Post Jun 04, 2016 #2 2016-06-04T05:37. IndieWire is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Tarantino tapped into this bravado, but the author says the screen depiction goes too far. He has a degree in journalism from the University of Montevallo, and is the author of the psychological thriller and time travel novel, "A Man Against the World." Join our newsletter to get info about latest events and deals! Bruce was screening a Cassius Clay [Muhammad Ali] documentary. Bruce Lee was a legendary master in martial arts, an actor, director, philosopher, and martial arts instructor. There just happens to be a difference between those types of encounters and a showdown against a combat athlete. (pg. Must be 18 years of age to enter Sweepstakes. You will be redirected back to your article in, Get The Latest IndieWire Alerts And Newsletters Delivered Directly To Your Inbox. ET and will be broadcast in the U.K. on BT Sport 2 tomorrow (June 8) at 9.00 p.m. Tom Gray is Associate Editor for Ring Magazine. The story is based on the 1987 book The Making of Enter the Dragon. (Given that Dalton is fictional, his house obviously wasn't next door.). The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. Ali could do things that Lee couldnt, and vica verca. After midnight, four members of the Manson family Tex Watson, Linda Kasabian, Susan Atkins and Patricia Krenwinkel parked at the dark bottom of the street (Tarantino filmed some street scenes on Cielo Drive) and walked up the hill. Bruces right hand followed Alis right hand, Alis left foot followed Bruces left foot. The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. Bruce's right hand followed Ali's right hand, Ali's left foot followed Bruce's left foot. Published Oct 3, 2021 Bruce Lee, who always had great confidence in his kung fu skills, admitted there was one fighter he knew he couldn't beat - Muhammad Ali. Bruce set up a wide full-length mirror to reflect Alis image from the screen. ', Chris Pine Says Star Trek Film Franchise Feels Like Its Cursed, Calls It Frustrating Being Kept Out of the Loop on Star Trek 4, How Chicago Fire Said a Temporary Goodbye to Taylor Kinneys Kelly Severide Amid Leave of Absence, 'The Masked Singer' Reveals Identity of Polar Bear: Heres Who It Is, The True Story Behind 'Cocaine Bear': A 175-Pound Beast, a Dead Drug Smuggler in Gucci Loafers and More, HBO's Leading Man: Casey Bloys on Perfecting 'The Last of Us,' HBO Max Streaming Merger and Axing Shows, A24 Sweeps Film Categories at the 2023 SAG Awards as 'Everything Everywhere All at Once' Breaks Record for Most Wins, Jean Smart 'Doing Well, Recovering' Following Heart Procedure, Says Hacks Co-Star Hannah Einbinder, Ke Huy Quan Becomes First Asian Male Film Winner at SAG Awards for 'Everything Everywhere All at Once'. He also used this technique to fake out his opponents. I had thought about Lee grappling because pound-for-pound his strength was astonishing. If people are saying, Well he never said he could beat up Muhammad Ali, well yeah, he did. Fans of scripted and non-scripted combat sports alike may be familiar with the name Gene LeBell "Judo Gene" helped train Ronda Rousey before she became the biggest name in women's mixed martial arts (at least until Holly Holm knocked her out at UFC 193), and his LeBell Lock was adopted by former (as of this writing) WWE Superstar DanielBryan as his finishing move. This philosophy was arguably the precursor to mixed martial arts. I heard him say things like that, to that effect. According to Clause, Lee considered both sides of the argument and even practiced fighting Ali by using a full-length mirror. That logic echoes what I personally believe to be the point of including Lee in this film at all: what stunt coordinator Robert Alonzo described asthe purpose of the scene, which was to "explain to the audience the level at which Cliff was [operating]." Muhammad Ali eats Bruce Lee for breakfast. While filming a movie, Chan recalled when Lee appeared and started doing his thing. Send PM. Ask yourself, did he have a good chin? For starters, it features two of our generation's best actors (Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt) in the lead roles. With his crazy kicks and lightning-fast speed, the man went from TV sidekick to blockbuster star in just a few years. He admires combat, and boxing is a closer approximation of combat as a sport. 