Enter the Dragon Revisited (Part 2) "Bullshit, Mr Han, man!"

OK I know this is getting to be overkill but I figured I would do yet another revisitation of a previous post and the post in question has already had a revisitation makeover! So, the post in question is Enter the Dragon, Bruce Lee's classic martial arts movie that saw the end of his short life at the age of 32.  So, for the post I will expand on a few bits here and there as I usually do such as the performances and flaws sections. 

So, after 45 years, how does Enter the Dragon still fair up??? Well, let's grab those nunchucks and take yet another look....

And yep the usual warning will apply here.

PLOT SPOILERS ARE AHEAD!!!

STORY 

So, the film begins with martial artist, Lee (Bruce Lee) being approached by Mr Braithwaite (Geoffrey Weeks) a member of British intelligence while Lee is at a Shaolin temple in Hong Kong.  Braithwaite tells Lee about a tournament that is coming up that is run by a man named Han (Shih Kien) and that Han is rumoured to be involved in drug trafficking and prostitution, Han himself was a former Shaolin student.  Braithwaite asks that Lee attend the tournament undercover in order to try and gain evidence of Han's illegal activities, which Lee agrees to.

However before Lee goes, he learns that Han's bodyguard O'Hara (Bob Wall) was involved in the death of his sister Su Lin (Angela Mao) who O'Hara and his men harrassed as she tried to fight them off, she took her own life rather than be raped at their hands.  Lee decides to go to the island with the intent of exacting a measure of revenge over Han for his sister's death.

At the island Lee meets up with other martial artists who have been invited which includes Roper (John Saxon) a playboy gambler, who is in heavy debt with bad people and Williams (Jim Kelly) an African American who is on the run after assaulting two white racist policemen.  Both Roper and Williams are good friends (as they served together in the Vietnam war) and get a scam going on taking bets on their fights.

Lee at the island finds a Chinese girl Mei Ling (Betty Chung) who is an undercover agent sent by Braithwaite, although Mei tells Lee that she has been unable to leave the island due to Han's tight security.  Later that night Lee starts to investigate around the island and finds a passage that takes him to an underground base where drugs are being manufactured and tested on prisoners.  Lee however runs into some guards but he takes them down with ease.

The next day however Han has the guards that Lee incapacitated, killed by his sadistic chief bodyguard, Bolo (Bolo Yeung).  Lee takes on O'Hara in his first tournament match, who Lee totally outclasses, and O'Hara out of anger tries to attack Lee with some smashed wine bottles, but Lee kills O'Hara by jumping on him, snapping his neck.

After the matches have been played, Han asks to see Williams (as Williams was seen outside at night as well, although he was out just for some fresh air) and asks him who else was outside with him.  Williams angrily refuses to tell him and say he wishes to leave the island, at that point Han's henchmen arrive, who Williams takes down with ease, but then Han and Williams engage in hand to hand combat. Han ends up gaining the upper hand and proves too good as he mercilessly beats Williams to death with his iron prosthetic hand.

Later that night Lee makes a second attempt to go down to the underground base where he investigates and finds further evidence of Han's activities and he sends a message to Braithwaite, but an alarm is set off, where Lee fights off many of Han's guards, after this he is lured into a trap and captured.  After this Lee has to face the consequences of his actions as he must try and find a way to take Han down and escape the island.....

THOUGHTS 

There is no doubt that Enter the dragon was not only Bruce Lee's last film, but it was also his best, and it was a great pity that his untimely death, at the age of 32 (having suffered a cerebral edema on 20 July 1973), occurred just shortly before the film was released on 26 July, which would have propelled him into super stardom.

The film also features some terrific fight sequences and Lee's fitness and flexibility are just incredible (although Lee did use a stunt double for some of the sequences, such as the backflip he uses on O'Hara) and it was often said that Lee's moves were so fast the camera couldn't capture them at full speed.

