The transcript below is from the video “Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story – The Best Movie You Never Saw” by JoBlo Videos.

JoBlo Videos (Berge Garabedian & Paul Shirey; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates):

Welcome to The Best Movie You NEVER Saw, a column dedicated to examining films that have flown under the radar or gained traction throughout the years, earning them a place as a cult classic or underrated gem that was either before it’s time and/or has aged like a fine wine.

Based on the column created by Paul Shirey and currently written by Chris Bumbray for JoBlo.com, this video version of the column features narration by Bumbray and editing by Lance Vlcek. For our latest episode, we take a look at the 1993 Bruce Lee biopic DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY, starring Jason Scott Lee and Lauren Holly!

JoBlo Videos (Chris Bumbray; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates):

Hey everybody, it’s Chris Bumbray here again for JoeBlo.com with another Best Movie You Never Saw and this week we’re taking a look at 1993’s Dragon:  The Bruce Lee Story starring Jason Scott Lee, no relation, as Bruce Lee, Lauren Holly, Robert Wagner, and it’s directed by Rob Cohen, the man who gave us the Fast & Furious series.  On the run from the law, martial artist Bruce Lee travels to San Francisco where his kung fu prowess leads him to opening a school, meeting love of his life and eventual big-screen immortality.

Now, in the early 90s, the cult of Bruce Lee was running at a fever pitch.  His movies were perennial favorites on VHS and spooky documentaries about his death such as The Curse of the Dragon were all the rage.  People loved and respected him.  With his son Brandon Lee on the cusp of big screen immortality of his own, thanks to a well-received star turn in Rapid Fire.  When the big screen American biopic was announced Brandon Lee himself was actually approached to take on the part, but he wisely turned it down to do his own thing.

JoBlo Videos (Chris Bumbray; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates):

He still gave the film his blessing though and eventually American Jason Scott Lee was cast in the part despite having no formal martial arts training.  Jason Scott Lee actually talked about meeting Brandon Lee before they started shooting saying, “I met him before I started the project.  We had dinner together and sat and talked as an offering of respect… getting Brandon’s seal of approval for playing his father was important.  It was really nice meeting him and sad and tragic how he left us.”

Indeed, less than two months before the film opened, Brandon Lee died in a freak accident of his own on the set of The Crow, suddenly making the film’s climax where his father battles a ghost for the soul of his son.  Cringe-worthy, yet Universal with the encouragement of Lee’s family should be added, pushed on and Dragon:  The Bruce Lee Story was a modest success.  Yet in the years, since the film is often dismissed as Hollywood hokum, making it ripe for rediscovery.

JoBlo Videos (Chris Bumbray; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates):

Now, if you’re looking for a factual Bruce Lee biopic, Dragon:  The Bruce Lee Story is not the one.  I actually don’t think people want a factual Bruce Lee story at this point.  Just look at the way that people reacted when Mike Moh portrayed him as anything less than perfect in Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.  People want the idealized version of Bruce Lee on the big screen, thus, if you were to make a big screen biopic, I really think the only option you’d have at this point would be to make another Dragon:  The Bruce Lee Story.

Indeed, this really is not your typical biopic.  Rather than an accurate account of his life and times, Dragon plays out as a romantic action story with enough set pieces and kung fu treachery to account for the fact that it’s maybe the only big screen biography ever to get a Sega Genesis tie-in video game.  There’s nothing realistic about it whatsoever with Jason Scott Lee’s Bruce Lee, mixing it up an epic kung fu battles at the slightest propagation.  Complete with Bruce Lee Enter the Dragon-style catcalls and yells.

JoBlo Videos (Berge Garabedian & Paul Shirey; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates):

In fact, Dragon also started the urban legend that Bruce Lee was briefly crippled during an underground battle.  The reality of which, he faced off with Wong Jack Man in a courtly demo that didn’t leave either man particularly worse for wear and in fact was turned into a movie its own called Birth of the Dragon.  Although, I don’t recommend that anybody see it because it’s actually not a very good movie at all.

Here Bruce Lee fights a hulking opponent who has no resemblance whatsoever to Wong Jack Man and winds up crippled.  He then recovers and has a victorious rematch and then faces off with his vengeful brother in a fight to the death on the set of The Big Boss.  It’s really silly but you know what, it’s also very entertaining.  The movie plays right into the mystery of his death with Lee being chased around by literal demons throughout with the finale a battle royale on the set of Enter the Dragon.

