Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave (aka The Stranger aka Visitor of America) (1976)

[Guest Markgway]

It's rubbish created by the American distributor. They took a Korean film and repackaged it. They probably saw Lenzi's name in a magazine once... lol

[shukocarl]

Lenzi's supposed involvment in Bruce Lee Fights Back From The Grave has been a long time persisitent rumor that has never really been confirmed. Don't think there's ever been any hard evidence to support or discredit it.

I'm sure there was an interview with Umberto Lenzi about this film and he had no knowledge about it at all. It was in Fighting Stars magazine WAY before it was re-packaged as Bruce Lee Fights Back from the Grave under it's original title THE STRANGER.

[Killer Meteor]

The Lenzi credit is only on the poster. The actual film, at least the one that made it to video, just sticks the new intro and title card onto the exisiting HK based English dub. You'd think they'd have redubbed it so the hero was called Bruce!

The video print ends with an Aquarius copyright of 1980, for what it's worth.

The Korean release date is give as 1976, but the music for the English dub must have been done later as it features music from 1977's Rollercoaster. Also, the dub has the characters as Chinese, when the visual evidence repeatedly shows the hero and villian are both from Korea.

Awesome movie, love it!

[Secret Executioner]

The Lenzi credit is only on the poster. The actual film, at least the one that made it to video, just sticks the new intro and title card onto the exisiting HK based English dub. You'd think they'd have redubbed it so the hero was called Bruce!

The video print ends with an Aquarius copyright of 1980, for what it's worth.

The Korean release date is give as 1976, but the music for the English dub must have been done later as it features music from 1977's Rollercoaster. Also, the dub has the characters as Chinese, when the visual evidence repeatedly shows the hero and villian are both from Korea.

Awesome movie, love it!

I'm not sure the lead character actually has a name in the movie (the summary on the cover says he's called Wong ?) but I'll check out my copy for that Aquarius copyright. I know it has the English dub and features the alternate opening sequence with lightning striking Bruce Lee's grave.

Concerning the nationality of the characters and the place where it is set, all I have to say is that it is one HUGE mess. I've read somewhere it was set in Los Angeles, one of its alternative French titles refers to Las Vegas (and to Bruce Lee) and the several gweilos present in this picture don't help.

I have a hard time with this one but I must say it has its moments. The fight on the parking lot with the guy trying to rape the lead female is nice - I especially like the guy's "Damn you". The fight on the boxing ring is quite nice too, especially the part where he pulls off a piece of the guy's (fake) beard. Gets me every time.

[Killer Meteor]

I'm not sure the lead character actually has a name in the movie (the summary on the cover says he's called Wong ?) but I'll check out my copy for that Aquarius copyright. I know it has the English dub and features the alternate opening sequence with lightning striking Bruce Lee's grave.

Concerning the nationality of the characters and the place where it is set, all I have to say is that it is one HUGE mess. I've read somewhere it was set in Los Angeles, one of its alternative French titles refers to Las Vegas (and to Bruce Lee) and the several gweilos present in this picture don't help.

I have a hard time with this one but I must say it has its moments. The fight on the parking lot with the guy trying to rape the lead female is nice - I especially like the guy's "Damn you". The fight on the boxing ring is quite nice too, especially the part where he pulls off a piece of the guy's (fake) beard. Gets me every time.

The character is called Wong Han, and we see him stepping off a Korean Air Lines flight, and in a flashback fighting at a dojo where his outfit has Korea written on the back.

According to the dub, it's Los Angeles. I assume it was actually filmed there.

The box of the UK VHS claims the film features Dan Inosanto and gives the plot synopsis from Exit The Dragon, Enter The Tiger!

[Secret Executioner]

The character is called Wong Han, and we see him stepping off a Korean Air Lines flight, and in a flashback fighting at a dojo where his outfit has Korea written on the back.

I knew I had seen Korea-related stuff but couldn't remember what.

The box of the UK VHS claims the film features Dan Inosanto and gives the plot synopsis from Exit The Dragon, Enter The Tiger!

The UK VHS sure got a lot of stuff wrong.

[mpm74]

I think I read somewhere that the connection Umberto Lenzi had with the movie is the trailer (where they show Bruce popping out of the grave). Could be wrong.

Maybe Sho Kosugi will know?

[Secret Executioner]

Seems to be like Umberto Lenzi directing Bruce Lee Fights Back From The Grave: a myth or some kind of urban legend.

[Chinatown Kid]

Umberto Lenzi did direct it but disguised his name as Doo Yong Lee

[Secret Executioner]

Umberto Lenzi did direct it but disguised his name as Doo Yong Lee

I KNEW IT !!! I knew this Italian director, in the middle of filming a couple of horror/cannibal movies, could have found the time to direct some rubbish Bruceploitation flick - I say rubbish because it's a horrible movie, but for some reason, I find something fascinating in this film and I can't help but try and watch it again and again.

To quote a Black Sabbath song off their 1975 masterpiece called Sabotage: am I going insane ?

[Killer Meteor]

Umberto Lenzi did direct it but disguised his name as Doo Yong Lee

No he didn't. It's a Korean film directed by Doo Yong Lee, who later made at least one film with Linda Blair. It's clearly an Asian production, not a Euro one.

