Enter the Dragon (Blu-ray)

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Sound:
First and foremost, yes there are some poorly dubbed sequences in "Enter the Dragon." This is not due to a syncing problem with the discs digital audio. It is the nature of the beast. What would a Kung-Fu film be without poor dubbing? As far as the remaining elements of the Blu-ray release and its Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack go – it could be better, but it could be worse. "Enter the Dragon" is again, a product of the 1970s. It sounds like something made in the Seventies and its musical score is a testament to that fact. Sound range and imaging comes across flat at times and much of the action takes place in the three front channels. Regardless, the soundtrack entertains and all of the vintage Seventies Kung-Fu sound effects come across loud and clear. The cracking of the whip sounding punches is sharp and clear. Bass usage is sparse. I can´t recall any deep outburst from the .1 LFE channel. The soundtrack is dated and limited and features Seventies funk for music. Where it really shines is the wonderfully reproduced Kung-Fu sounds and horrible sounds of agony.

Extras:
All of the supplemental materials from the HD-DVD release have found their way to the Blu-ray release. I would assume this is the primary reason Warner delayed the films entry on the Blu-ray format, as it took quite a while to get the BD-50 dual layer discs into mass production. The value added content of "Enter the Dragon" pays homage to the man and the film, but also details the tragic stories of the Lee family. These are very good supplements that detail more information on Bruce Lee than they do the film, but "Enter the Dragon" is all about Bruce Lee to begin with. The Commentary by Producer Paul Heller is not listed on the rear packaging, but does indeed exist. Heller looks back at his experiences on making the film and what it took to bring Bruce Lee to Hollywood. Heller´s commentary track is informative, but almost mundane at times and hard to keep focused on. Simply put – it gets dull.

There are a number of documentaries and featurettes included on the Blu-ray disc in the "Behind the Story" section. Blood and Steel: The Making of Enter the Dragon (30:12) is the primary feature that looks at the film itself. Ported from an earlier DVD release, this is a decent enough making of documentary that looks horribly dated in its visuals, but entertains none-the-less. The late James Coburn is featured in this feature. Next up is Bruce Lee: In His Own Words: (19:20), is an older recorded interview with Bruce Lee and shown with accompanying black and white archival footage. Bruce Lee was not just a Kung-Fu legend, but a warm and charismatic person and these archival moments are proof of that. The Linda Lee Caldwell Interview Gallery (16:05) is a collection of ten vignettes that may be played individually or as one coherent feature. Caldwell is Bruce Lee´s widow and she provides a warm look at Bruce Lee and his martial arts and filmmaking. This was a very good addition to the set.

The "Lair of the Dragon" menu selections take a deeper look at Bruce Lee and his Gong Fu style, but also at the film itself. The Original 1973 Featurette (7:38) is described as a vintage EPK. I don´t know who the narrator is, but it seemed he did every vintage EPK I´ve seen. This old vignette is worth a look for its sheer age and how differently EPKs were back in the day. It looks more at Kung Fun in cinema than it does the film. Backyard Workout With Bruce (1:52) is a very short black and white home video with Bruce Lee working on a few kicks and beating up a punching bag. He had a lot of power to those kicks and punches. The short Curse of the Dragon (87:27) is a film that looks at the tragic life of Bruce Lee and the tragic demise of his son Brandon Lee. Narrated by Mr. Sulu (George Takai), "Curse of the Dragon" is a flashy look at the man and the sad stories that befell upon the Lee name. Bruce Lee: A Warrior´s Journey (99:56) is another film contained as bonus materials. This documentary is a complete look at Lee´s skills and martial arts techniques. This is another very nice inclusion on the Blu-ray disc. Finally, there are four Theatrical Trailers, and seven TV Spots. I always enjoy vintage marketing materials.

Closing Thoughts:
Bruce Lee died way too early in life. He left a legacy that is still quite powerful today and was perhaps the single most influential martial artist when you look at Hong Kong films and bringing them to mainstream America. Bruce Lee was an amazing talent that and he was just getting started. "Enter the Dragon" is not a great film, but it is entertaining and it is the greatest reminder we have of the Hong Kong master. The Blu-ray release features a beautifully colored film that is generally very good. The sound quality is hindered by the source materials, but delivers the hokey sound effects nicely. Where this disc really shines is the massive amount of supplemental materials. There is roughly four hours of bonus materials, including two documentaries that are decent films themselves. The bonus materials perfectly detail the life of Bruce Lee and the talent he was. He has left a legacy and it is unfortunate it was not a long legacy. "Enter the Dragon" defines that legacy. If I would ever recommend a release solely on the merit of its special features, "Enter the Dragon" would be it.