Game of Death
Encyclopedia
The Game of Death is a 1972 film starring Bruce Lee
. It was almost the last film Bruce Lee
had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do
. Over 100 minutes of footage was shot before his death, some of which was later misplaced in the Golden Harvest
archives. The remaining footage has been released with Bruce Lee's original English and Cantonese dialogue, with John Little dubbing Bruce Lee's Hai Tien character as part of the documentary entitled Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey
. Most of the footage which was shot is from what was to be the centerpiece of the film, which was to be co-produced (with Raymond Chow
), written and directed by Lee.
During filming The Game of Death Bruce Lee received an offer to star in Enter the Dragon
. The first kung fu film to be produced by a Hollywood studio, and with a budget unprecedented for the genre. Lee died of cerebral edema
before the film's release. At the time of his death, he had already made plans to resume the filming of The Game of Death.
After Lee's death, Enter the Dragon director Robert Clouse
was enlisted to direct additional scenes featuring two stand-ins which, when pieced together with the original footage as well as other footage from earlier in Bruce Lee's career, would form a new film (entitled Game of Death) which was released in 1978, nearly 5 years after his death, by Golden Harvest
.
where guns are prohibited, and under heavy guard by highly skilled martial artists who are protecting something (which is not identified at all in any surviving material) held on its top level. The gang boss wants Hai to be a part of a group whose purpose is to retrieve said item. They would be the second group to try to do so as the first attempt with a previous group had failed. When Hai refuses, his younger sister and brother are kidnapped, forcing him to participate. Hai, as well as four other martial artists (two of which were played by James Tien
and Chieh Yuan
), then fight their way up a five-level pagoda
, encountering a different challenge on each floor. The setting of the pagoda was at Beopjusa
temple in Songnisan
National Park in South Korea
.
The pagoda, called Palsang-jon, is the only remaining wooden pagoda in South Korea. At the base of the pagoda they fight 50 people all black belts in martial arts, while inside the pagoda, they encounter a different opponent on each floor, each more challenging than the last. Although his allies try to help out, they are handily defeated, and Hai must face each of the martial artists in one-on-one combat. He defeats Filipino
martial arts master Dan Inosanto
, hapkido
master Ji Han Jae
, and finally Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
, who fights with a free and fluid style mirroring Lee's Jeet Kune Do. Because Abdul-Jabbar's character has great size and strength in addition to a fighting style as potent as Lee's, he can only be defeated once Hai recognizes that an unusually high sensitivity to light
is his greatest weakness.
Immediately after defeating the giant guardian, Hai turns around and descends the staircase, heading out of the pagoda. Despite all the talk of something awaiting up top of the (now unguarded) flight of stairs, there is no mention of anyone going up to retrieve it. No surviving material explains how this will affect Hai or his captive siblings.
was slated to play the guardian of the first floor, a master of a kick-oriented style, while Bruce's long time student and good friend Taky Kimura was asked to play the guardian of the second floor, a stylist of praying mantis kung fu
.
The goal of the film's plot was to showcase Lee's beliefs regarding the principles of martial arts. As each martial artist is defeated (including Lee's allies), the flaws in their fighting style are revealed. Some, like Dan Inosanto's character, rely too much on fixed patterns of offensive and defensive techniques, while others lack economy of motion. Lee defeats his opponents by having a fighting style that involves fluid movement, unpredictability, and an eclectic blend of techniques. His dialogue often includes comments on their weaknesses.
, a documentary revealing the original footage and storyline of The Game of Death. The documentary also includes a fairly in-depth biography of Lee and leads into the filming of The Game of Death. Fans still believe there is more footage to be found. Originally meant to be a documentary in its own right, now it can be found on the second disc of the 2004 Special Edition DVD release of Enter the Dragon, along with the documentary Bruce Lee: Curse of the Dragon.
. This film shows Lee's original vision of the film through the existing footage that was shot for the film before he died, interviews, and historical re-enactments of what went on behind the scenes. A "special edition" DVD was released in 2003.
Hong Kong
martial arts
action
crime
thriller film co-written (under the pseudonym Jan Spears with Raymond Chow
) and directed by Robert Clouse
and starring Bruce Lee
, Tai Chung Kim, Yuen Biao
, Gig Young
, Dean Jagger
, Colleen Camp
, Robert Wall
, Hugh O'Brian
, Dan Inosanto
, Mel Novak
, Sammo Hung
, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
, Han-Jae Ji and Casanova Wong
.
) and his gangs of thugs, syndicate owner Dr. Land (Dean Jagger
) orders his assassination to serve as an example to others.
Disguised as a stuntman, Land's assassin Stick (Mel Novak
) sneaks onto the set of Billy's new film, and shoots Billy during filming. A fragment of the bullet passes through Billy's face, leaving him alive but in need of plastic surgery which alters his facial features. Billy takes the opportunity to fake his death and disguise himself, exacting revenge against those who wronged him one at a time. When the syndicate threatens and kidnaps his fiancée, Ann Morris (Colleen Camp
), Billy is forced to come out of hiding in order to save her. In the revised film, Bruce Lee's fight scenes inside the pagoda are assumed to take place in the upper floors of the Red Pepper restaurant, where Dr. Land and his thugs have laid an ambush. In the end Billy survives the ambush, rescues Ann, and destroys each of the main mobsters one-by-one.
and taekwondo
master Tai Chung Kim and was voiced by Chris Kent. The plot of the film allowed Kim and Yuen to spend much of the film in disguises, usually involving false beards and large, dark sunglasses that obscured the fact that they bore little resemblance to Lee. Many scenes, including fight scenes, also included brief close-up bits of stock footage of the real Bruce Lee from his pre-Enter the Dragon films, often only lasting a second or two. These clips are easily recognizable due to the difference in film quality between the old and new footage.
Several actors associated with previous Lee movies were included in the re-shoot for the final 1978 film. For example, Robert Wall
, a villain in both Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon, plays a kickboxer named Carl Miller who must battle with Billy Lo. Sammo Hung
, who appeared in Enter the Dragon, served as the fight coordinator for the re-shoot of Game of Death, and also appears in the scene as a ring opponent for Miller. In order to maintain continuity with the fight footage taken from the original film, Dan Inosanto (renamed Pasqual) and Ji Han Jae (whose character was unnamed and was not shown until near the end of the film) were given small parts as additional enforcers for the syndicate. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar refused to participate in the re-shoot, with another tall African-American stand-in (renamed Hakim) included instead. Although Chuck Norris
is credited as starring in the movie, his role is limited to clips from Way of the Dragon inserted into the film.
The film quality of the Clouse-directed footage was noticeably higher than that of Lee's earlier Hong Kong films, and John Barry
provided an original soundtrack. The film also featured performances by experienced actors as well as up-and-coming stars, including two recipients of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
(Dean Jagger and Gig Young) and several who have been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
, including Dean Jagger, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Hugh O'Brian, and Gig Young.
For Chinese-speaking audiences, the film was dubbed into Cantonese and Mandarin, and had significant changes, such as the inclusion of a fight in a green house with Casanova Wong
and a different opening and closing credits sequence, featuring a new theme song, plus a couple of minor scenes. Unlike the English version, they use Lee's actual battle sounds. Several scenes were removed, also, including the fight in the opera house dressing room.
In the original Hong Kong version, the fight with Ji Han Jae is included (during the middle of the film though), whilst the ending did not show Billy Lo being arrested - instead, both he and Ann share their good-byes to Jim as they appear to depart Hong Kong on a boat. The Singaporean version ended with Billy Lo's arrest, and it did not feature the Ji Han Jae fight - this is the version commonly found in Chinese.
