ENTER THE DRAGON (1973)
Named by legendary film critic Peter Bradshaw as the greatest martial arts film of all time, Enter the Dragon solidified Bruce Lee’s status as a cinematic legend. The movie drew global interest towards the Chinese martial arts scene and prompted the mass importation of kung fu movies to the US, which were later dubbed in English for western audiences. Enter the Dragon not only revolutionised the portrayal of Asians in western media, with Lee holding a starring role in a Hollywood production, but also kick-started the “kung fu craze” of the 1970s, which saw Hong Kong studios produce and release dozens of films that reached increasingly international audiences.
The film’s influence moved beyond the movie screen, inspiring many martial arts video games, including popular ones like the Street Fighter and Mortal
Kombat franchises, which borrowed plot elements from the film. Dragon Ball creator Akira Toriyama also credited Enter the Dragon as an inspiration behind his successful Japanese manga and anime series. In the music world, hip-hop group Wu-tang Clan also paid tribute to Lee’s iconic film with their debut album Enter the Wu-tang (36 Chambers), which achieved critical acclaim.
Lee’s final film Game of Death (1978) also deserves a mention for depicting the actor in his now-famous yellow and black jumpsuit, which he wore to fight basketball player-turnedactor Kareem Abdul-jabbar. The appearance of the American star athlete in a Hong Kong film was culturally significant and highlighted the global impact of Asia’s martial arts scene. Thirty years later, an altered version of Lee’s iconic jumpsuit was worn by Uma Thurman in the quirky American crime and martial arts thriller Kill Bill: Vol 1, written and directed by Quentin Tarantino.