Lee also partially directed a sequence of the film, namely the opening sequence at the Shaolin temple and took a big hand in the writing of the story and the script.  The film also featured several real life martial artists such as Bob Wall, who played O'Hara, Jim Kelly who played the cocky Williams, and Bolo Yeung who was the sadistic muscle bound Bolo.  Enter the dragon also features an early onscreen appearance from Jackie Chan who also performed various stunts in the film, and is one of Lee's victims as he has his neck snapped by Lee in the fight scene with the guards in the underground base.  In fact during the filming of that scene Lee apparently accidentally hit Chan in the face with a stick! 

PERFORMANCES AND NOTABLE SCENES

Performance wise Enter the dragon isn't really about top notch acting, its more about the action, and you could say that the acting takes a bit of a back seat to that.  But despite that there is no question that this is Bruce Lee's film, and while he wasn't a great actor, he was a great film star, and his presence and charisma are to be found throughout the film.

And just to highlight the actors names for a change, Bruce Lee has various highlights in the film especially in his action sequences where he fights off Han's guards in the underground base, probably being the main one.

Lee also get's some good scenes, such as when Lee teaches a lesson to one of his young students, Lao, at the start of the film, and Lao demonstrates a kick, which doesn't impress Lee, who asks Lao "What was that? An exhibition?!  We need emotional content! Try again".  So, Lao performs the kick again with a look of anger and Lee walks up to him after and says "I said emotional contact, not anger!  Now try again with me!".

So Lao performs the kick with all that Lee asked of him and Bruce smiles satisfied and asks Lao "Yes! How did that feel to you?" and Lao replies "Let me think..." and Lee smacks him on the head and says "Don't think think! Feel!  It is like a finger pointing away to the moon!" and Lao looks at Lee's finger, who smacks him on the head again "Don't concentrate on the finger or you will miss all that heavenly glory!".  And as Lao bows his head without looking at Lee, Lee smacks Lao on the head again and says "Never take your eye off your opponent!  Even when you bow!" and Lao bows again, keeping eye contact with Lee, who says "That's it" before he walks off and Lee turns back to Braithwaite, who looks impressed at Lee's methodical nature.   

Then there is the scene where Lee travels on the ship towards Han's island and he is confronted by an arrogant Australian martial artist, Parsons (Peter Archer).  And in the scene Parsons asks Lee "What's your style?" and Lee responds "My style?  I suppose you could call it the art of fighting without fighting" and Parsons says "Show me some" and Lee says "Later" and he steps away but Parsons stop him.  And Lee says "Alright but don't you think we need more room?" and Parsons says "Well where else?" and Lee points to a far off island "That island on a beach.  We can take this boat!" but as Parsons boards a small boat off the side of the ship, Lee pushes out the boat to sea a little holding onto the rope to tease an annoyed Parsons and he gives the rope to some of the Chinese passengers.

Another classic scene comes when Lee is about to fight against O'Hara who takes a wooden board and chops it in half with his fist, to which Lee says "Boards don't hit back!". The scene itself is remarkable for showing off Lee's fighting skills and sheer speed as he anticipates O'Hara's every move.  Watchmojo also claimed that Lee that during Lee's fight with Bob Wall (or O'Hara) that he strikes O'Hara twice in the face and not just once as you would perceive it to be when you see Lee perform the moves at normal speed.  Now whether or not this is case, I'm not too sure myself as I looked at that footage in the Watchmojo video slowed down and it still only looks like one hit to me. 

There is of course also the classic fight scene where Lee takes on Han's guards and beats them all (killing a few in the process by snapping their necks, one of which is played by a young Jackie Chan) and he also shows off his nun-chuka skills before he is captured by Han.

And lastly there is Lee's fight scene with Han in the hall of mirrors where they square off each other and at the start of the scene Lee says to Han "You have offended me family and you have offended a Shaolin temple!" before they get down to their fight.  However Lee is in charge of the fight for most of it despite taking a few slashes and it all ends badly for Han!     

Next up is John Saxon who is also pretty good as the American playboy, Roper, and he has quite a few amusing moments in the film.