The American score was composed by John Barry
.
3,436,169, but was not well received. Criticism of the revised version included the inclusion of scenes that could be considered in bad taste, such as the incorporation of footage of Lee's actual funeral. Another scene, often pointed out by critics of the film, involved a shot of Kim looking at himself in the mirror, with an obvious cardboard cut-out of Lee's face pasted onto the mirror's surface.
However the action directed by Sammo Hung for the scenes with the Bruce Lee lookalikes and the footage that Bruce Lee shot for the original footage with the final three fights helped alleviate the problems the movie has. Apart from the cheesy techniques used to disguise the fact that Bruce Lee was being played by stand-ins, the movie enjoyed respectable production values.
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports the film as holding an overall 75% approval rating based on 8 reviews, of these six were fresh and two were rotten.
The yellow-and-black tracksuit which Lee wore in the film has come to be seen as something of a trademark for the actor, and is paid homage to in numerous other media. In the Clouse-directed remake, the filmmakers rationalized its presence by including a scene where Billy Lo disguises himself as one of Dr. Land's motorcycle-riding thugs, who all wear striped jumpsuits.
In the warehouse scene, Billy Lo wears a pair of yellow Adidas shoes with black stripes and white shelltoes. Towards the end of the movie, Billy wears a pair of yellow Onitsuka Tiger
shoes, with black stripes. This was due to the fact that the real Bruce Lee wore the latter when he was filming, and the double wore the former in the 1978 version to resemble his shoes.
Mega Star (Hong Kong)
Fortune Star - Bruce Lee Ultimate DVD Collection (Hong Kong)
Fox (America)
Fox - Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection (America)
Hong Kong Legends Platinum Edition (United Kingdom)
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
. It was almost the last film Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do
Jeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
. Over 100 minutes of footage was shot before his death, some of which was later misplaced in the Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market for an extended period of time, especially with the films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan...
archives. The remaining footage has been released with Bruce Lee's original English and Cantonese dialogue, with John Little dubbing Bruce Lee's Hai Tien character as part of the documentary entitled Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey
Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey
Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey is a documentary on the martial artist Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do. It was released on VHS and DVD by Warner Home Video. The documentary includes rare footage of Bruce Lee's incomplete film "Game of Death", which has been released with Bruce Lee's original English and...
. Most of the footage which was shot is from what was to be the centerpiece of the film, which was to be co-produced (with Raymond Chow
Raymond Chow
Raymond Chow Man-Wai is a Hong Kong film producer, and presenter and was responsible for successfully launching martial arts and the Hong Kong cinema onto the international stage...
), written and directed by Lee.
During filming The Game of Death Bruce Lee received an offer to star in Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
. The first kung fu film to be produced by a Hollywood studio, and with a budget unprecedented for the genre. Lee died of cerebral edema
Cerebral edema
Cerebral edema or cerebral œdema is an excess accumulation of water in the intracellular or extracellular spaces of the brain.-Vasogenic:Due to a breakdown of tight endothelial junctions which make up the blood-brain barrier...
before the film's release. At the time of his death, he had already made plans to resume the filming of The Game of Death.
After Lee's death, Enter the Dragon director Robert Clouse
Robert Clouse
Robert Clouse was an American film director and producer, known primarily for his work in the action/adventure and martial arts genres. He died on February 4, 1997 in Oregon of kidney failure....
was enlisted to direct additional scenes featuring two stand-ins which, when pieced together with the original footage as well as other footage from earlier in Bruce Lee's career, would form a new film (entitled Game of Death) which was released in 1978, nearly 5 years after his death, by Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market for an extended period of time, especially with the films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan...
.
Original plot
The original plot involves Lee playing the role of Hai Tien, a retired champion martial artist who was confronted by the Korean underworld gangs. They tell him the story of a pagodaPagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
where guns are prohibited, and under heavy guard by highly skilled martial artists who are protecting something (which is not identified at all in any surviving material) held on its top level. The gang boss wants Hai to be a part of a group whose purpose is to retrieve said item. They would be the second group to try to do so as the first attempt with a previous group had failed. When Hai refuses, his younger sister and brother are kidnapped, forcing him to participate. Hai, as well as four other martial artists (two of which were played by James Tien
James Tien (actor)
James Tien Chun is a Hong Kong actor from Guangdong, China. He appeared in almost 70 films, primarily in Hong Kong action cinema, including roles in the films of martial arts stars including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. He often played villains or supporting roles...
and Chieh Yuan
Chieh Yuan
Chieh Yuan was an actor and martial artist. He was an actor for Shaw Brothers and in 1972, he was cast in Bruce Lee's The Game of Death. Chieh died in 1977 from cerebral edema, the same cause to Bruce Lee's death, and at age 32, the same age at which Bruce Lee had died.-External links:* at the...
), then fight their way up a five-level pagoda
Pagoda
A pagoda is the general term in the English language for a tiered tower with multiple eaves common in Nepal, India, China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam and other parts of Asia. Some pagodas are used as Taoist houses of worship. Most pagodas were built to have a religious function, most commonly Buddhist,...
, encountering a different challenge on each floor. The setting of the pagoda was at Beopjusa
Beopjusa
Beopjusa is a head temple of the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism. It is situated on the slopes of Songnisan in Naesongni-myeon, Boeun County, in the province of Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea. It was initially constructed in 653 by the Silla monk Uisin...
temple in Songnisan
Songnisan
Songnisan is a mountain and National Park in South Korea. It lies in the Sobaek mountains along the border between Gyeongsangbuk-do and Chungcheongbuk-do. Its main attractions are the temple Beopjusa and an especially picturesque peak, Munjangdae...
National Park in South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
.
The pagoda, called Palsang-jon, is the only remaining wooden pagoda in South Korea. At the base of the pagoda they fight 50 people all black belts in martial arts, while inside the pagoda, they encounter a different opponent on each floor, each more challenging than the last. Although his allies try to help out, they are handily defeated, and Hai must face each of the martial artists in one-on-one combat. He defeats Filipino
Filipino people
The Filipino people or Filipinos are an Austronesian ethnic group native to the islands of the Philippines. There are about 92 million Filipinos in the Philippines, and about 11 million living outside the Philippines ....
martial arts master Dan Inosanto
Dan Inosanto
Daniel Arca Inosanto is a Filipino-American martial arts instructor from California who is best known as a student of the late Bruce Lee and authority on Jeet Kune Do Concepts.-Martial arts:...
, hapkido
Hapkido
Hapkido is a dynamic and also eclectic Korean martial art. It is a form of self-defense that employs joint locks, techniques of other martial arts, as well as kicks, punches, and other striking attacks...
master Ji Han Jae
Ji Han Jae
Ji Han-Jae was born in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, South Korea in 1936. He is one of the highest ranking hapkido instructors in the world and founder of Sin Moo Hapkido.- Trainee :...
, and finally Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, who fights with a free and fluid style mirroring Lee's Jeet Kune Do. Because Abdul-Jabbar's character has great size and strength in addition to a fighting style as potent as Lee's, he can only be defeated once Hai recognizes that an unusually high sensitivity to light
Photosensitivity
Photosensitivity is the amount to which an object reacts upon receiving photons, especially visible light.- Human medicine :Sensitivity of the skin to a light source can take various forms. People with particular skin types are more sensitive to sunburn...
is his greatest weakness.
