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IMDbPro

I Am Bruce Lee

  • TV Movie
  • 2012
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 34m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
4K
YOUR RATING
Bruce Lee in I Am Bruce Lee (2012)
Today's athletes, entertainers, filmmakers, and others describe the powerful legacy of Bruce Lee.
Play trailer1:29
1 Video
70 Photos
BiographyDocumentary

Bruce Lee is universally recognized as the pioneer who elevated martial arts in film to an art form, and this documentary will reveal why Bruce Lee's flame burns brighter now than the day he... Read allBruce Lee is universally recognized as the pioneer who elevated martial arts in film to an art form, and this documentary will reveal why Bruce Lee's flame burns brighter now than the day he died over three decades ago.Bruce Lee is universally recognized as the pioneer who elevated martial arts in film to an art form, and this documentary will reveal why Bruce Lee's flame burns brighter now than the day he died over three decades ago.

  • Director
    • Pete McCormack
  • Writer
    • Pete McCormack
  • Stars
    • Bruce Lee
    • Paul Bowman
    • Daniele Bolelli
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.4/10
    4K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Pete McCormack
    • Writer
      • Pete McCormack
    • Stars
      • Bruce Lee
      • Paul Bowman
      • Daniele Bolelli
    • 19User reviews
    • 27Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 3 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    BL Trailer
    Trailer 1:29
    BL Trailer

    Photos69

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    + 66
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    Top Cast52

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    Bruce Lee
    Bruce Lee
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    • …
    Paul Bowman
    • Self - Author, Ph.D
    Daniele Bolelli
    • Self - Martial Artist
    Richard Bustillo
    • Self - Martial Artist
    Paul Rodriguez
    • Self - Professional Skateboarder
    Mickey Rourke
    Mickey Rourke
    • Self
    Jose Ruiz III
    Jose Ruiz III
    • Self - Professional Dancer
    Teri Tom
    • Self - Martial Artist
    David Tadman
    • Self - Historian
    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
    Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
    • Self - Hakim
    • (archive footage)
    • (segment "of Game of Death")
    Muhammad Ali
    Muhammad Ali
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Robert Baker
    • Self - Petrov
    • (archive footage)
    • (segment "Fist of Fury")
    Jon T. Benn
    • Self - Thugs Boss
    • (archive footage)
    • (segment "Way of the Dragon")
    Pierre Berton
    • Self - Interviewing Bruce Lee
    • (archive footage)
    • (segment "Bruce Lee - The Lost Interview")
    • (as Pierre Barton)
    Stephan Bonnar
    Stephan Bonnar
    • Self
    J.J. Brine
    • Self
    • (archive footage)
    Kobe Bryant
    Kobe Bryant
    • Self
    Linda Lee Cadwell
    Linda Lee Cadwell
    • Self
    • Director
      • Pete McCormack
    • Writer
      • Pete McCormack
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews19

    7.44K
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    Featured reviews

    kentrel

    A terrible documentary

    Please just go out and get a well reviewed biography instead. Fighting Spirit by Bruce Howard is my favourite, but get a few for a more complete picture.

    This documentary is done in the style of those "Review of the Year" type shows where they have multiple Z list celebrities who give their two-cents, that nobody cares about. They have no expert opinion, and have nothing to add other than fanboy enthusiasm. The whole way through there's a cheesy soundtrack, just in case you get bored. There are lots of clips of the Z list celebrities throwing punches, because that's what you want to see in a Bruce Lee documentary, other people punching.

    His wife, and Dan Inosanto are interviewed, and come across well, but informative sources are few and far between. Shannon Lee is engaging, but she was 4 when her father died - her input is limited.

    If you bought the Enter the Dragon Special Edition DVD you've probably seen most of the footage in this documentary. Better watch it there, than here interspersed with irritating actors and MMA fighters.

    Just so you're aware of the kinds of useless people they have in this documentary. If they stripped out these nobodies and kept it down to the core group of experts, they might have had something passable.

    • Taboo from the Black Eyed Peas (Taboo? More like Tab-who?)


