The transcript below is from the video “He was a friend of Bruce Lee and fought his son, martial artist Bolo Yeng in the film.” by OLD COMBAT CINEMA.
OLD COMBAT CINEMA:
Hello friends. Bolo Yeng was born on July 3, 1946 and like many compatriots from a young age, he practiced kung fu under the guidance of local teachers. Already at this stage of his life, he shows individuality and shows interest in hard physical work, unlike most of his peers who are focused only on technology. The future in communist China did not suit the young man, and in the mid-60s, Bolo left his home and country to start an independent life in Hong Kong.
OLD COMBAT CINEMA:
The road there becomes the first test, because in order to get to the coveted island, he overcomes the strait by swimming. In a new place, Bolo becomes a sports teacher. He runs a bodybuilding school, and his activities attract the attention of representatives of Hong Kong’s largest film company, Shaw Brothers Studios. In 1970, the 23-year-old athlete makes his debut on the big screen and quite confidently copes with the work. Bolo’s filmography opens with the action movie The Amazing Swordsman.
OLD COMBAT CINEMA:
In the picture, the debutant gets a supporting role. Producers like Bolo’s technique so much that in three years he is invited to star in ten more films. The more he gained muscle mass, the larger the roles stopped and the more terrible and impressive were his villains. This collaboration did not last long, but became a turning point in the fate of the actor. On the first tryouts in an advertisement for one of the famous tobacco brands, Bolo met Bruce Lee, who invited him to the Enter the Dragon film.
OLD COMBAT CINEMA:
Bruce himself acted as a producer and starring performer. A warm friendship developed between Bruce and Bolo. They trained together and practiced punching techniques for the film. It was planned to shoot their joint fight in The Game of Death, but a week before the premiere of Enter the Dragon, Bruce suddenly died and this shocked the entire world community. Then the career of Bolo Yeng went uphill. The film “Bloodsport” brought him worldwide popularity.
OLD COMBAT CINEMA:
The action movie turned out to be more noticeable, because Jean-Claude Van Damme played along with Bolo. For Bolo, the role of the villain-antagonist of the protagonist was fixed. But in his track record there were also positive roles, these are the films “The Strongest Blow” and “Policeman Two Thousand”. In the films, Bolo tried not to turn martial arts into a circus and said that a true professional should make one movement, which will be watched with bated breath.
OLD COMBAT CINEMA:
He believed that hand-to-hand combat should not be replete with spectacular tricks and sweeping blows. Much more important is the strength of the hero’s spirit, his accuracy and perfection of technique, which really knowledgeable people can appreciate. The last work of the actor is the film “Melee” which, by the will of fate, did not appear on the big screen and is known only in small circles of film lovers. A year later, Bolo officially left the cinema and focused on sports.
OLD COMBAT CINEMA:
Bolo currently holds the honorary post of head of the Hong Kong Bodybuilding Federation. He sometimes acts as a consultant on staging melee scenes in action cinema. Despite the fact that he is already over 70, Bolo is still full of energy and also doing his favorite thing. Of course, he can no longer give himself such a power load as before, but he copes quite well with coaching. Bolo has a lot of fans from all over the world who consider him the best villain in Bloodsport. And his catchphrase, that “A brick will not fight back,” is still quoted and often used in other films. We wish him good health and longevity. Like and subscribe to the channel so you don’t miss the next video.