Immediately after defeating the giant guardian, Hai turns around and descends the staircase, heading out of the pagoda. Despite all the talk of something awaiting up top of the (now unguarded) flight of stairs, there is no mention of anyone going up to retrieve it. No surviving material explains how this will affect Hai or his captive siblings.
Original production
Although the pagoda was supposed to have five floors, complete scenes were only shot for three of the floors: the "Temple of the Tiger," where Lee faced Inosanto; the "Temple of the Dragon", where he fought Ji Han Jae; and the final floor, where he fought Abdul-Jabbar was the "Temple of the Unknown". Hapkido master Hwang In-ShikHwang In-Shik
Hwang In Shik is one of the foremost Korean hapkido teachers today. A great popularizer of the art in Asia through his work in the Hong Kong based films of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Angela Mao, he is known nevertheless as one the top teachers of the art and was eventually awarded a 10th degree...
was slated to play the guardian of the first floor, a master of a kick-oriented style, while Bruce's long time student and good friend Taky Kimura was asked to play the guardian of the second floor, a stylist of praying mantis kung fu
Praying mantis kung fu
There are two styles of Praying Mantis Kung Fu:* Northern Praying Mantis , a self-defense technique from the northeast Chinese province of Shandong....
.
The goal of the film's plot was to showcase Lee's beliefs regarding the principles of martial arts. As each martial artist is defeated (including Lee's allies), the flaws in their fighting style are revealed. Some, like Dan Inosanto's character, rely too much on fixed patterns of offensive and defensive techniques, while others lack economy of motion. Lee defeats his opponents by having a fighting style that involves fluid movement, unpredictability, and an eclectic blend of techniques. His dialogue often includes comments on their weaknesses.
Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey
Several years later, Bruce Lee historian John Little released Bruce Lee: A Warrior's JourneyBruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey
Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey is a documentary on the martial artist Bruce Lee and Jeet Kune Do. It was released on VHS and DVD by Warner Home Video. The documentary includes rare footage of Bruce Lee's incomplete film "Game of Death", which has been released with Bruce Lee's original English and...
, a documentary revealing the original footage and storyline of The Game of Death. The documentary also includes a fairly in-depth biography of Lee and leads into the filming of The Game of Death. Fans still believe there is more footage to be found. Originally meant to be a documentary in its own right, now it can be found on the second disc of the 2004 Special Edition DVD release of Enter the Dragon, along with the documentary Bruce Lee: Curse of the Dragon.
Bruce Lee in G.O.D.: Shibōteki Yūgi
In 2000, the Japanese film Bruce Lee in G.O.D. 死亡的遊戯 was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
. This film shows Lee's original vision of the film through the existing footage that was shot for the film before he died, interviews, and historical re-enactments of what went on behind the scenes. A "special edition" DVD was released in 2003.
Filmed cast
- Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
as "Hai Tien" - Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
as "Hakim(5th Floor Guardian)" - James TienJames Tien (actor)James Tien Chun is a Hong Kong actor from Guangdong, China. He appeared in almost 70 films, primarily in Hong Kong action cinema, including roles in the films of martial arts stars including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. He often played villains or supporting roles...
as "Tien" - Chieh YuanChieh YuanChieh Yuan was an actor and martial artist. He was an actor for Shaw Brothers and in 1972, he was cast in Bruce Lee's The Game of Death. Chieh died in 1977 from cerebral edema, the same cause to Bruce Lee's death, and at age 32, the same age at which Bruce Lee had died.-External links:* at the...
as "Chieh" - Dan InosantoDan InosantoDaniel Arca Inosanto is a Filipino-American martial arts instructor from California who is best known as a student of the late Bruce Lee and authority on Jeet Kune Do Concepts.-Martial arts:...
as "3rd Floor Guardian" - Han-Jae Ji as "4th Floor Guardian"
Unfilmed cast
- Hwang In-ShikHwang In-ShikHwang In Shik is one of the foremost Korean hapkido teachers today. A great popularizer of the art in Asia through his work in the Hong Kong based films of Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Angela Mao, he is known nevertheless as one the top teachers of the art and was eventually awarded a 10th degree...
as "1st Floor Guardian" - Taky Kimura as "2nd Floor Guardian"
- Nora MiaoNora MiaoNora Miao ); born February 8, 1952 ) is a Hong Kong actress who appeared in many kung-fu films in the 1970s. She was contracted to Golden Harvest, and spent her time making films in Hong Kong and in Taiwan, where she starred in several romance movies....
as "Hai Tien's sister"
Intended cast
- George LazenbyGeorge LazenbyGeorge Robert Lazenby is an Australian actor and former model, best known for portraying James Bond in the 1969 film On Her Majesty's Secret Service.-Early life:...
- Robert WallRobert WallRobert Alan "Bob" Wall is an American actor and martial artist.- Biography :Wall is a former heavyweight world-champion kickboxer. He is featured in a number of films, most notably three appearances with martial arts master Bruce Lee. Bob Wall appeared in the film Way of the Dragon with Lee,...
- Robert BakerRobert Baker (martial artist)Robert Baker was an American actor and martial artist, a student of Bruce Lee. He is known for playing the character Petrov in the Bruce Lee film Fist Of Fury, aka The Chinese Connection.-External links:...
, student of Lee's. - Chuck NorrisChuck NorrisCarlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
- Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
- Sammo HungSammo HungSammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
- Jim KellyJim Kelly (martial artist)James M. "Jim" "the Dragon" Kelly is an American athlete, actor, and martial artist who came to prominence in the early 1970s. He is best known from his performance as Williams in the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon.-Early life:...
- Bolo YeungBolo YeungYang Sze , better known as Bolo Yeung, is a former competitive bodybuilder and a martial arts film actor. Primarily cast as the villain in the movies he stars in, he is best known for his performances as Bolo in Enter the Dragon and as Chong Li in Bloodsport, and also for his many appearances in...
- Lam Ching YingLam Ching YingLam Ching Ying was a Hong Kong actor, action director and director. A physically talented and graceful martial artist, Lam was best known for playing the stoic Taoist priest in Mr. Vampire...
- Lee KwanLee KwanLee Kwan , also known as Li Kun or Li Quinn, was a Chinese actor.He joined Shaw Brothers in 1957 and acted in Mandarin films. He later played supporting roles in Bruce Lee's The Big Boss and Fist of Fury. Later he became a film and television actor in Taiwan...
- Kien ShihShih KienShek Wing-cheung , better known as Shih Kien, was a Chinese actor from Hong Kong. He is sometimes credited as Shek Kin or Kien Shih...
- Han Yin-chieh
- Yuen BiaoYuen BiaoYuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
- Carter Wong
Game of Death (1978)
Game of Death is a 1978Hong Kong films of 1978
A list of films produced in Hong Kong in 1978:.-1978:-External links:* * Hong Kong films of 1978 at...
Hong Kong
Cinema of Hong Kong
The cinema of Hong Kong is one of the three major threads in the history of Chinese language cinema, alongside the cinema of China, and the cinema of Taiwan...
martial arts
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
action
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
crime
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
thriller film co-written (under the pseudonym Jan Spears with Raymond Chow
Raymond Chow
Raymond Chow Man-Wai is a Hong Kong film producer, and presenter and was responsible for successfully launching martial arts and the Hong Kong cinema onto the international stage...
) and directed by Robert Clouse
Robert Clouse
Robert Clouse was an American film director and producer, known primarily for his work in the action/adventure and martial arts genres. He died on February 4, 1997 in Oregon of kidney failure....
and starring Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
, Tai Chung Kim, Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao
Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
, Gig Young
Gig Young
Gig Young was an American film, stage, and television actor. Known mainly for second leads and supporting roles, Young won an Academy Award for his performance as a dance-marathon emcee in the 1969 film, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?.-Early life and career:Born Byron Elsworth Barr in St...
