‘Who knows what delicate wonders have died out of the world for want of the strength to survive?” asks Han (Shih Kien), the Bondesque villain in Enter the Dragon (1973). It’s a throwaway line in a sometimes cheesy movie, intended to reinforce the antagonist’s cruel, quasi-Nietzschean obsession with vitality. But it has still haunted me for years, only more so as I learn more about the vast sweep of history, full of contingencies, accidents, and misfortunes.
One not-so-delicate wonder that has stood the test of time is Enter the Dragon itself. Released 50 years ago this month, the kung fu movie starring Bruce Lee and directed by Robert Clouse retains an immense power to entertain, rising above certain dated elements on the power of, among other things, the charisma and skill of its star Bruce Lee.
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