How Bruce Lee hit the big time in 1972 and other Hong Kong cinema highlights that year
Amid Bruce Lee’s rise to stardom, we look at what else made Hong Kong film headlines in 1972, from a Lee challenger to a local ‘Bond Girl’
Chan’s articles throw light on the state of the local industry in the early 1970s. Business was booming, and Hong Kong had become a hub for the Asian film industry, with Taiwanese stars being especially popular. Martial arts films dominated, but other genres remained popular.
A challenger to Bruce Lee on the rise?
“Filmmakers are avidly searching for new young actors with a knowledge of Chinese martial arts as they rush to turn out films to cash in on the success of The Big Boss,” noted Chan.
Chan proposed a new Shaw Brothers discovery, the “handsome” 19-year-old Meng Fei, who had his first starring role in The King of Boxers, as a challenger to Lee.