And to start off there is the scene where at Han's palace, Roper speaks to Lee and he says to him "Say I hope you haven't spent all that money you won from me yesterday. I plan to win it back" and Lee asks Roper "How?" and Roper says "You'll find out after you've lost it".  Lee then says to Roper "You seem very much at home here, Mr Roper" and Roper says "This guy Han's got a great sense of hospitality. And a fantastic sense of style. Yeah, it's great!".  Lee however looks at Roper and asks him "Then why are you so apprehensive?" and Roper nervously says "Apprehensive? No, I was just wondering whether it was ok to drink the water".  Lee then gives Roper a look and says "Mr Roper, don't con me!" and Roper says "You wanna bet?" and he walks off, leaving Lee smiling.

Another good scene is when Tania (Anha Capri) arrives in Roper's room on Han's island with some lovely Chinese girls and Saxon says "Well, well.  One lovelier than the next!" and Tania says to him "Pick one" and he looks right at her and says "I already have!" leaving Tania impressed saying "Wise choice". 

Roper also has a good scene with Han just before he shows him around his underground base, he asks him to place his head on a guillotine as an act of faith, but he refuses, and instead Han places his cat on it.  So, Roper takes the cat off the guillotine and says to it "Now you've got eight more!" and Han pulls a chain which reveals the guillotine to be a lift that takes them down, and Roper groans and says "Faked out, again!".

Then there is the scene where Han shows Roper around his underground operation and finally comes to showing him Williams's dead body hanging from a rope much to Roper's horror.  And Roper says to Han "And you want me to join THIS?!" and Han says "I want there to be no misunderstanding between us".  And Roper shocked looks at Han and takes a moment to consider his words and says "No. There is no misunderstanding between us".

And later there is the scene where Han has captured Lee and he wants Roper to fight him but Roper turns to Han and says "Like you said, there's a point I won't go beyond" which leads into Roper fighting Bolo.  

Jim Kelly is also pretty good in his role as Williams, the cocky American martial artist, and he has a few good scenes, such as the one where Tania brings some beautiful Asian girls to his room for him to pick one but he ends up picking them all!  So, in the scene Williams points each girl out and says "I'll take you, dear...and you...and you...and you...and you..." and he looks at Tania and says "Please understand if I have missed anyone!  Its been a big day. I'm a little tired!". 

Another good scene from Kelly comes when Williams watches Bolo brutally kill the incompetent guards that Lee knocked out the night before.  So, Han looks to Williams, who is alarmed by what he sees and asks him "Are you shocked, Mr Williams?" and Williams plays it down and says "Only at how sloppy your man works!" which leaves Han grinning.     

And lastly there is the scene where Williams confronts Han in his office as Han questions him over being outside his room the other night.  So, Han asks Williams "What were you looking for the other night when you attacked my guards?" and Williams shakes his head and says "It wasn't me".  Han then says "You were the only one seen outside last night!" and Williams nods and says "I was outside but I wasn't the only one".  Han then demands "You will tell me who else?!" and Williams says "Mr Han, suddenly I would like to leave your island!" and Han replies "That is not possible" and Williams then angrily says "Bullshit Mr Han, man!!".  And when Han's security guards walk into the room and surround Williams, Williams says "Man, you come right out of a comic book!".

Shih Kien is excellent in his role as the villainous Han, although it is not his own voice that appears on the soundtrack, but it was in fact the voice of Keye Luke, who played Kato in the original Green Hornet films and later on played Mr Wing in the two Gremlins films among many other roles.

Luke also delivers some good lines in the film on Kien's behalf such as the scene where he addresses all the contestants and his guards on the island after Lee sneaked around and knocked a few of them the other night.  And in the scene Han says "Gentlemen, it seems last night that one of you was not content with the hospitality of the palace.  And sought diversion elsewhere.  On the island.  Who it was is not important at this time.  What is important is that my guards performed their duties incompetently.  And they must now proves themselves to remain worthy among us!".

Then there is the scene where Han talks with Roper and he places his cat on what appears to be a guillotine and he readies himself to press a chain as if to kill the cat.  And Han says "Very few people can be totally ruthless. It isn't easy; it takes more strength than you might believe!" but Roper removes the cat and says "Now you have eight more!".  And Han says "So! There is a point you will not go beyond!" and he pulls the chain which activates a lift!

