The 1976 martial arts film that tried to turn Jackie Chan into Bruce Lee
In short: Before Jackie Chan became the world-famous master of action-comedy, director Lo Wei attempted to mold him into the next Bruce Lee. New Fist of Fury, a 1976 sequel to the iconic original, cast Chan in a serious role that lacked the signature humor that would later define his legendary career.
Released in 1976, New Fist of Fury marked a pivotal moment in Jackie Chan's early career. It was his first starring role in a widely distributed film, following a limited release for Little Tiger of Canton in 1973. Director Lo Wei, who had previously directed the original Fist of Fury starring Bruce Lee, sought to capitalize on that success by casting Chan as a successor. During this production, Chan adopted the stage name Sing Lung, which translates to becoming a dragon, a moniker he retains in Asia today.
The narrative follows a young thief in Japanese-occupied Taiwan who initially avoids martial arts but eventually joins the Jingwu school to resist Japanese oppression. The plot involves the death of a grandfather figure during a confrontation with a local karate school, prompting the protagonist to master kung fu and lead the final fight. Unlike his later work, this film strictly adhered to a serious tone, omitting the comedic elements that would eventually become Chan's trademark style.
The film's history is marked by various re-edits and international releases. In 1980, the film was re-released with a Cantonese soundtrack and 40 minutes of footage removed to capitalize on the success of Chan's later film, The Young Master. Over the decades, the movie has seen numerous home media releases, including versions from Columbia Tristar, Eastern Heroes, and Hong Kong Legends, each varying in aspect ratio, language options, and editing. These releases highlight the complex distribution history of early Hong Kong cinema, as studios attempted to repackage the film for different global markets.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: New Fist of Fury
- Also: Wikidata — New Fist of Fury · CC0
- Also: Wikidata — New Fist of Fury FMP-118769 · CC0
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