'Once Upon A Time in Hollywood': What's truth, what's pulp fiction? In 1981, world famous boxer Muhammad Ali once talked a suicidal man off the ledge of a building. Bruce Lee's father Lee Hoi-chuen was a famous Cantonese opera singer based in Hong Kong. Bruce Lee, the GOAT of martial arts, has no ties to Florida. . Bruce was looking into the mirror, moving along with Ali. YOU GET TO CHOOSE your own prize! If people are saying, Well he never said he could beat up Mohammad Ali, well yeah he did. Variety is a part of Penske Media Corporation. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is now playing in theaters. Assuming Polly is correct, Tarantino may have either misread the passage originally or be misremembering Lee's description. The French Normandy-style house where the murders took place was destroyed in 1994. A closer look at the early rise of the beloved iconic three-time boxing champion. Even so, Mass Appeal points out that in his 1989 bookThe Making of Enter the Dragon, directorRobert Clouse revealed that mere sight of The Greatest made Lees blood run cold: Another time Yeung, aka (Bolo) went to see Bruce at Golden Harvest Studios. For a man who is not as titanic as Tyson or Ali, he landed punches that clocked 190 km/h. Muhammad Ali would win, because Bruce Lee was an actor and not actually an athlete. Enter the Dragon director Clouse, who worked closely with Lee for the 1973 cult classic, revealed that the Hong Kong-American former actor opened up about the outcome of the fight. I saw it in Thailand. Muhammad Ali's Bodyguard Challenged Bruce Lee to a Fight Then This Happened BruceLeeRealFight 1.2M views 2 years ago Life is really short- Muhammad Ali Deepak Shastri 102K views 4. Lee passed away in 1973 at the age of 32. On the night of Aug. 8, Tate, 26, who was 8 months pregnant, had friends staying with her, including celebrity hair stylist and ex-boyfriend Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch); Abigail Folger (Samantha Robinson), an heir to the Folger coffee family; and Abigail's boyfriend, Voytek Frykowski (Costa Ronin). Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. Have you seen kickboxing? Bruce was looking into the mirror, alongside Ali. That said, the only way Bruce Lee could theoretically beat him is if he embraced more grappling techniques and avoided trading blows. MUHAMMAD ALI was once stood up by Elvis Presley - who turned up "drunk or high" at 4am to watch the boxing legend in a sparring session. "Everybody says I must fight Ali some day." To credit this as a mixed martial arts event, as some do, is overpraise. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. (Muhammad) Alis theory is to picture hitting a fly with a swatter.. Tarantino takes liberties in depicting the actions of the Manson followers (which we will not spoil). His name is Matthew Polly, and he's cool, and we spoke to him in June. If I say Cliff can beat Bruce Lee up, he's a fictional character, so he could beat Bruce Lee up.". While fighting, Ali constantly moved his feet around, making it difficult to determine what he was going to do next. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Enter the Sweepstakes and receive the RockMerch newsletter with exclusive product discounts. In June 1976, he ventured to Japan to take on a famous wrestler named Antonio Inoki. "Everything you see there is the real Musso & Frank's," says Schuler. With that in mind, Lee started training with LeBell as both men developed a friendship that would last until Lee's death in 1973. What would Ali have made of Lee? Cliff is not part of the sport that is like combat, he is a warrior. The central story of the film which marks Tarantino's biggest box-office debut, earning $40 million opening weekend is set amid true Hollywood landmarks and involves very real stars, ranging from Bruce Lee (Mike Moh) to Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). "Look at my hand," he said. Almost 8,000 miles away, in Deer Lake, Pennsylvania, Muhammad Ali was training hard to avenge his second professional defeat. Game of Death co-stars Dan Inosanto and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who were students of Lee, discussed Ali with their master on several occasions and the fluency of his footwork was what always caught Lees eye. If you ask me the question, Who would win in a fight: Bruce Lee or Dracula? Its the same question. But more than 40 years later, Lee vs. Ali is still a debate that peoplelove to have. Hed kill me. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Here's how the fighting style of martial arts legend Bruce Lee was influenced by the moves of heavyweight boxing champion Muhammad Ali. Muhammad Ali and Bruce Lee never met. Alright? Far from being insulted or intimidated by Gene LeBell's attempt to put him in his place, Bruce Lee took it as a learning experience. Our editorial content is not influenced by any commissions we receive. The world is mentally preparing for Ali's funeral in Louisville, Ky. on Friday, but before it takes place, there are going to be a lot of great Ali stories that are told. Bruce Lee was one of the most prominent and influential martial artists, an actor, movie producer, martial art instructor, and creator of Jeet Kune Do. Whatever the outcome, the Battle of Icons wouldve been one hell of an event. . But in a devastating twist of fate, the Hong Kong actor didn't live to see his big breakout moment. In December 1939, his parents went to Chinatown, San Francisco in California for an international opera tour. The tale unfolds during the turbulent summer of 1969, when Tate's horrifying murder dominated headlines. "The documentary showed Ali in several of his fights. With the grim news today that Muhammad Ali has been placed on life support, . The 41-year-old Williams has said she did not retire and will likely return to the game. In these 1967 bouts, the now-famous Lee uses the techniques of Jeet . The two became friends and frequently discussed the martial arts, and Rhee wound up teaching a few taekwondo kicks to Bruce Lee. He admires combat, and boxing is a closer approximation of combat as a sport. He probably wouldn't have stood a chance. "Bruce Lee was my friend and teacher," he explained. It was carnival nonsense that ended in a draw because nobody knew what the hell to score. The KO technique Muhammad Ali learned from a taekwondo master, who learned it from Bruce Lee Muhammad Ali's head coach for the bout in which he earned his last KO was The Father of American Taekwondo, Jhoon Rhee, who taught him a punch he learned from Bruce Lee. 1,386 663. How Bruce Lee's Fighting Style Was Inspired By Muhammad Ali (& Why), How Bruce Lee's One-Inch Punch Really Works, Every Actor Bruce Lee Trained In Hollywood, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish Set Up Shrek 5 Entirely By Accident, Why Obi-Wan Didnt Use Force Speed To Save Qui-Gon Jinn From Darth Maul. "When Bruce Lee kicks, you don't shut your eyes because when you shut your eyes, you can't see Bruce Lee kick," mentioned Chan, who couldn't shut his eyes for some time. After watching a lot of Alis fights, Bruce Lee actually admitted that he would lose to Ali if they ever came to blows [via Complex]. What Bruce Lee is talking about in the whole thing is that he admires warriors. Critics, including Inosanto, took umbrage with the scenes depiction of a stuntman holding his own against the Enter the Dragon actor, at one point catching Lees kick and throwing him into a car. Total 29,751 days. Lee then challenges the stuntman to a best-of-three fight that ultimately ends in a draw when a stunt coordinator(Zoe Bell)angrily puts a stop to the "friendly contest.". Many people close to Lee have raised concerns about the portrayal in this film. And then we remembered something important: We know Bruce Lee's biographer. . Bruce Lee was 5'8 130lbs while Ali was 6'3 215lbs. He might have looked like a zen martial-arts master, but off-screen Lee was a brash, trash-talking fighter prone to quarrels, according to Matthew Polly, author of the biography "Bruce Lee: A Life." In fact, Complex reported that Lee once said that Ali would kill him if the two ever fought. The size difference between the two was enormous. Bruce was looking into the mirror, moving along with Ali. And it was apparently a conversation that Lee himself had with one of his directors. If i want to learn how to punch jabs, uppercuts, cross, etc., i would ask Ali to teach me that. The two are neck and neck in the third round when the fight is broken up. "Muhammad Ali Unfiltered: Rare, Iconic, and Officially Authorized Photos of the Greatest", p.118, Simon and Schuster 180 Copy quote So if Cliff were fighting Bruce Lee in a martial arts tournament in Madison Square Garden, Bruce Lee would kill him. "Bruce Lee was mainly Wing Chun, combined with Muhammad Ali-style boxing," Chan said. I'm getting to know how he thinks and moves. A clip of the training is shown in the film. 2023 IndieWire Media, LLC. NEW YORK (AP) Sunday studio estimates say the gonzo R-rated horror comedy "Cocaine Bear" sniffed up $23.1 million in its opening weekend, while Marvel's "Ant-Man and the Wasp . Did