Bruce Lee is in good company.
Time Magazine assembled one hundred people who’ve had a major global impact: Time 100: The Most Important People of The Century. It includes: Mohandis Gandhi, Teddy Roosevelt, Nelson Mandela, Rosa Parks, Charles Lindberg, Helen Keller, Lucille Ball, Steven Spielberg, The Beatles and Bob Dylan. Broken down into categories there were dozens more important folks. Bruce Lee landed under Heroes and Icons.
Bruce Lee was indeed both hero and icon.
Even in our media saturated society there are still only a few faces nearly recognizable to all, still only a few names that inspire universal respect, admiration for, even love. Bruce Lee was loved by his USA homeland – Lee was an American – born in San Francisco, CA in 1940. He’s revered in China, homeland of his parents, where his complex art of kung fu originated, and then sculpted his body into a symbol of legend. He was the quintessential tough guy, which flew in the face of his short physical stature. Bruce Lee oozed charisma and single handedly brought true coolness to martial arts films, which has yet to be duplicated.
Modern stars like Jet Li, Jackie Chan and Jean Claude Van Damme have entertained us, even overwhelmed us with physical film feats, but none have come close to being so equated with martial arts. Bruce Lee IS Kung-Fu. He’s karate, kickboxing, savate, boxing, judo, aikido and all the rest rolled up into one lithe, sinewy package.
Like another tragically cut short before his prime film legend, James Dean, Bruce Lee didn’t leave behind a large film legacy. But what he did bequeath us explodes with memorable film making from an era and mindset rarely seen since.
Martial arts flicks these days boil over with as many guns, bombs, gadgets and car chases as the budget can afford. With a Bruce Lee film, you had one basic special effect, one prop, one irresistible vehicle which drove action at a pace and to such a level the only thing required to play opposite him was a formidable opponent like another film hero, say Chuck Norris.
Recently Chuck Norris has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity. The web has begun a sort of Chuck Norris is the coolest, toughest guy on the planet. Nothing against, Mr. Norris, but there are two main problems here:
1. Bruce Lee will ALWAYS be the coolest, toughest guy on Earth.
2. Bruce Lee gave Chuck Norris his first film role – & beat him to death in “Return Of the Dragon”
Bruce Lee reminds us of much with his enduring legacy. Amongst these: talent, hard work and creativity can indeed pay off in the end. Bruce Lee worked perhaps more than any other entertainer on his physical prowess for his life on and off screen. Sadly, for Lee he never lived to see his promise fulfilled to its full bloom, however the legion of fans that carry the torch for the Little Dragon will never let it burn out.
