Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits (The Big Boss / Fist of Fury / The Way of the Dragon / Enter the Dragon / Game of Death) (The Criterion Collection)

As a martial arts enthusiast and a fan of Bruce Lee, I was thrilled to get my hands on the Criterion Collection's Blu-ray set of Bruce Lee's greatest hits. And let me tell you, it's a must-have for any fan of the martial arts genre.The set includes five of Lee's most iconic films: The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, The Way of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon, and Game of Death. Each film is presented in stunning high-definition, with crisp and clear visuals that really show off the martial arts choreography and cinematography.But what really sets this set apart is the special features. Criterion has gone all out with this release, including commentaries, interviews, and documentaries that provide an in-depth look at Lee's life and career. There's even a feature-length documentary, Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend, that delves into Lee's philosophy and impact on martial arts and popular culture.The films themselves are classics of the martial arts genre, and each one showcases Lee's unique talent and charisma. The Big Boss and Fist of Fury are gritty and intense, with Lee playing a man fighting against corruption and oppression. The Way of the Dragon is a fun and lighthearted romp, with Lee taking on Chuck Norris in an epic showdown. Enter the Dragon is a masterpiece of the genre, with Lee playing a martial arts expert recruited to infiltrate a criminal organization's island fortress. And Game of Death, while incomplete due to Lee's untimely death, still features some of his most iconic fight scenes.Overall, Bruce Lee's Greatest Hits Criterion Collection on Blu-ray is a fantastic set for any fan of martial arts or Bruce Lee. The films are timeless classics, and the special features provide a wealth of information and context for Lee's life and legacy. If you're a fan of the genre, this is definitely a set worth adding to your collection.

There was a time when martial arts films were non-existent to American audiences. The closest any film here came to martial arts was the use of ninjas in the James Bond movie YOU ONLY LIVE TWICE. All others were nothing more than fodder for grindhouses across the country, poorly shot and poorly dubbed movies that ran in with scratched copies pieced together from one location to the next. At the same time Asian Americans were not getting their due in films or TV either. To this day people talk about the terrible stereotyped images, especially that of Mickey Rooney in BREAKFAST AT TIFFANYS. Then along came Bruce Lee.Even as his career began Asian Americans were still being depicted poorly. After appearing in films in China and a troubled youth, Lee was sent to America with the hopes of turning his life around. He began learning martial arts and eventually created his own style called Jeet Kune Do. Lured to the possibility of a role in TV he auditioned for and got the part of Kato in THE GREEN HORNET, a spin-off of the popular BATMAN series. Playing the part of the Hornet’s sidekick he took center stage with his charisma and skills.After creating a series for TV called KUNG FU, the part he had written for himself was given to David Carradine, another slap in the face of this young man. He moved back to Hong Kong to try making a name for himself in film there. His fortunes turned around and a legend was born with his first film, THE BIG BOSS. When released the film became the top grossing film in Asia. He was a star. Dead at age 32 in 1973 his legend still lives on. Few have met let alone surpassed the skills he displayed.Now Criterion is releasing the ultimate collection of memorable films starring the late Bruce Lee. They’ve not only collected the last five major releases they’ve remastered them in 2 and 4k versions for this collection. The films include THE BIG BOSS, FISTS OF FURY, THE WAY OF THE DRAGON, ENTER THE DRAGON and GAME OF DEATH. Also featured is the American theatrical edition of ENTER THE DRAGON not seen since it was released here in 1973.Each film is a stepping stone in the career of Lee showing his rise from a lead role in his first film with a lower budget to work with to his final release produced in association with Warner Brothers and a decent budget. THE WAY OF THE DRAGON features a new face to movies who went on to fame as well, another actual martial arts champion by the name of Chuck Norris. The film features the pair facing off in an ancient gladiator arena in Rome. But the best film of them all is ENTER THE DRAGON. They lee died just as the film was released makes it all the more sad when you watch the film and know that had he lived his star would have risen even further.I’ve seen ENTER THE DRAGON at least 20 times. Every viewing for me is another trip into the world of one of the best action films ever made. Lee is a Chinese monk brought in by a top secret intelligence group to help take down an evil drug lord and human trafficker named Han. The fact that his right hand man Oharra was responsible for the death of Lee’s sister is just an added incentive. Han plans a battle of champions on his remote island, the survivors of which he offers to join his army. With newfound friends Roper (John Saxon) and Williams (Jim Kelly) as well as previous losers the film ends with a battle of martial arts armies and Lee facing off one on one with Han.No martial arts movie before or since captures the fight sequences that were staged for this film better. Choreographed by Lee they are amazing to watch. The combination of speed and with a physique honed by years of body building make Lee the most formidable hand to hand combatant ever seen. His swagger, his natural knack for capturing the lens are on display in every scene he is in.The Criterion collection doesn’t just offer these movie it has tons of extras on hand as well. Introductions to each film, featurettes on the making of, interviews past and present with those who knew Lee and worked with him, documentaries about Lee, audio commentary tracks, a documentary on “Bruceploitation” films that came out following his death, a booklet about Lee and more make the extras almost as long if not longer than the actual films themselves.Some will find the price tag on this collection a little steep but for fans of martial arts films, action films and of Bruce Lee it is little to pay when you think about everything that is included here as well as the fact that these films have never looked this clean and sharp before. I was stunned at how improved THE BIG BOSS looked here. If you are a fan this is an absolute must have collection. If you’ve never been exposed to Lee this will win you over. For my money there is no better collection than this one and it should be on the shelf of every movie fan.

I have so many Bruce Lee collections it isn't funny.I have the Master Collection, which are the US releases most of us grew up on. So The Big Boss is Fists of Fury, Fist of Fury is Chinese Connection and Way of the Dragon is Return of the Dragon. It's a nice set but we all know the Hong Kong versions have some additional scenes.I have the Ultimate Collection which are the original Hong Kong films, unfortunately Fortune Star felt the need to update some of the sound effects and they sound really ridiculous. Almost as bad as when George Lucas decided to fix one of his films with additional effects.Thankfully the Criterion Collection has come to our rescue, all of the Hong Kong films (as released) with both Chinese and English audio in glorious original widescreen presentation. If you grew up watching pan and scan versions on cable tv, it can feel like a completely new movie because suddenly there are extra people in every scene.Also includes the Hong Kong release of Enter the Dragon and the US theatrical version which I personally think was a better edit. This film is usually not found in Bruce Lee collections as it was a Warner Bros film. There are also extras galore from documentary stuff to expert commentary on the films.Don't expect miracles, the films can be a touch grainy and I think they restored them as much as they were able. But with modern TV resolutions poor stock and out of focus stuff really stands out. But when it's clean, it's really clean. This is also the best these films have ever looked.This is the most enjoyable Bruce Lee collection I've ever had.

Perfect Gift for Bruce Lee Fans!