Meng long guo jiang (1972)

Réalisateur:

Bruce Lee

Scénariste:

Bruce Lee (writer)

Release Date:

30 décembre 1972 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Comedie | Crime | Drame | Thriller

Accroche:

The Colosseum . . the battleground of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris [Video Australia]

Plot:

A man visits his relatives at their restaurant in Italy and has to help them defend against brutal gangsters harassing them.

Plot Keywords:

Jeet Kune Do | Mafia | Martial Arts

Avis des utilisateurs:

Redefined the genre, and still does

Ensemble

Bruce Lee	...	Tang Lung (a.k.a. Dragon)
Nora Miao	...	Chen Ching Hua
Chuck Norris	...	Colt
Ping-Ao Wei	...	Ho (as Paul Wei Ping-Ao)
Chung-Hsin Huang	...	'Uncle' Wang (as Wang Chung Hsin)
Robert Wall	...	Fred (Bob Fred)
Ing-Sik Whang	...	Japanese Fighter
Tony Liu	...	Tony
Unicorn Chan	...	Jimmy
Malisa Longo	...	Italian Beauty
Fu Ching Chen	...	Waiter
Chin Ti	...	Ah Quen
Wu Ngan	...	Waiter
Robert Chen	...	Robert
Jon T. Benn	...	Boss

Autre(s) titre(s) :

Fury of the Dragon (Europe: English title)
Maang lung goh kong (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
Return of the Dragon (USA)
Revenge of the Dragon (USA) (cable TV title)
The Way of the Dragon (Hong Kong: English title)
Fureur du dragon, La (France) [fr]

Durée:

100 min | USA:90 min

Pays:

Hong Kong

Langue:

Mandarin | Anglais | Italien

Couleur:

Couleur (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Son:

Mono

Classification:

Iceland:12 | Portugal:M/16 | South Korea:15 | Finland:K-16 (cut: 1989) | Finland:K-18 (DVD rating: 2001) | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Canada:G (Quebec) | Finland:(Banned) (1975) | France:U | Hong Kong:IIB | Ireland:18 | Netherlands:12 | Spain:18 | Sweden:(Banned) (1975) | Sweden:15 | UK:18 | USA:R | West Germany:18 | New Zealand:M | UK:X (original rating) | Norway:18 (video premiere) (1982) | Norway:(Banned) (1975-2003) (cinema release) | Norway:(Banned) (video) (1988-1995)

Emplacements De Pelliculage:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Concord Productions Inc.

Anecdotes:

Last movie to be filmed in the actual Roman Colosseum.

Goofs:

Continuity: In an early fight scene at the restaurant, one of the protection racket heavies shapes up to Lee's character. He's seen apathetically in a boxing stance of sorts. When Lee performs a roundhouse kick, the scene (from behind the 'thug') clearly shows him with his arms behind his back and hands near/on his hips so that the kick is delivered unchallenged. He then clearly waves his arms forward from that position to up in the air, which creates a more dramatic effect as to the power of the kick, i.e. knocking him that far off balance.

Guillemet:

Boss: What I want, I get. And I want that restaurant!
Ho: Yes, Boss. Yes, Boss.
Boss: "Yes, Boss. Yes, Boss." Haven't you wasted enough time!
Ho: But I... but I always do my best.
Boss: Then how you failed?
Ho: Ah! I found that they're being helped by a man named... Tang Lung.
Boss: A man? Only *one* man?
Ho: Ahh, but this man knows Chinese Gung-Fu.
Boss: [incredulously] Kung-Fu?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Crouching Waiter Hidden Chef (2003) (V)

Soundtrack:

As A Judgement

Redefined the genre, and still does

Although this is technically not Lees greatest film, it is a personal favourite since Lee was in full control and everything is pure Lee. Many have wrongly stated this film is bad, having not seen the originals where you can really appreciate the composition of the showdowns (visual director with potential - see the rare 'rocking chair' shot in Game of Death). The script is bad in a few places, particularly the humour, but this film was never inteneded for the west, but designed to appeal to his country men.

Now, the film features the best array of fighting sequences ever commited to celluloid. Obviously influenced by Sergio Leones trilogy, tension is excellently built up before fight. The sequences are not overly choreographed or played in slow motion or 'lightly' then speeded up, but contain a raw, feral edge combined with breathless technique. The perfect marriage between art and realism.

The fights with Wong Ing Sik and Bob Wall while short, are underrated even by Lee fans. Those who have been lucky enough to see the double nunchaku sequence in full, will have witnessed one of the best display of weaponary ever shown on the silver screen (along with the 'original' and 'complete' nunchaku footage from Game of Death and the wonderfully comprehensive display of martial arts in the underground Enter the Dragon sequence).

And then theres THAT coliseum fight. Perhaps the start is abit overdone (But Lee wanted to put forward a point i.e. don't play to your oponents strength), but it is undoubtedly the best expression of the human body ever, whether fighting, dancing, running whatever. Those brought up on Latter day Chan stuff and in particular Jet Li fights, will not appreciate this piece, but those knowing anything about the fighting arts or good choreography will be shaken not just stirred.