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The Chinese Connection

The Chinese Connection

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Rating: 2 stars
Summary: ALWAYS stay with ORIGINAL
Review: Why American production make HK movies look so cheap? First of all, they cut off so much scene, second of all ruin it by making look acting so dumb by English Dubb. For ANY of HK movies, ALWAYS stick with ORIGINAL LICENSED HK RELEASE. Be careful with cheap imports, boots though.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Great film......bad dvd
Review: This particular dvd version does Bruce Lee an incredible injustice. Not only , is it converted to dvd in the worst possible way (cheap), but it's a widescreen version that leaves alot of the actors off the screen. I have this same film on vhs , and guess what ? It's alot better , and a studio version (Fox). I was highly dissappointed in this one , put out by a noname distributor. But that's what I get for trying to save a few bucks.If you stick with the Fox (20th Century) version , you can't lose. Once again , this version comes off as a cheap bootleg copy without any extras (commentary ect.). As for the film itself , excellent. It has Bruce taking revenge for his teacher's death. So what, if the plot's simple and a transparent effort to show off it's lead's ability to kick .... This movie , in particular , has the famous back yard brawl (hint's of Muhammad Ali's boxing influence on Mr. Lee are prvalent , here), and the dojo fight scene (with the num-chuck's). Plus , you get to see Bruce go undercover , as a nerd and an ending that is very special, because it never happens in any other Bruce Lee movie. His "Hollywood" charisma and intense acting skills have improved tremendously from his previous roles, and his presence is as hallucinating and electric ,as ever. Based on the fact that it is a great, Bruce Lee film , is the only reason I gave it three stars. I highly recommend the studio version , because you'll get your money's worth and will see it in a format that I'm sure Mr. Lee would've been proud of.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: Another good movie for the legend........
Review: Reviewing Bruce Lee films is not easy. On one hand, you have a legend of martial arts who is a good actor. On the other hand, you have terrible scripts, horrid supporting acting, TERRIBLE voice dubbing, and just odd little tidbits that hurt the film. If you go into these movies with the right frame of mind, I think everyone can enjoy them. I can see how some people can be turned off by them, however. I mean it's not like Bruce can fight all 100 min.

Like his first film (Fists Of Fury), this movie is basically about revenge. Bruce comes back to his martial arts school to find his teacher has been killed and a rival Japanese school is responsible. His school prides itself on avoiding conflict as much as possible and only fights when it has to. He, on the other hand, wants to avenge the death of his teacher and teach the bad guys a lesson.

Like I said before, the acting is pretty much terrible with a couple exceptions. Bruce and his leading lady have some nice, romantic parts that are watchable. But, like his other Hong Kong films, it's all just there to give Bruce an excuse to kick some ass. And that he does very well.

One of his most famous on-screen fight scenes takes place in this movie. He literally takes a whole Japanese kung-fu school on by himself. And wins. He also fights a sword-wielding bad guy with just his hands and feet. He fights a huge russian (His name is actually Robert Baker and was one of Bruce's students at the time) that can bend steel pipes with his bare hands. I think you get the idea. The fight scenes are better in this movie than they were in Fists Of Fury. This is the one that amazed people and really started the Bruce Lee phenomenon. Highly recommended for any martial arts fan and essential for any Bruce Lee freak, like myself.

The DVD itself is bare bones. The boxed set does come with a 5th disc containing and documentary, so it somewhat makes up for the lack of extras on this disc.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Don't hate on the Legend.
Review: "The Chinese Connection", "Fist of Fury", "The Iron Hand"--call it whatever you want, it's a classic. It's the best of Bruce Lee's movies, and the production values were above average for its era. Even though Lo Wei was the director in name, and Han Ying-Chien was the credited fight choreographer, Bruce Lee was the guiding force of this movie, because he handled all of his action scenes. And since this movie is all about Bruce Lee going into action, you might say he was the sole reason for its success. Admittedly, the set-up is kind of weak, since most of the characters are cardboard cutout portrayals of right and wrong. But the basic plot theme is very powerful: Chinese nationals fighting to protect their rights and avenge wrongs perpetrated by the Japanese and other foreigners.
Bruce's acting was overwraught, if only to get to a rise out of the Hong Kong audiences, who were notoriously staid at the time of the film's release. And even if a person believed that his acting abilities were sub-par (and I'm not such a person), nobody could deny that he had charisma out the wazoo.
Nothing much more that I can say about the action that hasn't been said a thousand times already. With the exception of the in-school fight (which Bruce didn't choreograph), the action is at turns fluid and graceful, powerful and vicious.
No offense to 20th Century Fox, because the American version was the one I grew up on, but I recommend getting the HK DVD release. It has two commentary tracks, trailers and all other kinds of cool stuff.
I find it's best to watch this movie bookended by the Donnie Yen 1991 miniseries (which provides character background and more setup) and the 1994 Jet Li milestone, "Fist of Legend" (for better story treatment, better rounded characters, and, well, Jet Li). "The Big Boss" may have been the movie that got Bruce Lee into the limelight, but "Fist of Fury" is the movie that ushered in a new era of not just Hong Kong action cinema with its groundbreaking choreography, but worldwide filmmaking in general. 5 stars for the one that started it all.

