The "Brandon Lee curse" refers to a series of tragic events surrounding the Lee family, particularly concerning the untimely deaths of two family members - martial artist and actor Bruce Lee and his son Brandon Lee. Bruce Lee, a legendary figure in martial arts, achieved fame through his films that showcased his mastery of the art form. However, at the height of his career in 1973, he tragically passed away at the age of 32 due to a cerebral edema. This sudden and unexpected death left a void in the world of martial arts and saddened millions of his fans. The curse seemingly struck the family again in 1993 when Bruce Lee's son Brandon Lee, following in his father's footsteps, was on the verge of becoming a prominent actor himself. Brandon had successfully starred in films like "Kung Fu: The Movie" and "Rapid Fire," and was set to shoot for the movie "The Crow.
Drinking too much water may have led to Bruce Lee's sudden death at age 32, shows new study
Brandon had successfully starred in films like "Kung Fu: The Movie" and "Rapid Fire," and was set to shoot for the movie "The Crow." Unfortunately, during the filming of a scene in which a prop gun was used, a tragic accident occurred, and Brandon was fatally shot. He was only 28 years old at the time.
Bruce Lee's death has been a matter of interest for many years as Lee died under mysterious circumstances.
Almost 50 years later, scientists have now reviewed the evidence in Lee's death and conclude that the actor most likely died from hyponatremia. (Photo: brucelee.com)
Bruce Lee was one of the most celebrated martial artists and actors, who sadly died at a young age of 32 in July 1973. Lee, whose famous quote reads "Be water, my friend," may have died from drinking too much water, a new study claims.
The actor's death has been a matter of interest for many years as Lee died under mysterious circumstances. However, almost 50 years later, the scientists have now reviewed the evidence in Lee's death and concluded that the actor most likely died from hyponatremia.
The autopsy report at the time of the actor's death in 1973 had shown that Lee had been killed from cerebral oedema, in simple words: brain swelling. The doctor had said the swelling of the brain had occurred after consuming a painkiller.
However, the new study now suggests that the oedema was brought on by hyponatraemia. In the study, published in the Clinical Kidney Journal, a group of researchers said that the martial artist died suddenly at a young age because his kidneys were unable to eliminate extra water.
Hyponatremia is when the sodium level in blood, which people need for fluid balance, is abnormally low.
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"Hypersensitivity to the components of Equagesic (aspirin and meprobamate) was identified as the official cause of death," the study said.
However, the actor had previously taken the drug and on the day of his death, Lee had consumed the pill only "after" he felt uneasy and was showing symptoms that may be explained by cerebral oedema.
As per the study, Lee had suffered an episode of cerebral oedema two months before his death when he was in Hong Kong for a dubbing session.
The actor was taken to Baptist Hospital where cerebral oedema was diagnosed and Lee was then treated with mannitol.
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The study claimed Bruce had multiple risk factors for hyponatremia, including drinking high quantities of liquid and using cannabis, which increases thirst. The imbalance causes cells in the body to swell, including those in the brain.
Bruce's death has been surrounded by conspiracy theories for decades that include that he may have been assassinated by Chinese gangsters, poisoned by a jealous lover or was the victim of a curse.
Lee's wife Linda, 77, revealed that the 'Enter The Dragon' star was on a fluid-based diet of carrot and apple juice during the time he passed away suddenly. Meanwhile, Matthew Polly, who wrote the 2018 biography 'Bruce Lee, A Life' referred to Bruce's repeated water intake on the evening of his death. Bruce has been reported to have frequently used cannabis and in one letter described himself as "stoned as hell."
The study concluded that Lee died from a specific form of kidney dysfunction: the inability to excrete enough water to maintain water homeostasis, which is mainly a tubular function. This may lead to hyponatremia, cerebral oedema and death within hours if excess water intake is not matched by water excretion in urine, which is in line with the timeline of Lee’s demise.
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Brandon Lee
Bruce Lee and Brandon Lee were a father and son linked by the action-packed world of martial arts films and, some say, by an ancient Chinese curse that killed them both. Bruce Lee’s film career began in Hong Kong. With his explosive power and fluid grace, he almost single-handedly created an audience for martial arts films. In the summer of 1973, Lee was 32-years-old and on the brink of international stardom. Then on July 20th, he took a prescription drug for a headache and laid down for a nap. Bruce Lee never got up. His funeral drew more than 25,000 mourners. Some said that Lee died from a family curse. But after an unprecedented nine-day inquest, the coroner announced his findings—Bruce Lee had died from a freak allergic reaction to a pain remedy. Author John Little has written extensively about the life of Bruce Lee:
“Here we have this paragon of fitness, one of the most lethal human beings with his hands or his feet taken out… by a headache tablet. But it happens. And it only seems all the more unbelievable when it happens to someone who is larger than life.
