Circle of Iron (1978) User Reviews

Be the empty vessel

[CelluloidRehab · 6/10 · 5 November 2004]

This is the story and journey of a lone man, Cord (played by Canadian Jeff Cooper), who is in search of Zetan and his book of knowledge. Along the way he meets many people and has to overcome several trials.

The story was original conceived by Bruce Lee, with help from James Coburn. In the meantime Bruce left for Honk Kong (Golden Harvest) to make what would be his series of movies that would immortalize him. This movie was resurrected after Bruce's untimely death.

What would have been Bruce's role, as the blind mystic/martial arts flute player with a bell on his toe, went to the universal Bruce Lee role acquiring machine that is David Carradine. In David's defense he does play 4 roles in this movie and is the saving grace of the movie. Jeff Cooper painfully interprets Cord, the hero. He almost lacks any emotion even when annoyed or angry his face is strangely serene and on the verge of a smile. He obviously spent time working out, but little to no time in a dojo. Also what's up with the hair ?? David's problem lies in his "martial arts" skills and his fortune cookie kung-fu babble. The movie seems like an extended version of the TV series that David was in (Kung Fu).

There are problems with this movie. Initially the movie was to take place in the East (China, Thailand, etc) to correspond with the various themes of the movie (Taoism, Zen Buddhism, etc). Instead the movie was filmed in Israel. The landscapes and backdrops are at times breathtaking, just out of place. This along with the crappy martial arts choreography (think Dolemite) and the repetition of extras gives the movie the feel of a Conan knock-off.

There are also some nice cameos by Roddy McDowall, Christopher Lee and Eli Wallach. The man in oil scene is priceless. Throughout all this if one pays attention, one can pick up a lot of Bruce's beliefs and philosophies. One can only wonder how good this movie would have been if Bruce would have been able to make it. I highly recommend this movie for fans of Bruce and the martial arts genre.

-Celluloid Rehab

Well, I liked it.

[pro_crustes · 6/10 · 10 November 2004]

This is a silly movie and not for those who want credibility, realism, SFX, CGI, or The Rock. But, it is about some of the more exalted aspects of what it means to seek the limits of what you can do with a combination of your spirit and your self. Karate, kung-fu, la savate... they're all just ways to fight. This film is for those who know that ways to fight are stepping stones to something greater. It follows a man who does not know, but who is learning, that punching and kicking merely create freedom to explore and to learn; the benefits of his quest will come from something more than his physical self can achieve.

It's not a great movie, but it addresses great questions and, if you look at it through the lens of metaphor, it can point you towards an answer or two. As well as that, it's a punctuation mark--if not a prose passage--from the '80s era of movies that asked us to keep believing things we knew were probably not true, but would be oh-so-cool if they were.

Strangeness abound

[udar55 · 5/10 · 23 September 2014]

In a land that has never existed, Cord (Jeff Cooper) is a fighter searching for the secrets of a book guarded by Zetan (Christopher Lee). Along the way Cord encounters a Blind Man (David Carradine) who teaches him the art of philosophy through martial arts. This all comes in handy when Cord must face a series of opponents (all played by Carradine). Wow, where has this film been all of my life? Based on an idea by Bruce Lee, this is a really enjoyable flick that is as entertaining as it is outlandish. Carradine shines in all four of his roles and he and Cooper have a nice rapport (they were apparently friends in real life). It is also wild to see a buff guy pushing 40 like Cooper to be cast in the lead role. If this was made today, it would definitely be a kid. There are some quick supporting turns by Roddy McDowall and Christopher Lee, but the film's cameo highlight is Eli Wallach as "The Man in Oil." Yup, he is a guy bathing in a big drum of oil in the middle of the desert with the hopes it will make his genitals dissolve. Seriously! The entire scene unfolds as if they let Alejandro Jodorowsky do one day of filming for kicks. Cinematographer-turned-directer Richard Moore never directed another film after this and it is a shame as he gets some great use out of the locations in Israel.

The more you see it, the deeper it gets

[dreamseq · 25 October 2003]

I loved this movie. I loved just about everything about it. It has the perfect mix of philosophy, humor and martial arts. It's not, as far as I'm concerned, a martial arts movie.

