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Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey

  • Video
  • 2000
  • PG
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
8.0/10
3.4K
YOUR RATING
Bruce Lee in Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey (2000)
ActionBiographyDocumentary

A documentary showing the life of Bruce Lee up-close.A documentary showing the life of Bruce Lee up-close.A documentary showing the life of Bruce Lee up-close.

  • Directors
    • Bruce Lee
    • John Little
  • Writers
    • Bruce Lee
    • John Little
    • Bey Logan
  • Stars
    • Bruce Lee
    • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
    • Peter Archer
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    8.0/10
    3.4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Directors
      • Bruce Lee
      • John Little
    • Writers
      • Bruce Lee
      • John Little
      • Bey Logan
    • Stars
      • Bruce Lee
      • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
      • Peter Archer
    • 28User reviews
    • 12Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 1 win total

    Photos20

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    Top Cast46

    Edit
    Bruce Lee
    Bruce Lee
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    • …
    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
    • Self - Mantis
    • (archive footage)
    Peter Archer
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Sun-Man Bae
    • Self - First Tung (scenes from The Story)
    • (archive footage)
    Robert Baker
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    • (as Bob Baker)
    Pierre Berton
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Linda Lee Cadwell
    Linda Lee Cadwell
    • Self
    Jackie Chan
    Jackie Chan
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Yuan Chieh
    • Self - Fighter accomplice
    • (archive footage)
    James Coburn
    James Coburn
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Doug Copsey
    • Self - Narration
    • (voice)
    James Franciscus
    James Franciscus
    • Self - Mike Longstreet
    • (archive footage)
    James Garner
    James Garner
    • Self - Philip Marlowe
    • (archive footage)
    Ted Hanulak
    Ted Hanulak
    • Self - Sensei
    Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
    Sammo Kam-Bo Hung
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Hee-Soo Hwang
    • Self - Sister (scenes from The Story)
    • (archive footage)
    In-shik Hwang
    • Self - First Floor Guardian
    • (archive footage)
    • (as Ing-Sik Whang)
    Dan Inosanto
    Dan Inosanto
    • Self - Third Floor Guardian
    • (archive footage)
    • Directors
      • Bruce Lee
      • John Little
    • Writers
      • Bruce Lee
      • John Little
      • Bey Logan
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews28

    8.03.4K
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    10

    Featured reviews

    stupid_fresh

    Astonishing.

    This is without a doubt one of the greatest documentaries that I have ever seen. The narration is easy to follow, not too self-consciously obtuse or referential to previous films, and the piecing together is simply masterful. The only quibble is the lack of information on Bruce's early life.

    Things to love about this film:

    * the Game of Death sequence, fully restored, edited and soundtracked to Bruce's wishes (according to recently found production notes)

    * The one finger (and a thumb) pressups - although rather short

    * The one inch punch

    Truly awesome and 10/10.
    8PeterRoeder

    The most excellent Bruce Lee documentary!

    This is a documentary which pays homage to the pure mayhem and fury of the myth/man Bruce Lee! Moreover, it contains the most astonishing scenes from the Game of Death. It shows the scenes how Bruce intended them, and I must say it is awesome to say the least! Whereas the original Game of Death movie almost even manages to ruin the Bruce Lee material (not to speak of the rest of the movie, which is worthless) this new material is mindblowing and real! For example, you can see the Korean Haikido masters lips move in the original Game of Death but there is no speech! Here you hear what he says, and you hear Bruce Lee's comments and thoughts. Such as: "Give him the fatigue bombing!" and wonderful dialogue such as Karim: "You must have given up the hope of living" "On the contrary, I don't let the thought of death bother me", and "I hope you don't mind that we move our man so the two of us have more time to groove!" Moreover, they call each other "baby" all the time. It is truly awesome. The rest of the biography is also good but what makes this a real classic is the remake of Game of Death.
    10LivingDog

    Bruce Lee Accurate History

    I always saw Bruce Lee as an enigma. This movie lays that feeling 100% flat to rest. It is so well done I was glued to the set even though all they show are clips and the remaining scenes to Lee's last movie: "Game of Death."

