If You Like Bruce Lee

Forty years after his death, Bruce Lee's legacy looms larger than ever. He is revered as the father of mixed martial arts, his Jeet Kune Do system continues to attract new practitioners, and filmmakers around the world cite him as an inspiration. If You Like Bruce Lee... puts Lee's innovations in the context of Hong Kong cinema history, from the beginnings of the Shaw Brothers Studio in the 1920s and '30s to modern-day superstar (and faithful Lee acolyte) Donnie Yen. It explores Bruce's influence on Jackie Chan and other younger artists, profiles legendary fight choreographers, and investigates the odd phenomenon of Brucesploitation. And it features some little-known Bruce Lee rarities and highlights the best of the many documentaries on his life and mysterious death. Author Katherine Rife also examines how martial arts cinema grew out of Hong Kong roots into an international phenomenon, propelled by such artists as Japan's Sonny Chiba, Thailand's Tony Jaa, Indonesia's Iko Uwais, and Vietnam's Johnny Nguyen, all of whom helped spread the mania across Asia and beyond. Even Chuck Norris makes an appearance. The seemingly bottomless well of kung fu fandom can be challenging to the uninitiated, but If You Like Bruce Lee... makes the discovery process accessible - and, more importantly, fun.