It's an attempt to explain Eastern teachings to Western audiences. Whether it succeeds or not, depends on your attention span and how carefully you're watching. This is NOT a movie to watch while doing other things.

My favorite scene in the movie is Eli Wallach, who plays the man in oil. He's sitting in a cauldron in the middle of the desert, punishing himself for his own lust. Too funny.

I highly recommend this movie for anyone looking for something deep and different.

" Along the Path to Enlightenment, we meet all who would sway us from it "

[thinker1691 · 7/10 · 28 March 2011]

Bruce Lee was perhaps the world greatest Martial Artist. His many films prove to his audience that he was indeed that. As for being a writer, there is much to be desired. This is one of Bruce Lee's written works and called " The Circle of Iron. " It was originally conceived to be a teaching tool for the young student. In this offering, David Carradine plays, The Blind Man / Monkeyman / Death / Changsha all of who are guides and teachers to Cord the student (Jeff Cooper.) Cord's task is to find and defeat Zetan (Christopher Lee). Roddy McDowall and Eli Wallach round out the cast and provide philosophical statements for Cord. This film itself is a hodgepodge of information and Zen philosophy, designed to instruct those who seek to learn the Path or DOW. For audiences seeking lots of excitement and physical Martial arts confrontation, this movie is somewhat of a disappointment. Still there is enough to keep the student from wondering off till the lesson is learned. ***

In a mythical land a lone warrior attempts to pass many challenges and tests to discover the secret of "The Book"

[mallentaylor · 3/10 · 25 October 2007]

Perhaps I allowed my elevated expectations for this movie, written by James Coburn and Bruce Lee, who catered to the talents of David (Kung Fu") Carradine, to influence my "3" rating of this poorly acted, badly written and barely directed movie. It probably deserved less. This is the sort of effort that you hope was the result of too much recreational drug use, and not a total lack of talent by the participants.

Jeff Cooper, an unconvincing wild man, seems totally miscast and clueless as the outsider who attempts to be the next seeker chosen to attempt to win the "Book", presumably a font of wisdom and knowledge, that is held on a distant island. Carradine has several roles with cryptic comments and, by today's standards, weak martial arts displays. Many of the fight scenes are filmed with close-up, double head shots and quick cuts to hide the lack of realism or believability. Christopher Lee, at least, was in the same movie as Carradine in tone and pace. Cooper's every expression and gesture just didn't belong. The naive and simpleminded "surprise" ending drags this movie down from the possible heights of mediocrity to a disappointing end.

THE SILENT FLUTE (Richard Moore, 1978) **1/2

[Bunuel1976 · 6/10 · 28 December 2007]

I'd been intrigued by this one for some time due its being based on a story concocted by Bruce Lee and James Coburn; when it emerged as a "Special Edition" via the Blue Underground label, I had considered purchasing the DVD but somehow never got around to it. Eventually, CIRCLE OF IRON (as it's better-known) was even expanded into a fully-loaded 2-Disc Set…but, then, I happened upon the original disc at a local rental outlet and finally decided to check it out.

As it happened, I was somewhat let down by the film: I'm all for exotic action/adventure stuff – a genre which got something of a revival during this era – but, despite the various trimmings (martial arts, mystical overtones, plus a number of rather superfluous cameo appearances by the likes of Roddy MacDowall, Eli Wallach and Christopher Lee), THE SILENT FLUTE came across as invincibly low-brow! Besides, while David Carradine is ostensibly the star (and even gets to play four different parts for no discernible reason!), the hero proper of the narrative was played a beefy protégé of his – Jeff Cooper – whose wooden performance here really drowned the film for me!!

The plot – the winner of a martial arts tournament is assigned the task of seeking the whereabouts of a famous wizard (played by horror legend Lee) who is in possession of an all-powerful book – sounds intriguing on paper but, to be honest, the way this plays out on screen it's not terribly compelling; worse still, the denouement is a real cop-out! That said, the numerous action sequences and Carradine's characterization of a blind shepherd (himself a martial arts champion) who guides Cooper on his danger-fraught journey make the film palatable for the most part.

