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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