P.S. Watch closely for Jackie Chan practicing with one of the girls at Jing Wu Men, and again as the stuntman flying through the air at the end.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Bruce Lee's best movie, hands down
Review: "The Big Boss" made Bruce Lee known, but "Chinese Connection" is the film that truly made the Chinese audience love him and worship him. Rightfully so, for this is Lee's best movie. He plays Chen, the top disciple of a revered kung fu master, recently killed under mysterious circumstances. Chen's spirit burns with a sense of duty, a desire for vengeance and an indomitable will to uphold the pride and rights of his people in a time where they are treated as second class citizens in their own land. Lee truly showcases his talent as an actor by bringing his character to life with such a wide range of emotion and depth. It totally overshadows his role in Enter the Dragon, where his character is little more than a subdued killer who gets to spout a few lines of philosophy. As for the fight sequences, Lee's characteristic fury is never as intense as it is here. This is also the first time Lee breaks out his infamous nunchakus. The storyline is somewhat simplistic (as is characteristic with all films of the genre) but it is still extremely heartfelt and symbolic if you understand the feelings and sentiments of Chinese people at the time. But even if you don't, the raw power of Bruce's performance along with the gritty, unorthodox fighting should win over any fan of the genre. In character and creativity, the only other Lee film that could match this one is Return of the Dragon. These two films represent Lee's best and overshadow the overrated Enter the Dragon.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: MUCH better than fist of fury!
Review: I got this film with Bruce Lee's The Fist of Fury" The only part of Fist of Fury that was able to hold me was the last 20 minutes . That was the first Bruce Lee film I ever saw and I was not expecting this to be better. In fact, I only watched it because it was the only thing new to watch. I thought this was going to be just as bad if not more horrible than Fist of Fury.
I was SO wrong! This movie is better than Fist of Fury in every way! The story is about Bruce Lee's character who's name is Chad( I think). Chad's Master was one day killed by a gang and Chad swears to kill every one of them. This was the best Kung-Fu movie
I have seen and Bruce Lee's Character is a lot less wimpy in this than he was in the Fist of Fury.
I think Bruce Lee wrote and directed this movie. Great Kung-Fu scenes. Worth your money(And don't make the same mistake I made and don't buy this with Fist of Fury)