Despite the obvious low-budget at his disposal, too, one-time-only director Moore (his more typical credit is as a cinematographer) lends the film reasonable visual style – accentuated by the expansive Israeli locations (which constitutes the film's main asset along with Australian composer Bruce Smeaton's beautiful score). As a matter of fact, Moore admits in the disc's Audio Commentary that the main reason that seemed to have gotten him the assignment in the first place was because his background as a cameraman assured (in the eyes of the producers, at least) outstanding visuals!

THE SILENT FLUTE is, ultimately, a hodgepodge of disparate ideas (with its most bizarre element being Wallach's masochistic "Man In Oil" and his diatribe on the virtues of a life without one's own genitalia!) which don't really jell and, consequently, it works only in fits and starts...

Nice scenery, and that's it

[gareth633 · 1/10 · 19 May 2010]

Wasn't sure what to expect with this one. It was either going to be great or awful.

It's awful.

Bruce Lee fans will no doubt love the Zen philosophy aspects to this pretentious fantasy film that at least boasts amazing locations, but the whole thing is just a mess. David Carradine is very irritating in this whether with it's his fortune cookie words of wisdom , god awful acting in about 4 roles or with his terrible martial arts 'skills'. The whole film feels like an ego boosting project for him really. Christopher Lee and Eli Wallach just embarrass themselves by appearing in this, even though they give good performances in their small roles. At least Roddy McDowell gets away a bit more lightly as his appearance is a 'blink and you'll miss it' job.

Mind you if you want to watch David Carradine lurching about playing a kung fu chimp it's a must see. If my memory serves me correctly no other motion picture can boast David Carradine lurching about playing a kung fu chimp. That's right, a Kung Fu Chimp.

Monkey magic. not.

Give it a wide berth. Very poor indeed.

"Nothing is Self..."

[Tensman · 10/10 · 16 August 2000]

This film is outstanding, if not a cinematic work of excellence. The level of camp it displays works well with the oddly exotic Israeli background it was filmed upon. Many stories are offered about how Bruce Lee and James Coburn struggled to move this project forward, and how David Carradine capitalized on his fame in the TV series "Kung Fu" to pick up the story rights, but the work also honors what Lee felt was the essence of the martial arts. This film is mistakenly classified as a "martial arts" film, and subsequently knocked for Carradine's friend and co-star Jeff Cooper's lack of grace and skills in both fighting and acting. "Circle of Iron" also has its flaws in direction and incidental music but shines in its eccentricity, cast, zen precepts, and Cord's awakening that "there is no meaning in life except the meaning that man gives his life by the unfolding of his powers".

An odd, but truly remarkable epic of the martial arts genre.

[emm · 7/10 · 7 February 1999]

On a lower end of the movie spectrum, CIRCLE OF IRON has astounding production values that never seemed quite possible. This is based on the inspiration of Bruce Lee, and while it is brought up with martial arts imagery, it is actually a long, adventurous, everlasting, passionate, yet odd journey about a fighter who searches for his own destiny. Odd, you ask? What's odd are the encounters of unusual people, places, things, and events designed to complicate one's trip. David Carradine has four multiple roles, one of which is Jeff Cooper's martial arts master. It is noted that Lee was destined to play the role a few years before this ever got made, and just before his untimely death. Erica Creer's stunning beauty scorches up the screen and teases your mammaries in showing off her left backside, and she won't stick around for long. Classified as a martial arts movie, do not expect this to be an all-out gang war because it is high on craftsmanship and drama, plus it should be best described as a tale of epic proportions. CIRCLE OF IRON still doesn't reign supreme, and it isn't the single greatest piece of work Lee had come up with, but it challenges moviegoers to discover the secret ways of Lee's powerful telling of the martial arts legend. A probable common classic of its kind.

Silly mess

[danny_rat · 1/10 · 6 September 2007]

The main character Cord played by Jeff Cooper seems to be playing the same part he played in many late seventies and eighties TV shows "a guy who just dashed out of a hairdressers and is trying to find his Porsche". David Carradine seems to be trying to do a Peter Sellers, playing multi characters. What used to be his signature slow motion kung-fu, in this, seems to be the actual speed he moves at. The philosophy seems to be out of a box of cheap fortune cookies. The Israel locations do add a bit to this, but overall a fairly bad movie. If only Bruce Lee had made this the martial arts certainly would have been much better.

