The Real Bruce Lee (1977) Director: Jim Markovic Studio: Redman Films Starring: Bruce Lee (archival footage), Bruce Li, Dragon Lee, Ho Chung Tao Release Date: 1977 Runtime: 93 minutes Format: Color | Mono | Sound | Martial Arts Documentary Country: Hong Kong / South Korea / United States Language: English (dubbed), Korean, Cantonese Genres: Martial Arts | Documentary | Action | Exploitation Summary: The Real Bruce Lee is a martial arts documentary and exploitation film that capitalizes on the legacy of Bruce Lee following his untimely death in 1973. The film opens with rare childhood footage of Bruce Lee in four of his early Hong Kong films, followed by a sensationalized documentary segment chronicling his life and career. The final portion features a full-length Korean martial arts movie starring Dragon Lee, a Bruce Lee imitator, meant to fill the void left by the martial arts icon. Though not a true biopic, the film offers a collage of Bruce Lee’s early acting, fan tributes, and the birth of the Bruceploitation genre. Background: Produced during the height of the Bruceploitation boom in the late 1970s, The Real Bruce Lee is part homage and part cash-in. It attempts to present Lee’s early film work—virtually unknown to Western audiences at the time—while packaging it with action-heavy content to appeal to martial arts fans mourning his death. The film was often retitled and re-released in various markets. While its authenticity has been debated, it remains a cult curiosity and a window into how Bruce Lee’s image was commodified after his death. Trivia: The early childhood scenes include footage from Bruce Lee's performances as a child actor in 1940s Hong Kong films like Bad Boy and The Orphan. Dragon Lee, featured in the final film segment, was one of the most prominent Bruce Lee imitators of the era. The added Korean martial arts feature is unrelated to Bruce Lee but was inserted to pad runtime and satisfy action fans. The narration is heavily dramatized and occasionally inaccurate, typical of exploitation documentaries of the time. Also released under alternate titles like Bruce Lee: The Invincible and Re-Enter the Dragon. Public domain status has led to countless VHS and DVD releases with varying quality. Hashtags: #TheRealBruceLee #BruceLee #Bruceploitation #MartialArtsDocumentary #DragonLee #BruceLi #HongKongCinema #ClassicKungFu #PublicDomainMovie #ExploitationCinema #BruceLeeLegacy #KungFuFilms #RareBruceLee #1970sMartialArts #MartialArtsHistory