    • Mickey Rourke (Played a wrestler in a movie)


    • Paul Rodriguez (Professional skateboarder)


    • Ed O'Neill (Played Al Bundy in a sitcom)


    • Dana White (UFC dude)


    • Lots more fanboys wearing Bruce lee t-shirts.
    7SnoopyStyle

    TV biopic

    This is a documentary about the legendary icon. It has contribution from a lot of people including his widow Linda and family. Other contributors are actors, filmmakers, dancers, fighters, and the king of UFC Dana White. Bruce's life story gets the highlight treatment. There are little nuggets of information in addition to the iconic water speech. It's great to point out the big difference in two versions of his movie, Fist of Fury. There's a good discussion about him being a pioneer of MMA and about his philosophy of fighting. There is enough to appealing to obsessed Bruce Lee fans. For newcomers, this is a solid introduction. Besides the fighting world, there are plenty of other famous faces like Ed O'Neill, Mickey Rourke, Taboo, and Kobe Bryant. Most of them haven't met the man but they all enthusiastically proclaim their love. Honestly, the most compelling is the family talking about his death. This is able to add a couple of things to the standard Bruce Lee flick and is pretty good for a TV biopic.
    momomesh-ch

    I am Bruce Lee tells the amazing story of one of the most famous human beings, I entered the public consciousness.

    I am Bruce Lee tells the amazing story of one of the most famous human beings, I entered the public consciousness. Voted one of the most important of the 20 100 Time magazine, People magazine, one of the biggest pop culture icon, Bruce Lee continues to be honored and recognized for his inheritance. Revolutionary thinking and sometimes controversial, often inspired by Bruce Lee in a wide range of devices and philosophers, actors, filmmakers and has become a source of debate for a generation of athletes. Bruce films, the visual impact on the discovery of surprising and interesting life, and his martial arts, entertainment and the world beyond it is a legacy, and his untimely and tragic death at the age of 32 years.
    1purpleprinc3

    One of the worst documentary's...

    This documentary, if one could call it that, I found to be disrespectful and a disservice to Bruce Lee. It must of been hard to juggle all those ego's in those interviews, they even asked expert Martial Artist and renowned philosopher Mickey Rourke to give his wisdom on the matter which was comical to say the least. Then they bring out embittered old man who claims to be the grandfather of MMA, small point, the first 'M' in MMA stands for 'Mixed,' doing one style is not a mixture, end of non-debate. Bruce Lee didn't start Martial Arts until he was 13, and only intensely trained later. He was far more than a mere fighter as this documentary suggests, he studied and wrote philosophy. I just found this mockumentary attempting to undermine Bruce Lee, through claims of plagiarism (even though they're his 'notes' not published works, so how they could claim plagiarism I do not know, equivalent of me being accused of plagiarism when I copy sentences and make notes in University from books I have to study.) They try to undermine he was a great fighter, their MMA fighters, if they think a real fight consists of gloves and a ring they obviously have no idea of the harsh and unfair reality of fighting. Anyhow Bruce Lee wouldn't endorse a commercialized fighting competition that offers people nothing but mindless entertainment through brutality. Please don't compare Bruce Lee to the likes of Tiger Woods and Jay Z, he has more integrity in the tip of his finger than they have in every fibre of their being.

    Bruce Lee also wrote about philosophy and life, he also studied and wrote poetry, look up 'Bruce Lee poems' you'll be pleasantly surprised. The only person who spoke with grace was his courageous and wonderful wife who I can only admire for her strength of spirit. Just what we should remember Bruce Lee for, his strength of spirit, far more than a mere fighter, he had the spirit of a warrior and was a refined gentlemen, traits we should all strive for. Sorry for the long review, but I felt it needed to be said.
    6roddekker

    Wham! Bam! Meet the Biggest, Little Butt-Kicker Of Them All!

    Bruce Lee quote - "Absorb what is useful - Discard what is not - Add what is uniquely your own."

    I must admit that I am, indeed, a bit of a Bruce Lee fan, myself. I mean, this guy, with his mischievous grin, was an extraordinary martial artist whose distinctive fighting style excelled, without question, well beyond the norm.

    Born in both the year (1940), and the hour, of the Dragon, Bruce Lee's venture into American cinema is what firmly cemented his reputation as being one of the 20th Century's most dynamic and enduring pop-culture icons of them all.

    In the world of entertainment, Bruce Lee was (and, I guess, always will be) the ultimate butt-kicker, bar none.

    Through stills, archive footage, and film clips (as well as interviews from family members, celebrities and martial arts experts) this "I Am Bruce Lee" documentary-DVD tells the story of this ambitiously-driven man who, at the very height of his career, died tragically (in 1973) at the age of 32.

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    Related interests

    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
    • Quotes

      Bruce Lee: I will live the way I please and achieve inner harmony and happiness.

    • Connections
      Features The Green Hornet (1966)

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • February 9, 2012 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Canada
    • Official site
      • Official Blog
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Tôi Là Lý Tiểu Long
    • Filming locations
      • Hong Kong(Bruce Lee's funeral)
    • Production companies
      • LeeWay Media
      • Network Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 34m(94 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Aspect ratio
      • 16:9 HD

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