ENTER THE DRAGON ENTER THE DRAGON Bruce Lee fighting with Jackie Chan Date: 1973. Strictly editorial use only in conjunction with the promotion of the film. Credit line mandatory. This image is copyright of the film company and is supplied under the terms of issue as film still. No commercial or book cover use permitted without prior consent from the film company. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Mandatory credit line: Image courtesy Warner Bros / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans
ENTER THE DRAGON ENTER THE DRAGON Bruce Lee fighting with Jackie Chan Date: 1973. Strictly editorial use only in conjunction with the promotion of the film. Credit line mandatory. This image is copyright of the film company and is supplied under the terms of issue as film still. No commercial or book cover use permitted without prior consent from the film company. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Mandatory credit line: Image courtesy Warner Bros / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans
ENTER THE DRAGON ENTER THE DRAGON Bruce Lee fighting with Jackie Chan Date: 1973. Strictly editorial use only in conjunction with the promotion of the film. Credit line mandatory. This image is copyright of the film company and is supplied under the terms of issue as film still. No commercial or book cover use permitted without prior consent from the film company. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Mandatory credit line: Image courtesy Warner Bros / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans
ENTER THE DRAGON ENTER THE DRAGON Bruce Lee fighting with Jackie Chan Date: 1973. Strictly editorial use only in conjunction with the promotion of the film. Credit line mandatory. This image is copyright of the film company and is supplied under the terms of issue as film still. No commercial or book cover use permitted without prior consent from the film company. PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Mandatory credit line: Image courtesy Warner Bros / Ronald Grant Archive / Mary Evans
Jackie Chan, the legendary martial arts star, was as unique as a blue diamond in that he created a special genre of action and comedy. The Chinese actor kick-started his career with humble beginnings. As an ardent admirer of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan reminisces the memories of working with the Little Phoenix.
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While acting alongside Lee never actualized, Chan did make the best of the limited role he had as one of the many unfamiliar stuntmen on the Enter the Dragon?set in 1973. Decades have passed, yet Chan recounts the memories with the excitement he had back then while talking about Rush Hour 4 which is set to begin soon.
Jackie Chan tricked Bruce Lee as a 19-year-old stuntman
Although Kung Fu movies were made long before he ventured into the arena, it was Lee?s unbelievable pace in action sequences that struck a chord with the West. Chan idolized Lee. He first met the star on the sets of Enter the Dragon?in 1973 for a fight scene.
As the cameras rolled, the legendary actor hit the stuntmen that came as per the script. Accidentally, Lee hit Chan across his face with a stick. ?As a stunt guy, you can get hit every day,? the Rush Hour star said. Chan pretended to be hurt, ?then he [Bruce Lee] comes to help me.? As obvious as it sounds, Chan relished the attention.
Furthermore, he recounted Lee?s kindness, stating, ?..every time I turn around, I see Lee looking if I?m okay.? Aptly a typical fan-boy experience, Chan expresses he would want to get hit again.
The Rush Hour actor didn?t want to be the next Bruce Lee
The Hong Kong studio aspired to groom Chan to be Lee?s successor after his passing. However, he didn?t agree with it. He argued he was not Bruce Lee and preferred to ?just do myself.? The Chinese-American actor carved a niche for himself by adding humor to the action and using props around him to accentuate the stunts.
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To the unversed, Bruce Lee, the legendary martial artist, was a unique and brilliant human being. He saw the art as more than just a combat sport by absorbing its spiritual essence. The Kung-fu legend cut short his life when he was just 31 years old with only a handful of movies. However, his influence is still felt worldwide.
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One cannot dispute Jackie Chan’s natural tendency to infuse humor into a serious issue, given the trick he pulled off with Bruce Lee. What do you think? Share in the comments.
