The Big Boss: A Fistful of Reasons to Watch

 This review is the first one to be written in 2024, first written Jan 01.

Directed by 

Lo Wei
Wu Chia Hsiang
Produced by    Raymond Chow

STARRING

Bruce Lee
Maria Yi
James Tien
Han Ying-chieh
Cinematography  Chen Ching-chu
Edited by  Sung Ming
Music by  Wang Fu-ling
Distributed by  Golden Harvest
Release date (Australia): April 1974

 Synopsis

Cheng is a city boy who moves with his cousins to work at a ice factory. He does this with a family promise never to get involved in any fight. However, when members of his family begin disappearing after meeting the management of the factor, the resulting mystery and pressures forces him to break that vow and take on the villainy of the Big Boss.

 

Review 

This movie is unrealistic. Cheng Chao An gets arrested for defeating the Big Boss, police officers are beat up and nothing is done about it, Cheng gets drunk and sees a woman at a dinner as his crush, and one of the Big Boss' men are killed with a saw put in their head. 

Regardless this movie is awesome.

This movie has tons of violence, which is what I was looking for. Sometimes it's really really bloody and violent, but not enough to get it banned in May 1973, but too much to get an M rating.Cheng is a can of whup-butt the whole way through the movie. Thank god he broke the oath he sweared to his mother.  Before watching The Big Boss / Fists of Fury, I would defend Jackie Chan and say he was a million times better then Bruce Lee. And while Chan is still my favourite action star, Lee is amazing too and they both are in their both ways. I highly recommend this movie, no matter which version of it you have. 

Hopefully I get to see more Lo Wei films. I have a way of watching Fist of Fury, Shaolin Wooden Men and Fearless Hyena now!

Rating: 7/10 

 

 Watch the 1983 Cantonese dub of "The Big Boss" at SBS On Demand

Bruce Lee Screenshot Sunday I - The Big Boss

 

One of the (if not the) best intros to a film, with those kick butt scores from Wang Fu Ling and Peter Thomas.

I'll handle this. I only have 15 more minutes in the spotlight of the film until you take over.

Mandarin-exclusive scene: "Some people will do anything for revenge". This was the last scene filmed.

Showing of your Kung Fu skills, ey? Not good enough for a little dragon.

CHAAAARRRGGGGEEEEEE!!!

Mandarin-exclusive scene: The infamous bleeding shot.

I first saw this scene, thought Cheng was grabbing this dude by the belt. I found out he was grabbing him by the.. ow. No witty comment, just an ow.
 

I will get you like your father got my cousins.

A few minutes later, Cheng realises he doesn't need a knife.

He just needs an angry face.

"Karatee and kong foo, the explosive combination that gives you the biggest kick of your life! Fists of Fury! Rated R."

Welp, that's all. Tune in tommorow for the review of my least favourite Jackie Chan film, Rumble in The Bronx. Full review of THE BIG BOSS comes out August 5 this year.