The Lenzi confusion comes from the US poster credited direction to one "Bert Lenzi"

[Chinatown Kid]

Oh, well excuse me then. I was simply going by the review in the book VideoHounds Dragon Asian Movie Reviews that states that.

[Killer Meteor]

Oh, well excuse me then. I was simply going by the review in the book VideoHounds Dragon Asian Movie Reviews that states that.

Sorry, I think I came across rude there

[KUNG FU BOB]

No he didn't. It's a Korean film directed by Doo Yong Lee, who later made at least one film with Linda Blair. It's clearly an Asian production, not a Euro one.

The Lenzi confusion comes from the US poster credited direction to one "Bert Lenzi"

Ah, that's where that rumor came from? That makes sense.

Oh, well excuse me then. I was simply going by the review in the book VideoHounds Dragon Asian Movie Reviews that states that.

I saw the same info in there bro. I think it's a fun book, but I also remember noticing some mistakes too.

Here's a little story about that book... One day I was hanging out with my second Mom (she was way too awesome to be called "mother-in-law") and I was reading that book, which my wife had picked up for me. Mom was losing a battle to cancer and we were taking care of her at her apartment with the help of visiting nurses. She woke up and asked what I was reading. I told her and she laughed. She thought my obsessive interest in Asian films was perplexing, but she never looked down on it. She asked if I would read some of it to her! So I picked out some of the craziest/funniest plotted films to read to her, and it was wonderful to hear her laughing. She even accused me of making them up just to get her to laugh, but I showed her them in the book. She had one of the top five best laughs I ever heard. After that, she asked me if I could show her some of these "crazy guys". So the next day I showed her clips from the films of Bruce Lee, Sonny Chiba (she said "Oh my! He's really a crazy one, isn't he?"), Cheng Pei Pei, and Michelle Yeoh. So at 83 years old, she saw Bruce Lee for the first and last time. Now whenever I look at that book, I always think fondly of Mom and those two particular days.

[Chinatown Kid]

Sorry, I think I came across rude there

No need to apologize brother, I wasn't offended. Just wanted to let you know it was the book that had the misinformation in it. And yeah Bob I figured I probably wasn't the only one on here that owned that book BTW, that's a great and touching story about your mother in law man, almost got choked up as it reminded me of some of my loved ones that's passed away too. Talking about review books, I even have the one co-wrote by Meyers called The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Films, hate to even think of the mistakes probably in that one.....

[KUNG FU BOB]

Chinatown Kid said:

BTW, that's a great and touching story about your mother in law man, almost got choked up as it reminded me of some of my loved ones that's passed away too..

Her spirit lives on, but man, I sure wish I could give her a hug again.

Sometimes I forget: it's good to remember loved ones that have passed on, as long as we don't dwell in sadness.

Chinatown Kid said:

Talking about review books, I even have the one co-wrote by Meyers called The Encyclopedia of Martial Arts Films, hate to even think of the mistakes probably in that one.....

You want a good laugh? When I heard about that book I went searching, but it was OOP. I found a place that had it- missing the jacket cover- and wanted $75.00 for it. I paid it. And back then, that much cash was worth considerably more than it is now! This was back before I knew any better... Still... it does have some good info in it. It's not as if it was all just made up. LOL Yep, the big red book is still on my shelf as well.

[Secret Executioner]

KFB: that is one great post here. Very beautiful story.

Oh, well excuse me then. I was simply going by the review in the book VideoHounds Dragon Asian Movie Reviews that states that.

I thought you were being sarcastic, hence my reply to your message. This matter has been discussed in the past on here though - I remember opening a thread on this subject after I saw stuff on the Web about this film being directed by Umberto Lenzi and I wanted to be sure as no Umberto Lenzi filmography I found mentionned this little gem.

[Cold Bishop]

Bruno Mattei maybe, but Lenzi generally had some talent which made his schlock better than contemporaries. I'd find it hard to believe he'd be attached to that film even without verification.

[Killer Meteor]

Bruno Mattei maybe, but Lenzi generally had some talent which made his schlock better than contemporaries. I'd find it hard to believe he'd be attached to that film even without verification.

I have a genuine love for Bruce Lee Fights Back From The Grave.

As for Mattei vs Lenzi...I much prefer Mattei's Zombie Creeping Flesh over Lenzi's Nightmare City.

[One Armed Boxer]

Here's the entry at the Korean Movie Database, along with some of the original Korean posters and lobby cards for the movie - 

 

http://www.kmdb.or.kr/eng/vod/vod_basic.asp?nation=K&p_dataid=02993#url

 

[Secret Executioner]

Great finds there, OAB.  

[DragonClaws]

The copy I had on VHS was so dark and worn out that its strange to see such clear sharp images from the film. Worth watching just to see the mad taxi drivers face after Bruce K.L Lea smashes the car window with his foot.

Edited November 9, 2015 by DragonClaws

[AlbertV]

Lee Doo-Yong was an actual Korean director. He reunited with Jun Chong (aka Bruce KL Lea) in 1988 as the director of Silent Assassins, which starred Chong, Sam "Flash Gordon" Jones, Linda Blair, and Phillip Rhee.

[mpm74]

OAB.... awesome posters, man. Gotta love these Korean posters. just as magical as Japanese one-sheets!

[Jesse Smooth]

*Spoiler?* Korean actor Bae Su Choen (villain in the Bruce Le movies shot in Korea) plays a good guy.