One of the most unique Martial Arts films ever made

[CorumJI · 9/10 · 26 February 2009]

This is a great movie, unlike just about any other martial arts film ever made.

The idea behind it is not just to show off martial arts, but to dig into the deeper core "Zen" philosophy behind martial arts, as well.

I personally wonder what Lee would have said about David Carradine taking his role (it is said that one reason Lee left Hollywood to go back to making films at home was when he lost out the role of Caine, an obvious Chinese, to Carradine, an American), but the actors all do a credible enough job, if not spectacular, in their roles.

It would, indeed, be pleasant to peak into an alternate universe where this film was made with Lee and Coburn in their respective parts, however.

Epic martial arts adventure film , including colorful photography , and splendid soundtrack

[ma-cortes · 6/10 · 12 January 2015]

Thought-provoking and philosophical art martial movie that Bruce Lee wrote the script prior to his death in 1973 ; disagreements over location shooting -Lee preferred India- led the film to be abandoned until after his death when the rights were acquired by David Carradine . Dealing with Cord the Seeker, competes for and loses the right to go on a quest for the Book of All Knowledge held by a wizard named Zetan . This is an intelligent martial art film in which our hero goes out on a quest for the Book of Enlightenment . The Silent Flute, a story written by Lee shortly before his death , features a martial artist rebel name Cord (Jeff Cooper , a good friend of Carradine's , though Joe Lewis was also considered for the role) . He must pass various trials along the way that educate him in Zen philosophy . Among the characters that he runs across are a blind flute-player (David Carradine , his flute is seen playing in the film, is the same flute he is seen playing in "Kill Bill: Vol 2" and was originally offered the part of the main character Cord, but preferred the multiple roles intended for Bruce Lee) , a monkey chieftain, a death character, and the leader of a gypsy tribe, who acts as a reluctant mentor to Cord . Some trials involve combat, while others involve riddles or encounters with unusual characters, such as a man (Eli Wallach) who has been standing in a barrel of oil for 10 years in an attempt to remove the lower half of his body . Finally Cord meets sorcerer Zetan (Christopher Lee) and discovers an extraordinary surprise .

This cult movie flick displays lots of violence , action filled , thrills and fierce combats . This luxurious martial arts film was marvelously filmed with good production design , nice costumes , luxurious cinematography , breathtaking scenes and enjoyable musical score by Bruce Smeaton . This is a good adaptation and late great Bruce Lee's The Silent Flute will return to the big screen as a new rendition . Philosophical and brooding screenplay , in fact Bruce Lee and James Coburn wrote the original story with the intention of starring in the movie themselves . It's considered by some reviewers as an apology for Buddhist religion but jammed as philosophical arts martial picture . The flick displays spectacular and groundbreaking fights decently choreographed .

This is a colourful, Israel shot and rightly budgeted movie ; leave no cliché untouched , though the fighting are magnificently staged . According to a recent biography of Bruce Lee the film was intended to be shot in 1969 with Lee playing the 4 roles of The Blind Man, Monkeyman, Death and Changsha, and the lead role of Cord was offered to Steve McQueen . McQueen however turned down the role after remarking that he wasn't prepared to make Lee a star, and instead it was offered to James Coburn.

Amid the grandeur of the scenarios and impressive fights is developed an interesting as well as strange intrigue . Evocative and glimmer photography by Ronny Taylor , a prestigious cinematographer who photographed hits as Star Wars , Gandhi , Chorus Line , Sea of love , Cry Feedom and many others . Pick-up shots were done for all the fight scenes in Los Angeles, California after the principal shooting was wrapped in Israel. These pick-up shots were done because it was felt that the fight scenes as filmed were not up to par. The picture was professionally directed by Richard Moore , he was hired to direct this film because his work as a cameraman convinced the producers that he could deliver a sound visual interpretation of the story . Now Circle of Iron producer Paul Maslansky has secured rights and financing for a new feature length film, which will be written by his son, Sasha Maslansky, and based on Lee's original work . As "The Silent Flute¨ will be an epic martial arts adventure film that promises to honour Bruce Lee's original artistic and philosophical conception. It also promises to reach new levels of action and adventure never before seen in martial arts filmmaking .

