Enter the Dragon - Bruce Lee

(aka "Long zheng hu dou" or "The Deadly Three" or "Operation Dragon")

directed by Robert Clouse
USA 1973

NOTE: Criterion's Blu-ray Boxset of Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits [ 7 Blu-ray Set ] is compared HERE

Rather than being just a weak imitation of the crowd-pleasing films Bruce Lee made in China, Enter the Dragon (1973) - his first mainstream American film - captures all the excitement of his previous Hong Kong hits. In fact, it's often called one of the greatest martial arts films ever made and one reason is because people who aren't martial arts fans also enjoy it. By Hollywood standards, the film was a B-movie, yet every aspect of it from the acting to the direction was way above average for an action thriller. And, of course, the fight scenes are mesmerizing and unlike anything previously seen in American films. Enter the Dragon was a huge hit but sadly Lee didn't live to see this, dying just a few weeks before the premiere.

Putting an espionage twist on the familiar revenge theme, Enter the Dragon features Lee as a martial arts expert whose sister was killed by drug smugglers. The smugglers' island is heavily guarded which prevents Lee from easily gaining access until a police agency recruits him for a secret mission there. It turns out that the smugglers' boss is hosting a martial arts contest which allows Lee and two partners to visit the island as contenders in the championship.

Excerpt from TCM located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 26, 1973 (Hong Kong)

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Warner (2-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC vs. Warner (1-DVD) - Region 2,4 - PAL

Big thanks to EnricoE, Henrik Sylow and Ole Kofoed for the Screen Caps!

(Warner - 2 disc - Region 1- NTSC LEFT vs. Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Warner (1-DVD) - Region 2,4 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers		Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best...
Distribution	Warner (2 disc) Region 1 - NTSC	Fortune Star Region 3 - NTSC	Warner Region 2,4 - PAL
Runtime	1:42:24	1:42:45	1:38:20 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	2.28:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.16 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.31:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 8.91 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.37:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.69 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Warner (2 disc) Region 1
Bitrate: Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection)
Bitrate: Warner (1-DVD)
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 1.0)	5.1 Dolby Digital Cantonese / Mandarin, DTS Cantonese / Mandarin	5.1 Dolby Digital English
Subtitles	English, Spanish, French, None	Traditional, Simplified, English, None	English, English for the hearing impaired, None.
Features	Release Information: Studio: Warner Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.28:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by producer Paul Heller • All-new digital transfer • 30th anniversary documentary "Blood and Steel" • "Bruce Lee: In His Own Words" documentary • "Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey" documentary (includes reconstruction of Lee's intended cut of The Game of Death • "Bruce Lee: The Curse of the Dragon" documentary • Original 1973 making-of featurette • Interview gallery • "Backyard Workout with Bruce Lee" home movie footage • Trailers • Widescreen anamorphic format • Number of discs: 2 DVD Release Date: May 18, 2004 Box Set Chapters 29	Release Information: Studio: Fortune Star Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.31:1 Edition Details: • Limited Edition (10,000) • Each box marked by little 'silver' platter • Menues available in both English and Chinese DVD Release Date: April 29, 2004 Digipack Chapters 21	Release Information: Studio: Warner Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 2.37:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by Paul Heller and Michael Allin. • Introduction by Linda Lee (2:13) • Music only track (5.1) • 1998 featurette: Bruce Lee in His Own Words(19:22) • 1973 featurette (7:41) • Linda Lee interview (17:00) • Backyard Workout with Bruce(1:55) • 4 trailers • 7 TV spots • Dual sided DVD Release Date: October 15, 2001 Snapper Chapters 29

Comments:

NOTE: Criterion's Blu-ray Boxset of Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits [ 7 Blu-ray Set ] is compared HERE

ADDITION (Warner - Region 1 - NTSC) July -094 - The newer 2 disc Warner Region 1 seems to be strong competition with other 2 editions. Skin tones are most true (see last large capture). It is sharper and the least cropped of the three. I suspect some manipulation the Fortune Star (skin tones look a little orange) and the image seems falsely bright. Extras go to the 2 disc Region 1 as does the audio.

- Gary Tooze

***

The Warner is "red", slightly cropped and horizontally squeezed about 1.5%. It's also darker, which may be contributed to its "reddish" tone. Finally, its a bit softer in detail than Fortune Star.

The funny thing here is, that Fortune Star is dubbed. In the scene where Betty Chung visits Bruce Lee, who is practicing, he ends the scene with his ideosyncratic "whaaaa". On the Fortune Star DVD, you see his lips move, but there is no sound.

Notice that there is new Warner 2-DVD releases in UK and USA, which according to many reviews have an improved picture than the former release. Lets hope for a comparison soon.

Notice, that the versions also differ in opening sequences. Warner's is the original, where as Fortune Star has the Asian opening sequence. On the Fortune Star's incredible poor extra material DVD the US sequence is added as "Alternative opening sequence".

- Henrik Sylow

DVD Menus

Warner - 2 disc - Region 1- NTSC

Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Warner (1-DVD) - Region 2,4 - PAL - RIGHT)

Screen Captures