Aided by archival footage and contemporary interviews with those that knew Lee best, the film traces the legend’s all too short life. The film traces Lee’s early life in Hong Kong (though he was born in San Francisco), where he became a champion dancer and made films as a child before becoming a street fighter. Returning to the United States at 18, he worked as a waiter and studied drama and philosophy at a Seattle University (where he met his future wife Linda). Lee subsidized his income by teaching martial arts.
Though Lee developed a cult following in the role of Kato in the mid-’60 TV series The Green Hornet, he didn’t particularly like being told what to do and he found it hard to find other roles. It’s long been known that Lee came up with the concept for the long-running series Kung Fu starring David Carradine, but was denied the opportunity to play the Shaolin monk exiled to America in the late 1880s because Hollywood executives didn’t think audiences were ready for an “oriental” star.
For fans of Bruce Lee, this film is a must-see. The contributions from Lee’s wife Linda Lee Caldwell offers a personal (albeit, limited) personal perspective on Bruce the family man. Who would’ve guessed that he loved General Hospital? Interviews with his only surviving child, daughter Shannon give a sense of Bruce as a father. Naturally, no one can tell his story better than Bruce himself. Pete McCormack does a wonderful job of interweaving Bruce’s one and only interview, in 1971, on The Pierre Berton Show into the narrative.
McCormack also includes an eye-opening screen test, done when Bruce Lee was just 24, along with home movies that show him training the likes of Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Chuck Norris and Joe Louis. Taken all together, these home movies provide a fascinating look at a 135 pound man who would change the world of martial arts forever.
If there’s one thing that makes I Am Bruce Lee a bit of a disappointment, it’s the amount of celebrity interviews. Sports stars and actors such as Manny Pacquiao, Kobe Bryant, Mickey Rourke and Ed O’Neill among others sing Bruce’s praises, but in truth, the thoughts of people who don’t know him any better than the average Joe doesn’t add much to his story.
Ultimately though, I Am Bruce Lee is a very interesting documentary. The archival footage—much of it provided by Bruce Lee’s family—is worth the price of admission alone, and the sheer number and variety of celebrities interviewed shows just how influential Bruce Lee has been.
Presented in the 1.78:1 aspect ratio, this is as pretty solid 1080p transfer. All of the recent interviews were shot in HD, but since a lot of archival footage is used, video quality does vary. The newer footage shows a good amount of detail, vivid colors, and solid black levels. As you might expect, the archive footage ranges from very good to passable.
Like the video, how the English language DTS-HD 5.1 Stereo track performs depends on whether you’re referring to the new or archival footage. The new footage sounds perfectly clear, while the archival footage varies (though it’s pretty well discernible). The track itself is largely front heavy, with only occasional activity in the surrounds.
No subtitles or closed captioning is available.
The following special features are included:
- Backyard Training: Bruce Lee’s Personal Films (HD, 11:27) In what could be considered an extended scene from the film, Lee conducts home training sessions with the likes of James Coburn and Steve McQueen, using material from his 8mm home movie camera.
- Inspiration: Bruce Lee’s Global Impact (HD, 3:11) In a deleted scene, Bruce’s widow Linda Lee Caldwell shares an amusing anecdote concerning one of Bruce’s public martial arts demonstrations.
- Bruce Lee in Action (HD, 4:51) A montage of scenes from Fist of Fury, Game of Death, Way of the Dragon, and The Big Boss.
- Bruce Lee’s Hollywood Audition (HD, 9:03) The 1965 Hollywood screen test that led to Lee’s casting as Kato in The Green Hornet is presented in its entirety, with Lee talking about his martial arts philosophy and providing a demonstration of his amazing speed and flexibility.
- Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:41)
