Has the image of Bruce Lee been exploited over the years?

[Si Williams]

Dear all:
Im currently doing my dissertation on Bruce Lee at university and would appreaciate other peoples opinions on this matter. Im researching into if the 'Bruce Lee image has been mis-represented through different media over the years'. Basically has Bruce Lee the icon been changed to fit in with what Hollywood wants to portray Bruce Lee as being? Any feed back about why you respect or adore BL would be great. Or do you think BL is over-rated and does not deserve to be given so much credit. What ever your views and opinions are on the man please post them, i need all the help i can get.

Cheers.

[m.artist]

I really don't think so. I think that most of the stuff that John Little has done was great, and i really don't think that Dan Inosanto nor Bruce's Widow are out to exploit his name. Bruce's daughter might, and the people who made that god-awful movie with Jason Scott Lee, but other than that, i think for the most part, he has been portrayed as who he really was. A martial artist, a family man, and most of all, a human being who had something interesting to say.

[Si Williams]

true, i think the friends and family who were closest to him would stay honest to the person he really was. But it is interesting how in movies such as 'Meltdown' starring Jet Li, Bruce Lee's character has been used and really made fun of. If you haven't seen it then i advise watching it, by no means is it one of Jet Li's best infact its one of his worst but still the Bruce Lee character in my opinion is an embarresment to Bruce Lee. Another movie that incorporates BL would be 'No retreat, No surrender', a horrible 80's movie with a young Jean Claude Van Damn, the BL figure in that is again painful to watch and doesn't do him justice at all.

[m.artist]

true, i think the friends and family who were closest to him would stay honest to the person he really was. But it is interesting how in movies such as 'Meltdown' starring Jet Li, Bruce Lee's character has been used and really made fun of. If you haven't seen it then i advise watching it, by no means is it one of Jet Li's best infact its one of his worst but still the Bruce Lee character in my opinion is an embarresment to Bruce Lee. Another movie that incorporates BL would be 'No retreat, No surrender', a horrible 80's movie with a young Jean Claude Van Damn, the BL figure in that is again painful to watch and doesn't do him justice at all.

Well, Jet Li's remake of fists of fury called "fist of legend" is an exact copy of bruce lee's movie, where the a japanese martial arts master poisons bruce lee's characters instructor and he exacts revenge. i think it was ok, as it explained everything a bit more, but other than that. i really don't think so. you have to remember though, especially at the time of his death, a big form of flattery or respect is imitation. dragon lee, bruce li, jackie chan, jet li, chow yun fat, none of them would have been as big as they where/are, had it not been for bruce lee, and that's a fact. i think jackie would still be popular, but lets look at this for a second. who's the next person ramond chow went to find after bruce lee died? It was jackie chan. having been in one of bruces movies already, and being quite a martial artist in his own, jackie seemed a perfect fit, and in the begining jackie was an imitation of bruce. the only negative imitation i have seen of bruce lee(i haven't seen the movie you are speaking of) would be that terrible jason scott lee movie. i forgot the name, and don't care to remember. even brandon lee turned down a role in it because he knew it was terrible....

[Jeremy Lobdell]

For what it's worth, I feel the only person who can properly decide is Bruce Lee himself. Anyone else, even with the best intentions in mind, would be looking at it from a different perspective then Sifu Bruce. I doubt that any of his students wanted him to close his 3 schools either, but he did what he thought was best. Anyways, great topic for discussion.
Mahalo, Jeremy

[Si Williams]

it is a tough one to decide whether a martial artist trying to copy or imitate Bruce Lee is a good thing or not. I saw a documentary where Donnie Yen said that he idolises BL so much, and he tries to perform with a similar charismatic style to him, out of respect and divotion which i think is great, lets face it Donnie Yen is amazing. But soon after BL died all of the kind of rip of guys like Bruce Li , Law , Lou whatever were terrible. Producers were so desperate to give the adoring public more that they rushed in and in my opinion sought of untentionally made a mochery of him. fist of fury 2,3 and 4 - what was the point? I agree Jackie Chan was a great alternative to go to bringing a different style and feeling to the movies and now with Jet Li and Donnie Yen its looking good. Im not sure if 'Dragon - Bruce Lee story' should have been made but i was impressed with Jason Scott lee, i don't think anyone else could have played the role better.

[Garland]

I'm sorry...your title was a rhetorical question. Stereotypings and completely brazen Bruce Lee impersonation are a huge cornerstone in American martial arts.
Without Bruce Lee....
God, I don't know where to begin with this, but I can tell you Mr. Miyagi and the Karate Kid wouldn't have had the same impact, that's for goddamned sure, and Ed Parker, not even close, Oyama, not in the states.
How bout Van Damm and Seagal? Would they have been without Bruce Lee...I dunno, but my speculation is a resounding "not a fucking chance".

[m.artist]

I'm sorry...your title was a rhetorical question. Stereotypings and completely brazen Bruce Lee impersonation are a huge cornerstone in American martial arts.
Without Bruce Lee....
God, I don't know where to begin with this, but I can tell you Mr. Miyagi and the Karate Kid wouldn't have had the same impact, that's for goddamned sure, and Ed Parker, not even close, Oyama, not in the states.
How bout Van Damm and Seagal? Would they have been without Bruce Lee...I dunno, but my speculation is a resounding "not a fucking chance".

yup that's true. without bruce's impact, martial arts movies would not have stood a chance here in the states.

[BeingAtOne]

Has Bruce been exploted no doubt of course but its not such a bad thing it has introduced an entirly different and new worl to the west. I think and this is my personal belief from all the books I have read on him that he was a great martial artist not a god like some would state but great. Holly Wood did a good job at what they do which is market and relesh in what is new and popular so I dont blame anyone for him being explioted it was going to happen no matter what movie or family member did or did not do.

[Bruce(JKD)Lee]

ya well i think Bruce Lee's image has been ruined to some people
like some people thought he was just some martial artist's freak

ya the impact that bruce lee made apon us made me like martial arts more than anything and understand it

but i agree that he was a GREAT Martial Artist and a good Family Man
i cant believe he and his son died

i heard that some people think the Chinese Mafia poisoned Bruce Lee
and Brandon Lee was killed by a gun shot

i saw on a web site and it said that the scene in the crow where
his girlfriend is being raped, and he gets shot by somebody, well there were

supposed to be blanks in the guns but they made the blanks out of real bullets and the prop master was supposed to check all the guns.

but he/she didnt there was a peice i forgot the name but it is the part
that penetrates the skin at first and it shot him of course nobody knew he

was shot for a long time cuz he was knowin for his practical jokes well i hope this help R.I.P Bruce Lee R.I.P Brandon Lee