Bringing a way of life out of obscurity or further into it?

[StevePulaski · 4/10 · 17 March 2016]

NOTE: This film was recommended to me by Daniel Baldwin for "Steve Pulaski Sees It."

You can write on an ant's genitals how much I know about martial arts or martial arts in film, so with that in mind, I'm the wrong person to review and analyze Circle of Iron right off the bat. If I needed an introduction to martial arts on film, perhaps I should've went directly to the films of the genre's master Bruce Lee or even the contemporary works of Thailand-born director Tony Jaa rather than a film directed by the same man who was the cinematographer for Annie. Or, perhaps to evoke more drastic sentiment, the relationship between me and Circle of Iron was never meant to be.

This is a tedious spectacle, glitz with some really strong cinematography (go figure, given Moore's history) but some seriously bad acting, and surprisingly unremarkable fight scenes. The film revolves around martial arts fighters who are competing to challenge Zetan (Christopher Lee), a wizard who posses a special book of untold power of enlightenment that houses all the wisdom of the world. Cord (Jeff Cooper) is a brash, arrogant man who winds up defeating all of those before Zetan, yet is disqualified for fighting dirty one too many times. Nonetheless, he winds up following the tournament's winner Morthond (Anthony de Longis), who is also searching for Zetan. Together, the two can hopefully indulge in the winner's wisdom and also find a greater purpose for themselves outside of fighting.

There's also a recurring character played by David Carradine, a blind flute-player that turns up quite frequently during their trip. Along the way, we also see character actors like Eli Wallach playing a man stewing in a cauldron of oil in the middle of the desert in hopes to dissolve the lower half of his body in order to nullify all sexual arousal and urges in order to experience enlightenment. The scene begs religious interpretation I'm sure you can subscribe for yourself.

The problem with Circle of Iron is there are too many scenes like this, that either don't need an explanation or don't really warrant one. The characters in the film are fairly flat and the dialog is spouted in a wooden manner, with echo and emphasis that reminds of the voice-over narration on a CD-i video game. The look of the film saves it from becoming a totally boring affair, largely because Moore, who has had ample experience with cinematography on films of varying genres, makes the most out of a minimalist setting. He takes the stark contrasts of orange sand and ocean blue skies and makes them kiss and produce an eye-appealing visual palette, in conjunction with the film's official cinematographer Ronnie Taylor.

While Carradine, Lee, and even Wallach, for his momentary cameo, clearly give performances that incite evidence of at least a wee bit of inspiration, our two leading men, Cooper and de Longis, aren't very engaging leading men. Their chemistry is largely elevated or brought to life when one of the aforementioned men come on screen and liven things up. Other than that, it's almost a totally cold and unmoving slog.

This is especially sad after taking note of what Circle of Iron's production history was exactly. A passion project of Bruce Lee's for many years, the film wasn't completed until five years after the man's death. Lee wanted the film to be a real segway and informative piece about the idea of Zen, communicating its principles while infusing what Lee combat, martial arts, and other things that Lee loved in addition. While we'll never quite know what the master of martial arts thought of his film, I can at least state that I'd want my legacy and my beliefs touted with a lot more confidence and substance than what is found in this particular film.

Starring: Jeff Cooper, Anthony de Longis, Christopher Lee, David Carradine, and Eli Wallach. Directed by: Richard Moore.

The meaning of martial arts

[Scott-8 · 8 February 1999]

"Circle of Iron" is a movie that looks beyond the action of martial arts into the mystique and philosophy associated with it. It was originally intended to be made by Bruce Lee, but he died before it could be brought to the screen, so David Carradine steps in to fill the role.

How well the movie accomplishes it's goal depends on how seriously you take eastern philosophies. It's all too easy to watch a few minutes of it and dismiss it as some weird barbarian movie with lots of karate. It is decidedly low budget.

However, if you watch the movie and *listen* to what it's trying to tell, it's extremely engrossing, as it addresses questions and concepts that all of us wonder about at some time or another.

The man making the journey in this movie, "Cord," is acceptable, if a rather generic role. David Carradine plays several roles, but his most striking is that of an eerie blind man who fights off his opponents with a hollow staff that whistles as he twirls it.

