''The Dragon Lives'' (), also known as ''He's a Legend, He's a Hero'', is a 1976 Hong Kong martial arts film starring

Bruce Li Bruce Li (; born Ho Chung-tao; 5 June 1950) is a Taiwanese actor, martial arts, martial artist and Bruce Lee imitator who starred in martial arts films from the Bruceploitation movement. Career He went to play a stuntman in Taiwan and Hong Kon ...

and directed by Wang Hsing-lei (credited as Singloy Wang). A fictional account of

Bruce Lee Bruce Lee (; born Lee Jun-fan, ; November 27, 1940 – July 20, 1973) was a Hong Kong and American martial artist and actor. He was the founder of Jeet Kune Do, a hybrid martial arts philosophy drawing from different combat disciplines that ...

's life, it is one of numerous films which exploited the popularity of Lee after his death, a practice called

Bruceploitation Bruceploitation (a portmanteau of "Bruce Lee" and "exploitation") is an exploitation film subgenre that emerged after the death of martial arts film star Bruce Lee in 1973, where filmmakers from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea cast Bruce Lee l ...

. The film was released in the United States by Film Ventures International on 19 September 1978. The film has often been mistaken for '' Bruce Lee: The Man, The Myth'', another 1976 film depicting Bruce Lee's life and starring Bruce Li.

Cast

*Ho Chung-tao (

) as

*Caryn White as

Lin Lin or LIN may refer to: People *Lin (surname) (normally ), a Chinese surname *Lin (surname) (normally 蔺), a Chinese surname * Lin (''The King of Fighters''), Chinese assassin character *Lin Chow Bang, character in Fat Pizza Places *Lin, Iran, ...

, Bruce's wife *Chen Pei-zhen (Betty Chen) as

Betty Ting Pei Betty Ting (; born Tang Mei-li (); 19 February 1947) is a Taiwanese former actress who was mainly active in the 1970s. Ting is best known for being the center of international speculation regarding the untimely death of Bruce Lee in her apartme ...

*Ernest 'Curt' Curtis as Sam Curtis, a boxer *Joe Nerbonne *Fred Cargle *Lee Wan-chung (Li Won Chung) as

Raymond Chow Raymond Chow Man-wai, (; 8 October 1927 – 2 November 2018) was a Hong Kong film producer, and presenter. He was responsible for successfully launching martial arts and the Cinema of Hong Kong, Hong Kong cinema onto the international stage. ...

, a film producer *Elton Hugee *Jim Burnett *Kjell Wallen *Mark Ruth *Jack Nickelson *Su Hsiang as

Lo Wei Lo Wei ( 12 December 1918 – 20 January 1996) was a Hong Kong film director and film actor best known for launching the martial arts film careers of both Bruce Lee, in ''The Big Boss'' and ''Fist of Fury'', and Jackie Chan, in ''New Fist of Fur ...

, a film director *Hsieh Han as swordsman in film-shooting *Yam Ho as Bruce's friend

Release

''The Dragon Lives'' was released in Hong Kong on 7 October 1976. In the United States, the film was released by Film Ventures International on 19 September 1978.

Critical response

Poll, a critic for the American film magazine ''

Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...

'', criticized the technical deficiencies of ''The Dragon Lives'' ("cracking noises regularly precede the blows themselves.... characters appear in consecutive frames dressed differently"), but noted that its target audience is the least critical among moviegoers. The critic would also surmise that the film could have a short run in cinemas due to being less bloody than other Bruce Lee-inspired films.

Home media

''The Dragon Lives'' was released on DVD in the United States on 12 March 2002.

References

External links

* 1976 films 1970s martial arts films Bruceploitation films Hong Kong martial arts films 1970s Hong Kong films 1980s Hong Kong films {{Martialart-film-stub