Everything
While critics and the public sing praises over Quentin Tarantino’s ninth and latest film Once Upon A Time In Hollywood, there is one aspect that has plagued the new release. Earlier this month, Shannon Lee, the daughter of the late Bruce Lee openly criticised the depiction of her father, stating “It was really uncomfortable to sit in the theatre and listen to people laugh at my father.” Following her comments, Michael Moh the man who fronted the celebrated actor opened up in an interview with Birth. Movies. Death. about playing the character. However in all of this, Tarantino remained silent – that is, until now.
During a press conference in Moscow, Tarantino responded to the overwhelming criticism over the direction of Bruce Lee and claims that many of the moments seen in the film are based on facts.
“Bruce Lee was kind of an arrogant guy… The way he was talking, I didn’t just make a lot of that up. I heard him say things like that, to that effect. If people are saying, ‘Well he never said he could beat up Muhammad Ali,’ well yeah, he did. Not only did he say that, but his wife, Linda Lee, said that in her first biography I ever read. She absolutely said that.”
Shannon Lee also addressed that her father would have been able to beat the fictional Cliff Booth, and wouldn’t fight an untrained professional. Tarantino’s argument was that being a fictional character, it could have been possible.
“Could Cliff beat up Bruce Lee? Brad would not be able to beat up Bruce Lee, but Cliff maybe could. If you ask me the question, ‘Who would win in a fight: Bruce Lee or Dracula?’ It’s the same question. It’s a fictional character. If I say Cliff can beat Bruce Lee up, he’s a fictional character so he could beat Bruce Lee up,” Tarantino argued.
Is it a fair point, let’s say Tarantino has his own interpretations. Stay tuned for further developments.