At the time, Bruce’s son, Brandon, was just eight-years-old and already following in his father’s footsteps. This is an excerpt from an interview Brandon recorded just prior to his untimely death:
“I started training with my dad really as soon as I could walk. I mean, my dad was a really diligent trainer, and he always had people over at the house practicing. In fact, I remember when I was a little kid, a lot of my friends didn’t want to come over to the house because there were always these men in the back yard screaming and breaking things.”
A live lead tip was lodged in the gun
Brandon followed Bruce’s path to the big screen as a star of martial arts films. He was 28-years-old when he was fatally shot on the set of his fifth feature, “The Crow”. Was he also a victim of the Lee family curse? Just like Bruce Lee’s death, the shooting of Brandon Lee renewed speculation about the Lee curse. But can this tragedy really be attributed to supernatural forces? After nearly 50 eyewitnesses and more than a dozen ballistics tests, detectives Rodney Simmons and Brian Pettus of the Wilmington, North Carolina Police Department, pieced together the strange six-week journey of the bullet destined to kill Brandon Lee. According to Detective Simmons, the bullets were purchased at a pawnshop:
“They were filming a pawnshop scene. And they needed items from an actual pawnshop. So they went to one of the local pawnshops in Wilmington.”
Was this bullet destined to kill Brandon Lee?
A stagehand gathered hundreds of props, among them was a box of live .44 magnum bullets. According to Detective Pettus, the first link in the fatal chain of events was now in place:
“They dressed the set up with all the items that they received. They placed the .44 rounds on a counter that was used in the scene. The stunt coordinator said when he found the live ammunition on the set, he was livid. The bottom line rule is that you don’t have live ammunition on a set.”
The stunt coordinator locked the bullets in the trunk of his car, where they would remain for another two weeks. It was one of these bullets that would eventually kill Brandon Lee. Understanding the tragic events to come required some knowledge of bullets and blanks. A live bullet has a lead tip, a load of gunpowder, and an explosive charge known as a primer. Once the trigger is pulled the hammer hits the primer. The primer then detonates, igniting the powder. The explosive force of burning powder shoots the lead tip towards the target. Blanks are bullets with a harmless disc of cardboard instead of a lead tip and have a smaller gunpowder load. They may have one-quarter or one half the normal charge. When fired, blanks create a visible but harmless flash. A dummy round looks like a bullet but cannot be fired. It has the cartridge and the lead tip only. No gunpowder, no primer. On the set of “The Crow,” the crew needed blanks. To save time, the fateful decision was made to modify the live rounds that they had. According to Detective Pettus, the crew removed the lead tip and powder, leaving only the cartridge and primer:
“So what they did is they fired off some of the blanks that they’d made and took those casings and put the lead tips back in the casings. But what they didn’t do was check the primers to see if they’d all been fired when they made the dummy rounds. So they got some mixed up. So they made at least one dummy round that had a primer still intact.”
Is an ancient curse to blame for their deaths?
That one dummy round had an explosive primer and a lead tip. The crew used the dummy rounds for close-ups of someone firing a .44 magnum. The detectives said that at least two people heard a popping noise. No one realized it was the sound of a primer firing—exploding with just enough force to dislodge the lead tip from the bullet casing and wedge it into the gun barrel. There it would remain, undetected for another 14 days, awaiting its fateful meeting with Brandon Lee.
North Carolina officials concluded that the film company’s biggest failures were not having a gun expert on the set and taking shortcuts to save time and money. However, the chain of negligence involved so many people that convicting any one of them was unlikely. No criminal charges were filed. In the end, it seemed that Brandon Lee was truly a victim of circumstance. Or was he, as some claim, the final casualty of the family curse?
Watch this case now on Amazon Prime in season eight with Robert Stack and in season one with Dennis Farina. Also available on YouTube with Dennis Farina. Various seasons available now on Hulu.