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The Chinese Connection: Bruce's Learning Curve Continues
Review: By the early 1970's, Bruce Lee had become a major martial arts star in Hong Kong. One of his early films, FISTS OF FURY, showcased Lee's considerable fighting skills which unfortunately were overshadowed by his equally considerable lack of both experience and persona. With his next film, THE CHINESE CONNECTION, Lee has clearly made considerable progress on his learning curve to be a major star in cultures other than his own. There is much to praise in TCC. Lee plays Chen, a young disciple of his martial arts instructor, whom he identifies by the simple honorific of Teacher. Lee returns from a journey only to discover that Teacher has died from some unspecified cause, which he is sure is a result of foul play from a rival Japanese martial arts school. The bulk of the plot is dedicated to a continuous collective battle between Lee and the many representatives of the Japanese school.
In TCC, actor Lee and fight choreographer Lee learned well that he is the reason why people bought tickets to see a movie that by the standards of the time was considerably inferior even to Hollywood's worst efforts. Lee is onscreen in nearly every scene. Director Lo Wei wisely allowed Lee to show other aspects to his personality other than those that connect to fighting. Lee shares several tender scenes with his girlfiend, who, even through the still atrocious dubbing, manages to convince the viewer that her affection for him is real. Lee even projects several stark scenes of Brando-esque emoting of a range from grief over Teacher's death to sullen acceptance of personal responsibility for the deaths of his schoolmates. But it was not the introspective Kwai Chang Caine Lee that Hong Kong fans bulled their way into the packed movie houses. It was the athletic, spinning reverse kicks, nunchaku driven Bruce Lee that they came to see. And Lee did not disappoint. Most of the fights of interest relate to one of two sorts: the one-on-many scenes in which the bad guys form a circle and get punched and kicked out in turn and the far more interesting one-on-one confrontations between Lee and a highly skilled opponent. Lee has a battle with a Russian boxer, Petrov, who is no pushover. Petrov actually lands a number of his own blows which knock Lee to the ground before he himself is flattened. One of the major differences between the earlier FISTS OF FURY and THE CHINESE CONNECTION lie within the evolving persona of Bruce Lee, who played essentially the same character in both. In the former movie, Lee fights but killing his opponent is a means to an end. In TCC, killing becomes the sadistic end. Lee punctuates this unnerving change in his psychological (de?)evolving, by his habit of killing then stringing up his beaten foes as stern reminders to his Japanese competitors that this Bruce Lee is no subservient Charley Chan type. Lee ends TCC in a blaze of glory as he presumably dies charging single-handedly into the combined rifle fire of his enemies.
Watching Lee act in both FOF, TCC, and the later ENTER THE DRAGON allows the viewer to trace the gradual evolution of a major martial arts superstar. In them, we see pretty much the same man at different parts of his life. Lee seems to say in all his movies that life is a constant flux, and that viewers who see Lee as a fixed icon tacked like an unchanging star in the sky have missed the point that Lee, with all his power, his charm, his skills, is essentially like all of us.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Bruce Lee: master of disguise
Review: The Chinese Connection may well be Bruce Lee's best film. It certainly showcases the full range of his acting and martial arts skills. His character displays a number of intense emotions as this story unfolds, but most importantly Bruce Lee gives us a number of impressive fight scenes. Lee's performance here is perhaps most memorable, though, for the disguises that Lee's character adopts in the second half of the film. His appearance as an old man selling newspapers is impressive, but who can ever forget his portrayal of a goofy, bespectacled telephone repairman? There are just all kinds of great and quite memorable aspects to this film.

The story takes place in Shanghai around the beginning of the twentieth century, with plenty of tension to go around between the occupying Japanese authorities and the Chinese citizens. As the film opens, we learn that the venerated "Teacher" of a Chinese martial arts school has been poisoned. Chen Zhen (Bruce Lee) arrives just in time to see Teacher's body laid to rest, and this throws Chen into such an emotional maelstrom of grief that he jumps onto the coffin and struggles to bring Teacher back. At the memorial service, a delegation of folks from the local Japanese martial arts school come to disrespect Teacher, his students, the school, and China in general. Chen, out of respect for Teacher, manages to hold himself back from giving these guys the beating they deserve, but he soon decides to make his way to the Japanese school and prove just how wrong their charges of cowardice were. A series of increasingly violent reprisals then takes place between the two schools. While Chen works to personally avenge the death of Teacher, the Japanese demand his arrest and threaten to shut down the Chinese school. With both parties resorting to increasingly extreme measures, no one comes out of this conflict unscathed.

The Chinese Connection really starts out like gangbusters. The emotional drama is intense from the very beginning, and it is quickly followed by two impressive panoramic fight scenes. The scene wherein Chen takes on the whole Japanese school single-handed is just incredible; Bruce breaks out the numchuks for this one, and he really puts on a show with them. The big fight between the students of both schools isn't quite as impressive, lacking Bruce's presence, but there's still something exhilarating about watching dozens of men and women going at it tooth and nail. Aside from a few murders, the martial arts action takes a backseat during the middle parts of the film, but of course no Bruce Lee movie can end without a conclusive fight between the big boys. Chen has to take on not only the Japanese ace but Russia's most capable martial artist as well. At times, decisive moments in the fights are shown in slow motion, which works effectively to make the action even more impressive. At one point toward the end, we see the classic shot of Lee's hands moving so quickly that he appears to have sprouted the extra appendages of a Buddhist icon.

