Foundrywire

NEW YORK, NY—The iconic and masterful Bruce Lee brought martial arts to the masses and broke through the stereotypical portrayal of Asians in American film before his untimely death at the age of 32. Coming off its powerhouse premiere on HISTORY™, A&E Home Entertainment presents HOW BRUCE LEE CHANGED THE WORLD, a raw, behind-the-scenes look into the fascinating, yet abbreviated, life of the legendary film and martial arts superstar. On August 25, film and martial arts fans will have the opportunity to discover the real Bruce Lee with this intimate feature-length documentary packed with rare home movies and insightful interviews, plus a collectible Bruce Lee poster.

Produced in cooperation with Lee’s family, HOW BRUCE LEE CHANGED THE WORLD takes a novel and informative approach into how the actor and martial arts legacy has shaped and influenced the world since his death in 1973. The special takes the viewer across the United States, Asia and Europe exploring Lee’s influence on popular culture worldwide -- even joining daughter Shannon Lee on a trip back to her father’s roots in Hong Kong nearly fifty years after Lee arrived to make his first kung fu film. This cinematic journey pieces together rare family archival footage owned by the Bruce Lee Foundation, together with in-depth interviews with those inspired by Lee, including: actor Jackie Chan, comedian Eddie Griffin, rappers LL Cool J and RZA, Marvel Comics’ Stan Lee, renowned film directors John Woo and Brett Ratner, comedian Margret Cho, actor/martial arts expert Donny Yen, former World Champion Boxer Sugar Ray Leonard and award-winning filmmakers Quentin Tarantino and Ang Lee, among others. Lee’s friend and business partner, famed Hong Kong film producer Raymond Chow, also gives a rare interview.

Bruce Lee was influenced by one of the world’s most ancient cultures and, in turn, made an enormous impact on the modern world. And it was Lee’s own creation of Jeet Kune Do (JKD) or Way of the Intercepting Fist delivered a revolutionary approach to fighting that would change martial arts forever. From his role as Kato on television’s "Green Hornet" to his groundbreaking debut film Enter the Dragon, Lee forever obliterated the stereotype of how Asian characters would be portrayed on screen. With no one able to fill the void after his death, a rash of Bruce Lee look-alikes and copycat films emerged inspiring a whole new film genre.

He was an actor, icon, and skilled martial artist able to perform super human feats that have yet to be equaled, such as the two finger push-up and a lethal blow known as the one-inch punch. HOW BRUCE LEE CHANGED THE WORLD pays tribute to the man and his legacy, offering viewers new insight into the most influential martial artist of the twentieth century.

A&E Home Entertainment, part of the Consumer Products Division of A&E Television Networks (AETN) is a video distributor of non-theatrical programming, featuring collectible DVD editions of the high quality programming from A&E Network and HISTORY™, as well as acquired classic programming. A&E Home Entertainment brings the best of critically acclaimed entertainment presented in award-winning packaging to the special interest category. For more information about ordering these and other titles from the A&E Home Entertainment Collection, call (212) 206-8600 (TRADE ONLY). Consumers please call 1-800-933-6249 (A&E). In addition to placing orders by phone, A&E Home Entertainment products may be purchased online at ShopAETV.com.