, Dean Jagger
Dean Jagger
Dean Jagger was an Academy Award winning American film actor.-Career:Born Ira Dean Jagger in Columbus Grove, Ohio, Jagger made his film debut in The Woman from Hell with Mary Astor...
, Colleen Camp
Colleen Camp
Colleen Celeste Camp is an American actress and film producer, known for her performances in two installments of the Police Academy series and as Yvette the Maid in the 1985 black comedy Clue. She was also the first actress to play Kristin Shepard in U.S. prime time soap opera Dallas in 1979.Camp...
, Robert Wall
Robert Wall
Robert Alan "Bob" Wall is an American actor and martial artist.- Biography :Wall is a former heavyweight world-champion kickboxer. He is featured in a number of films, most notably three appearances with martial arts master Bruce Lee. Bob Wall appeared in the film Way of the Dragon with Lee,...
, Hugh O'Brian
Hugh O'Brian
Hugh O'Brian is an American actor, known for his starring role in the ABC television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp .-Early years and career:...
, Dan Inosanto
Dan Inosanto
Daniel Arca Inosanto is a Filipino-American martial arts instructor from California who is best known as a student of the late Bruce Lee and authority on Jeet Kune Do Concepts.-Martial arts:...
, Mel Novak
Mel Novak
Mel Novak is an American character actor who is best known for villainous roles in action, martial arts and occasionally horror and science fiction films. He is also known for doing all of his own stunts and fighting scenes.-Career:...
, Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
, Han-Jae Ji and Casanova Wong
Casanova Wong
Casanova Wong, also known as Ka Sat Fat , is a Korean martial arts actor born in 1945 as Yong-ho Kim in Gimje, South Korea. An expert in tae kwon do, he is a renowned leg-fighter, and is well known for his spin kicks and was nicknamed "The Human Tornado" in the Korean Army...
.
Plot
The 1978 version uses portions of the original footage married to an entirely new plot involving a new character, Billy Lo,(盧比利) struggling against a racketeering "syndicate" after gaining international success as a martial arts movie star. When Billy refuses to be intimidated by syndicate henchman Steiner (Hugh O'BrianHugh O'Brian
Hugh O'Brian is an American actor, known for his starring role in the ABC television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp .-Early years and career:...
) and his gangs of thugs, syndicate owner Dr. Land (Dean Jagger
Dean Jagger
Dean Jagger was an Academy Award winning American film actor.-Career:Born Ira Dean Jagger in Columbus Grove, Ohio, Jagger made his film debut in The Woman from Hell with Mary Astor...
) orders his assassination to serve as an example to others.
Disguised as a stuntman, Land's assassin Stick (Mel Novak
Mel Novak
Mel Novak is an American character actor who is best known for villainous roles in action, martial arts and occasionally horror and science fiction films. He is also known for doing all of his own stunts and fighting scenes.-Career:...
) sneaks onto the set of Billy's new film, and shoots Billy during filming. A fragment of the bullet passes through Billy's face, leaving him alive but in need of plastic surgery which alters his facial features. Billy takes the opportunity to fake his death and disguise himself, exacting revenge against those who wronged him one at a time. When the syndicate threatens and kidnaps his fiancée, Ann Morris (Colleen Camp
Colleen Camp
Colleen Celeste Camp is an American actress and film producer, known for her performances in two installments of the Police Academy series and as Yvette the Maid in the 1985 black comedy Clue. She was also the first actress to play Kristin Shepard in U.S. prime time soap opera Dallas in 1979.Camp...
), Billy is forced to come out of hiding in order to save her. In the revised film, Bruce Lee's fight scenes inside the pagoda are assumed to take place in the upper floors of the Red Pepper restaurant, where Dr. Land and his thugs have laid an ambush. In the end Billy survives the ambush, rescues Ann, and destroys each of the main mobsters one-by-one.
Production
The revised version of the film uses only 11 minutes and 7 seconds of the footage from the original The Game of Death, and for the vast majority of the film, the role of Billy Lo was shared by Yuen BiaoYuen Biao
Yuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
and taekwondo
Taekwondo
Taekwondo is a Korean martial art and the national sport of South Korea. In Korean, tae means "to strike or break with foot"; kwon means "to strike or break with fist"; and do means "way", "method", or "path"...
master Tai Chung Kim and was voiced by Chris Kent. The plot of the film allowed Kim and Yuen to spend much of the film in disguises, usually involving false beards and large, dark sunglasses that obscured the fact that they bore little resemblance to Lee. Many scenes, including fight scenes, also included brief close-up bits of stock footage of the real Bruce Lee from his pre-Enter the Dragon films, often only lasting a second or two. These clips are easily recognizable due to the difference in film quality between the old and new footage.
Several actors associated with previous Lee movies were included in the re-shoot for the final 1978 film. For example, Robert Wall
Robert Wall
Robert Alan "Bob" Wall is an American actor and martial artist.- Biography :Wall is a former heavyweight world-champion kickboxer. He is featured in a number of films, most notably three appearances with martial arts master Bruce Lee. Bob Wall appeared in the film Way of the Dragon with Lee,...
, a villain in both Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon, plays a kickboxer named Carl Miller who must battle with Billy Lo. Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung
Sammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
, who appeared in Enter the Dragon, served as the fight coordinator for the re-shoot of Game of Death, and also appears in the scene as a ring opponent for Miller. In order to maintain continuity with the fight footage taken from the original film, Dan Inosanto (renamed Pasqual) and Ji Han Jae (whose character was unnamed and was not shown until near the end of the film) were given small parts as additional enforcers for the syndicate. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar refused to participate in the re-shoot, with another tall African-American stand-in (renamed Hakim) included instead. Although Chuck Norris
Chuck Norris
Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
is credited as starring in the movie, his role is limited to clips from Way of the Dragon inserted into the film.
The film quality of the Clouse-directed footage was noticeably higher than that of Lee's earlier Hong Kong films, and John Barry
John Barry (composer)
John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
provided an original soundtrack. The film also featured performances by experienced actors as well as up-and-coming stars, including two recipients of the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry. Since its inception, however, the...
(Dean Jagger and Gig Young) and several who have been honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame
Hollywood Walk of Fame
The Hollywood Walk of Fame consists of more than 2,400 five-pointed terrazzo and brass stars embedded in the sidewalks along fifteen blocks of Hollywood Boulevard and three blocks of Vine Street in Hollywood, California...
, including Dean Jagger, Bruce Lee, Chuck Norris, Hugh O'Brian, and Gig Young.
For Chinese-speaking audiences, the film was dubbed into Cantonese and Mandarin, and had significant changes, such as the inclusion of a fight in a green house with Casanova Wong
Casanova Wong
Casanova Wong, also known as Ka Sat Fat , is a Korean martial arts actor born in 1945 as Yong-ho Kim in Gimje, South Korea. An expert in tae kwon do, he is a renowned leg-fighter, and is well known for his spin kicks and was nicknamed "The Human Tornado" in the Korean Army...
and a different opening and closing credits sequence, featuring a new theme song, plus a couple of minor scenes. Unlike the English version, they use Lee's actual battle sounds. Several scenes were removed, also, including the fight in the opera house dressing room.