This is a hard movie to find, but it does crop up sometimes on late night TV or cable, and is worth checking out.

Circle of Iron is an extremely interesting and worthwhile movie that even non-action movie fans can easily enjoy.

[tarbosh22000 · 6/10 · 7 June 2010]

Circle of Iron is an extremely interesting and worthwhile movie that even non-action movie fans can easily enjoy.

From a story by Bruce Lee, Lee worked on the screenplay with James Coburn and Stirling Silliphant (both students of Lee's), and Lee was supposed to have starred in the film, but then he made Enter the Dragon (1973), got famous, and died. The script was then reworked, but it retained all of the Zen philosophy that Lee wanted to include.

Set in a timeless, mystical land, Jeff Cooper plays Cord, a martial artist who becomes a Seeker, a man on a quest to find The Book of Knowledge, and the man who wields it, Zetan. On his quest, he must go through many trials and tribulations, and he meets many people along the way, most of them played by David Carradine. My favorite of Carradine's four roles in the film is The Blind Man, who is a Zen master who fights with his flute, and has a lot of great quotes ("A sword cannot cut itself", "You cannot step on the same piece of water twice", etc.).

Cord's relationship with him is stormy because Cord doesn't always understand The Blind Man's mysterious ways. The other three roles interpreted by Carradine are Death, who has a minimal part in the film, The Monkey Man, whom Cord must fight as one of his trials, and Chang Sha, the leader of some kind of traveling show, and a relationship with one of his wives, Tara, provides some more food for the interplay between Cord and The Blind Man, as Cord becomes less of a musclebound meathead and more of an enlightened human being.

Perhaps feeling that Jeff Cooper as Cord wasn't quite enough as the main hero (Imagine a cross between John Saxon and Sam Neill with long blonde hair, who is shirtless the entire film), Circle of Iron is littered with welcome, famous faces, including Roddy McDowall, Christopher Lee, and in an especially memorable role, Eli Wallach. His "Man in Oil" is reminiscent of Bunuel's Simon of the Desert (1965), and, in fact, the whole film has a vaguely Bunuel-esquire quality.

If you were to put Conan the Barbarian (1982), Deathsport (1978), The Holy Mountain (1973), Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, a book of Zen quotes, and the few Bruce Lee movies made, and put them in a blender, and poured the result into your DVD player, the result would undoubtedly be Circle of Iron. NOT to imply the film is a hodgepodge; it's definitely not. The movie flows beautifully, and has some great matte work, cinematography, and amazing Israel locations.

Circle of Iron is action, but different. You will be involved in the film and it will make you think. Far from your average beat-em-up or chop socky outing, I would strongly recommend Circle of Iron for the discerning action movie fan, or anyone who wants a different, intelligent, engaging movie.

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This sophomoric dog isn't worth the time it takes to decide about it.

[laojim · 1/10 · 28 October 2007]

I spent some time watching the turkey because I saw what looked like some Arizona caves with a guy playing an impossibly made walking stick flute of green bamboo. I kept wondering if it was a deadpan comedy or just an idiotic script. I'm still not sure because I don't understand how any adult could write such a load of claptrap without cracking a smile occasionally, but I suspect that someone did.

This film is filled with every cliché one encountered in Philosophy 101, but they are reeled off like pearls of wisdom. Obviously the ill educated writers (I didn't see the end so I don't know who they were) did not pay attention in philosophy class or they might have done a better job. Surely they are all honorable people and have all done better work on other projects so I suggest looking for their redemption in other films.

On the other hand, the photography was quite good. I saw some shots that were quite lovely and interesting. Unfortunately, that couldn't save the rest of this mess.

Don't waste your time or money on this dog of a film. If you're in Arizona you might want to go look at some of the caves and canyons where some of this was apparently filmed---up around Page, I think. Your time would be much better spent.

Nice philosophy

[robbo1977 · 6/10 · 18 September 2004]

Yes I definitely agree it is no martial arts movie at all. As soon as the writers got hold of Bruce Lee's script, it all went out the window, much like Game of Death (one of the worse ever!!) It would have been much better without the poor attempts of martial arts in it. However, the zen and philosophy was very interesting, amusing and sometimes thought provoking. My two favourite parts, was one, the book of mirrors and two the end with the flute playing and the main characters were on the top of some mountain, wish I could find that soundtrack. Oh and the girl was not bad in it either;) .