And lastly there is the scene when Han brings Roper out to fight Lee who has been captured and Roper says of Lee "What are you going to do with him?".  And Han says "Not "we", Mr Roper, you!".  And as Roper says there is a point he won't go beyond Han says "I was right about you.  We will strive to be worthy of your sense of grandeur.  I will find someone with whom you can fight.  Bolo!" which leads into Roper's fight with Han's most fearsome bodyguard.

Bob Wall is not too bad in his role as O'Hara, Han's main henchman, who was responsible for the death of Lee's sister and even though he doesn't have much dialogue in the film, he still manages to maintain a threatening aura.

Wall's most notable scenes are of course when we see the flashback of Lee's sister, Su Lin (Angela Mao) fight off O'Hara's men before she is cornered by them and is forced to take her on life in order to preserve her family honour (at least I think that's it!).  In the scene we see O'Hara get his scar from the old man (Ho Lee Yan) who tells Lee the story to later on.

Then there is the scene where Wall delivers his only line of dialogue when O'Hara goes to Lee's room (on Han's island) while Lee practices.  And O'Hara tells Lee "You must attend the morning ritual in uniform" and Lee looks coldly at him and simply says "Outside!" and O'Hara leaves, as Lee takes a moment before resuming his practice.

And last of all is of course O'Hara fight scene with Lee where O'Hara is outmatched by Lee's speed, precision and power, which enrages O'Hara into an act of treachery as he attempts to attack Lee with some wine bottles.  However, Lee of course easily disables O'Hara and then finishes him off by leaping on him and breaking his neck and in doing so, gaining some level of revenge for his sister's death.

Ahna Capri is pretty good in her role as Tania, Mr Han's main female assistant, who is in charge of the girls on the island (or so it appears, her role isn't that clear to be honest!).

Ahna has some good moments also such as the scene where Tania brings some ladies to Williams room where is sitting listening to music with a large pair of headphones on, oblivious to them. So, Tania says to William "Mr Williams..." but he still doesn't notice anything and she says louder "Mr Williams?!!" and he looks up and sees Tania and the ladies and he smiles and says "For me?".  So, Williams picks all of the girls and he tells Tania its been a big day and he's tired, so Tania smiles and sarcastically says "Of course, Mr Williams! You must conserve your strength!".

And last of all is the scene where Tania brings in some more ladies to Roper's room and he looks at the ladies and says "Well, well, well...one lovelier than the next!" and Tania says to Roper "Pick one".  And Roper gives Tania a look and he says "I already have" and she smiles at Roper and says "Wise decision!".

Bolo Yeung next does pretty well in his role as the aptly named Bolo, Han's ruthless and brutal henchman, who viciously dispatches some of Han's inept guards at one point in the film and later on takes on Roper in a big fight.  Yeung has no real dialogue in the film except for saying "GO!" twice, once in two different scenes and that's the extent of his lines!  Yeung regardless of his lack of dialogue, still cuts a pretty imposing figure physically in the film and he does well at being an intimidating badass and you certainly wouldn't want to cross him!  

And last of all is Betty Chung who is quite good in her role as Mei Ling, an undercover agent sent by Braithwaite to Han's island, who later on helps out Lee.

So, I will only mention Betty's main scene where Mei Ling speaks to Lee in private in his room on Han's island.  So, Mei Ling talks in an urgent whisper to Lee "Nothing much . I'm kept in a palace, watched always, I know nothing of Han's activities away from the palace, but I can tell you this, people disappear".  Lee then asks "Who?" and Mei Ling tells him "The girls. Every one of them. They're summoned to Han's at night and the next day they're gone. I know I don't have much time".

DIRECTOR AND MUSIC 

Direction wise Robert Clouse does a fine job with the Enter the dragon, although his job is primarily a perfunctory one in which he keeps the action and the flow of the film going more than anything else.  But Clouse still manages to keep the film moving along at a brisk pace and the film could never be accused of lagging at any time.  It was also interesting to note that when the film was shot it was shot completely without sound as the sound was added in purely during post production.   

