Overlooking the occasionally distracting ADR work, dialogue reproduction is also outstanding with precise, intelligible vocals in the center. S. Video Version (HD, 95 min) is the original cut for the VHS release, which replaces most of the Enter the Dragon outtakes with alternative shots of Lee from other films.

On the other hand, the look and inconsistency actually add to the presentation's appeal, as it gives the cult martial arts favorite that old-school grindhouse charm. A quick glance at the internet out there will show copious comparisons between previous releases and colour gradings that I can’t add anything to unfortunately. Watching all of these back-to-back, it posits an interesting conundrum - as a set of films, they do not seem to warrant Lee’s place in cinema history: some of them clumsily put together, with amateurish and derivative plotting and acting, with Lee’s admittedly excellent fight skills only really being shown in the final acts of, well, all of them. Fist of Fury (1972) takes a similar narrative but amps up both the revenge and the political angles, introducing the overt racial tension between China and Japan during the early 1900s. During production, however, Lee finally got given the chance to make a Hollywood movie, with the Golden Harvest, Concord and Warner Bros.Others made the most of this unprecedented fame though and countless imitators jumped on the ‘Brucesploitation’ bandwagon.

Except for a few soft, blurry moments, which is understandable and expected for a fifty-plus-year-old production, the native 4K transfer is highly detailed with sharp, clean lines along buildings and in the streets, showing that the source remains in terrific condition. As he grew up, Lee was trained in martial arts by his father, who taught him Tai-Chi, and Wong Shun-leung, a student of Master Yip (or Ip) Man, who taught him Wing Chun. and yet upon its premiere in Hong Kong, the crowd erupted over it and Lee, instantly recognising the birth of a major star. It’s a jaw-dropping release for fans of Lee, one which showcases an entire cinematic legacy, not just a set of films, and one which is going to be hard to beat by anyone in the physical media game.The two have different approaches, with Ying-Chieh’s fights being more traditional, whilst Lee’s tear up the rule book. With its follow-up, Fist of Fury, Lee was allowed to co-produce, giving him more say on what went into the film. Lee asserted his artistic independence by directing, writing and starring in The Way of the Dragon, arguably his most thrilling and personal film.

In later close ups, we almost get there with some decent textural complexity and relatively sharp lines on show (Norris’ chest hair is still nicely clear!

Along with a double-sided poster for The Big Boss and The Way of the Dragon, there is an assortment of ten glossy, black-and-white photos of Lee in iconic poses and twenty-four lobby-style postcards for all four films. The classes for these gained traction and he could charge a lot for them, leading to him taking on a number of famous students, including Steve McQueen and James Coburn.