Why Lee-mendous: A canny blend of James Bond, Blaxploitation and kung-fu movies, Enter the Dragon brought a new vitality to action cinema.
But, for Lee and arch-nemesis Han’s climactic showdown the film looked to past film noir for inspiration. Namely Orson Welles’ hall of mirrors shoot-out that ends The Lady from Shanghai.
Reportedly employing over 8,000 mirrors, the climax is a virtuoso set-piece of design. No stray crew member can be glimpsed and the constant reflected movement ratchets up the tension superbly.
This sequence also becomes an ironic commentary on Lee’s death. In his final completed film he is surrounded by false images of himself, and after his death many imitators attempted to claim his crown. But there will only be one true Bruce Lee.
Interesting-Lee: Lee tasting his own blood to psych out his opponent was a mainstay move of the actor right from The Big Boss.
