Bruce Lee Fights Back From the Grave (1976)

"You're a born loser, Wong." - Hung

aka: American Bangmungaeg
A kung fu instructor tries to avenge his friend's death, mostly just by wandering around L.A.
Starring: Jun Chong (as Bruce K.L. Lea), Deborah Dutch

Link to IMDB

The movie begins with a bolt of lightning striking the tombstone of Bruce Lee!!
But it means nothing, and that's the only time he's referenced in the movie, so get ready to be disappointed.

Not Bruce Lee

Wong Han has traveled from Hong Kong to Los Angeles to find success as a kung fu instructor, just like his colleague, Go Hok Hung, did a few years earlier. Upon arriving at Hung's kung fu store, Wong learns that his friend recently died and all he's left with are his ashes.
Wong stays at the store because he's homeless, and gets into a big fight with a thug that breaks into the place. The bad guy escapes and Wong is arrested by the police, but a strange wealthy man bails him out of jail and he's back to wandering the streets of L.A.
Despite the fight scene, this is already boring. The next day he saves a lady named Susan from getting raped, and they become friends when they realize they both knew Hung. Susan explains that she has info that may prove Hung's death was not an accident, and that a group of five criminals are responsible for his murder.

Susan

Even this much appreciated introduction to the plot is boring as hell. There is a story here but it's stretched thin with pointless scenes and incompetent dialog piling up like hoarded stacks of soggy newspapers. Wong and Susan spend a lot of time just driving around, or talking about their feelings. It doesn't help that even the camera man seems to have no idea who or what he should be focusing on. The middle of the movie is one big drag.

Finally, Wong decides he's going to hunt down the five men that killed his friend. We get some more action, but it's too brief... Back to more scenes of nothing.
There's a shadowy incognito person following Wong around, as well as that strange wealthy man spying on him, too. Not knowing who or what these people are adds some interest, otherwise it would just be like watching a "Guy visits L.A." tourism video.



The fight scenes are nothing special, but compared to the rest of the movie they are a breath of fresh kung fu scented air. At least everyone is a trained athlete, so the martial art skills are real. The last 20 minutes are easily the best, as Wong gets into all sorts of action with the gang members. He's gotta fight a samurai, a cowboy and a giant wrestler to find out who the boss of the gang is.

Surprisingly, the ending is rather enjoyable. When the identity of the mysterious people spying on Wong are revealed there's a few twists about how everything has been (very slowly) working towards a startling discovery in Wong's life.
This isn't the worst "Bruceploitation" movie, but it's so clumsy that it had me shaking my head with sheer wonder. And I bet that it had Bruce Lee spinning in his grave.

Be sure not to miss:
- Tipping the scumbag taxi driver with a kick to the face was a nice touch.
- If you think the voice dubbing of the English speaking actors is bad (and it truly is,) check out the footstep dubbing! Prepare yourself for an abundance of shoes clip-clopping at unreasonable volumes.
- The movie's poster (seen above) is clearly stealing from Meat Loaf's Bat Out of Hell album.

Internet review:
"If you go into the movie realizing its absolute trash then it has potential." - johnlovesthapistons

Should I watch it?
Only to cure insomnia... If you can sleep through the cacophony of footsteps.

Where can I find it?
On YouTube.

Bruce Lee Fights Back gets...