After dinner, everyone was treated to an insightful talk on film, history and stereotypes by A/P Timothy Barnard. A/P Barnard deftly manoeuvred around topics such as the nature and power of stereotypes and enlightened his captivated audience as to why Enter the Dragon was a ground-breaking film in terms of its portrayal of Asians and, in particular, Asian men.
A/P Barnard’s engaging talk was a perfect prelude to the much-awaited moment—travelling to 1973 to see Bruce Lee execute roundhouse kicks as effortlessly as George Bush manages to provide comic relief. It was a surreal feeling watching this cult classic in a “private screening” of sorts and as the movie unfolded, the audience gleefully responded to the hallmarks of any good Asian kung-fu flick: the hero’s spewing of convoluted phrases to show how deep and highly skilled he is; the insane body count that is accumulated as the hero works toward fulfilling his mission and, of course, the adrenaline-pumping final battle between the hero and the villain that leaves everyone on the edge of their seats.
By the end of movie, those who had made the trip down unreservedly expressed their approval for a wonderful evening that had gone by. After all, when an evening comprises fabulous food, great company and a cult classic starring arguably the greatest Asian kung-fu star of all time, there really is little more that one could ask for.
