In this chapter, it focuses again mostly on Bruce Lee and his work with the fantasy factory workers and the cast of Enter the Dragon, especially with Bob Hall who plays as Ohara in the movie. I was intrigued to discover that in the scene where  Ohara tried to use glass bottles as a weapon against “Lee”, Bob Hall decided to actually use real glass bottles, which injured Lee’s hands as he broke them in the scene. This could’ve been seen as a way to get at Bruce and to defy him, especially to all the Chinese on set who witnessed the incident. Fortunately, he “got back” at Ohara/Hall by pulling off the moves that “defeated” him. While this was happening, all the Chinese extras on set, including the ones under Han, started cheering and getting excited over Lee’s actions. This wasn’t intentional, but it was the fact that Bruce Lee was getting back at Bob Hall for his actions against Lee, especially for the treatment they received from the American cast who insulted them since they believed they did not understand English as Americans do. Another incident that occurred was the shooting of the boat scene for Enter the Dragon, where a man shouted cursed the Chinese for their inability to understand him, causing one of the Chinese cameramen nearby to attack him.

This chapter also mentions the “Oriental” stereotype of Charlie Chan and Dr. Fu Manchu. There were also connections between the story of Enter the Dragon and the cast and directors who were in the movie. The reading made it seem as though they were not entirely that different, having “Lee” take on Han, while off set it was Bruce Lee taking on the Shaw Brothers. There was conflict between both roles here, and it was interesting to find this connection since I wouldn’t have guessed that this kind of relationship even existed during the shooting of the movie.

The reading from this week jumped around a bit but the core idea of globalization and a global culture expansion was a recurring theme.

Beyond all the boring book talk there were a few points that I found particularly intriguing. specifically the processes and troubles the American film industry went through in cooperation with China to make Enter the Dragon. That being how the Chinese would refuse to use actors to portray prostitutes unless they were actually prostitutes since it devalued their image. So satisfy their needs the film team had to hire actual prostitutes to play the roles in the movie.

To me this was a clear message of how actors are seen in the public eye, at least in China. They are more than just a person pretending to be some one else. They must play roles within their character as a person retaining dignity and other such feelings. This contrasts with Asians appearing the American film throughout history where they play lesser roles in most mainstream films, even Bruce Lee was shown as being nothing more than an attack dog when the white guy wanted him to beat up the bad guys. Though Bruce Lee was an inspiring person inside and outside the film industry he was still restricted to the capabilities of what he could do in the current state of minorities in film.

Comparing the psychedelic drugs to the psy-trance movement in addition to voodooism from Jimmy Hendrix was interesting to say the least. All branching from the core idea of awareness of self, cosmic ideologies etc.

“(Primarily) Middle class white kids merge themselves within the music culture as a way to escape the monotony of their lives, as well as creating their own culture by appropriating things from other cultures and making it their own.”

So maybe I was so interested in this chapter because I related to it so well. I’m not ashamed to say that at one point, I was trying to be one of those kids that went to every rave and festival. And I’m pretty sure I could’ve pulled it off if I wasn’t focused on school and basically broke.

Around two years ago I was close to giving up on school. This was back when I was nineteen and still had it in my head that I would become a veterinarian. I mean sure, I was horrible at math and chemistry was my own personal hell but I liked animals and that was enough to get me to vet school, right? Obviously not become I’m an English major now but hat’s kind of besides the point. The point is that I get it. I get the idea of wanting to escape to a whole different world. At the time I didn’t have the patience to study hard and get good enough grades to transfer schools. I thought changing majors was like giving up, like failing. And instead of facing these problems I wanted to go to raves and festivals and concerts. It was easier to loose myself in the drugs and music than to grow up.

It’s easy to mistake the ‘spiritual awareness’ you’re feeling with the typical high though. I get why it’s so appealing to youth. Its a time when you’re supposed to be ‘finding yourself’ and here the media is, shoving the possibility of if in your face. In Washington alone we have Sasqatch, Paradiso, and every single USC event for every single holiday at the WaMu theater (ex. Lucky, Resolution, Freak Night). Honestly, I’d take the whole thing more seriously if drugs weren’t such a huge part of the culture. But believe me, it’s not bearable if you’re sober.

But it is its own culture now. Guys running around in headdresses with paint on their face, girls in swimsuits and fuzzy boots. Everyone is on multiple drugs and drowning in the sounds of Skrillex. Everyone claiming that they’re their for the music. Taking aspects from as many cultures as they can to make up for their lack of one. Spending the check their parents send them for food to pay for their molly and honestly believing that it’s worth it.

But this is what being young is about, right?

YOLO

Since I wasn’t present to watch the documentaries on Thursday, I’ve done a bit of research into the various animals. Tiger, Leopard, Crane, Snake, and Dragon. I don’t know what style I could fit, but I would be interested to find out.

I enjoyed both documentaries. The Black Kung Fu experience pulled my attention more because it was great to be able to see the Chinese culture and history behind Kung Fu and have another culture (black) be inspired by it and take in the Kung Fu experience as well. The black experience with Kung Fu is unique in a sense of because of the history of our past. Looking backwards to the 60s and 70s time period and how this was a time period that was key for self awareness and a sense of pride for blacks…an inspiration for blacks to be able to fight back. Black Power!

The art of Kung Fu and the way its used as dance because the movements are so similar, for blacks especially was something that gives the black Kung Fu experience a lot of uniqueness. While also respecting the roots of where Kung Fu was created, the black Kung Fu leaders recognized that in order to practice Kung Fu, you are also living it as well. You know what’s funny though is the fact that the black Kung Fu figure was always the bad guy in every film produced…seems to be the case in a lot of scenarios.

Overall, Kung Fu has been an inspiration to many which we saw in both documentaries. It is very well known and used as a means for art and a way of life for many cultures, it is not just the practice of Kung Fu itself, it is what many live their lives by.