Gunz
09-07-2004, 06:04 PM
I just picked this up for $27, and I must say that watching the series triggered all kinds of memories of my youth when I watched it. It reminded me of my fascination for the martial arts, my admiration for the grace and smoothness of practiced combat motions, the inherent respect of youth for elderly, and the general gentility of Asian culture. It shows a polite refinement commonly missing in Western society. I also remember how the redneck cowboys portayed in the show reflect the trouble-seeking rednecks in the real world. It reminded me how I spent my life learning and practicing self-defense methods against such situations. It was just a tv show, but the idea behind the show was a huge step in bridging a racial-cultural evolution. There were a lot of stereotypes at the time to satisfy some studio execs, but on the whole, the show had some good story lines. For a white man, David Carradine looks narrow-eyed enough for the show (he played a half-white Shaolin priest). Throughout the series, he was the "Chinaman." The show related enough Western lore to associate the contribution migrant Chinese workers contributed towards the Western frontier with their blood, sweat, and tears to make the railroad. I wonder how the show would have turned out if Bruce Lee were actually casted instead of Carradine. Bruce Lee's English dialogue was not very clear in "Enter the Dragon."