Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon
龍爭虎鬥
Overview
"Lee, a highly skilled Shaolin martial artist, is recruited by British intelligence to infiltrate an exclusive martial arts tournament hosted on an island fortress by the mysterious Han. Seeking to avenge his sister's death and expose Han's massive opium smuggling operations, Lee discovers an underground compound of slaves and secret weapons."
Iconic Tracked Scenes
- ▶
A brutal demonstration of speed and philosophy during a sparring match heavily emphasizing 'emotional content'.
"emotional content""finger pointing at the moon" - ▶
A satisfyingly quick tournament bout against an arrogant opponent, ending with an iconic, humiliating stomp.
"chest stomp""o'hara fight" - ▶
Sneaking through an underground drug lab and unleashing fury with a rapidly spinning pair of nunchucks.
"underground lab""nunchucks fight" - ▶
A disorienting, suspenseful final duel inside a hall of mirrors against an older villain wielding a deadly bladed claw.
"hall of mirrors""mirror fight"
Why It's Remembered
- ★Teaching his young pupil the philosophy of 'emotional content' by demanding he point a finger at the moon.
- ★The lightning-fast, highly disciplined exhibition bout against O'Hara.
- ★The incredible finale navigating the surreal, kaleidoscopic Hall of Mirrors wearing the claw scars.
Cultural Context
- ◈The first mainstream Hollywood martial arts film, co-produced by Warner Bros. and Golden Harvest.
- ◈Bruce Lee tragically died mere weeks before the film's premiere, skyrocketing his status to global legend.
- ◈Fuses incredibly tight, realistic combat choreography with highly colorful, James Bond-esque spy plotting.
About the Action Elements
Enter the Dragon is widely celebrated among martial arts cinema fans for sequences involving sparring, philosophy, emotional content, finger pointing at moon, monastery. One of the most memorable sequences features Bruce Lee naturally executing emotional content, where the choreography and unique set pieces become the unexpected highlight of the film.