In the original Hong Kong version, the fight with Ji Han Jae is included (during the middle of the film though), whilst the ending did not show Billy Lo being arrested - instead, both he and Ann share their good-byes to Jim as they appear to depart Hong Kong on a boat. The Singaporean version ended with Billy Lo's arrest, and it did not feature the Ji Han Jae fight - this is the version commonly found in Chinese.
Cast
- Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
as "Billy Lo" (archive footage from incomplete 1st version) - Tai Chung Kim as "Billy Lo" (doubling for Bruce Lee)
- Yuen BiaoYuen BiaoYuen Biao is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist. He specialises in acrobatics and Chinese martial arts and has worked on over 80 films as actor, stuntman and action choreographer...
as "Billy Lo" (doubling for Bruce Lee) - Gig YoungGig YoungGig Young was an American film, stage, and television actor. Known mainly for second leads and supporting roles, Young won an Academy Award for his performance as a dance-marathon emcee in the 1969 film, They Shoot Horses, Don't They?.-Early life and career:Born Byron Elsworth Barr in St...
as "Jim Marshall" - Dean JaggerDean JaggerDean Jagger was an Academy Award winning American film actor.-Career:Born Ira Dean Jagger in Columbus Grove, Ohio, Jagger made his film debut in The Woman from Hell with Mary Astor...
as "Dr. Land" - Colleen CampColleen CampColleen Celeste Camp is an American actress and film producer, known for her performances in two installments of the Police Academy series and as Yvette the Maid in the 1985 black comedy Clue. She was also the first actress to play Kristin Shepard in U.S. prime time soap opera Dallas in 1979.Camp...
as "Ann Morris" - Mel NovakMel NovakMel Novak is an American character actor who is best known for villainous roles in action, martial arts and occasionally horror and science fiction films. He is also known for doing all of his own stunts and fighting scenes.-Career:...
as "Stick" - James TienJames Tien (actor)James Tien Chun is a Hong Kong actor from Guangdong, China. He appeared in almost 70 films, primarily in Hong Kong action cinema, including roles in the films of martial arts stars including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. He often played villains or supporting roles...
as "Charlie Wang" - Roy ChiaoRoy ChiaoRoy Chiao was a Chinese actor most famous for playing the minor villain Lao Che in the 1984 movie Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. Other English speaking film appearances of his included roles in the 1988 Jean-Claude Van Damme film Bloodsport, the 1973 Bruce Lee film Enter the Dragon and the...
as "(Uncle) Henry Lo" (U.S. version only) - Sammo HungSammo HungSammo Hung is a Hong Kong actor, martial artist, film producer and director, known for his work in many martial arts films and Hong Kong action cinema...
as "Lo Chen" - Hugh O'BrianHugh O'BrianHugh O'Brian is an American actor, known for his starring role in the ABC television series The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp .-Early years and career:...
as "Steiner" - Robert WallRobert WallRobert Alan "Bob" Wall is an American actor and martial artist.- Biography :Wall is a former heavyweight world-champion kickboxer. He is featured in a number of films, most notably three appearances with martial arts master Bruce Lee. Bob Wall appeared in the film Way of the Dragon with Lee,...
as "Carl Miller" - Dan InosantoDan InosantoDaniel Arca Inosanto is a Filipino-American martial arts instructor from California who is best known as a student of the late Bruce Lee and authority on Jeet Kune Do Concepts.-Martial arts:...
as "Pasqual" - Han-Jae Ji as "Restaurant Fighter"
- Casanova WongCasanova WongCasanova Wong, also known as Ka Sat Fat , is a Korean martial arts actor born in 1945 as Yong-ho Kim in Gimje, South Korea. An expert in tae kwon do, he is a renowned leg-fighter, and is well known for his spin kicks and was nicknamed "The Human Tornado" in the Korean Army...
as "Lau Yea-chun" (H.K. version only) - Chuck NorrisChuck NorrisCarlos Ray "Chuck" Norris is an American martial artist and actor. After serving in the United States Air Force, he began his rise to fame as a martial artist and has since founded his own school, Chun Kuk Do...
as "Fighter in Film" (archive footage) - Kareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-JabbarKareem Abdul-Jabbar is a retired American professional basketball player. He is the NBA's all-time leading scorer, with 38,387 points. During his career with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers from 1969 to 1989, Abdul-Jabbar won six NBA championships and a record six regular season...
as "Hakim" - Tony Leung
- Billy McGill
- Jim James
- Russell Cawthorne
- Yuen WahYuen WahYuen Wah is a Hong Kong based Chinese action film actor, action choreographer, stuntman and martial artist who has appeared in over 160 films and over 20 television series.-Early life:...
- Lam Ching YingLam Ching YingLam Ching Ying was a Hong Kong actor, action director and director. A physically talented and graceful martial artist, Lam was best known for playing the stoic Taoist priest in Mr. Vampire...
- John Ladalski
- David Hu
- Don Barry
- Jess Hardie
- Eddie Dye
- Peter Nelson
- Peter Gee
- Peter Chan
- MarsMars (actor)Mars , born Cheung Wing Fat is a Hong Kong actor, action director, stuntman and martial artist. He is one of Jackie Chan's best friends.-Early life:...
- Lau Kar-wing
- Fung Hark-on
- Tai San
Theme song
Game of Death (死亡遊戲)- Lyrics: Wong JimWong JimJames Wong Jim was a Cantopop lyricist and writer based primarily in Hong Kong. He was also a well known in Asia as a columnist, actor, film director, screenwriter and talk show hosts. He took part in creative directing positions within the entertainment industry in Hong Kong...
- Composition and Arrangement: Joseph KooJoseph KooJoseph Koo Kar-Fai, MBE, SBS is one of the most respected composers in Hong Kong. He used the pen name Moran for Mandarin songs. He is the younger brother of famous Chinese singer Koo Mei .-Career:...
- Performance: Roman TamRoman TamRoman Tam, known by the stage name Lo Man , nickname Law Kee , was a renowned Hong Kong Cantopop singer. He is regarded as the "Godfather of Cantopop".-Career:...
The American score was composed by John Barry
John Barry (composer)
John Barry Prendergast, OBE was an English conductor and composer of film music. He is best known for composing the soundtracks for 12 of the James Bond films between 1962 and 1987...
.
Reception
The movie was successful at the Hong Kong box office grossing HK$Hong Kong dollar
The Hong Kong dollar is the currency of the jurisdiction. It is the eighth most traded currency in the world. In English, it is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively HK$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
3,436,169, but was not well received. Criticism of the revised version included the inclusion of scenes that could be considered in bad taste, such as the incorporation of footage of Lee's actual funeral. Another scene, often pointed out by critics of the film, involved a shot of Kim looking at himself in the mirror, with an obvious cardboard cut-out of Lee's face pasted onto the mirror's surface.
However the action directed by Sammo Hung for the scenes with the Bruce Lee lookalikes and the footage that Bruce Lee shot for the original footage with the final three fights helped alleviate the problems the movie has. Apart from the cheesy techniques used to disguise the fact that Bruce Lee was being played by stand-ins, the movie enjoyed respectable production values.
Review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes reports the film as holding an overall 75% approval rating based on 8 reviews, of these six were fresh and two were rotten.
Other Game of Death Films
After the death of Bruce Lee, several studios exploited the situation by making their own versions of The Game of Death based on what they had learned of the story from production stills and magazine articles. Some of these films pre-dated Robert Clouse's "official" Game of Death (1978).- Goodbye Bruce Lee: His Last Game of Death (新死亡遊戲) (1975)
- The New Game of Death (詠春大兄) (1976)
- Enter the Game of DeathEnter the Game of DeathEnter the Game of Death , originally released as Cross Hands Martial Arts and released in North America as The King of Kung Fu, is a Bruceploitation martial arts film inspired by Bruce Lee's unfinished film Game of Death...
