By Charles Mgbolu
On July 20, 1973, Bruce Lee, a Chinese-American martial artist and actor whose iconic films travelled across the globe, tragically passed away after an allergic reaction to a drug he had ingested to treat a headache.
Born in San Francisco on November 27, 1940, Lee, 32, was considered by critics, the media, and other martial artists to be the most influential martial artist of all time and a pop culture icon of the 20th century who bridged the gap between East and West.
He is credited with promoting Hong Kong action cinema and helping to change the way Chinese people were presented in American films.
In Africa, his 50th death anniversary is a powerful source of nostalgia for filmmakers who grew up drawn to his powerful character on screen.
'Larger than life'
‘’I always loved his confidence in his scenes. He was larger than life, and it never felt like he would lose, says Matthew Chan-piu, a Ugandan filmmaker who grew up watching Lee.
‘’My standout is when he breaks into an island and plays with a cobra; yes, he was that amazing,'' he tells TRT Afrika.
Haliru Uba Salihu Nakande, another fan from northern Nigeria, described Bruce Lee as enchanting.
‘’His martial arts skills were thrilling. He played every role given to him perfectly. I still love his films,’’ he says.
‘’But unfortunately, many of his films are disappearing in our community due to booming local film industries and changing times,’’ Nakande pointed out.
Tai chi and boxing
Bruce Lee was introduced to the Hong Kong film industry as a child actor by his father. His early martial arts experience included tai chi and boxing.
In 1959, Lee moved to Seattle, and in 1961, he enrolled at the University of Washington. It was during this time in the United States that he began considering making money by teaching martial arts.
His students included Chuck Norris and the late Sharon Tate, both renowned American actors.
In the 1970s, his Hong Kong and Hollywood-produced films elevated Hong Kong martial arts films to a new level of popularity and acclaim, sparking a surge of Western interest in Chinese martial arts.
The direction and tone of his films dramatically influenced and changed martial arts and martial arts films worldwide.
‘’Building another character like him in film that would transcend generations will be difficult,’’ says Chan-piu.
Deep movie character
‘’This young generation of film enthusiasts is very impatient and moves on too quickly. They do not take their time to mull over deep movie characters.’'
‘’The only way to meet them where they are is to create a character that would go viral just the way Bruce Lee did,’’ Chan-piu added.
His 50th death anniversary is being marked with pomp and pageantry around the world, with the Hong Kong Heritage Museum hosting an exhibition and a 5-day summer camp for children, while the Pico House museum in Los Angeles unveiled a life-sized sculpture of Lee executing his trademark sidekick.
