Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris and The Cat  

2# Do You Know . . . . .

Ever notice how
Bruce Lee - an eminent martial artist of the 20th century - duels in his legendary movies? He often adopted cat’s unique tone in most of his fight scenes that commonly being used by feline as a start up before the cat fight begins. It’s very interesting to wonder why Bruce Lee imitated cat’s voice. Even in one of his movies, “The Way of the Dragon”, where he had a fight with Chuck Norris in Rome's Colosseum is the iconic scene that this film builds towards. Witnessed only by a street cat, they square up and do battle, matching Bruce's agility and speed against Norris' power and size.


Let’s figure out why Bruce Lee using cat, both the voice or as witness in the fight scene above mentioned. Feline tend to use high pitch tone or unique voice in most cat fight cases for the purpose to sense their opponent awareness. On the other hand, to feel how their sensitivity level in initiating where does the movement will go to. The most important thing is to distract the attention, and last but not least to show who has the strongest guts.

His duel with Chuck Norris in Rome’s Colosseum witnessed by a cat, an intriguing opinion said that what Bruce was trying to say was he is the Cat and when the Cat was playing around with the white stone that’s supposed to symbolises Chuck Norris and the style he does. He was trying to say that his Jeet Kune Do was flexible while the style that Chuck was doing was like rock very limited.
Take a closer look in this fight scene. Just a thought of mine. In first round, Bruce was like playing around with Chuck, made him experienced a “fake” victory. Cat sometime love to fool around, usually called as play fight. Thus, Chuck felt a victory was underway in his hand and made him underestimate of Bruce’s skills. In martial arts it is consider a dangerous thing to take too lightly of your opponent, because this would be a golden opportunity to take you down swiftly. And, the next round was, you already knew the answer.
The way Bruce would make his movies with a whole lot of messages. He wanted to deliver his messages through movies with very deep level of understanding and philosophical look at the martial arts and its true purpose. And, I think feline, our dearly domesticated cats is the best martial artist whom we can learn a lot to survive in this life. Why? Stay tuned for the next felinesophy sequel.

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15 comments

  • BSM  
    February 27, 2008 at 7:38 PM

    Hey thanks for stopping by Striking Thoughts. Bruce Lee trained in style of Chinese Kung-fu. Generally speaking, Kung-fu styles imitate animals.

    It's no surprise then that one of the animals imitated is the cat.

    You can see my slightly humorous post about it here:

    http://strikingthoughts.wordpress.com/2008/01/27/cat-stance-training/

    (You can site search my blog for the post titled "cat stance" too.)

    Later Japanese and Okinawan Karate along with Korean Taekwondo would adopt the "cat stance". If you go to the above post you can see what cat stance looks like in taekwondo.

    If you read any of Lee's works he talks about the cat a lot. In particular, he often uses cat analogies to describe how a martial artist should just respond without thinking. Kinda like a sleeping house cat that suddenly attacks your ankles or another cat.

    Anyhow, I'll leave you with a quote from Bruce Lee. Note the animal references which is indicative of Chinese Kung-fu:

    "Possess the eye of an eagle, the cunning of a fox, the agility and alertness of a cat with the courage, aggressiveness and fierceness of a panther, the striking power of a cobra and the resistance of a mongoose."

    ~Bob Patterson

  • Anonymous  
    February 27, 2008 at 9:01 PM

    This is one of my all time favorite Bruce Lee fight scenes apart from anything from Enter the Dragon.

    I've had this particular scene in mind ever since I started BandofCats.com because of the Kitten that is the only witness to the fight. I wonder whose cat it is?

    Thanks for the great post and Video. It was very inspiring and thought provoking.

  • admin  
    February 28, 2008 at 3:56 AM

    Thx folks furr your thoughts and sharing, it gives stronger evidence of how felines relate to humans;)

    We learn from them and cats are keen observer coz they luv to study our responses, symbiosis mutualism:)

    I've been wondering also, whose kitten it is in this Bruce movie?

  • Beethoven  
    February 28, 2008 at 2:25 PM

    I agree totally!

  • Goldie, Shade and Banshee  
    February 28, 2008 at 4:46 PM

    That is very interesting. You seen to have a lot of musings in your brain. I looked but I can't find too many in mine.

    Shade has a few though.

    ~Goldie

  • Moki The Wobbly Cat  
    February 29, 2008 at 2:18 PM

    Hi Felinesophy,

    I love reading your blog, you always come up with the best comparisons!

  • Cecil the Cougar:  
    March 2, 2008 at 12:56 PM

    Thanks for visiting my Mewspaper! I hope you enjoy my news articles! Feel free to request an article for review at any time!!

    Purrs,

    Cecil

  • Around Your Wrist  
    March 3, 2008 at 3:30 AM

    you really are a philosopher!

  • Yoolees  
    March 3, 2008 at 8:01 AM

    Hi Felinsopher,

    It's nice here, your blog has so much philosophy. I never thought Bruce is actually doing some cat sounds on his fights. You just gave me another another idea. Nice one ;D

    Hye of Space of Reality

  • Cecil the Cougar:  
    March 4, 2008 at 1:35 AM

    Hey felinesopher, I noticed that you signed up for the mewsletter again, which makes me double happy. But I wanted to make sure that you have received our e-mail that you are one of the winners already? If you have not, please let me a comment on my blog or email the bosslady at kristina@felinedirect.com!

  • Moki The Wobbly Cat  
    March 4, 2008 at 2:42 PM

    Hi Felinesopher,

    I've posted a new update on Moki's blog so stop by and check it out. I'm still working on pulling everything together but I think it is coming alone well. Let me know what you think of the changes.

    So whats new with you? Any lingering kitty thoughts?

  • Yoolees  
    March 4, 2008 at 8:44 PM

    I shared another amazing award today and you are one of my lucky friends who deserve it. Check it out at Space of Reality.

    Hye

  • JB's Big and Small Worlds  
    March 5, 2008 at 3:41 AM

    Thanks for your recent visi and nice to meet you!
    --JB

  • Yoolees  
    March 5, 2008 at 9:41 AM

    HI Feline,

    I've added your link already. I can't see my link ;(

    Can you also add my other blog called Your Online Guide

  • Anonymous  
    March 5, 2008 at 9:48 PM

    Fascinating info on Kung-Fu.. I'm study Shotokan myself and the only noise we make is to Kiai... hmmm.. (wandering off to Striking Thoughts)

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