    The scenes in "GoD" are very well-done even for a marginal MA fan like me. However, the pauses were too long, but Lee's mastery made it worth waiting to see his moves. The scene with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (the last recorded piece) was better in the later part of the fight and even turned convincing.

    John Little did an excellent job of directing this documentary. He allowed first hand witnesses to speak freely. It is clear from the start of the film that it was made as a reverence to Mr. Lee - a world class person and martial arts master. A sadness permeates this movie because you feel that Bruce Lee was taken way too early.

    • Zafoid
    8mstomaso

    Be water, my friend.

    This is a touching and compelling portrait of the legendary martial artist, humanist, entertainer and philosopher, Bruce Lee.

    While interested in Lee, and entertained by his films, I have never considered myself a fan. Produced with love and care, A Warrior's Journey has helped rekindle my interest in a man whose timeless messages, and amazing physicality were lost to the world as I was growing up.

    This documentary is less comprehensive than a biopic, as it really does not cover all of Mr. Lee's too-short life. Rather, it is a film essay concerning his importance as a cultural icon and his unique melding of intensely personal quasi-taoist philosophy with the practice of martial art. If you've ever wondered what the "big fuss" concerning Bruce Lee is, this film is the right choice. Interviews with Lee's friends, students and family are carefully woven together with a well-written voice-over narrative, interviews with Lee, and the ever-intense fight footage from several of Lee's films. Particularly interesting are the articulate comments of his friend and student, Kareem Abdul-Jabar, and Linda, his wife.

    An added bonus, worth more than the cost of the DVD, is the complete remaining footage of Lee's last major project "The Game of Death", featuring some of the most interesting physical acting and clever martial arts photography I have ever seen.

    I did not expect much from this film, but was surprised to find that once I got it rolling, I could not take my eyes off the screen.
    10Nephren-Ka

    Remarkable Insight

    Arguably the best Bruce Lee documentary available at the moment, and I've pretty much seen every one that is available. Having grown up idolising the great man and having seen all his movies countless times, when I first saw the "Curse of the Dragon" documentary I was most intrigued by an interview which was conducted with Bruce's long time friend, colleague and training partner Dan Inosanto where Bruce's original concept for "Game of Death" was brought to light. Inosanto made mention of the 5-floor pagoda idea and immediately I made it my mission to somehow find this lost footage.

    Some years later I have finally been privileged as well as honoured to see the long lost footage from the final battle scenes in "Game of Death" and to see the master in action for one final time. All I can say is that the "Game of Death" footage alone is worth the price of admission and any true Bruce Lee fan will be left salivating after seeing the incredible fight scenes coupled with the philosophical undertones that Lee so wanted to convey to his students, fans and audiences alike.

    The lost footage aside, the documentary is also quite solid with excellent insight into Bruce's philosophy and his incredible determination and integrity which truly made him a master in his respective trade. While other documentaries often focused on his meteoric rise to stardom and the mysterious circumstances surrounding his untimely death, this documentary chooses rather to focus on his life, his teachings, his way of thought and his remarkable achievements - all of which made him a legend.

    10/10

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    Related interests

    Bruce Willis and Taniel in Die Hard (1988)
    Action
    Ben Kingsley, Rohini Hattangadi, and Geraldine James in Gandhi (1982)
    Biography
    Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)
    Documentary

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The over 30-minutes of fight scenes Bruce Lee filmed for "Game of Death" is in this documentary.
    • Goofs
      You can see a shadow of Yuan Chieh getting ready to fall.
    • Quotes

      Pierre Berton: There are lines that express your philosophy. I don't know if you remember them

      Bruce Lee: I remember them

      Pierre Berton: Let's hear It

      Bruce Lee: I said... this Is what It Is, okay? I said, ''Empty your mind. Be formless. Shapeless, like water. Now, you put water into a cup, It becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, It becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or It can crash. Be water my friend''.

    • Connections
      Features The Pierre Berton Show: Episode dated 9 December 1971 (1971)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 8, 2001 (United Kingdom)
    • Countries of origin
      • United States
      • United Kingdom
      • Hong Kong
    • Languages
      • English
      • Cantonese
    • Also known as
      • A Warrior's Journey
    • Production companies
      • Concord Productions
      • JJL Enterprise
      • Warner Bros.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 40m(100 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital

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