark his rise to immortality. As far as a younger I was concerned, he'd already achieved it in his lifetime (viewing note...cable channel AMC will be airing the above-mentioned movies and documentary as part of a tribute this coming weekend).
posted by LinusMines (8 comments total)

Bruce and Brandon Lee's graves are a hero's shrine--with flowers, coins and notes left daily year round. Shown is not even a tenth of what can accumulate over a weekend.
posted by y2karl at 12:58 PM on July 21, 2003

They showed Warrior's Journey, Enter The Dragon and an old interview with Bruce, here in England on Channel 4 last night as a tribute. Warrior's Journey was excellent IMHO as someone who knew little of the man aside from his films.
posted by squealy at 1:08 PM on July 21, 2003

Any way of finding out what's written on the gravestones?
posted by dragonmage at 1:56 PM on July 21, 2003

Bruce Lee rules!
posted by pooligan at 3:34 PM on July 21, 2003

Fans of Lee might enjoy some of the posthumous movies made featuring clips of his work. By far the best, funniest movie is Fist of Fear, Touch of Death. I don't want to spoil any of the jokes, but suffice to say, they use clips from his early career as a soap star in HK, as well as some very, very poor doubles to recreate a feature-length film that is in all ways absurd.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 4:43 PM on July 21, 2003

Any way of finding out what's written on the gravestones?

From Brandon Lee's grave:

"BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHEN WE WILL
DIE, WE GET TO THINK OF LIFE AS AN
INEXHAUSTIBLE WELL. YET EVERYTHING
HAPPENS A NUMBER OF TIMES,
AND A VERY SMALL NUMBER, REALLY.
HOW MANY MORE TIMES WILL YOU
REMEMBER A CERTAIN AFTERNOON OF YOUR
CHILDHOOD, AN AFTERNOON THAT'S SO
DEEPLY A PART OF YOUR BEING THAT YOU
CAN'T EVEN CONCEIVE OF YOUR LIFE
WITHOUT IT? MAYBE FOR OR FIVE TIMES
MORE. PERHAPS NOT EVEN THAT. HOW
MANY MORE TIMES WILL YOU WATCH THE
FULL MOON RISE? MAY BE TWENTY, AND
YET IT ALL SEEMS SO LIMITLESS."

For Brandon and Eliza
Ever joined in true love's beauty

According to here, it's from Paul Bowles's The Sheltering Sky and had been chosen by Brandon Lee for his wedding invitations.

Bruce Lee's gravestone reads Founder of Jeet Kune Do on the grave stone proper. There's an open black marble book with Chinese characters on the left page and YOUR INSPIRATION CONTINUES TO GUIDE US TO OUR PERSONAL LIBERATION on the right.

Tonight I found out that Steve McQueen and James Coburn were pallbearers at Bruce Lee's funeral. Lakeview Cemetery is one of the coolest places in Seattle--and I come to find that the star of The Blob has been to it. Oh, I am in heaven tonight.
posted by y2karl at 9:27 PM on July 21, 2003

Steve McQueen was one of Bruce's students.

The 30th Anniversary Box Set looks great. People who can't get that box set might wanna check out Bruce Lee: Warrior's Journey, which contains the original ending to the Game of Death. The recovered footage is roughly 40 minutes long and well worth it.
posted by hobbes at 2:42 AM on July 22, 2003

^ Upon rereading the thread, AMC will probably be airing that.
posted by hobbes at 2:43 AM on July 22, 2003