(十字手拳/死亡魔塔) (1978) - The True Game of DeathThe True Game of DeathThe True Game of Death is a very low budget 1981 Bruceploitation film, starring a clone of Bruce Lee credited as Bruce Lee Hsao Lung. The film borrows heavily from Golden Harvest's 1979 Game of Death. The song sung by the nightclub singer can also be heard in Bruce Lee: A Dragon Story-Story:The...
(決鬥死亡塔) (1979) - Game of Death IIGame of Death IIGame of Death II is a 1981 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Ng See-yuen, starring Tong Lung, Huong Cheng Li, Roy Horan, To Wai Wo and Lee Hoi San. This film was marketed as a sequel to Bruce Lee's last and partially completed film Game of Death...
(死亡塔 Tower of Death) (1981)
- Clouse's film had a sequel in 1981 kung fu action mystery film, Game of Death II, which used cut footage from Bruce's "Enter the Dragon" film to have him make an appearance in the beginning of the film, only to be killed off midway, allowing his on screen brother take on the role of protagonist. Aside from the English dub giving the "Bruce Lee" character the name Billy Lo, this movie would seem to have no connection with Clouse's film, and it was directed by Ng See YuenNg See-YuenNg See-yuen, born 1944 in Shanghai is a Chinese director of independent film companies in Hong Kong. He has worked in the Hong Kong film industry since 1970, particularly in Hong Kong action cinema, with roles including film director, producer and screenwriter.Ng is the chairman of the Federation...
. - Wong Jing's film "City Hunter" has a similar scenario played in the theatre. Jackie Chan as Ryu Saeba takes on two tall black guys and uses clips of Bruce Lee vs Kareen Abdul Jabbar to get the better of the two.
The yellow-and-black tracksuit
In the warehouse scene, Billy Lo wears a pair of yellow Adidas shoes with black stripes and white shelltoes. Towards the end of the movie, Billy wears a pair of yellow Onitsuka Tiger
ASICS
ASICS is a Japanese athletic equipment company. ASICS produces professional footwear and sports equipment designed for football, running, netball, tennis, badminton, squash, martial arts, cricket, golf, wrestling, track & field, cross-training, volleyball, cheerleading, lacrosse, and for many other...
shoes, with black stripes. This was due to the fact that the real Bruce Lee wore the latter when he was filming, and the double wore the former in the 1978 version to resemble his shoes.
In movies
- Uma ThurmanUma ThurmanUma Karuna Thurman is an American actress and model. She has performed in leading roles in a variety of films, ranging from romantic comedies and dramas to science fiction and action movies. Among her best-known roles are those in the Quentin Tarantino films Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill...
wears a similar suit in Kill Bill Volume 1 when she travels to Japan to take on an underworld boss and assassin played by Lucy LiuLucy LiuLucy Alexis Liu is an American actress and film producer. She became known for playing the role of the vicious and ill-mannered Ling Woo in the television series Ally McBeal , and has also appeared in several Hollywood films including Charlie's Angels, Chicago, Kill Bill, and Kung Fu Panda.-Early...
. In homage to both the film and the remake, Thurman wears the suit and Onitsuka Tiger sneakers as part of her motorcycle-riding gear, and keeps the suit on during her battle with Liu and her gang, the Crazy 88. - In Shaolin SoccerShaolin SoccerShaolin Soccer is a 2001 Hong Kong comedy film co-written, directed by and starring Stephen Chow. A former Shaolin monk reunites his five brothers, years after their master's death, to apply their superhuman martial arts skills to play soccer and bring Shaolin kung fu to the masses.In 2008 a...
, a similar suit is worn by the goalie "Empty Hand" (Danny Chan Kwok Kwan) who resembles Bruce Lee. - In the Jet LiJet LiThe fame gained by his sports winnings led to a career as a martial arts film star, beginning in mainland China and then continuing into Hong Kong. Li acquired his screen name in 1982 in the Philippines when a publicity company thought his real name was too hard to pronounce...
film High Risk, Jacky CheungJacky CheungJacky Cheung is a Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor. The Chinese language media refers to him, Aaron Kwok, Andy Lau and Leon Lai as the Cantopop Four Heavenly Kings , with more than 60 million records sold as of 2000....
plays a movie star who is losing his fighting ability due to his cowardice. When he regains his courage at the end of the film, he wears a copy of the yellow tracksuit. The role is generally felt to be a parody of Jackie ChanJackie ChanJackie Chan, SBS, MBE is a Hong Kong actor, action choreographer, comedian, director, producer, martial artist, screenwriter, entrepreneur, singer and stunt performer. In his movies, he is known for his acrobatic fighting style, comic timing, use of improvised weapons, and innovative stunts...
, but the references to Bruce Lee are also obvious. - The 1985 film The Last DragonThe Last DragonThe Last Dragon is a 1985 martial arts musical film produced by Rupert Hitzig for Berry Gordy and directed by Michael Schultz. The film was a critical disappointment but a financial success, The Last Dragon is now considered a cult classic. The film stars Taimak, Vanity, Julius Carry, Christopher...
produced by Motown legend Berry GordyBerry GordyBerry Gordy, Jr. is an American record producer, and the founder of the Motown record label, as well as its many subsidiaries.-Early years:...
centered around a Bruce Lee fan in search of reaching Martial artsMartial artsMartial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
enlightenment who instructed his students wearing the same tracksuit. - In Revenge of the NerdsRevenge of the NerdsRevenge of the Nerds is a 1984 comedy film satirizing social life on a college campus. The film stars Robert Carradine and Anthony Edwards, with Curtis Armstrong, Ted McGinley, Julia Montgomery, Brian Tochi, Larry B. Scott, John Goodman, and Donald Gibb...
, Brian TochiBrian TochiBrian Keith Tochihara , better known as Brian Tochi, is a U.S. actor, screen-writer, movie director and producer. He was widely recognized as the most popular East Asian child actor working in U.S. television during the late 1960s through much of the 1970s having appeared in various T.V. series and...
's character, Toshiro Takashi, wears the yellow jumpsuit while riding a tricycle during the inter-Greek competitions. - In Finishing the GameFinishing the gameFinishing The Game, an Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival, is a 2007 mockumentary which focuses on Bruce Lee's final movie Game of Death. Lee died prior to finishing the movie, having shot only a few of the final fight scenes. However, the rest of the film was finished using a Bruce...
, Breeze Loo, played by Roger FanRoger FanRoger Fan is an American actor of film, theatre and episodic television best known for his collaborations with Justin Lin and his appearances in the films Annapolis and Better Luck Tomorrow....
, wears a yellow and black striped jumpsuit.
In video games
- The 1984 arcade videogame Kung-Fu Master was inspired by the Game of Death movie. The player protagonist fights bosses at the end of each level before climbing the stairs to the next, more difficult stage in a "Devil's Temple" with five floors.
- Marshall Law and Forrest Law, from the Tekken series of fighting games, resemble Bruce Lee's with their move set, whoops and yells and wears a sleeveless version of the tracksuit.
- In Dead or Alive 4Dead or Alive 4Dead or Alive 4 has received generally positive reviews. IGN gave the game 9.0/10, calling it "a move in the right direction for the series", and praised the fighting system as "deeper and more sophisticated". GameSpot awarded the game a score of 8.8/10, with one of its only negative comments going...