Terrible

[mhorg2018 · 1/10 · 28 March 2022]

When Bruce Lee, who created this story passed, it should have been left alone. Just a terrible movie. Silly story with fake philosophy, having Carradine, who can be OK, play four rolls was a mistake. The martial arts and fighting are some of the worst I've ever seen. Really a poorly done movie with little to recommend about it.

The contrast of brutality and Zen gracefulness

[lanis_cupus · 9/10 · 25 March 2005]

This movie served as my introduction to mysticism and eastern thought during a most auspicious time in my life--adolescence. Even as horrible as the production values were and with all the sub-par acting, I can think of no other film that has has a greater impact on the course of my life. Bruce Lee had an understanding of life and nature that few have ever glimpsed. If it didn't sound so irreverent I would call him the poster child for Richard Bach's book, Johnathan Livingston Seagull. But on to the movie..

Based on an idea Bruce Lee had before his death, Circle of Iron aimed at expressing his Zen philosophy through a an extremely raw martial arts forum. The central character, Cord, is a seeker on a quest for the book of all knowledge. He experiences the trials and tribulations spelled out in other reviews and eventually finds what he's looking for--only it's nothing that he ever imagined it would be. This is not a movie for those who are easily distracted or require an inundation of action and effects to keep them absorbed. But if one is patient, it gives the viewer a chance to identify with a part of themselves that perhaps started on such a journey at one time, before being sidetracked by daily routine and less intrinsic pursuits.

There is an arresting contrast between the brutality of the fight scenes and the sensitivity of the philosophical dialog. David Carradine plays multiple roles in the film, of which the primary one was to be played by Lee before he died--a blind man with a long wooden flute which serves doubly as a weapon of defense.

If you're feeling like you're lost in the desert of worldly things, it may be of benefit to track this one down..

This oddity of cinema is worth a viewing.

[KingM21 · 6/10 · 5 September 2005]

For the cast and crew involved, this strange, kung fu movie didn't turn out too good. Still, in the "so bad it's good" sense, it was actually pretty fun! Our hero, Cord, is on a quest to find the book of knowledge and along the way, meets up with the Blind Man, amusingly played by David Carradine (who played three other roles as well). I admit, Carradine made the movie for me. Whether he was using his silent flute to beat a group of attackers or just spouting off random lines of mystic dialogue, he just brought a certain something to the role(s). Also making appearances are Eli "Tuco" Wallach and Christopher Lee, as an all-knowing flower man, complete with a pointed, purple skull cloth. This oddity of cinema is worth a viewing.

Bruce Lee is lucky not to have seen this

[yowilwasup · 1/10 · 26 July 2020]

Who knows what this would have been if Bruce Lee had lived. But what we got instead was "Fortune Cookie the Movie". David Carridine was never called a great actor. In this he is awful (in most of his roles he plays). The acting of the lead Jeff Cooper (as Cord) makes the acting of the 'monkey men' look like Daniel Day-Lewis at his best. Anyway I can't say enough... bad things about this film.

An offbeat and interesting mystical martial arts adventure

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 6 June 2011]

Cocky young martial arts champion Cord (a likable, but underwhelming performance by Jeff Cooper) meets a bizarre assortment of people and faces several grueling challenges while embarking on a perilous journey of self-discovery to find the Book of All Knowledge. Director Richard Moore, working from a quirky and thoughtful script by Stanley Mann and Stirling Silliphant, relates the compellingly peculiar story at a steady pace, vividly evokes a colorful fantasy world, and stages the exciting occasional martial arts fights with a good deal of flair and skill. While this movie does suffer from Cooper's wooden acting in the lead, fortunately David Carradine compensates for this flaw with his bravura work in four highly distinctive roles as a wise, yet lethal flute-playing blind man, a ferocious monkey man, a fearsome tiger-like death figure, and hearty dessert warrior Changsha. Popping up in nifty bits are Roddy McDowall as the stern judge of a martial arts tournament, Christopher Lee as enigmatic bookkeeper Zetan, and, in a very funny turn, Eli Wallach as some crazy guy who's happily dissolving his lower body in a tub of oil. Stunning brunette Erica Creer contributes a memorably sultry portrayal of lovely and enticing seductress Tara. Ronnie Taylor's striking cinematography sharply captures the breathtaking beauty of the Israel locations. Bruce Smeaton's gracefully melodic score hits the harmonic spot. Best of all, the provocative Zen philosophy at work throughout gives this picture an extra unique quality and comes complete with a profound central message about the ultimate source of true enlightenment. An intriguing one-of-a-kind oddity.

