bruceleefightsback

I was never a big fan of kung- fu movies until I saw this. It starts with an obviously tacked on prologue showing Bruce Lee bursting from his grave. Of course this has absolutely nothing to do with the rest of the movie, which I'm sure wasn't filmed under this working title. From here, we see Bruce ( his name in the movie is Wong Han, but I'll refer to him as Bruce anyway) in action at his local dojo. He's getting changed later, while his master whinges to him about how he wants more money, and how it can get you anything. His master is obviously a shy man, because he showers with a towel around his waist! Bruce tells him that you only need kung-fu, and fulfillment to be happy. This is just one of many times in this when Bruce spouts inane commie propaganda.

Bruce's master tells him he's going to Los Angeles in search of fortune, and opens a kung-fu school there. Four years later, he sends Bruce a telegram telling him to come and visit to see how well he's doing. When Bruce gets there, he finds that his master has died. Bruce goes to the funeral, and collects his ashes to return to his family, and also what look like cow

bones,that are left over from the cremation. He then saves a girl called Susan ( who's voice sounds like a cockatoo) from being raped in a deserted carpark, and it just so happens that out of all the people in L.A. , she knew his master, and believes he was murdered. She tries to thank Bruce for saving her by letting him stay at her place, but he is an honourable man, and declines. He's not too honourable though, because later in the film, he borrows her car, it gets stolen, and he doesn't give a rats arse. Instead of reporting it, he decides to go and watch a parade. To make matters worse, when he goes to a caryard with her to buy a new one, Bruce makes her buy a big old campervan to save on hotel bills, even though she has a house in the city anyway! This movie gets less, and less coherent as Bruce gets closer, and closer to finding out the truth about his master. Along the way, he fights a bunch of guys, and in a hilarious scene in a police station,is charged with murder, and then let off by the cliche bad tempered police cheif. Umberto Lenzi is alleged to have directed this. Although it has no animal cruelty whatsoever, it does have a lot of badly overdubbed, funny dialogue, and a very Italian feel . Maybe Lenzi was just trying to throw us off with the lack of violence towards animals. Anyway, the great thing about this is it isn't non-stop action , unlike a lot of kung-fu movies. I find too much action to be extremely boring. This had just the right mix of kung-fu , bad dubbing, and hilarious dialogue. You won't find a much funnier Bruce Lee ripoff than Bruce Lee Fights Back From The Grave. There's something about filmmakers cheapening the memory of a dead actor by stealing his name, and mannerisms that is incredibly hilarious. This movie is kung-fugu-tastic. Watch it with your kung fu shoes on.

This absolute masterpiece of a film starts with our hero, and long dead martial arts superstar Bruce Lee ( Bruce Lea) bursting out of a very cheap looking grave when it is struck by lightning. It then goes straight into the opening artwork for the film , and some 70's music to boot. Now I know what you're thinking....I'm not gonna sit through a Bruce Lee ripoff film , but trust me : as a longtime martial artist and Bruce Lee fan , his films aren't that much better than his copycats. At least this film doesn't take itself too seriously ( I don't think) . Anyway , this film uses the 'fish- out- of water bit' as do most Bruce films , and also the 'my freind in another country needs help' bit as do most Bruce films , and the 'evil drug dealer who finally pays the ultimate price' bit as most Bruce films do.

So really , I think Bruce Lea is probably a good litmus test as to what sort of film Bruce Lee might have been doing if he had lived. This movie has great characters like Bruce's fat capitalistic freind, who moves to the states in search of great materialism , but is sucked into the world of prostitution and drug running ( which is uncommon for Asians). Then there's the dizzy waitress , who's shrill uneven voice almost makes you sick. She sticks a knife into the U.S.A. with some lines about 'not being free in the most free nation' . And then there's the black cop ( my favorite character in the whole film) , who has a baffling time trying to get information out of Bruce . With great dialog like this , who needs Robert DeNero , I mean these guys can act. In closing , don't get this film with the intention of a great action flick ( even though there is some ) , or high flyin' kung fu ( even though there is some ) , or for a well worded romantic think piece ( even though I think it is ). Just get it for a laugh. This is great filler material when you have people over, and you're bored shitless, and having a few beers. Throw on Bruce , and you will find that it will get any party happenin'.