5 Comments
Patrick
I read a behind the scenes book on this movie that a crew member wrote and is was mess of a production. People overworked, long hours and rushing things. Then having live ammunition on set…just stupid and lazy. Just look at the Rust movie recently, live ammo on set and someone was killed. Reply
William
if it was indeed a ‘Family Curse’ then why hasn’t the rest of the family been effected by this curse. Same can be said about the Superman curse George Reeves Died while he was known for playing Superman and Christopher Reeves became Paralyzed from the neck down 7years after he played Superman for the 4th time. Should we say its a Curse that 2 Actors who have been directed by Justin Lin have died during production of Fast and Furious 6 (Paul Walker) and Star Trek Beyond (Anton Yelchin)? All these was just accidents Reply
Boomer
Why would anyone call it a “family curse” just because a father and son had died? When i read the title i thought the odd deaths were going to back at least 2 or 3 more generations. Was UM running out of ideas at the time? Reply
Chanita
Brandon Was Killed By Mistake They Probably Didn’t Have The Saftey Caps On And That Could Have Cost Him His Life! Reply
Dahlia
I believe it was simply an accident, though preventable. Very depressing case. What a talented and handsome man he was, just like his father. RIP Brandon and Bruce. Reply
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Did A Family Curse Cause The Untimely Death Of Bruce Lee And His Son Brandon?
In 1973, famed martial artist Bruce Lee was killed by a brain aneurysm after taking a medication given to him by a friend. His sudden death was surrounded by questions, many of which were never answered. Two decades later, Brandon Lee, Bruce Lee's son, was shot and killed while filming a movie. A prop gun had somehow jammed and fired a dummy bullet into his abdomen, causing him to bleed out.
The deaths of Bruce and Brandon Lee have given rise to many conspiracy theories, some absolutely absurd, some pretty fascinating - including the theory of the Lee family curse. This curse has supposedly killed off numerous people in the Lee family, not just Bruce and Brandon. It's known as "the Bruce Lee curse," but the misfortune seems to extend back longer than even Bruce's life.
Is Bruce Lee's family cursed? There's no way of knowing whether or not the Lee curse exists for sure. But whether these tragedies were supernatural in origin or all too human, they're still heartbreaking.
The mysterious and tragic nature of both deaths has led to speculation about the existence of a curse plaguing the Lee family. Some theories suggest that Bruce Lee's death was linked to his involvement in secret societies or that he was targeted by enemies who wished to prevent him from achieving even greater success. As for Brandon Lee's death, it was largely considered an accident, yet it fueled further speculation about the supernatural or paranormal elements surrounding the family. However, it is important to note that curses are not scientifically proven phenomena, and much of the supposed "curse" can be attributed to mere coincidence and tragedy. Bruce Lee's death was a result of a medical condition, and Brandon Lee's death was ultimately an unfortunate accident on set. Nonetheless, the "Brandon Lee curse" has become a popular topic of discussion and intrigue among fans and followers of martial arts and the Lee family. It serves as a reminder of the fragility of life and the unforeseen tragedies that can occur, even to those who seem invincible..
Reviews for "The Haunting Curse that Plagues the Lee Family"
1. John Doe - 2 stars - I was highly disappointed with "Brandon Lee Curse". The storyline was dull and predictable, lacking any originality. The acting felt forced and unnatural, making it difficult to connect with the characters. In addition, the special effects were subpar, leaving a lot to be desired. Overall, I found "Brandon Lee Curse" to be a forgettable and underwhelming experience.
2. Jane Smith - 1 star - "Brandon Lee Curse" was an absolute disaster. The plot was convoluted and confusing, with poorly developed characters that I couldn't care less about. The dialogue was cringe-worthy, filled with clichés and unbelievable interactions. The cinematography was also disappointing, with sloppy camera work and uninspired visuals. I would not recommend wasting your time on this film.
3. Mike Johnson - 2 stars - I had high hopes for "Brandon Lee Curse", but unfortunately, it failed to deliver. The pacing was all over the place, making it difficult to stay engaged. The story lacked depth and substance, leaving me feeling unsatisfied. The performances were lackluster, with unconvincing emotions and weak chemistry between the actors. It's a shame, as the concept had potential, but the execution fell flat.
4. Sarah Thompson - 2 stars - "Brandon Lee Curse" left me unimpressed and disappointed. The narrative felt disjointed, with unnecessary subplots that added nothing to the overall story. The film also suffered from poor editing choices, resulting in choppy and confusing scenes. The lack of character development made it hard to root for anyone, and the acting was below average. Overall, I found "Brandon Lee Curse" to be a forgettable and unsatisfying experience.