As is the case with Fists of Fury, the conclusion of this film is not the stuff fairy tales are made of. Many tragic events take place in the latter half of the film, and the whole thing ends on a rather sad note, yet the conclusion strikes me as both noble and just. If you've never seen a Bruce Lee movie, I really think The Chinese Connection is the best place to start. The movie grabs you by the throat at the very beginning, showcases Lee's incredible talents for both martial arts and fight choreography early on, and sustains your abiding interest until the story ends.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: a classic!
Review: Bruce Lee was able to portray male rage better than anyone, and in this movie he delivers! Fox does a good job (except for the sound and the dubbing) transferring this movie to DVD (unlike 'Return' the image is clearly distorted in some scenes (squished) so people look too thin and they deleted the Italian prostitute scene, the Bruce going to the washroom scene, and in Big Boss more deleted scenes:the prostitute scene where Bruce shoves the prostitute onto the bed and then before he leaves he picks up a bag of chips from the room (I always wondered why Bruce had those chips with him on the way to the house of the big boss), the cart into Bruce and friend after the busted crooked dice game, and the fingers into the sides of Mr Big Boss himself at the end. Well, in this version the picture in not distored, the color is good and from what I can tell there are no deleted scenes. The only down side is the sound is in mono, the English dubbing is a bit off from the actual translation, and there are spots on some of the scenes. This has the highest kill ratio for Bruce as he dispatches of tons of dudes one on one and in screaming style. I count this as a personal favorite. Did you see the scene where he takes out his teachers killers? Fantastic one on one. And one of the classic male rage scenes where the scene slows down and his fist and screaming become more intense. A more detailed note on the screaming: I think it may be dubbed screaming not by Bruce in the American version (although very close to his actual voice and also excellent) but if you get the Chinese version or The fantastic Hong Kong Legends version, you hear him in Chinese and I think his actual screaming. Note the second bad dude he wastes he does so while asking 'Why did you kill me teacher?! Why why why why...' in chinese it's even better than in English because it's probably his actual voice and he makes some additional screaming noises as he's speaking that are pretty hard to describe, but it's beautifully done and is probably one of my favorite male rage Bruce scenes. so i guess what I'm trying to say is it's worth getting the chinese versions and putting the audio language to Chinese (Cantonese) just to hear his screaming in Chinese. Another kind of funny detail lost in the English audio is when he finally corners the thin little guy and he pleads for Bruce to let him go saying something like 'I'm just a dog', but what you may not realize is in the Chinese audio you can actually hear him wimpering like a dog! I can't believe they didn't include that or try to imitate it in the English version! When Bruce is in the cemetary and his girlfriend meets him there in the English version she says something like 'you're being stubborn', but that's not the way Hong Kong Legends or any Chinese version or the movie translated that scene. In the other versions she says something less scolding more like 'I don't want you to leave'. So a lot of the US audio is off. There are a lot of details like this I have noticed. Another is that the Russion dude is a Russian KGB man who is on the run from Russia for some reason. I don't think the English dubbed (audio) make that as clear as the Chinese verison.
Another note is that all the Bruce Lee movies included scenes with prostitues ! They tried to hide that by deleting some of the prostitute scenes in the Big Boss and they cut out the only one in Return of the Dragon. Don't they realize if those scenes had any Bruce in them we want to see them! Even if Bruce isn't in them leave the orignal work alone.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Fist of Fury is the best of non-stop Bruce Lee action.
Review: [Note: The UK DVD version from Hong Kong Legends has (1)The best DVD quality. (2)The best DVD extras. (3)The proper TITLES for Bruce Lee films (The US titles are very muddled around).]

Fist of Fury (The Chinese Connection US title) is the best Bruce Lee action movie because it is virtually non-stop action but is one of his early works and so looks a little aged but this certainly does not distract from some of the most awesome martial arts ever committed to celluloid.

The plot in this early Lee movie is actually coherent and is based on an old Chinese story about a martial arts student who avenges his masters murder by poisoning during the Japanese occupation of China. Cue various set pieces involving a furious Bruce Lee who sets out to do away with anything that stands in his way... and he does. Fight scenes involve Bruce Lee tearing apart two Samurai training schools - with a great nunchaku fight scene, a massive sixty-plus martial artists battle sequence inside another school (you have to see that! - they are fights going on everywhere!) and the end showdown with a Russian fighter and Japanese warlord which has some fantastic technique switching from Bruce Lee and by far the best kick and follow up punch move you will likely ever see anywhere again.

Even though Bruce Lee is not anywhere near his peak with his technique this is the Lee movie that you should be seeing in order to understand why America wanted this guy for future films like Way of the Dragon (Return of the Dragon US title) or Enter the Dragon. You will also love the animal sounds he makes to distract his opponents (chickens of all things!).

It was recently remade starring Jet Lee in Fist of Legend which is another must see version of this story. If you are looking for lots of Bruce Lee action then get this flick at all costs. You will not be disappointed because he kicks around bad guys from start to finish.


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