BRUCE LEE IN 1965 (An Interview)

webmaster · #1 (**permalink**) October 26th, 2005, 07:59 PM

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BRUCE LEE IN 1965 (An Interview)

“	<div class="flexinode-body flexinode-1"> Author: John Little <div class="flexinode-textarea-5"><div class="form-item"> Article: The following interview was conducted during Bruce Lee's screentest for "Number One Son," a television series that was never made. Instead, Lee would be cast as "Kato" in The Green Hornet television series. However, this interview provides a unique keyhole through which to view Bruce Lee's views on his life, art and career up to this time in his life (i.e., 1965). In two years time he would forsake much of the gung fu methodology he herein embraced, and would create the art of Jeet Kune Do and, ultimately, its application as the "way of no-way." The screentest is used in part in John Little's forthcoming film, Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey, which also includes the never-before-seen "The Game of Death" footage we have all been waiting to see for so long. The screentest excerpt is transcripted here with permission. Now Bruce, just look right into the camera lens right here and tell us your name, your age and when you were born. BRUCE LEE: My last name is Lee, Bruce Lee. I was born in San Francisco. 1940. I'm 24 right now. And you worked in motion pictures in Hong Kong BRUCE LEE: Yes, since I was around six years old. And when did you leave Hong Kong BRUCE LEE: 1959. When I was eighteen. I see. Now look over to me, Bruce, as we talk. I understand you just had a baby boy BRUCE LEE: (smiles) Yeah. And you've lost a little sleep over it, have you BRUCE LEE: (laughs) Oh, three nights. And tell the crew what time they shoot the pictures in Hong Kong. BRUCE LEE: Well it's mostly in the morning because it's kind of noisy in Hong Kong, you know Around three million people there, and so every time when they have a picture it's mostly, say, around 12:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. in the morning. I see. (sarcastically) You love that, do you BRUCE LEE: (smiles) And you went to College in the United States BRUCE LEE: Yes. And what did you study BRUCE LEE: Ah, philosophy. I see. Now you told me earlier today, that karate and ju-jitsu are not the most powerful or the best forms of Oriental fighting. What is the most powerful or the best form BRUCE LEE: (smiles) Well, it's bad to say "the best" but, in my opinion, I think Gung Fu is pretty good. And would you tell us a little bit about Gung Fu BRUCE LEE: Well, Gung Fu was originated in China. It is the ancestor of karate and ju-jitsu. It's more of a complete system and it's more fluid. By that I mean, it's more flowing; there's continuity in movement instead of one movement, two movement and then stop. Would you look right into the camera lens and explain the principle of the glass of water as it applies to Gung Fu BRUCE LEE: Well, Gung Fu -- the best example would be a glass of water. Why Because water is the softest substance in the world, but yet it can penetrate the hardest rock or anything -- granite, you name it. Water is also insubstantial; by that I mean you cannot grasp hold of it, you cannot punch it and hurt it. So every Gung Fu man is trying to do that; to be soft like water, and flexible and adapt itself to the opponent. I see. What's the difference between a Gung Fu punch and a karate punch BRUCE LEE: Well, a karate punch is like an iron bar -- whack! A Gung Fu punch is like an iron chain with an iron ball attached to the end and it goes Wang! And it hurts inside (laughs). Okay. In a moment we're going to cut and in just a second we'll have you stand up and show us some Gung Fu and some movements in Gung Fu. BRUCE LEE: Okay. PART TWO: Now look directly into the camera Bruce. Now the camera will pull back and, Bruce, first show me the movements in the Classical Chinese Theater. BRUCE LEE: (curiously) "Classical Chinese Theater" Well, you know, what we talked about in the office; how they walk and how they start a move. BRUCE LEE: Well in the Chinese Opera, they have the Warrior, and then the Scholar. The way the Warrior walks would be something like this; Walking this way, straight, come out -- bend [ing his leg], straight, and then walk out again. An ordinary scholar would be just like a female; a weakling -- 90 pounds in Charles Atlas (laughs). You would be just walking, you know, like a girl	”