The spirit of Bruce Lee is still alive and kicking today - which happens to be the star's 65th birthday. A statue of the late kung fu star will be unveiled at 6pm tonight at the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui as part of the Bruce Lee Festival - Hong Kong 2005 which runs until Thursday. The festival includes tonight's Bruce Lee Night, which will feature martial arts demonstrations, a sharing session with Lee's family members, quizzes and a lucky draw. Free screenings of Lee's early movies - such as An Orphan's Tragedy (1955) - and documentaries will be held at the Avenue of Stars over the next four days. 'Lee contributed a lot to Hong Kong in terms of filmmaking and to the world as a martial artist. As a Hong Kong citizen, I truly respect and miss him. I hope people will never forget him,' said W Wong, chairman of the Bruce Lee Club in Hong Kong. Lee's movie career was cut short by his premature death at age 32. Born in San Francisco, he made his screen debut as a baby in Golden Gate Girl (1941) and went on to star in about 20 Chinese movies as a child and teenager after his family moved to Hong Kong. Lee, who practised martial arts under the tutelage of legendary Wing Chun (or Ving Tsun) grandmaster Ip Man, returned to the US at age 18. He taught martial arts and also developed his unique brand of kung fu called Jeet Kune Do. 'He was the first person who was willing to teach Chinese kung fu to westerners. This was not allowed before, as Chinese people used to consider kung fu as a skill for self-protection. [They believed] if foreigners learned kung fu, they would use it to bully the Chinese,' said Lewis Luk Tei, chairman of the Ving Tsun Athletic Association. 'Lee brought Chinese kung fu to the world. In the 1960s, no westerner knew about Chinese martial arts. Some of them even thought Lee was teaching karate. Although many Chinese martial artists and movie stars are now doing similar things, Lee was the pioneer and his contribution is indispensable.' After starring in a few foreign productions, most notably The Green Hornet television series, Lee returned to Hong Kong where he was He was turned away by the Shaw Brothers Studio before being signed by Golden Harvest, according to film critic and veteran screenwriter Jason Lam. 'The Big Boss [1971] was dazzling, but the follow-up Fist of Fury [1972] really stunned the world,' said Lam. Both films - which feature stunning kung fu fights - were huge successes at the local box-office. and also appealed to an international audience 'His performance style and character were not typically Chinese. He drew elements from the street cultures of African-Americans into his performance,' said Lam. 'For example, his jumpy leg movements were similar to the motions of black basketball players in the 1970s. This made his movies appear familiar to western audiences.' Lee starred in Way of the Dragon (1972) and Enter the Dragon (1973) - which he also directed - before starting Game of Death, a film that was never finished due to his death. 'Lee's kung fu movies reflected the values of Hong Kong, which began to take shape in the 1970s. These included an ability to survive, spontaneity and a sense of self-betterment,' said Lam. 'In each film, Lee excelled and transformed himself. He is not only a screen icon but also an important figure of the east.' For details of the festival and screenings, visit www.bruceleeclub.com
