the other day i obtained and added more bootleg dvds to my ever-elaborate collection.
however, this particular set of dvds differs from my other chinese/hong kong cinema bootlegs for the simple fact that...
it's my "3bs"
bootleg
bruce lee
box set!

for those not in the know, if you turn to my father micheal goetz secondary school year book, year 2000...i have a comment or two in my graduation blurb/photo (graduates of 2000 REPRAZENT, ya herrrrrd!!). for those unable to obtain a copy of this text, i say something along the lines of H: (heroes) my parents, brothers and of course....bruce lee!
ill go thru this and explain in further detail some other time. but back to my dvds....

5 dvds; 20 bucks.
no, not one dvd for 20 dollars - but 5 dvds for $20!!
i was kind of skeptical when i saw this deal. however, i kindly asked the shopkeeper if i could view the dvd before buying. they obliged...and boy, my eyeballs almost fell out of my skull!
usually, when there's a set of bruce lee movies on dvd, the dub-over is so shitty. it's like they connected a betamax to a dvd copier and burned the movie onto disc. but like i said, my eyes, almost fell out of my skull!
let me go over the discussion i had with the kind chinese girl who kept the shop that nurtured my dvds.

jay (me): are they in cantonese?
she: yeah. cantonese and mandarin.
jay [in awe]: really?!!!
she: yea.
jay: can i see, please? can i view them?
she: ok, sure.
jay [minutes later during red-screen disclaimer warning to not to copy or sell or reproduce this film]: so it's in cantonese rite? i just wanna know cause i've never seen a movie (besides enter the dragon) where bruce speaks.
she [not understanding nor giving a shit about what i just said]: oh, you understand cantonese??!!!

*it should be noted, that there's a small crowd of chinese people in this small chinese store drawing their attention to me, a small filipino man within this small chinese store, and wondering what the fuck i wanted to see on the overhead monitor*

[video plays...and bruce speaks]
unfortunately, it wasn't bruce's real, authentic voice. however, it was in cantonese and available in english (along with japanese, thai, vietnamese, malaysian and indonesian) subtitles - just the way i wanted it. cause frankly, i hate watching asian movies with dubbed over white man - john smith voices who take after john wayne. the voices dont even correlate with the actor and the translations from chinese tongue to english tongue, dont even do justice most of the time.if you notice, the same goes for most foreign films, and frankly, id rather have the subtitles than some cheesy, half-assed voice over. but enough of that ranting...
let's continue my recollection, shall we?...

jay: wowwwwww!!!! that's good quality! (and it was actually. for the price i was asked to pay - i expected some shitty dub, re-tape..complete with the tracking lines. boy, oh boy, was i impressed! this, somehow, in hong kong, was digitally (visual and audio) remastered!!! crazy!!!)
she: yeah. good quality.
jay: i'll take it.

and i gotta say, i still cant believe the quality of these bruce lee pictures!
digital, baby, digital!! bruce lee in digital!!
unbelievable
and shoot, even the trailers are included!! and special features!! but back to the trailers..these original trailers are worth buying on their own! no joke.

however during my shopping bonanza yesterday, i also found an authentic (ie not bootlegged) bruce lee dvd collection.
6 dvds and this time...authentically bruce lee..authentically in cantonese!
the originals!!
are you, out there in blogger-viewing land aware of how rare this find is??!!!
the sad thing is, it costs about $100 before canadian taxes. but honestly, that's a very small price to pay for those gems. and did i mention?...(again)..6 dvds!!! that's 1 bonus dvd!!!

again...back to my bootlegs, which will more than satisfy me till i come up with the funds to purchase that boxset.
i have 5 dvds. they consist of bruce lee's 5 movies made.
they are (in chronological order made):

the big boss (aka fists of fury in america)

fists of fury (the chinese connection in america)

the return of the dragon

enter the dragon

the game of death

seriously, it's mind blowing for me.
i cant get over the quality vs the bruce lee box set available on north american shores and in most of the world). props to my chinese bredren for these gems at such a sweet, irresistable gem-of-a deal!!!
you people are too kind.

since i've promised to watch 1 bruce lee movie every nite after my run but before bed (starting yesterday), i figured ill go thru each movie briefly.
yesterday, i glorified my playstation 2 by popping in

the big boss
bruce comes to thailand to find work and a better a life. however, he's promised his mother not to cause trouble. he's reminded of this promise with a green jade he wears around his neck. anyhow, moving on..his cousins in thailand get him a job at an ice factory.

but is it really an ice factory?

later, one of bruce's cousins finds out that encased in each giant sized block of ice, there's cocaine being shipped around. the boss finds out and kills this cousin as to not spread the word to authorities. this later leaves bruce with unanswered questions as to his cousin(s)' disappearance. eventually someone rips bruce's jade off his neck. he then goes on a brutal rampage. bruce kicks everyone's ass and later finds himself at the "big boss's" door step to get answers...



today, and personally a dead tie for favourite (neck and neck with 'enter the dragon'), was

fists of fury
bascially there's some unspoken and truthful historical bad blood between chinese and japanese people. however i could never understand this as im neither chinese nor japanese (but by all means, anyone..my chinese viewers..my japanese viewers..please enlighten me!). anyhow, bruce comes back to his kung fu school to greive his sifu's (teacher) death. again, he has questions (this guy's always inquiring about shit). he wonders if his sifu really died by natural causes or if he was murdered by a rival japanese judo school. bruce, again kicks ass!! but this time, it's all over shanghai. there's even a battle between bruce with nunchucks vs a samurai master with a sword!! you gotta wonder, how the hell would that match up end up in real life. but yea, bruce kicks ass again..and again and again....
is there really more explaining required???



related link
SKOP
remix bruce


______________
an epic adventure?


finally, in relation to this "chop-sockeee" post, i present to you...after months of being left on the cutting room floor, the long-awaited and highly anticipated

[fingers of death]
a shortfilm

what do you get when you have a university professor who wants to test the editing capabilities of a highly talented 3rd year fine art's major enrolled in a film class, 30 minutes of unscripted, unrehearsed footage condensed into roughly 5minutes, a cold winter outdoor film shooting (5 months ago), an oldskool jam and an all-star cast of douche-bags???....

...well dont expect me to answer!! i dunno.



you just gotta watch it for yourself.
and by all means, please give r.j. dominguez (aka "ricky dicky") - the director some love.

"a fucking great movie" - new york times
"why didnt i do that?" - director martin scorcese

btw, it may take awhile depending on your connection so,
let my people load.

related link:
jimmy-n-pedro
(o.b.g. a year ago)

enjoy.