Reviews

Many people only know Bruce Lee merely as a martial arts film actor in b-grade or C-grade movies from the 1970s.

However, he was much more than that. Mnay martial artists believe that he was the greatest martial artist who ever lived.

Bruce introduced kungfu to the non-Chinese world, breaking Chinese traditions to teach everyone, regardless of ethnicity; and he made martial arts much more popular.

Before he became a world-famous film actor, he developed his own martial arts style - Jeet Kune Do - the style of no-style and every style - utilising all styles, but being bound by none. I.e. the best of "martial arts" and street-fighting combined.

He took whatever worked from any martial art, philosophy, psychology theory, sports science theory, etc., without prejudice, without following traditions (dogmas), and synthesised them into an ever-evolving martial art. This meant that this little man was able to defeat opponents twice his size - big football players, big karate men and big street fighters.

Bruce did not compete in karate tournaments because he saw them as unrealistic. However, when he was a martial arts coach (he preferred that word, rather than "teacher" or "master"), the top 3 karate tournament competitors were all his students.

Bruce Lee is very admired amongst martial artists for the many great things that he achieved; and he has inspired many people in martial arts, physical fitness and so on, even after his death.

I find this documentary inspirational, and you might, too, especially in the area of self-defence and also in personal achievement generally. Also, if you watch this documentary, you might learn some profound truths, "taoist" truths, "zen" truths. ; ) PS, another great film for learning profound truths about martial arts and life in general, is "The Silent Flute" (a.k.a. "Circle of Iron"), which was based on a screenplay written by Bruce Lee.

This film is about an alternative/hippy commune and its conflicts with local rednecks who are oppressing them. The people of the commune all stand up for their rights, but the main hero on their side is a part Native American, part White American, ex-military man who is an expert at unarmed combat (specifically the martial art of hapkido - which I reckon is one of the most effective arts because it has such a wide range of kinds of techniques).

When I first watched this film, I was surprised to discover that Billy Jack was not a redneck, but was the part Native American friend of the hippies. : O

Based on a true story of how a man ahead of his time - the great 19th century American poet and humanist Walt Whitman - made a significant contribution to how western medicine treats people with psychological problems.

Interested in the treatment of people with psychological problems, he began to associate with psychiatric workers and patients. After seeing the psychological methods of the time (inhumane and ignorantly cruel methods), Walt rejected those methods, and treated patients with compassion and dignity, encouraging other people to do the same> The story of Walt's interactions with psychiatric workers, patients and townsfolk is full of drama, good humor and wisdom. : )

The mighty Roman Empire was the largest and most technologically advanced empire ever known, an empire which had existed for hundreds of years, and for much of that time had dominated the Mediterranean Sea, and the 3 continents of Europe, Africa and the Middle East which surrounded that sea. The Roman Empire had grown and grown, and seemed unstoppable.

The Huns were a nomadic "barbarian" people, seemingly no great threat to the Roman Empire. And yet a Hun named "Attila" rose to lead his people to successfully invade the Roman Empire - a major factor in the downfall of that empire. This is the story of that man, and is based on real historical events.

The film version of the famous allegory of the Russian revolution, by George Orwell.

It shows how a revolution can start out with high hopes and yet become a corrupt and totalitarian regime, much like the regime it sought to replace.

I think we can learn a lot from the history of the Russian revolution, how it was created, and its faults - the reasons it turned out corrupt and totalitarian.

Many people claim that Animal Farm is a condemnation of socialist revolutions in general... but when I read the book of Animal Farm, and then saw the film, I was inspired to participate in revolutionary politics, and to use the problems shown in the story as warnings of what problems to look out for and to overcome, to ensure a successful people power revolution, free from tyranny. ;)

A great biopic starring Will Smith, as the controversial Muhammad Ali, greatest boxer who ever lived - the "people's champion", heavy weight boxing champion of the world.

In his peak years, he risked his freedom and his career by refusing to heed the call up to be part of the U.S. Vietnam War effort (to be an army demonstration boxer), back in the early days of the Vietnam War, when the peace movement was very small and peace was not a popular cause: 'I ain't got no quarrel with them Viet Cong - no Viet Cong ever called me "nigger"'.

In response, the U.S.-controlled international boxing organizations took away his belt and the top fighters refused to fight him: 'They couldn't take away my heavyweight title in the ring - this is the only way they could do it'.

And when, after 3 years of financial hardship, 3 of his prime boxing years, Ali was allowed by those boxing organizations to return to the professional boxing that they controlled, once again he shot straight to the top. What a legend!