 JoBlo Videos (Berge Garabedian & Paul Shirey; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates):

Now, the reality of Lee’s death was actually a lot more routine.  So, if you’re looking for awards and all realistic account of Bruce Lee’s life and times, Dragon:  The Bruce Lee Story ain’t it.  This is very much one of those print legend biopics.  All that said, it’s one of the better American martial arts films of the era.  For one thing, it’s also the rare Hollywood film with an Asian lead.  It’s funny how in 1993, an Asian actor could be a lead in a Bruce Lee biopic but by 2017, he was turned in a supporting character in Birth of the Dragon.

This undoubtedly is not progress.  Jason Scott Lee while not resembling Bruce Lee in the slightest, except for the fact they’re both Asian, is a charismatic hero.  Despite a lack of martial arts training, he moves well.  I’m actually kind of surprised that didn’t make him into a bigger star.  I mean he’s a great looking guy.  He’s charismatic and he was really good in Stephen Sommers Indiana Jones-style riff on The Jungle Book. 

JoBlo Videos (Berge Garabedian & Paul Shirey; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates)

Lauren Holly also should be said is gorgeous and likable as his future wife Linda and the two have really good chemistry, making the love story a very easy sell.  If Dragon has one major asset though that can’t be denied, it’s the fact that it boasts one of the best scores of its era.  Randy Edelman’s classic soundtrack, the theme of which wound up being a staple of 1990s trailers is all over this film and it’s really good.

Edelman and director Rob Cohen would reteam three years later for another dragon movie, DragonHeart, which would feature another classic score even though the film wasn’t great, despite Sean Connery voicing a dragon.  I mean Dennis Quaid as a medieval knight… I don’t think it was a great idea there, folks.

JoBlo Videos (Chris Bumbray; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates):

Now, we’re talking about best scenes.  My favorite scene is probably the biggest bullshit scene in the movie.  Apparently, the shoot of The Big Boss was pretty rough on Bruce Lee, thanks to his frequent clashes with director Lo Wei.  However, I doubt it was ever quite this bad with Lee shown fighting for his life on the ice factory set against an opponent that’s bent on vengeance, who he finishes off in a classic and Enter the Dragon-style move.

I mean it’s not very realistic, people but you know what, it’s pretty fun and I have to say I’m impressed that Jason Scott Lee was able to pull it off so well considering he had no real martial arts training.  I mean the guy could move.  If you want to see Dragon:  The Bruce Lee Story, it’s actually pretty easy to find out there.  Due to it being something of a cult hit, it’s out on DVD and blue-ray and it’s also available on iTunes and Google Play.

JoBlo Videos (Chris Bumbray; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates):

If you happen to be rubbed the wrong way about Once Upon a Time in Hollywood’s depiction of Bruce Lee, this movie in some ways may be the tonic to you but don’t fool yourself.  It’s no more realistic than that film.  That said, Bruce Lee is a legend.  So making a movie about the legend, maybe not the worst decision.  While only a shade more realistic than an actual Bruce Lee movie, Dragon:  The Bruce Lee Story is something of a classic, especially in the pantheon of American martial arts movies.

It’s one of the Dr. Rob Cohen’s better films.  I’m pretty fond of this one and if you could spend this belief, you’ll find it to be a pretty good yarn and I think it’s a movie that deserves to be more well-known.  I’m sure there’s a lot of readers who are going to know this movie very well and I’m sure that if you were born around the same time I was, you grew up watching it.  That said, I would wager that our younger viewers have not seen it.

JoBlo Videos (Chris Bumbray; YouTube Channel features original video content, features daily movie & TV news updates):

Maybe and shockingly enough might have only actually heard of Bruce Lee after seeing Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.  So, if for some reason you’ve only just now heard of Bruce Lee, here’s my recommendation.  You watch all the Bruce Lee movies.  You go back, you watch a little bit of Green Hornet.  You see how he was kind of wasted in Hollywood.  Then you watch Dragon:  The Bruce Lee Story, feel great about yourself and then read some actual books about Bruce Lee.

Avoid all those cheap knock-off documentaries about his death.  Bruce Lee is an icon.  He was a great man.  One of the greatest martial artists and one of the greatest movie stars of all time.  He deserves to be celebrated and I have to say, Dragon:  The Bruce Lee Story is an excellent celebration of his legend.  Until next time, I’m Chris Bumbray for JoeBlo.com.”