1982 Directed by Elliott Hong
While working as a cook for the Cosa Nostra, an Asian immigrant who everyone calls Bruce because of his resemblance to Bruce Lee, is duped into making deliveries of "Chinese Flour"- cocaine - all across the U.S.
Johnny Yune John Louie Bill Capizzi Martin Azarow Ric Mancini Howard Mann Phil Rubenstein Lou Tiano Phillip Simms Earl Karpen Matt Greene Nick Cinardo Vince Deadrick Jr. Addison Randall Buddy Gilyard Tracy Vendrell Eric Emerson Kit Wong Ralph Garrett John Moio Tony Brande Raf Mauro Roy Fegan Norma Ruth Chuck Mitchell Pam Huntington Nick Dimitri Fred Lerner Diamond Farnsworth Show All…
A Fistful of Chopsticks, Appelez-moi Bruce?, Bruce - vaarojen metsästäjä, Continuavano a chiamarlo Bruce Lee, Czy oni nazwali mnie Bruce?, Hívjatok Bruce Lee-nek!, Halt's Maul, Boss!, Le llamaban Bruce, Man nennt mich Bruce
They Call Me Bruce?’s existence as one of the first Asian American comedies certainly gives it credence to be included as one of the most important Asian American film… but oh my god, this was so offensive and offensively bad. I think this employed the strategy of “we can make fun of ourselves and make fun of you” and boy oh boy, did this age horribly.
Exactly the kind of movie about which today many people will wring their hands and wincingly say is deeply problematic. And I can't argue with the film's reliance on broad racial stereotyping - I mean, you could call this Broad Racial Stereotyping: The Movie. But there's a certain nuance to the subject of race and bigotry which is completely lost in today's dogmatic discourse, and this movie is interesting for the territory it inhabits.
See, many kneejerk reactions to this will take no consideration of the fact that it's a movie written and produced by Asian Americans, and I have no doubt in my mind that it's a reaction to the casual racism that the film makers would have been…
An Asian immigrant (Johnny Yune) works as a chef for the mob in California. Named Bruce by the mobsters because of his uncanny resemblance to Bruce Lee...not really. Bruce has zero martial art skills but after thwarting a robbery his bosses believe he's the real deal and the ideal man to move their cocaine around the country. Believing he is transporting expensive "Chinese flour", Bruce heads out on his road trip with mob chauffeur, Freddy (Raf Mauro), ignorant too to the fact he's being tailed by kung-fu fighting Feds.
Here's a blast from the past. I remember that this was the talk of the school yard for a time, not having a video recorder at that point meant missing out…
Finding this on the Criterion Channel, under any classification or series, was something I never expected. I saw the sequel when I was a kid and hated that movie even then, but this one wasn't bad. Not great by any stretch, and there's a high chance you'll be offended by modern standards, but Yune has this sort of laconic presence that really works to this weak material's advantage, and he's certainly given enough to do. The movie is legitimately funny most of the time as well. That's all a comedy really needs, and I've seen plenty that have done far less with way more.
1982 In Review - November
#10
A goofy Korean finds his life hopelessly complicated with people continually confusing him with Bruce Lee.
This is a very silly comedy about a noodle chef who bears an uncanny resemblance to Bruce Lee, which leads to everybody mistaking him for the action icon. Thus you might call it the ultimate in Bruceploitation movies, even though Johnny Yune looks absolutely nothing like Lee. Where he differs from the rest of the Bruceploitation actors is that he's actually a gifted comedian, and this is an out and out comedy. The absurd storyline of the film sees Yune working for the Mob before being shipped off to America for a tour around the big cities. He…
Nostalgia Heartbreak Theater: Eighties Edition #3
What's the acceptable number of dildos to have in a PG movie? I'm guessing two; one comes off as a bit amateurish, like the crew got distracted while assembling the set and someone accidently left their business vibrator right there in the middle of the shot. And three or more dildos…well, how could you get any work done? Hard to put in a good afternoon at the film shoot with an abundance of wobbly fake cocks flopping around the soundstage. No, if you want to make a quality, accessible, studio-friendly PG movie, you go with two dildos and call it a day.
So, by this criterion, They Call Me Bruce? is a roaring success,…
The elephant in the room here is, of course, the decision to base most of the comedy here on cultural stereotypes. It begins, logically, with Asian stereotypes (and it really leans into the idea that no one can tell apart Koreans, Chinese, and Japanese, nor any of their foods and customs), but everyone is fair game in this, from Italian-Americans to Jews to African-Americans to Southerners. This is all obviously employed with ironic intent -- by highlighting the stereotypes, it shows how America is awash in them, and how no one is safe from being judged through them.
The thing is, though, I'm not really sure what this accomplishes. As a viewer, you just might only feel awkward about it…
Amazing disco Brucesploitation full of 70s groaner humor about a Chinese cook tricked by the mafia to sell cocaine-disguised-as-flour cross country. The humor is obsessed with race naturally but its tame. Bruce cant fight but hes feared cuz he's confused with Bruce Lee since "they all look the same!" becomes a major plot point. I like this more than similar but really mean/dumb movies like Cannonball Run or Kentucky Fried Movie and it has very impressive visual style (the gel lighting rivals Suspiria!). I didnt know Mariel Hemingway had an older, sexier sister Margaux. Feels Australian.
One has to admire this film’s ability to maintain dad joke energy from start to finish.
This movie gave me prostate cancer. Then we decided to continue it at 1.5 speed. Then I died.
Thanks Colin. And also fuck you Colin.
