Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman August 12, 2023

In the vein of Everything Everywhere All At Once, could it be that Arrow Video and Shout! Factory are actually "each other" in alternate universes? Of course that's said in jest, but considering the following facts. Arrow has given martial arts fans holiday presents of a kind for two years running with Shawscope Volume One and Shawscope Volume Two, and Shout! is now starting to trot out their own collections with Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume One, Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume Two, and Shaw Brothers Classics: Volume Three. There's also a corollary if reversed situation in that Shout! released Bruce Lee: The Legacy Collection years ago and now Arrow is following suit with its own collection, all of which may give credence to my obviously whimsical proposition. (For purposes of this obviously joking comparison, we're just going to flat out ignore Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits from Criterion, as well as any number of other releases in various regions that have come out through the years.) As Bruce Lee fans in particular will probably know, the Shout! release of Lee films was afflicted with so many problems that it was actually recalled (more than once, kind of humorously), resulting in me having to revisit some of the films several times as Shout! attempted to remedy various problems (I got a downright hilarious private message from our site administrator at one point with this hilarious photo of a train wreck when the second or third recall was announced). One can only hope that the Arrow release doesn't encounter that series of unfortunate events (I think we would know by now if it had any major issues), but it's another really stunning collection from the label, with generally secure technical merits and some outstanding supplements, along with some handsome deluxe packaging.

For reviews of the films in this set, please click on the following links (as some individual reviews will get into, some of the films are spread over more than one disc with variant versions, and the two documentaries about Lee are offered on one disc):

The Big Boss Blu-ray review

Fist of Fury Blu-ray review

The Way of the Dragon Blu-ray review

Enter the Dragon Blu-ray review

Game of Death Blu-ray review

Game of Death II Blu-ray review

Bruce Lee: The Man and the Legend Blu-ray review

Bruce Lee, the Legend Blu-ray review

Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Video quality is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Audio quality is assessed in the above linked reviews.

Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Supplements on each disc are detailed in the above linked reviews. Additionally, this is an incredibly handsomely packaged set from Arrow, with individual DigiPacks for the discs held in a box that measures approximately 5 3/4" wide x 7 1/4" high x 5" deep. The box also encloses a fascinating and nicely designed 200 page hardback book full of writing by several notables, 24 lobby card reproductions, 10 glossy photos of Bruce Lee, and a reversible poster with vintage poster artwork.

Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Arrow has delighted fans of the Shaw Brothers with their Shawscope releases, and my hunch is Bruce Lee fans will have the same general reaction to this collection. Despite Bruce Lee's formidable reputation, his filmography is obviously limited and there are definitely some general quality variances at play in terms of storytelling and acting acumen, but even given those niggling qualms, Arrow has collected a staggering array of versions of these films, along with a mind blowing selection of supplements and non disc swag. Technical merits are generally solid, and Bruce Lee at Golden Harvest comes Highly recommended.