, Jann Lee's third costume is none other than the tracksuit and his ending movie includes him watching Bruce Lee movies to help him practice Jeet Kune Do. - In the PlaymoreSNK PlaymoreSNK Playmore Corporation is a Japanese video game hardware and software company. SNK is an acronym of , which was SNK's original name. The company's legal and trading name became SNK in 1986....
fighting game Rage of the DragonsRage of the Dragonsis a 2002 tag team head-to-head fighting game released for the Neo Geo hardware by Playmore . The game was co-developed by the Mexican team Evoga and the Japanese company Noise Factory...
, Mr. Jones (who already bares a striking reseblance to Kareem Abdul Jabbar) wears a suit very similar to the famous yellow jump suit. - The suit is present in the MMORPGMMORPGMassively multiplayer online role-playing game is a genre of role-playing video games in which a very large number of players interact with one another within a virtual game world....
Anarchy OnlineAnarchy OnlineAnarchy Online is a massively multiplayer online role-playing game published and developed by Funcom. Released in the summer of 2001, the game was first in the genre to include a science-fiction setting, dynamic quests, free trials, and in-game advertising. The most ground breaking feature in...
as a piece of equipment for powerful martial artist characters. - In Castlevania: Dawn of SorrowCastlevania: Dawn of SorrowCastlevania: Dawn of Sorrow, known in Japan as , is an action-adventure game developed and published by Konami. It is part of Konami's Castlevania video game series and the first Castlevania game to be released on the Nintendo DS. The game is the sequel to Castlevania: Aria of Sorrow and...
, one equippable item is the "kung fu suit," which is a yellow tracksuit with black vertical stripes along the sides. - Although the suit does not appear in any Street FighterStreet Fighter, commonly abbreviated as SF, is a series of Fighting Games developed in Japan in which the players pit the video games' competitive fighters from around the world, each with his or her own unique fighting style, against one another...
games, Fei Long wears it in several issues of the UDONUDONUDON Entertainment Corporation is a studio of Asian-influenced comic book creators that provides creative services to the entertainment industry. The company is a publisher of comic books, graphic novels, and art books, as well as English editions of Japanese manga and Korean manhwa titles. Erik...
Street Fighter comic book and in Masahiko NakahiraMasahiko Nakahirais a manga artist from Kōchi City, Japan. He is best known for his numerous manga adaptations of the popular fighting game series Street Fighter...
's Cammy manga. - In the video game Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City StoriesGrand Theft Auto: Liberty City StoriesGrand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories is a 2005 sandbox-style action video game developed by Rockstar North and Rockstar Leeds. It is the ninth game in the Grand Theft Auto series...
, the main character can wear an identical outfit called the "Dragon Jumpsuit". - In the video game Shadow Hearts: From the New WorldShadow Hearts: From The New Worldis a console role-playing game developed by Nautilus and published by XSEED Games in 2005. It is the third official game in the Shadow Hearts series....
talking cat and drunken master Mao confronts the master of cat martial arts, the tracksuit-clad "Bruce Meow". - In WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008WWE SmackDown vs. Raw 2008 is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and released on the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, PlayStation Portable and Nintendo DS video game consoles by THQ in November 2007. Amaze Entertainment oversaw development for the Nintendo DS...
, in the "Create a WWE Superstar" function the tracksuit is emulated. - In Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4Shin Megami Tensei: Persona 4, originally released in Japan as simply , is a role-playing video game developed and published by Atlus for Sony's PlayStation 2, and chronologically the fifth installment in the Shin Megami Tensei: Persona series. Persona 4 was released in Japan in July 2008, North...
, the character Chie Satonaka's Persona is dressed in the same yellow jumpsuit, and fights with a combination of spears and Jeet Kun Do. - In Street Fighter IVStreet Fighter IVis a fighting game produced by Capcom. It is the first numbered Street Fighter game released by Capcom since . The coin-operated arcade game was released in Japan on July 18, 2008, with North American arcades importing the machines by August...
, the character Rufus wears a yellow and black tracksuit. The suit matches his personality of having a great love for martial arts movies, leading to his style being adopted from imitating martial arts movies and mail order courses. - In the online game Dragon Fist 3: Age of the Warrior, one of the characters from martial artsMartial artsMartial arts are extensive systems of codified practices and traditions of combat, practiced for a variety of reasons, including self-defense, competition, physical health and fitness, as well as mental and spiritual development....
films is Billy Lo (with Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
being animated out) from this film, dressed in the yellow-and-black jumpsuit, fighting with Jeet Kune DoJeet Kune DoJeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
, using a yellow nunchakuNunchakuis a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
(which is not found in the Character Editor) as a weapon, and the one inch punchOne inch punchThe one inch punch is a punching exercise from Chinese martial arts performed at very close range. The one inch punch was popularised by actor and martial artist Bruce Lee. It is designed to improve punching power and technique....
as a special move. - In most servers of the DragonicaDragonicaDragonica known in North America as Dragon Saga, is a free-to-play 3D side-scrolling massively multiplayer online role-playing game developed by Barunson Interactive. Development has been ongoing since March 2006. Operation of Dragonica is relegated to different publishers for their respective...
online game, the gladiator class can summon a Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
styled character named Bro Lee who wears the jumpsuit to perform some Kung Fu moves. The players can also buy the suit from the cash shop to equip on their characters. - The yellow-and-black tracksuit can be obtained in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon from the custom character creation menu.
- In Rumble FighterRumble FighterRumble Fighter is a free-of-charge, 3-D, online fighting game developed by WeMade Entertainment and Nimonix, and published by OGPlanet. The game is a translated port of an original game called which originated from Korea...
, Billy's Jumpsuit is available in yellow, blue and green under the name: Billy Lo, Jeet Kune Do is also available as a fighting style. - A similar tracksuit can be found and worn in the Capcom game Dead Rising 2Dead Rising 2is an action-adventure horror-comedy video game, developed by Capcom in partnership with Blue Castle Games, and was distributed by Capcom. It was released on September 24, 2010 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and September 28, 2010 for Microsoft Windows. The Dead Rising staff returned to create...
.
In music
- A short promotional video for the virtual band GorillazGorillazGorillaz is an English musical project created in 1998 by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett. This project consists of Gorillaz music itself and an extensive fictional universe depicting a "virtual band" of cartoon characters...
showed the fictional animated guitarist, Noodle, taking on a pack of thugs while dressed in the tracksuit and imitating Lee's fighting style. Noodle has also worn this suit in the Game Of Death short clip from Phase One: Celebrity Take DownPhase One: Celebrity Take DownPhase One: Celebrity Takedown is a compilation DVD by Gorillaz, released in November 2002. The DVD compiles the videos and animatics related to the release of the band's first album, Gorillaz, as well as the related singles. The DVD came with an extra CD-ROM containing desktop wallpapers,...
. - The band Sugar RaySugar RaySugar Ray is a band from Orange County, California. The band, starting off more as an alternative metal band, first gained fame in 1997 with their release of the song "Fly". This song's success, coupled with its pop rock sound that was quite different from the rest of their material at the time,...
, in their video for the single When It's OverWhen It's Over (Sugar Ray song)"When It's Over" is a single from the rock band Sugar Ray from their self-titled album, Sugar Ray. The song reached #13 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #32 on the UK Singles Chart.-Music video:...
