The Big Boss (aka The Fists of Fury) was the film which started Bruce Lee’s international career. Director Lo Wei’s movie premiered in Hong Kong in 1971, but its international success didn’t begin until 1973.

The German distributor Cinerama tried to subtly adapt the film to western visual habits. This was done mainly through an altered soundtrack. It was supposed that the original score of Chinese composer Wang Fu-ling would sound far too oriental for Europeans.
That was the moment when Peter Thomas came into play. He had been commissioned to conceive the new soundtrack. As a result, his music can be heard in the film worldwide with the exception of China. So Thomas’ soundtrack virtually became the original score of The Big Boss.
It is striking the way in which Thomas successfully integrates his music into the oriental cinematic milieu. The snappy main theme alone, with it’s marvellous brass section, has something of the eternal in it’s very essence!
Now, 37 years later, this music is released on CD for the very first time!
The 20 tracks are accompanied by some rare large-sized colour film stills of young martial artist Bruce Lee.


The Big Boss (int. title)
aka.: Bruce Lee - Die Todesfaust des Cheng Li (Germany)
aka.: Tang shan da xiong (original title)
aka.: Fists of Fury (US)
aka.: Fists of Glory

Hong Kong, 1971
Director: Lo Wei
Actors: Bruce Lee, Maria Yi, Han Ying Chieh...
Music: Peter Thomas

Press

Danny Gonzalez, examiner.com [02/2011]:
"The album goes fast and smooth and doesn't wear it's welcome too much. There is an overall balance to it and the sound quality is surprisingly great for a forty-year recording. The color booklet is full of great looking artwork..."

Kris Spencer, Score, Baby! [12/2010]:
"Stylistically, Thomas' jazz-rock score for The Big Boss is an off-kilter, psychedelic blend of vamping brass, trilling flutes, chiming "oriental" percussion, tinkling piano, blazing electric guitar, gurgling Moog synthesizers, rumbling rhythms and outlandish studio effects."

Darren Allison, editor Cinema Retro Magazine [12/2010]:
"Spread over 20 razor sharp sounding tracks, Thomas’ music bristles with energy, some of which benefit from the pleasing use of 70’s style electronic sound effects. Like the legend himself, this CD is fast, furious and slicker than slick!"

Dougpayne.blogspot.com [12/2010]:
"He [Peter Thomas] calls it “crazy jazz” and it came out no matter what he was doing – and it usually sounded just right: slightly comical, but certainly swinging and action-oriented."

Jeff Hall, Screen Sounds [12/2010]:
"...a score that is very much of its time, a jazz-pop concoction, with plenty of groovy, beat-driven source-like cues, action writing and tension... overall this is a tuneful and enjoyable listen and a great reminder of the film."

R. D. Larson's Soundtrax [12/2010]:
"Built around a brassy main theme, the music occasionally assumes a vague Oriental flavor through its melody line or instrumentation (...), but mostly it’s hard driving, American-styled rhythm section music that will definitely please listeners."

Tracklisting:

	01.	Big Boss Theme
	02.	Mukuri
	03.	Girl Loves Cheng Li
	04.	Hard Drugs
	05.	The Amulett
	06.	Finding the Drugs
	07.	China Love
	08.	Malaparte Sinus
	09.	Communication in Hyperspace
	10.	Cheng Li and His Friends
	11.	EKG
	12.	Big Boss and His Gang
	13.	Blood & Dead Friends
	14.	Moontown
	15.	Revenge & Corruption
	16.	The Fist of Fury
	17.	The Amulett (film version)
	18.	Big Boss and His Gang (film version)
	19.	Dream for Two
	20.	Bruce Lee Forever