DYNAMO
- AKA: Bu ze Shou duan (Chinese title)
- Year: 1978/1979
- Run Time: 91 mins/ 90 mins/ USA 81 mins
- Director: Yi Hwa His, I-Jung Hua (aka Wa Yat Wang aka Hua I Jung)
- Writer: Chin Wei Lin (aka Lam Chin-Wai)
- Producer: Wu Gown / Pal Ming
- Martial Arts Choreography: Yuen Cheung Lung
- Starring: Bruce Li (Lee Tien Yee), Mary Han (Ma Li Han), Chow Li Chun, James Griffiths, Feng Ku (aka Guk Fung aka Ku Feng), Lee Hoi San, Chin Ku Lu, Steve Sanders, Joseph Soto, Liu Tan, George Yirikian - George V. Yirikian, Dana, Peter Chan Lung, Kong Do, Chang Tao, Chang Kung, Angel Reid, Chia Hua, Mao Ku
Description: Before the Matrix, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Charlie’s Angels the Yuen Clan directed superstar Bruce Li in his best role ever, Dynamo. Li is hired by a film company to replace Bruce Lee as the number 1star in martial arts films. But others don’t agree, and the fight is on. Kung Fu is king, and the Yuen’s have got it! You can get it too with the Yuen family collection!
Comments/Critique: Dynamo is one of the last films in which we see Bruce Li impersonate Bruce Lee, and I think Bruce Li’s feeling towards his established, copied, Bruce Lee type persona at the time of Dynamo’s making is hinted in the film. After Dynamo, Bruce Li reverted to his real name; Ho Chung Tao, and tried to correct all the mistakes he saw in Dynamo by making his masterpiece; ’Chinese Stuntman’. Ho Chung Tao (Bruce Li) also went on to star in such great films as ’Iron Dragon Strikes Back’ and ’Deadly Strike’.
Personally I have to say; Dynamo unfortunately has very dodgy English dubbing, despite other reviewer’s opinions that I have read.
Bruce Li starts out as being a cab driver in the film, until he’s finally noticed for his resemblance to Bruce Lee in both his appearance and cab driving Kung Fu ability. Dynamo is set at the time of Bruce Lee’s memorial and there are frequent references to the amount of media coverage etc After Bruce Li is hired to be the new star of martial arts movies, he astounds film crew and director with his skill (complete with thumbing of nose).
Sometimes the combination of Dynamo’s poor English dubbing and poor picture quality often result in screen action being easily missed and plot being easily misunderstood.
The film progresses and the film company who are now employing Bruce Li’s talents hire a trainer to train Bruce Li. Thus we are introduced to Chow who is clearly a hard drinker and adds an element of classic Kung Fu to the film. The actor who plays Chow is a great actor and I recognise him out of other various Kung Fu films such as ‘Seven Steps Of Kung Fu’.
Bruce Li dons classic yellow and black attire to train (i.e. ‘Game Of Death’). There is an odd switch to a dream sequence (which apparently are scenes from another film spliced with Dynamo) in which Bruce Li is replaced by another Bruce Lee look-alike (who looks quite a bit like Dragon Lee) in a fight sequence. Is this Bruce Li’s character dreaming about Bruce Lee?
The Yuen clan use some suspect camera angles in the film however the choreography is pretty good and is rumoured to be choreographed by one of the Yens as well (who also worked with Bruce Li in ’The Man, The Myth’).
Bruce Li displays he is in great physical shape for this film. In the film, a rival film company continue to try and kill Li. For example; there is a great ski sequence (the only snow/ski sequence in Brice Li’s Bruceploitation career) that is similar to a scene in a James Bond film complete with two toned designer ski wear. Indeed, Dynamo is a very international film and takes place in Hong Kong, Korea, Japan and the United States.
In the film’s plot, the rival film company (Pacific Agency) puts on a tournament to finish Li once and for all, and they hire a Kung Fu expert (Jim Clark). There is then a final showdown fight between Li’s character and Jim Clark where it’s very clear that some stunt doubles have been used who look nothing like Bruce Li or the actor portraying Jim Clark.
Dynamo has been heavily edited and apparently there are numerous scenes of violence and nudity that have been left out of the film. I personally don’t believe Dynamo is among Bruce Li’s best films. However it’s very interesting and quite entertaining.
Review by: Tame.
