Waste of time

Very good movie overall, highly recommended. Most of the negative reviews don't have any merit and are all pollitically based. Give this movie a chance at least, and it might give you a different perspective.

It is neither dumb nor smart enough to be fun, and spends way too much time with its boring human characters.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

"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.

This is a movie about a person who seeks to become Enlightened.This is a story that Bruce Lee wrote (along with the actor James Coburn, one of his favorite martial arts students). Bruce wrote this to show the Buddhist path to Enlightenment, and the spiritual trials a Seeker of Enlightenment faces in his journey to break through all of the "stoppers" which prevent us from thinking Enlightened thoughts.There is "The Book" . . . a "book that contains all the wisdom of the world." If a Seeker of Enlightenment reads "The Book" . . . after spiritually preparing himself, AND passing through 3 Trials, he will be given the chance to face Zetan (the Keeper of The Book), and read The Book. The learning in The Book will help him transcend his normal mind, and open up his mind into Enlightened thoughts.There is a ritual combat show at a local monastery. The one who wins the competition will be given the right to search for Zetan. But along the way, he will have to survive 3 Trials. Cord makes it to the final round, but is disqualified because he hit the other man while he was on the ground. Later, the man who won the competition is mortally wounded during his first Trial, and passes his medallion on to Cord.Along Cord's way through his 3 Trials, he meets a spiritual guide, who helps him overcome his first Trial, and later gives Cord some spiritual wisdom from time to time, and listens to Cord discuss his thoughts about the Trials, and the lessons he has learned from the Trials.His first Trial is about feeling shame, being confused, and staying on his Journey to find Enlightenment. His second Trial is about anger, revenge and betrayal. His third Trial is about fear of death.After passing his 3 Trials, he faces Zetan, the Keeper of The Book. Zetan is among 100s of people who have stopped short of reading The Book (after passing their 3 Trials). These are the "Near Ones" ... who spend their time perfecting their earthly thoughts (instead of thinking Enlightened thoughts).For a fuller view of the actions (and their significance) in this movie, you can read my Synopsis of the movie.

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.

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.