, included a segment in which one of the band members fantasizes about having a kung fu battle similar to the fight scene between Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. The band member wears Lee's tracksuit, his opponent wears a beard, clothes, and sunglasses similar to Abdul-Jabbar's, and the video duplicates the scene in which a seated Kareem kicks Lee in the chest, knocking him down and leaving a huge footprint on his chest. - Topper HeadonTopper HeadonHeadon was extensively interviewed for the Joe Strummer: The Future Is Unwritten documentary film about the late Clash frontman. He related his experiences during this period, how he became addicted to heroin and how there were problems before his dismissal...
of The ClashThe ClashThe Clash were an English punk rock band that formed in 1976 as part of the original wave of British punk. Along with punk, their music incorporated elements of reggae, ska, dub, funk, rap, dance, and rockabilly...
was known to wear a similar jumpsuit at live shows. - Avant-garde guitarist BucketheadBucketheadBrian Carroll , better known by his stage name Buckethead, is a guitarist and multi instrumentalist who has worked within several genres of music. He has released 34 studio albums, four special releases and one EP. He has performed on over 50 more albums by other artists...
released a cover of "Game of Death" in 2006. He also wore a yellow tracksuit while playing live and performed with nunchakuNunchakuis a traditional Okinawan weapon consisting of two sticks connected at their ends with a short chain or rope.-Etymology:The Japanese word nunchaku is the Kun'yomi reading of the Kanji term for a traditional Chinese two section staff....
s on stage. - The band Far East MovementFar east movementFar East Movement is an Asian American electro hop quartet based in Los Angeles. The group formed in 2003 and consists of Kev Nish , Prohgress , J-Splif , and DJ Virman...
s song "Satisfaction" had the yellow jumpsuits etc. in the video as the song was the soundtrack to the 2007 mockumentry Finishing the GameFinishing the gameFinishing The Game, an Official Selection of the Sundance Film Festival, is a 2007 mockumentary which focuses on Bruce Lee's final movie Game of Death. Lee died prior to finishing the movie, having shot only a few of the final fight scenes. However, the rest of the film was finished using a Bruce...
.
In manga, anime and other cartoons
- In "Karate Island," a fourth season episode of SpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePantsSpongeBob SquarePants is an American animated television series, created by marine biologist and animator Stephen Hillenburg. Much of the series centers on the exploits and adventures of the title character and his various friends in the underwater city of "Bikini Bottom"...
(which is itself a take-off of "Game of Death"), Sandy CheeksSandy CheeksSandra Olivia "Sandy" Cheeks is a character in the series SpongeBob SquarePants and is voiced by Carolyn Lawrence. She is a squirrel native to Texas, and the fact of her being a land animal is often pointed out. She is friends with Patrick, Squidward, and SpongeBob.-Personality:Sandy is SpongeBob &...
wears a yellow tracksuit similar to Bruce's. - In the Urusei Yatsura episode titled "The Mendo Family's Masquerade War," Ataru was wearing a yellow tracksuit with black stripes while trying to court Mendou's sister who is sporting nunchakus. Both Ataru's yellow tracksuit and the Mendou sister's nunchakus are a homage to Bruce Lee.http://lum-chan.bbox.org/eps-guide/81-90.htmlhttp://forum.lum-chan.com/index.php?PHPSESSID=69c683315fecb1bc88ab48bd4e4592f0&topic=517.new#new
- In the anime/manga Tenjho TengeTenjho Tengeis a Japanese manga authored by Ito "Oh! great" Ōgure. The story primarily focuses on the members of the Juken Club and their opposition, the Executive Council, which is the ruling student body of a high school that educates its students in the art of combat...
, there is a short appearance of a character named "Inosato Dan" who is the leader of the "Jun Fan Gung Fu club" (Jun Fan is Bruce Lee's Chinese name). He resembles Bruce Lee very much, and wears the jumpsuit. However, in the anime the colors of the jumpsuit are switched to a black suit with yellow stripes. - Duel #25 of the Yu-Gi-Oh!Yu-Gi-Oh!is a Japanese manga created by Kazuki Takahashi. It has produced a franchise that includes multiple anime shows, a trading card game and numerous video games...
manga features some references to Bruce Lee. Yugi's fighting-game character of choice is a Bruce Lee clone called Bruce Ryu. His opponent, the villain of the chapter, wears the yellow jumpsuit and calls his fight with Jonouchi a "Game of Death." - The second episode of the anime series Cowboy BebopCowboy Bebopis a critically acclaimed and award-winning 1998 Japanese anime series directed by Shinichirō Watanabe, written by Keiko Nobumoto, and produced by Sunrise. Its 26 episodes comprise a complete storyline: set in 2071, the series follows the adventures, misadventures and tragedies of five bounty...
, "Stray Dog Strut," further plays homage with the episode's main antagonist being named Abdul Hakim (after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's character) and bearing a strikingly similar appearance. - The character Mr. Tanaka from Sonic XSonic Xis an anime series based on the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series. It was produced in Japan by TMS Entertainment with the partnership of Sega and was created by Sonic Team and Sonic Project. In the United States, 4Kids currently owns and manages copyright and branding of the series.- Series 1 ...
wears the suit in an episode. - The character Sasshi, from the anime Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi, also gets a uniform called the Game of Death suit, later imitating Lee in both appearance and mannerisms.
- Another reference is found in Great Teacher OnizukaGreat Teacher Onizuka, officially abbreviated as GTO, is a Japanese shōnen manga written and illustrated by Tohru Fujisawa. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Magazine from May 1997 to April 2002. The story focuses on 22-year-old ex-bōsōzoku member Eikichi Onizuka, who becomes a teacher at a private high...
, where the main character, Onizuka Eikichi, wears the same suits when performing feats of strength like breaking a baseball bat with a kick in front of his class. - In episode 18 of the anime, Gin Tama, Kagura wears a suit similar to Bruce's suit in this movie.
- The character, Mandy, from The Grim Adventures of Billy & MandyThe Grim Adventures of Billy & MandyThe Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy often shortened as Billy and Mandy is an American animated television series that aired on Cartoon Network. It is also the spin-off of Grim & Evil. Having originally aired as part of Grim & Evil The show began in 2001, And went on to become one of Cartoon...
wore a yellow jumpsuit in the episode "Modern Primitives / Giant Billy and Mandy All-Out Attack". The episode also had parodies from AkiraAkira (manga)is a manga series by Katsuhiro Otomo. Set in a post-apocalyptic Neo-Tokyo, the work uses conventions of the cyberpunk genre to detail a saga of turmoil. Initially serialized in the pages of Young Magazine from 1982 until 1990, the work was collected in six volumes by Japanese publisher Kodansha...
(Mandy drives a bike similar to Kaneda's in the series), the "GodzillaGodzillais a daikaijū, a Japanese movie monster, first appearing in Ishirō Honda's 1954 film Godzilla. Since then, Godzilla has gone on to become a worldwide pop culture icon starring in 28 films produced by Toho Co., Ltd. The monster has appeared in numerous other media incarnations including video games,...
" franchise (there are several giant monsters that parody monsters from the franchise including the name of the episode), and Kill BillKill BillKill Bill Volume 1 is a 2003 action thriller film written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. It is the first of two volumes that were theatrically released several months apart, the second volume being Kill Bill Volume 2....
(a check off list plus a red screened close-up mimicking the bride). - A game sprite resembling an Asian man can be seen wearing Bruce Lee's yellow suit during the first and third season's of ReBootReBootReBoot is a Canadian CGI-animated action-adventure cartoon series that originally aired from 1994 to 2001. It was produced by Vancouver-based production company Mainframe Entertainment, Alliance Communications, BLT Productions and created by Gavin Blair, Ian Pearson, