“Enter the Dragon” (1973) is one of the most iconic martial arts films ever, starring Bruce Lee in his first (and sadly, only) major Hollywood film.
Behind the scenes, there’s a lot of interesting history:
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Filming Locations
“Enter the Dragon” was mainly shot in Hong Kong at Golden Harvest Studios, a major studio that Bruce Lee worked closely with. Outdoor scenes — like the boat scenes and tournament island exteriors — were filmed at real Hong Kong locations.
Interestingly, the villain Han’s temple was filmed inside an unfinished luxury hotel, giving them plenty of open space for the elaborate set designs. Some parts were rough and had to be quickly decorated or blocked carefully because they didn’t have a full set budget
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Bruce Lee’s Perfectionism
Bruce Lee wasn’t just the star; he treated the project as a personal mission to showcase authentic martial arts to the world.
He was extremely involved in choreographing the fight scenes. He would sometimes spend hours tweaking minor moves to make sure they looked real but cinematic. He believed fighting onscreen should mix truth and style.
For example, Bruce designed fight scenes to highlight speed, technique, and rhythm — something Hollywood action films hadn’t captured before. He often personally coached supporting actors and stuntmen, ensuring they looked skilled even if they weren’t trained martial artists.
Production Challenges
Being a co-production between American and Hong Kong studios, there were language barriers and different filming styles on set.
American crew members were used to more structured, unionized workflows, while Hong Kong crews worked fast and improvised when necessary.
Budget constraints also meant that not everything could be shot with expensive equipment. For some of the large fight scenes, they hired real martial artists and stuntmen from the streets of Hong Kong because they couldn’t afford high-paid extras.
Bruce Lee’s Charisma
Bruce Lee’s energy off-camera was just as magnetic as onscreen.
He kept the atmosphere lively by joking around, teaching impromptu martial arts lessons to cast and crew, and showing off feats of strength (like doing push-ups with just two fingers!).
Many crew members described how even when Bruce wasn’t in the frame, everyone’s attention was naturally drawn to him.
Behind-the-scenes footage sometimes shows Bruce laughing, practicing nunchaku, shadowboxing, or even giving playful kicks to the crew!
Accidents During Filming
The fight scenes in “Enter the Dragon” were intense, and Bruce Lee’s speed and power were so extreme that sometimes extras got hurt.
There’s a famous story where Bruce accidentally hit a stuntman harder than intended, knocking him down. Bruce immediately apologized and checked if he was okay — showing his humility despite his skill.
Because of these real accidents, later in the filming process, Bruce adjusted his striking to ensure he pulled his hits better, making sure he wouldn’t injure anyone seriously.
Iconic Costumes
Bruce Lee’s black kung fu outfit — simple, practical, and sharp-looking — became instantly legendary.
He worked with costume designers to make sure the clothes allowed maximum movement while keeping a clean silhouette on camera.
He even chose certain materials that wouldn’t make rustling sounds when fighting (so it wouldn’t ruin the audio recordings).
His red fighting shorts in the underground matches also added contrast and gave visual energy to the final battle scenes.
Dubbed Voices
Because “Enter the Dragon” was an international project, not all actors were fluent in English.
Actors like Shih Kien (Han) spoke mainly Cantonese, so after shooting, many lines had to be dubbed by voice actors back in the studio.
It wasn’t unusual in Hong Kong cinema, but American audiences found the dubbing noticeable at times.
Interestingly, Bruce Lee’s voice is his real voice in the movie — no dubbing needed!
Behind-the-Scenes Photos
Behind-the-scenes photos from “Enter the Dragon” capture a totally different side of the intense action movie.
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Bruce is often seen smiling, laughing, or stretching before takes.
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Photos show Bruce rehearsing fight moves barefoot with co-stars like John Saxon and Jim Kelly.
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Some rare shots show Bruce meditating or warming up in between takes, showing his serious discipline.
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Group photos with cast and crew show just how multicultural and energetic the team was — people from America, Hong Kong, Australia, and other places working together on this historic film.
