Given the stuff I post here at Insomnia it’s not surprising that my social media feeds and suggestions on November 27 were full of notices about Jimi Hendrix’ birthday on that day in 1942. What was surprising is that I was also alerted to lots of notices about Bruce Lee’s birthday on the same day in 1940. I had no idea these two heroes shared that special day, and a bit more snooping revealed that they both attended the same high school in Seattle. Jimi and Bruce combine to represent the perfect embodiment of the characteristics that we’ve been talking about on the Art Fight Club podcast: the fight to make great art and the great art that can inform fighting. Both were revolutionary innovators who defied artistic traditions and racial barriers to become bold and vibrant pioneers who continue to inspire and motivate artists and warriors across a spectra of disciplines.

Happy birthday, boys!

Here’s a fun fan video that rather remarkably highlights the parallels between their two paths…

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Yesterday’s post celebrated the David Lynch film Blue Velvet‘s 30th anniversary, but today I wanted to take a second to note that 2016 also marks the 45th anniversary of Fists of Fury — the Bruce Lee action film originally titled The Big Boss when it was released overseas in 1971. The movie was the first great martial arts film of the kind that Lee became known for, and The Big Boss made the martial artist a superstar across Asia. Of course, Lee didn’t become a household name in the United States until the posthumous release of Enter the Dragon in 1973, but by then his legacy had already passed into legend. I posted about Fists/Boss a few months back, but I was reminded about the film again after finding my favorite Bruce Lee documentary on YouTube this weekend.

Here’s How Bruce Lee Changed the World…

Stay Awake!

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This year The Big Boss turns 45, and next year we’ll celebrate the birthday of Bruce Lee’s fighting philosophy, Jeet Kune Do. In 1967, during his first season of The Green Hornet, Lee was inspired to create his own martial arts system. The action star and Kung Fu sensei felt that his traditional style of Wing Chun wasn’t suited for the chaotic street fight scenes he performing in film and TV. Another tale points to a real life fight Lee had against another martial arts master who disagreed with Lee’s teaching Kung Fu to non-Chinese students. Lee won the fight but was disappointed in his performance in a real battle, and his frustration lit the spark that blazed into Jeet Kune Do — the Way of the Intercepting Fist.

His new style focused more on speed, flexibility, practicality and efficiency. Jeet Kune Do emphasized a core philosophy while advocating free borrowing from any martial arts system or style that might serve any individual fighter given any particular fighting mind or body type. Lee’s films are foundation blocks of contemporary action cinema and the fighter/philosopher is universally acknowledged as the godfather of mixed martial arts.

Lee’s ideas about fighting are the most lucid and poetic you’ll find, and this documentary is the perfect primer for newbies as well as longtime admirers. Watch for the late and also great Brandon Lee talking about his dad here…

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