This list will not include movies Bruce Lee starred in as a child, nor will it include any movies Bruce Lee had small roles in while Bruce Lee was living in Hollywood in the 1960s. This list will only include movies Bruce Lee was the lead actor in in the 1970s. Number 5 - The Big Boss (1970)
Bruce Lee's first outing with Golden Harvest is a standout in a bad way. The production quality of the Big Boss is much less than the likes of all of Bruce Lee's other movies. This of course is thanks to Raymond Chow being cautious with the film, and holding back its budget. However, The Big Boss still easily broke Hong Kong box office records, and had a huge elated ovation which lead to Lee getting carried throughout the streets at its premiere. Number 4 - Way Of The Dragon (1972)
Way of the Dragon was Bruce Lee's first shot at directing a feature. The action choreography is among the best in Martial Art history, and it truly showcases Lee's physical understanding of combat. The fight between Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris is as influential as it is legendary. However, the plot and performances in Way Of The Dragon are truly lacking. Number 3 - Fists Of Fury (1971)
Fists of Fury is a fantastic balance of action and story as its based on Chen Zen, a real life hero during the China/Japan war of the 1910s. Zen was a student of Huo Yuanjina, who was a legendary martial artist who was poisoned, and Fists of Fury is about how Zen seeks his revenge form his master's killing. The film isn't afraid to tug at your heart strings either, since its truly a Shakespearian Tragedy, killing Zen at the end of the film at the hands of the British.
Number 2 - Game of Death (Incomplete)
Sadly, Game of Death was never completed due to it being put on hold so Bruce could go make Enter The Dragon, and Lee passed before he could return to its production. Game Of Death was Bruce Lee's baby. He did the directing, the choreography, he casted it, he wrote it, he edited it, and he designed all the sets. Bruce Lee didn't even finish shooting all the fight scenes and it still had over 40 minutes of intense action choreography. Sadly, Hollywood tried to add to the feature with stunt doubles and released the movie 5 years after his passing in 1978, but the movie was no where near Lee's original script.
Number 1 - Enter The Dragon (1973)
Enter The Dragon was Hollywood's first martial arts picture, and is truly a stand out among 1970s cinema. It was one of the most financially successful movies of all time and holds a huge cultural significance as it was the first time a Hollywood movie is lead by someone who wasn't white. The feature influences Western culture with Lee's philosophy, and honest expression of martial arts and the feature had an impact on Hong Kong cinema, as it showed the world that the martial arts genre was viable. Enter The Dragon also featured many future Martial Arts cinema stars, including Samo Hung, Bolo Yeung and Jackie Chan.
Written by,
Tyler Wiest
Defining Cinema Producer and Editor