Quentin Tarantino on the Bruce Lee "Hollywood" Controversy

Not to defend Bruce as I really didn't mind his portrayal here. However, I'm really curious what the source is for the alleged disrespect he had for US stuntmen. I never ever heard of this. Also QT doesn't really provide any meaningful information as well.

Exactly, what's your source, Quintin? Not actually Matthew Polly's book, read it, don't remember anything about that in there. Tarantino could just say, hey, it's a fictionalized version of Bruce Lee (as has been the Bruce Lee character in every bio film the Lee Estate has backed), don't get your panties in a bunch, but I guess he feels a need to defend his "integrity" as a film maker, so, "everyone knows stuntmen hated Bruce, & Bruce had no respect for stuntmen". Quote a verifiable source, please, Mr.Tarantino. 

12 hours ago, Bruce said:

Exactly, what's your source, Quintin? Not actually Matthew Polly's book, read it, don't remember anything about that in there. Tarantino could just say, hey, it's a fictionalized version of Bruce Lee (as has been the Bruce Lee character in every bio film the Lee Estate has backed), don't get your panties in a bunch, but I guess he feels a need to defend his "integrity" as a film maker, so, "everyone knows stuntmen hated Bruce, & Bruce had no respect for stuntmen". Quote a verifiable source, please, Mr.Tarantino. 

Funny that QT specifically made it US stuntmen. Trying to turn the "racist card" table here I guess. Smart move 

QT looks like animated Riddler 

QT's one of my favorite filmmakers working today, but I'm starting to lose some respect for him.  I certainly didn't like his portrayal of Lee, but I can easily wave it off as part of his alternate history.  After Basterds, it is unreasonable to hold the man to any sort of historical accuracy, that isn't the point of his work.  But now he seems to be pursuing an increasingly hostile revisionist history to justify his own creative decision. 

He could have also avoided all this drama if he'd just utilized a fictionalized actor that didn't die tragically young.  There would have been no outcry if he'd portrayed, say, Eastwood or Connery as having had a bad day and coming to blows.  What with their long lives and careers and all. 

I didn't like how Bruce was played in OUATIH but I think there is some truth to the stuntmen not liking him. According to Van Williams Bruce used to jump up and tik the crew and stuntmen on the ear with his foot. But one time he did it to one of the grips who turned as Bruce kicked, resulting in a broken jaw. That couldn't have gone down well. Gene Lebelle says that Bruce liked him because he'd take some harder falls for him, because the other stuntmen didn't know how to react to Bruce at the time. There's also the story of Bruce taking control of the fight scene direction, and when they all watched the footage it was terrible and unviewable, leaving Bruce red faced and reluctantly agreeing to let the director do his thing. With this in mind I do think that Bruce's Hollywood rep off camera wasn't too great.

I’ve heard from quite a few people that Bruce Lee was an asshole in real life. However some fans raise their heroes on such a high pedestal that sometimes it’s difficult for them to accept any criticism of their heroes. 
 

By the way Hwang Jang Lee was once asked who would win in a real fight between him and Bruce Lee and he simply replied, “2 seconds.”

And as we know, HJK did kill that knife expert in a real fight with one kick. 

Well Shannon Lee went in on QT this week with an interview sounding quite irate.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/shannon-lee-quentin-tarantino-hate-bruce-lee-or-sell-books-1234977088/

2 hours ago, sifu iron perm said:

Well Shannon Lee went in on QT this week with an interview sounding quite irate.

 

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/shannon-lee-quentin-tarantino-hate-bruce-lee-or-sell-books-1234977088/

Yes! Let's blow this whole thing out of proportion. Jesus! What's with the white men anecdote!? Whatever happend of just having a differentiated opinion on a subject. Why does everything immediately have to be about race or what not. Seriously QT might be a dick but where in this interview did he say anything negative about asian americans? It's ridiculous.

3 hours ago, laagi said:

Yes! Let's blow this whole thing out of proportion. Jesus! What's with the white men anecdote!? Whatever happened of just having a differentiated opinion on a subject. Why does everything immediately have to be about race or what not. Seriously QT might be a dick but where in this interview did he say anything negative about asian americans? It's ridiculous.

I think she is also indirectly speaking to Matthew Polly about how Bruce is portrayed both in film and in books.

12 hours ago, sifu iron perm said:

I think she is also indirectly speaking to Matthew Polly about how Bruce is portrayed both in film and in books.

 

Isn't interesting though that Shannon continously acts as if she's the Bruce Lee authority. I mean she was 4 years old when her father tragically passed away. What exactly does she know about him? Other than what he left behind in writing or what not and what friends and family might have told her. So to be honest her own knowledge of her father and his legacy is very limited. 

