Bruce Says
On enlightenment:
“As you think, so shall you become.â€
On intelligence:
“Simplicity is the key to brilliance.â€
On enemies:
“Take no thought of who is right or wrong or who is better than. Be not for or against.â€
On Motivation:
“If you spend too much time thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.â€
On time:
“If you love life, don’t waste time, for time is what life is made up of.â€
The first action hero to introduce kungfu to a mass American audience was, of course, Bruce Lee. Spotted at karate tournament in 1964, the Eurasian was cast in the short-lived television series The Green Hornet as the faithful side-kick, Kato, to Van Williams slightly stodgy hero. The 1966 series only lasted a year. But it was enough to make Bruce Lee popular in Asia, earning him more roles in Mandarin movies which made him a superstar and earned him a cult following in the West. Some of the movies incorporated his own fighting philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. But he died of brain aneurysm in 1973 before the release of his most successful film Enter The Dragon.
A more successful Hollywood attempt at capitalising on martial arts exotica was 1972's Kung Fu, which lasted three seasons. The TV series starring David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a half-Chinese, half-American Shaolin priest garnered one Golden Globe and three Emmy nominations. Mr Ng points out that Kung Fu tried to mimic true wuxia. "There was some philosophical babble. But there was no true understanding." The shows dialogue often descended into risible, fortune-cookie style pronouncements like: "Become the calm and restful breeze that tames the violent sea."
Between Bruce Lee and Kung Fu, martial arts flicks remained a cult affair, appreciated mainly by aficionados and cineastes. A whole B-movie niche developed to exploit this. Chuck Norris, who fought Lee in Way of the Dragon, parlayed that role into a thriving B-movie and television career.
Sarah: Let me go you creep!...*Eric gets flash back and cover his face* You didn't even slow down, you dickhead!
Eric: He couldn't have stopped.
Sarah: He was a buttface, I could've made it...what are you supposed to be, a clown or something?
Eric: Sometimes...
Sarah: It's more like surfing than skating; I wish the rain would stop, just once.
Eric: It can't rain all the time...
Sarah: Eric?...
