Its forty years since Bruce Lee’s first big film, Fist of Furry (The Big Boss) introduced him as a major star in Asia. Although Bruce Lee’s life was a considerable short one, it was nonetheless spectacular, and he continues to be a inspiration for many.
In this e-age era of increased fitness and health awareness, the relevance of Bruce Lee is only increasing. His impact on popular culture is easily evident all around us.
Even as young as six, Bruce was fast developing into a star. Bruce went on to make about 20 movies before he joined the La Salle College in 1952. Born on the 27th November 1940, Bruce Lee tragically died at the young age of 33. However it wasn’t a life without accomplishments. Today the legacy of Bruce Lee lives on, in the form of popular culture.
When he left for the US again at the age of 19, the legacy of Bruce Lee with which the world is now familiar began. Right from the start of his success, he proved to be among the most influential and renowned martial artists of the world. Bruce Lee changed many of the stereotypes prevailing then, through his techniques.
Bruce Lee is recognized for his efforts on several fronts, for changing the traditional aspects of martial arts in America, inducing changes in the film industry, changing the concept of a strong physique; and thus transforming himself to an idol for the American public. Today even after 37 years of his death, Bruce Lee is a popular culture icon.
Bruce Lee is one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century, representing the Asian American martial arts and as an actor. On the movie screens, Bruce Lee blazed with charisma and lightening speed.
He introduced martial arts to the larger American public and changed the way Asian Americans were perceived. He integrated several aspects of martial arts like Kung Fu, Ti Chi and even dance to break down the traditional stereotype, which demarcated martial arts.
Earlier his Kung Fu consisted mostly of the Wing Chun techniques, he mastered under the Yip Man. His own version included philosophy, fencing and western boxing, integrated to form Jeet Kune Do, a martial art that reflected flexibility, speed and efficiency.
It was due to the efforts of Bruce Lee that martial arts took off as an industry, with martial arts schools, catering to all sections opening worldwide. During Bruce Lee’s period, there was a craze for martial arts and many students took to studying or practicing it. With his skill and his understanding of the martial arts, Bruce Lee got quite a number of films in Hollywood and was one of the first Asians to storm in to the international movie scenario, changing Asian stereotypes all the way.
His ability to innovate and integrate aspects of martial arts, fight Hollywood’s racist attitudes; inspired athletes, artists and many others, and helped him reach an iconic status. Though he had done only few films, he had an influence on the popular culture throughout the world. Had it not been for Bruce Lee, martial arts wouldn’t have entered western cinema and also wouldn’t have had such a patronage, as seen in the last three decades.
Prior to the 1970s, China to the western world meant communism and cheap products. At his days, the Chinese were largely perceived as railroad workers and house servants. Those were the days when Chinese culture was remote and was impenetrable. The skinny Bruce Lee with the threatening stare was seen as a redeemer not just for the Chinese, but a huge cross section of teenagers who were mesmerized with his spin kicks and flying leaps.
Bruce Lee brought forth a new cult of the body, associating it with a belief that appropriate combinations of meditation, diet and physical training can overcome diversity and force our will. Bruce Lee’s physique too is an outstanding example of envious muscular refinement particularly the abdomen.
His physique has had a notable influence on many of today’s top champs. He induced the belief that even thin bodies can be powerful. Even after three decades people still talk about the physique of Bruce Lee. An authority on body building Joe Weider described Bruce Lee’s physique as the most impressive body he had ever seen.
The recognition of his body has withstood the test of time, which could be well attributed to his rare muscularity and shape, with the muscles, bulged and rippled, well chiseled from each other. He is also an icon for how an action based film star should look like.
Lee’s transformation from man to myth began even when he opened his first Kung Fu school in Oakland, soon after his graduation and marriage. The philosophy in him seemed to add power to him. In a 1972 interview in Hong Kong, Bruce Lee was asked why he married a white, and had Korean and Japanese friends. Bruce Lee replied that everyoneis a member of the universal family of mankind, under the sun.
According to Davis Miller, the author of ‘The Tao of Bruce Lee’, Bruce Lee was a fantastic individual possessing ultimate and unqualified fame, which only a few had ever attained. Miller adds that the names that strike him in this category are Jesus, Buddha and Mohammed; and that only four names could qualify for this list from the twentieth century which are Hitler, Muhammad Ali, Elvis Presley and Bruce Lee.
Bruce changed the landscape of films, introducing a new genre of martial arts into it, and martial arts itself as a larger theme in films. Although he did only a few films, and his film career was only peaking, many of these were to become immortal. Some of these notable films are Fists of furry, Chinese connection and Enter the Dragon.
Like his spectacular rise in the world of films, not just establishing a place for himself but also for martial arts as a genre, Bruce Lee’s end too is tragic and dramatic. There have been a lot of speculations on Bruce Lee’s death. However medical authorities concluded it as being caused by cerebral edema, associated with the swelling of the brain.
It was later revealed by his wife Linda that he had no longing to live to an old age, a life where his physical abilities that he accumulated with immense efforts, drains away. For many, Bruce Lee is no more amongst us, but for those who are associated with martial arts, and those aspiring perfect bodies, he still plays an important role in their development.
Perhaps no one has ever contributed so much to martial arts to raise its popularity and patronage, than Bruce Lee. Martial arts in turn have transformed Bruce Lee to a popular culture icon.