Also if she doesn't like his portrayal in this or that or which is her right to think QT is a giant dipshit (which honestly he probably is) how about to use one of Bruce's quote "Walk On!".

8 hours ago, laagi said:

how about to use one of Bruce's quote "Walk On!".

Seems like you haven't even read what she wrote, because she mentions exactly THAT at the end of the Article.

I've been a Bruce fan all my life, but could never buy into all the hype and myths about him. I could  see him being a dick off camera, a lot of "artists" are, especially actors. The BS being thrown at Tarantino just makes me believe him more, he's come under fire a few times recently for not bowing to to current Hollywood politics.

16 hours ago, Kwai said:

Seems like you haven't even read what she wrote, because she mentions exactly THAT at the end of the Article.

Yes sir you're right. Here's the actual quote. Let's hope this will be put to rest once and for all. Although unfortunately I doubt it!

Quote

Under the sky, under the heavens, we are one family, Mr. Tarantino, and I think it’s time for both of us to walk on.

I've got quite the temper but I've never done drugs so Lees temper doesn't have to be drug related but that's what people gonna think now :/

I drink too much sodas though , maybe that can fire you up , the sugar

"I’ve heard from quite a few people that Bruce Lee was an asshole in real life"

See that and raise with Wang Yu , Madonna , Hulk Hogan (he's certainly self centered) , Vince McMahon (the man is crazy , lol) , Chevy Chase , HBK ,  and many many more

Burt Ward also comes off as pompous in his book , Reeve was pompous on Superman , Non almost kicked his ass. Arnold S , Seagal

Paluzzi told me Adolfo Celi was a bit pompous but I've heard some people met him and he was okay , maybe he had a good day , dunno

I understand Tarantino wanting to "put over" his character over Bruce Lee in his movie in order to prove a point. But the argument of Bruce Lee been an asshole with the stuntmen doesnt make any sense, specially if he quotes Matthew Polly's book where it clearly said that Bruce Lee was very kind to the stuntmen and an all around good guy on the set. The only problem i remember is Bruce Lee been too intense and stuntmen warning him about it but that didnt scale. Also, i understand that the Gene LeBell thing was more Gene been playfull with Bruce Lee, it wasn't a "fight".

On 7/3/2021 at 9:20 AM, Drunksnake said:

I didn't like how Bruce was played in OUATIH but I think there is some truth to the stuntmen not liking him. According to Van Williams Bruce used to jump up and tik the crew and stuntmen on the ear with his foot. But one time he did it to one of the grips who turned as Bruce kicked, resulting in a broken jaw. That couldn't have gone down well. Gene Lebelle says that Bruce liked him because he'd take some harder falls for him, because the other stuntmen didn't know how to react to Bruce at the time. There's also the story of Bruce taking control of the fight scene direction, and when they all watched the footage it was terrible and unviewable, leaving Bruce red faced and reluctantly agreeing to let the director do his thing. With this in mind I do think that Bruce's Hollywood rep off camera wasn't too great.

I don't think Van Williams was lying in that interview, but I do think he was telling "Bruce Lee stories" & might've embellished bits here & there  to make the stories a little more exciting for the fans. For example, as I recall, he didn't actually say Bruce broke the guy's jaw, he said something to the effect of "I don't know, it might've broken his jaw or something ...", in other words, he was kind of exaggerating for effect. If Bruce had seriously injured someone, particularly someone who was just standing around, it would've come up in interviews with other cast members but no one else ever mentioned such an incident (the actress from the series, I forget her name, did say she initially thought Bruce was younger than her, though they were the same age, because Bruce, with his youthful enthusiasm & playful energy, seemed like a big kid sometimes).

As for the Bruce "taking control of the fight scene direction" story, he certainly wouldn't have been allowed to "direct", but no one else there would've known what Bruce could do, he had to at least help choreograph the fights, the stunt coordinator & director just had to convince him that his more realistic/in close fighting techniques wouldn't "sell" for the camera. Remember, despite Bruce's having had considerable acting experience in Hong Kong dramas, he'd never done any martial arts for film or TV before the Green Hornet show, it was definitely a learning experience for him. None of that adds up to Hollywood stuntmen having "hated" Bruce Lee or him having no respect for them.

I can also imagine that there's some people that now slag off Bruce for their own benefit, similar to those who sell stories of how great Bruce was and how they taught him how to do the one-inch-punch etc. , there's probably those who will realise that the stories have dried up when it comes to profit, so they're giving negative accounts to sell or just get some attention around themselves.

Just a thought.