An original idea that deserves to be seen.

[alexanderdavies-99382 · 6/10 · 2 October 2017]

"The Silent Flute" originated from an idea by Bruce Lee, who collaborated with James Coburn and Sterling Siliphant on a screenplay to bring the project to life. After "Warner Bros." showed slight interest, the three men embarked upon a location scouting in India during 1971. Unfortunately, no film resulted apart from a few photos of Bruce Lee in the Indian desert. The idea concerned a martial artist named Cord who is summoned to embark upon a journey of self-discovery and knowledge about martial arts in general. He needs to travel many miles and endure several challenges along the way from different opponents. During his travels, Cord hears a flute being played and is summoned by a blind martial artist who guides him during his travels. The flute in question is one that only certain people are destined to hear, hence the name of the film. James Coburn was to have played Cord the seeker and Bruce Lee was due to play numerous supporting characters - including that of the blind martial artist. I have every reason to believe that Lee's writing skills would have served him well if he had made his own version and also that being a philosopher would have been another advantage. By the time the film was released, the final version bore little resemblance to what Bruce Lee and company had envisioned. Coburn and Siliphant publicly stated that the 1978 film was nothing like what they had written. Judging the finished film on its own merits, "The Silent Flute" isn't as terrible as one might think and at least the film made some effort in being a bit different to other martial arts movies. The fight scenes aren't as good as they should have been but would have been worse if Karate champion Joe Lewis hadn't intervened. It makes sense to have David Carradine involved after his phenomenonal success with the "Kung Fu" series. He plays four different characters and they are the ones Bruce Lee would have played (who added a 5th one in the original screenplay). Unfortunately, once again Carradine gives a step by step guide on how NOT to be a martial artist! Joe Lewis said as much whilst he was on the set. As Cord, we have a completely obscure name in Jeff Cooper. He has long been forgotten and he certainly wasn't cast due to his having any acting ability! He also gives martial arts a bad name. Roddy McDowall, Eli Wallach and Christopher Lee make the most of their limited screen time. There is some imagination in the screenplay although none of the original script was used. Bits and pieces of Bruce Lee's vision is in evidence on occasion. The location was changed to that of Israel and I thought it a good idea. A flawed film but an interesting one.

An at least good idea gone completely bad

[kosmasp · 3/10 · 21 October 2019]

There are surely people who might believe that Bruce Lee was turning around in his grave, after this was made. Yes Bruce Lee had this idea and he wanted to star in it (I'm guessing as Cord the main character on a journey, with quite a few flaws). Unfortunately he never lived to make his dream (?) project a reality. For some reasons Carradine thought he was meant to actually go ahead and make it a reality for him.

The two knew each other from the TV show and I reckon it might have been where Carradine heard about the idea. Unfortunately he bit more than he could chew. A lot more considering he played 4 parts in the movie and also helped produce it. The intention might have been good, but even his acting seems wooden at best. Never mind the unfortunately varying degrees of acting the main actor takes us through.

And while the director was especially unimpressed by that actors performance during the love making scene of the movie (almost no nudity as far as I can tell, didn't really paid attention or rather looked to hard), one might argue that to carry a movie, more things went wrong.

Now obviously you have to at least be open minded to certain philosophies to get into the mood of the movie. But the movie or rather its depictions of them is almost a mockery. And I know that is not its purpose, it is just the elements do not really work together. The big reveal in the end is even explained as if the viewer is quite dim witted and needed that. It is a shame and might only be good for "drinking games" (don't do this though) or just a plain let's have fun and depict every little thing about it viewing ...