Bruce Lee

Bruce Lee
Name
Institution Affiliation
Abstract
Bruce Lee remains a household name to this very day despite his 1973 tragic death. Many people brand him a hero today for not only transforming the western filmmaking industry but also immensely promoting diversity and cultural equality. Despite being a China original, his work was breathtaking and spread to the USA and the greater west within a short period. This paper thus discusses some of the impactful roles that he played in shaping the world. It in effect views him as a legendary action filmmaker with more than just films to offer the people. He strived to overcome the sheer racism that his fellow compatriots faced in the US and eventually rose to become a star in the US. The paper also discusses some of the deep-seated practices that were not only crucial for his survival in his time but also in today’s generations. The research concludes that he was pivotal in shaping the Afro Asian culture as well as the Chinese spiritual and physical healing processes through his extreme body fitness philosophy. The study, in turn, relies on extensive research from online periodicals regarding the same.
Keywords: Bruce Lee, Chinese, film, production, martial arts.
Introduction
One would wonder why Bruce Lee rose to stardom and acquired universal admiration only after producing only four films and passing on at a young age of 32 years. The star was an incredibly talented actor whose prowess in martial arts was truly unparalleled. Having born in 1940 in Chinatown, he grew up interested in art and later enrolled for Wing Chun later, a move that would see him become a legend in martial.

In 1960, his family moved to the US to study psychology and subsequently kicked off his career with Jun Fan Gung Fu. His initial film Enter the dragon, opened the curtains for his job as it was inclusive of all cultures, for the first time in history (Butcher, 2016). Lee ‘s films bridged the gap between the West and the East as well as spread the Chinese culture across the world thus deeming him a legendary filmmaker of the 20th century.
Significance
The legend was denoting because he was the first Non-American to feature in a white film thus bridging the wide gap between the minority Asians and the Caucasians. The whites, seeing a Chinese on their screens featured in prime roles began viewing the minors with more respect and acceptance. These films created a platform of consciousness and modernity where all races would work together for the greater good. Through the production of the movie Enter the Dragon, alongside a white producer, he actualized the dreams that minorities too could rise to stardom. Before them, these privileged Americans labeled them using demeaning, mediocre and insulting ways but after the movie, other minorities secured crucial roles in movie production. The very non-whiteness of Lee in such a white themed arena sticks an accord with all the minority groups. According to Quora (2015, p.1), ‘Asian audiences (by which I mean audiences in Asia and not Asian Americans) loved the film for very similar reasons of equality.’
He also promoted the Hong Kong movie production business across America. Before his rise, the company Shaw Brothers monopolized the TV and film industry with their awful products. However, Lee suddenly broke this monopoly, as studios now preferred the skills associated with the icon. With his brilliance and strength, he maneuvered his way into the hearts of all races by mastering everything he needed to please them. His initial films like the Golden Harvest, which he co-produced with white production firms, brought Chinese cinema to a new high. Studios across the US became bold enough and tried on young Chinese like Ching Siu-tung and, John Woo and this trend was increasingly becoming a culture.
He also introduced the aspect of fitness and perfect nutrition to the people. He felt that to win in wrestles, one had to be fit thus his program involved cardiovascular workouts, bodybuilding, and flexibility. He also focused on a low-calorie diet to avoid unnecessary weight gain. Through him, people believed that the perfect body of a man needed to be streamlined, sleek, muscular and energetic. In most of his movies, he was in the gymnasium in an attempt to get the well-built body needed in his war stunts. When people saw his awesome body, exposed via his shirtless fights, they developed an urge to get such toned muscular bodies. Today, the idea of visiting the gym for physical and health fitness has become universal, and his body has been depicted as the ideal adult male’s body. Because of his influence, people today attribute strength, and physical power to regular physical exercise.
Another positive change that he brought regarded the action movie production in the West. Before his rise, the choreography involved light fighting skills like wrestling and cowboy punch throws which were increasingly becoming clichéd? He seemed to be the saving glory of the arena because he introduced excellently choreographed Tai Chi, Kung Fu, and Wu shu, and Shaolin Monk styles that were impressive. He was opposed to the Karate and Judo exercises and, ‘His training in multiple martial arts and background in dance (he was a champion cha cha dancer) inspired a more fluid, realistic approach’ (Lowe, 2009, p.1). His moves were spectacular as he channeled the iconic Mohammed Ali and people swiftly got accustomed to the idea, forcing local production firms to strive to achieve his standards. The audience was too being revolutionalized, and soon the demand shifted to these Chinese martial strategies. Owing to this change, contemporary film companies have changed their techniques to align them with those of the legend. Today, martial arts dominate the acting, wrestling, dancing and fitness arena. Through his skills, people have learned that one does not need a belt but rather a good body stature, composure, and experience, to qualify as a fighter.
Bruce Lee also came in handy in popularizing the culture of mediation, Yoga, and Taijiquan. His philosophies moved Young Americans into soul searching and search for spiritual pertinence. He did a lot of yoga and depicted it as a way of self-reflection and meditation. This practice has gained massive adoration in the contemporary generation who is in search for personal awareness and self-searches. He has in return created vast job positions including yoga and fitness instructors, spiritual guiders, as well, like Tai Chi dance instructors.
Conclusion
Bruce Lee was one of the most prestigious acting personalities of the 21st century. His work, even though harshly short-lived, remains the most meaningful in the history of the US and the world. Despite being brought up in China, he moved to America to pursue his acting talent. His prowess in action movies has been unmatched to this day, as he staked a different, intimate, exquisite power of a fighter. He believed in fitness if the body and by walking the talk, he inspired the male to step up and embrace the gymnasium for healthy, toned bodies. He also reconciled the western and the Asian cultures through practices like yoga. By featuring in a white film, he brought the reassurance and the self-worth to the minority groups. His victory as a Kung Fu fighter went a long way in changing the culture of the US alongside solidifying his position as a skillful choreographer.
References
BIBLIOGRAPHY l 1033 Butcher, A. (2016, November 25th). How Bruce Lee helped change the world. Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://gbtimes.com/how-bruce-lee-helped-change-world.
Lowe, A. (2009, June 7). 8 Ways Bruce Lee Changed The World. Retrieved January 28, 2018, from http://www.gamesradar.com/8-ways-bruce-lee-changed-the-world/
Quora. (2015, January 5). What was the societal and cultural impact of Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon in 1973? Retrieved January 28, 2018, from https://www.quora.com/What-was-the-societal-and-cultural-impact-of-Bruce-Lees-Enter-the-Dragon-in-1973