he have a good engine in a fight? Western boxing was a part of Lees game but he was no world champion and the weight differential makes such a matchup ludicrous to the point of being insulting. Bruce set up a wide full-length mirror to reflect Ali's image from the screen. Muhammad Ali is arguably one of the greatest boxers of all time, known for his speed and agility in the ring. At 6-foot-3 and 210 pounds in his prime, Ali looked like he could easily clobber the 5-foot-7, 145-pound martial artist master with a single heavyweight punch. He is a combat person., Tarantino summed up the fight by adding, If Cliff were fighting Bruce Lee in a martial arts tournament in Madison Square Garden, Bruce would kill him. Ali was world heavyweight champion at the time and Bruce saw him as the greatest fighter of them all. On the other hand, Bruce Lee was a martial artist, a discipline known for its intricate techniques and strategies. Bruces right hand followed Alis right hand, Alis left foot followed Bruces left foot. One fan previously caused quite a stir online after asking who would win in a fight between Lee and Mike Tyson. Quentin Tarantino broke his silence on the backlash to Once Upon a Time in Hollywood during the films recent Moscow press conference. What Bruce Lee is talking about in the whole thing? Personally, I feel that Benny Urquidez, a legendary multi-weight world champion in full-contact martial arts, would have been too much for Lee. Lee is introduced holding court for everyone who will listen, bragging that he could beat boxing champ Cassius Clay, a.k.a. Quentin Tarantino responded to criticisms of the arrogant portrayal of Bruce Lee in his latest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, claiming that it isnt so inaccurate after all. "Bruce revered Cassius Clay; he never claimed he could beat the champ," says Polly. Im getting to know how he thinks and moves. Bruce knew he could never win a fight against Ali Look at my hand, he said. Then you've got the crux of the film an alternate-history reimagining of what would have happened if someone was able to stop Charles Manson and his Family from murdering actress Sharon Tate and several others on August 9, 1969. Your destination for the best boxing news, videos and live streams! Inosanto said, He was never, in my opinion, cocky. But if Cliff and Bruce Lee were fighting in the jungles of the Philippines in a hand-to-hand combat fight, Cliff would kill him.". Im getting to know how he thinks and moves. Bruce knew he could never win a fight against Ali. "What Bruce Lee is talking about in the whole thing is that he admires warriors. Lee studied his fights intensely with the intention of getting to know how he thinks and moves. And the UFC, meanwhile, might still be a barely-regulated promotion with fighters specializing in only one style, as opposed to the mixed martial arts (emphasis on mixed) juggernaut it is today. Could Cliff beat up Bruce Lee? Lee's global popularity is matched by only one other person, Inosanto says. One Winner will receive $500 in FREE authentic, licensed, Rock Music Merchandise from RockMerch. It's a fictional character. One of the most famous fighters of this generation once gave her thoughts on the matter of Bruce Lee vs. Muhammad Ali. Interviews with leading film and TV creators about their process and craft. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. I mean, no finesse.. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. The . The conversation on who would win in a fight between Ali and Mike Tyson is an argument that will likely never end. On September 10, Ali scored a close split-decision victory at The Forum in Inglewood, California, which is only a half hours drive from Graumans (now TCL) Chinese Theater, where Enter the Dragon had premiered 22 days earlier. 4 In the Season 4 episode "Smoke," Mike chimes in to the break room discussion about who would beat whom in a fight, Bruce Lee or Muhammad Ali, by asking whether Bruce Lee had a gun. Photo by AP. In this scene, Booth takes exception to Lee's claim that he can "cripple" Muhammad Ali if they ever got the chance to duke it out. Its a fictional character. In 1972, Lee appeared on the Dick Cavett Show alongside Ali and gave glowing praise of his martial arts ability. He is a combat person., Tarantino concluded, If Cliff were fighting Bruce Lee in a martial arts tournament in Madison Square Garden, Bruce would kill him. ", The Incident That Inspired The Bruce Lee Scene In Once Upon A Time In Hollywood.