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Alternate Cantonese Version (HD, 93 min) is the reportedly original Hong Kong release placing the Ji Han-jae fight earlier in the movie and the happier ferry ending, but some of the material was taken from standard definition sources, as they are the best available.
The palette also enjoys a welcomed boost as colors, like the green in the foliage or Lee's iconic yellow jumpsuit, are more accurately rendered and well-saturated, and skin tones appear natural while revealing pores and minor blemishes.Lee asserted his artistic independence by directing, writing and starring in The Way of the Dragon, arguably his most thrilling and personal film.
Getting all the actual Lee footage out of the way in the first act (and up until then its more of the same from the previous film, using shadows, ‘relaxed focus’ and anything it could waft in front of the camera to mask the obvious stand in), the rest of the film is actually a deliciously gonzo fight fest. There, Bruce became an actor, like his father, from an early age, making his screen debut at the tender age of 6. but what Arrow have done here is a monumental achievement in bringing us not just the films in the best technical quality currently possible (rights withstanding and with some truly exceptional restoration done where source material allows), but a wealth of extra material to really help us understand why Lee is so revered after barely two years of proper cinematic output. It went on to be an enormous worldwide success, finally granting Lee’s greatest wish, to be an international star.
A strong mid-range delivers excellent fidelity and a great deal of warmth in the music while a satisfying low-end provides the score and action with some appreciable and presence.
Lee's third movie arrives with a strong and generally satisfying 4K transfer, but compared to the others in the set, this is sadly the weakest of the bunch, falling on the softer side and occasionally looking out of focus with only a few pockets of sharp clarity, most of which come from close-ups or some exterior shots. It’s a jaw-dropping release for fans of Lee, one which showcases an entire cinematic legacy, not just a set of films, and one which is going to be hard to beat by anyone in the physical media game.Losing any of the nuance and focus on technical skill of Lee’s actual films, it embraces the stupid gloriously and its final showdown amidst the funky beats and flashing lights of a set that would make Dr Evil jealous is genuinely inventive and fun. Alternate Japanese Version (4K Dolby Vision HDR, 110 min) is mostly identical to the international release, but it features an alternate edit of the Ji Han-jae fight and some changes to the soundtrack. Not to be outdone by the tidal wave of 'Bruceploitation' films that followed, Golden Harvest completed two posthumous films using unreleased footage, 1978's Game of Death and its 1981 sequel, as well as two official documentaries, the first of which hit cinemas only three months after Lee’s death.
NEW The Not-Quite-Biggest Boss (HD, 8 min) is a video essay by Bentley discussing some of the sadly lost footage, including the infamous "saw-in-the-head" kill.The Way of the Dragon however looks softer, likely in part due to being taken from an interpositive and not the OCN as with the previous films (the IP was used on the recent Criterion release and with Arrow’s careful wording of its restoration, it’s an easy assumption to make). Although The Chinese Boxer by the Shaw Brothers is officially the first true classic, it was this Golden Harvest production that cemented the subgenre as box-office gold while also achieving massive international success. However taken on its own and my own hazy memories of half watched TV and VHS showings in my youth, this set presents some truly exceptional restoration work on some very sub-optimal source material. If you’re on the fence, pick up Enter the Dragon on DVD and try streaming a few of the set’s films on Arrow Player, the company’s streaming service.
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