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Few deaths have had as wide-ranging an impact on global film culture as Bruce Lee’s. Following his untimely passing in 1973 at the age of 32— just as martial arts films were skyrocketing in popularity both at home and abroad, thanks in large part to the huge success of Lee’s own ENTER THE DRAGON— the film industries of Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Philippines, and South Korea suddenly found themselves with an enormous Dragon-sized void to fill. Finding another performer of the same caliber as Lee was never going to be an easy task. Any actor with a mod haircut and a pair of aviators could read the same lines, but who could conceivably match the physical prowess and charisma that made Lee such a unique star?
Enter Bruce Li…
And Bruce Le…
And Bruce Leung… And Bruce Lai… And Bruce Thai… And Dragon Lee… You get the idea…
These were just a handful of the dozens of “Lee-alikes” that regional film industries tried to prop-up as, to put it mildy, “substitutes” for the real Bruce so that they could continue to capitalize off his lingering popularity, giving birth to the “Bruceploitation” subgenre of martial arts cinema. Ironically, though, what began as a crass attempt to cash-in on Lee’s likeness soon evolved into a genre whose purpose became celebrating the star’s legacy, paying tribute to the man while simultaneously expanding on his myth. The films began to directly incorporate Lee’s death, presenting their “Lee-alike” stars not as tasteless substitutes or replacements for the real deal, but as Lee’s own friends, humble successors, or any number of his inspired fans (and maybe a clone here and there).
This May, Spectacle Theater is thrilled to present this collection featuring the cream of the Bruceploitation crop, honoring Bruce Lee’s immeasurable impact on film industries across Asia and around the world.