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IMDb > Circle of Iron (1978)
Circle of Iron
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Circle of Iron (1978) More at IMDbPro »

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Overview

User Rating:
5.5/10   865 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 8% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Richard Moore
Writers:
Stirling Silliphant (screenplay) and
Stanley Mann (screenplay) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Circle of Iron on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 July 1978 (France) more
Tagline:
The Challenge Of A Lifetime... more
Plot:
A young martial artist, Cord the Seeker, competes for and loses the right to go on a quest for the Book of All Knowlege held by a wizard named Zetan... more | add synopsis
Awards:
1 nomination more
NewsDesk:
(2 articles)
Circle of Iron Blu-ray Review
 (From TheHDRoom. 15 July 2009, 3:33 AM, PDT)

DVD Playhouse--July 2009
 (From The Hollywood Interview. 14 July 2009, 12:00 PM, PDT)

User Comments:
The contrast of brutality and Zen gracefulness more

Cast

  (Complete credited cast)

David Carradine ... The Blind Man / Monkeyman / Death / Changsha
Jeff Cooper ... Cord

Christopher Lee ... Zetan

Roddy McDowall ... White Robe

Eli Wallach ... Man-in-Oil

Anthony De Longis ... Morthond (as Anthony de Longis)
Earl Maynard ... Black Giant
Erica Creer ... Tara
Michael M. Vendrell ... Martial Artist (as Michael Vendrell)
Leo Whang ... Martial Artist
Donnie Williams ... Martial Artist
Robert Gardner ... Martial Artist
Tom Ascensio ... Martial Artist
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Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
The Silent Flute
more
Runtime:
102 min
Country:
USA
Language:
English
Color:
Color
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Iceland:16 | Canada:G (Quebec) | UK:15 | Finland:K-16 | Norway:18 | USA:R | Norway:15 (DVD rating)
Filming Locations:
Bet Shean, Israel

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
David Carradine was originally offered the part of the main character Cord, but preferred the multiple roles intended for Bruce Lee. more
Quotes:
The Blind Man: It's hard to kill a horse with a flute. more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in Kung Fu Panda (2008) more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful:-
The contrast of brutality and Zen gracefulness, 25 March 2005
9/10
Author: the_idealist (the_idealist@juno.com) from United States

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..

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Circle of Iron (1978)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
Remake in the works... EClarke007
Best quote rmarcil
This is the biggest ego based craptasm since the Monkees' 'Head' destruction-eva
saw parts of this at a rock show artist563
Any good? or just wishful thinking? pimproj45
Kung Fu Panda curtissnw
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