BRUCE LEE: DRAGON – The Ultimate Limited Edition

(2 customer reviews)

£295.00

In constructing this book, I pondered the task ahead in a somewhat modified mindset compared to the preparation undertaken with the previous two volumes, ‘Bruce Lee: Mandarin Superstar’ and ‘Bruce Lee: The Intercepting Fist.’
These two books undoubtedly set a precedent regarding east-west research and collaboration, which created a better understanding of Bruce Lee from a multicultural perspective for the first time. With this next volume in the series, the danger of raking over ‘old coals’ (having already recounted this period in my book, ‘Bruce Lee: Legends of the Dragon’) initially sat at the forefront of my mind. But then it soon dawned upon me that a more comprehensive and detailed volume was undoubtedly needed to continue hot on the heels of the books mentioned above.
With a corresponding obsession (akin, or in comparison to a significant criminal investigation), Darren Chua and I began intensive detective work in a bid to gain that much-needed justification. With a wealth of unearthed material and information from previously untapped Chinese language sources and eyewitness accounts, a realisation of a bigger and better treasure source promptly manifested itself. Between April 1972 and the post-production of ‘Way of the Dragon’ in August, Bruce Lee travelled halfway around the world and continued to impress a watchful Hollywood hierarchy.
With a sensory perception akin to a predator in the wild, Lee would now sense international recognition within his reach. A poster displaying vultures overlooking a barren landscape that hung on his office wall around this period had undoubtedly echoed that sentiment with the heading, ‘Patience my ass, I’m gonna kill something,’ – a foregone conclusion as far as Lee was now concerned. Lee’s drive to produce the ultimate movie on martial arts had festered since his initial attempt with the Silent Flute project several years earlier. He had also consciously decided to work behind the camera, giving far more control over script, direction, and overall production alongside new partner Raymond Chow and their production company, Concord.
His recent failure in early 1972 to entice Warner Brothers into a co-production with ‘Green Bamboo Warrior,’ a lavish yet costly period-style production, became a realisation of financial concern and a lost opportunity to star in an international movie. This, and a near decision to work under the directorial guise of Lo Wei on a third collaboration, had caused a rethink regarding personal goals and direction.
For a determined Bruce Lee, this gave reason to prove his worth in the director’s chair with not only a more affordable project but one that would take him halfway around the world under not only his own terms but one that would give him free rein to finally in cinematic terms, totally express himself.
– Steve Kerridge
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Description

BRUCE LEE: DRAGON – THE ULTIMATE LIMITED EDITION
Foreword by LINDA LEE CADWELL

Hand-signed and numbered by the author

Limited to only 200 copies – never to be reprinted in this beautiful collectors hardback edition.

This exclusive deluxe hardback is bound in ’Tang’ green cloth and featuring a centralised emboss/deboss matt/gloss foiled ‘Concord Productions’ logo with red/gold leaf title.


This beautifully produced masterpiece will be presented in a matching deluxe ’Tang’ green cloth slipcase with accompanied gold leaf emblem and debossed logo.

The casebound 400 plus page contents are presented on the highest 150gsm thread sewn uncoated quality art paper, complete with a unique gold gilded edge.

 

BONUS GIFT: Reproduction of the rare poster the artist made for Bruce Lee that hung on the wall in his Cumberland Road house

To obtain your copy, we will be opening our pre-orders on July 1st with the release date mid-November 2024

We are now offering PayPal – Pay in 3 instalments ( certain regions/ countries, Paypal do not provide the instalment option. This is a Paypal terms and conditions, not bruceleeforever.com)

2 reviews for BRUCE LEE: DRAGON – The Ultimate Limited Edition

  1. Stephen Flint (verified owner) –

    This book charts Bruce Lee’s life between April and August 1972, principally focusing on the pre-production and filming of his movie Way of the Dragon. It follows Bruce from the audition sessions, his filming on location in Italy and his return to Hong Kong to finish the movie.

    At a whopping 400 pages plus, this is a fascinating and definitive account, chock full of facts, many being recounted here for the first time, and stacks of photographs. It is a book that can be read front to back but is also perfect for dipping into.

    There are so many photos of Bruce out there on the internet that it is impossible to say how many appear in this book for the first time. Similarly, author Steve Kerridge has already released two accounts of the filming of Way of the Dragon – the original 2 book series Legends of the Dragon and the revised single volume of the same title.

    However, to my mind, Bruce Lee Dragon is a must-have for any fan interested in the man or his movies. It is the equivalent of a fly-on-the-wall documentary of the making of a classic martial arts movie. It expands on Steve Kerridge’s previous books with the introduction of new anecdotes and information- no doubt thanks to co-author Darren Chua’s ability to discover and translate contemporary Hong Kong news and magazine articles.

    The production values of the book are second to none with high quality materials including tang green cloth cover and heavy paper with gold edges. The images within are clean and sharp, with sympathetic restoration ensuring consistent quality. There’s no false ai image nonsense here.

    Any criticism is purely of the nitpicking kind. The text is small, and readers of a certain age may find themselves with their noses literally within the pages. Also, for such a well researched book, there is no bibliography, although sources are often cited within the text itself. Finally, a ribbon book mark would have rounded things off nicely.

    The £295 price point is very high, but the level of research and production quality justify the investment. The forthcoming softcover version (available to pre-order from 1 October 2025) promises an affordable alternative whilst retaining high production values.

    Whichever version you get hold of, Bruce Lee Dragon offers fans the chance to be transported back to 1972 to share the experience of making his seminal movie Way of the Dragon day by day, scene by scene. It’s a pleasure that surfing the internet for photos and info can’t come close to.

    An essential purchase.

  2. stejcool (verified owner) –

    This book charts Bruce Lee’s life between April and August 1972, principally focusing on the pre-production and filming of his movie Way of the Dragon. It follows Bruce from the audition sessions, his filming on location in Italy and his return to Hong Kong to finish the movie.

    At a whopping 400 pages plus, this is a fascinating and definitive account, chock full of facts, many being recounted here for the first time, and stacks of photographs. It is a book that can be read front to back but is also perfect for dipping into.

    There are so many photos of Bruce out there on the internet that it is impossible to say how many appear in this book for the first time. Similarly, author Steve Kerridge has already released two accounts of the filming of Way of the Dragon – the original 2 book series Legends of the Dragon and the revised single volume of the same title.

    However, to my mind, Bruce Lee Dragon is a must-have for any fan interested in the man or his movies. It is the equivalent of a fly-on-the-wall documentary of the making of a classic martial arts movie. It expands on Steve Kerridge’s previous books with the introduction of new anecdotes and information- no doubt thanks to co-author Darren Chua’s ability to discover and translate contemporary Hong Kong news and magazine articles.

    The production values of the book are second to none with high quality materials including tang green cloth cover and heavy paper with gold edges. The images within are clean and sharp, with sympathetic restoration ensuring consistent quality. There’s no false ai image nonsense here.

    Any criticism is purely of the nitpicking kind. The text is small, and readers of a certain age may find themselves with their noses literally within the pages. Also, for such a well researched book, there is no bibliography, although sources are often cited within the text itself. Finally, a ribbon book mark would have rounded things off nicely.

    The £295 price point is very high, but the level of research and production quality justify the investment. The forthcoming softcover version (available to pre-order from 1 October 2025) promises an affordable alternative whilst retaining high production values.

    Whichever version you get hold of, Bruce Lee Dragon offers fans the chance to be transported back to 1972 to share the experience of making his seminal movie Way of the Dragon day by day, scene by scene. It’s a pleasure that surfing the internet for photos and info can’t come close to.

    An essential purchase.

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