As for the music its features a memorable and very funky score by Lalo Schifrin which is excellent and it mixes both funky and traditional musical themes, that fit the films Asian and American styles nicely.  So the film's score has a good mix of orchestration as well as bass, guitar and drums, which is pretty much the staple of Schifrin's music and he uses to it fine effect here in this score and let's not forget his eerie sounding synthesizer when Lee goes into "kill" mode.  

FLAWS (Warning: this section main contain some spoilers!)

As for Enter the dragon's flaws....well OK you could really nitpick this one to an extent but I won't go too far into it, but yes ETD is not quite perfect.  For starters I think the plot of the film itself is pretty bland and offers nothing new and its yet again another tale of revenge which we've seen time and time again.  But the action in the film is so good its pretty easy to overlook its rather unexceptional plot.   

I also found it a bit incredible how Bruce Lee could carry on fighting in the film with Han after he received the slashes to his stomach from Han's sharp prosthetic knife hand, as surely that would severely weaken him, although I'm no doctor of course it just appears a bit strange how Lee could have such a level of superhuman strength withstand his injuries.  But if it was anyone else I'm sure a slash to the chest would pretty much put anyone out or even kill them!  Obviously those scars had to been pretty superficial for Lee to be still able to fight, but then again it is just a film! 

It also seems a bit daft that Roper could also survive his fight with Han's cheif bodyguard, Bolo, given his immense physical strength and his ability to snap the neck of the guards earlier on with such ease (you could call him "the snapperator").  But nope here Roper has no such problem and he simply uses his street fighting skills to kick Bolo's ass and put him out for the count with a few kicks to his happy sack!  Again its a bit like brain over brawn as Roper outmanouvers big Bolo with great ease.

In fact its actually debatable in this scene as to whether or not Roper actually kills Bolo, as you see Roper kick Bolo a couple of times in the nuts before Bolo painfully groans and falls down and goes limp.  Now in the Wikipedia article for the film, it currently states that Roper killed Bolo but I just find it difficult believe that someone as strong as Bolo would die from a few punches to the face and a few kicks to his sack! So, for me I think Roper just beat Bolo unconscious and perhaps he just passed out from the pain....well at least that's what I think!

You could also potentially argue its a bit daft how Roper managed to evade the mob as he owes them money as seen in his flashback scene and heads straight to Han's island although he is hardly concerned about the possibility of the Mafia catching up with Roper.  Although you could argue its not like the mob would find easy getting onto Han's island with guns given all the guards he has there, but again he has no guns of his own on the island.

However when you think about it, it seems daft that no one really thought of sneaking a gun onto Han's island as you never really see anyone get bodysearched when they arrive there despite Han's rule of "no guns".  And Lee himself could easily have done that too maybe sneaked in there with a gun and shot Han when he got the moment.  But then again when you are one of the greatest martial artists in the land you'd be better using your fists! ;-)

And lastly I wondered just what happened to Mei Ling??? You see her release the prisoners from Han's cells but later on she is nowhere to be seen although there does appear to be a figure in purple lie limp in the aftermath of the big fight sequences between the prisoners and the Han's fighters.  This could well be Mei Ling but again its not clear at all what really happened to her but it would have been a bit of a bummer if they decided to kill her off too just like they did with Tania, who you do see lie dead at the end of the movie.

Anyway that's it for the flaws.

SUM UP

Soooo, to sum up, Enter the Dragon to this day is still a classic must see action film and it was easily the peak of Bruce Lee's short lived career as it is filled with great action scenes, a catchy music score and it moves along at a great pace.  It was just a great pity that Lee himself died just six days before the film's premiere in Hong Kong on July 26 1973 as it surely would have been a great pleasure for him to have gone on to other things had he survived.   

So this film remains Lee's best onscreen legacy and as such its one of the most memorable martial arts films of all time and still worth watching to this day.

Right, so that's it for now and I will return just maybe with another review before the end of the month but if not I will see you in April.

So, till the next one, its bye for now!