The 1972 Bruce Lee film "The Way of the Dragon" is now streaming for free on YouTube, giving audiences an easy opportunity to revisit what is often regarded as Lee's finest and most personal work. The film marked his directorial debut, and its significance lies in the fact that Lee wrote, produced, directed, choreographed and starred in it, giving him unprecedented creative control that let him blend action with comedy and romance in a way earlier martial arts films had not attempted.

The production was notable for its scale and ambition despite a modest budget of around $130,000, which went on to earn roughly ten times that amount. Lee took the unusual step of filming in Rome, using landmarks such as the Piazza Navona and the Colosseum, making it the first Hong Kong feature shot in Europe. The film's climax, a one-on-one fight between Lee and Chuck Norris in the Colosseum, is widely cited as one of the greatest showdowns in martial arts cinema, praised for its tactical, evolving choreography rather than rigid, theatrical staging.