Enter the Dragon vs. Seven Samurai
- Enter the Dragon (61%, 14 Votes)
- Seven Samurai (39%, 9 Votes)
Total Voters: 23
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Enter the Dragon vs. Seven Samurai (votes needed)
Well, we have made it down to the final four! In this semi-final match-up, I will provide a short (spoiler free) comparison of Enter the Dragon and Seven Samurai. For the full run-down on Enter the Dragon and Seven Samurai, click on the links. It goes without saying that these are both classic martial arts films in their own right, and whichever you chose, you won’t be wrong.
On one hand we have Akira Kurosawa’s 1954 classic Seven Samurai. Kurosawa presents us with an epic tale of a group of ronin who work together to defend a poor village from roving bandits. On the other, we have Bruce Lee’s masterpiece of a lone warrior sent to single combat against some of the world’s best, while on his own mission. But as we learned in Highlander, there can be only one – and it’s up to you, valued reader, to choose!
The Fighting
While there is no doubt that the fight scenes in each of these movies are classic in their own right, they could not be more different. Seven Samurai explores combat on a grand scale. Massive battle scenes with numerous combatants were filmed on a grand, even breathtaking scale. In fact, Seven Samurai set a new bar when it comes to action sequences. Every major action film since owes a debt of gratitude to this film as it changed the way action films were made.
On the other side, Enter the Dragon focuses on showcasing Bruce Lee’s incredible talent. As such, the focus is primarily (though not exclusively) on one-on-one combat. Enter the Dragon treats the viewer to some of the most impressive fight scenes of all time while introducing (American) audiences to a previously little known art form. I’m sure more than a few audience members walked out of the theatre doing their best to imitate Bruce Lee on their friends!
Other Film Elements
There is no doubt that the Seven Samurai was about more than just fight sequences. The film does an excellent job of examining the relationship between the seven ronin who find themselves thrust together to defend the village. It also explores the dynamic between the poor villagers and the men they hired to protect them. Despite the vast class differences, the audience (who, at that time was still reeling from the effects of the Second World War) travels with the characters as they learn to trust and respect each other.
And there can be no doubt about the legacy of Enter the Dragon. As an initial matter, it is one of the more quotable martial arts films I have seen. Not to mention the gentle way it introduced some of Bruce Lee’s more philosophical ideas, such as fighting without fighting. Finally, there is a mountain of anecdotal evidence that this film single-handedly inspired an entire generation of martial artists. Swaths of audience members went home from the film and looked up their closest martial arts school to begin training.
Conclusion
Both of these films are masterpieces in their own right, and leave a legacy in their wake. One relates to the way filmmakers make action movies. The other inspired a whole generation of new martial artists. Our community would not be the same without these movies. But only one can advance to the final round. So please make your choice at the top, and decide which of these classics should move on!
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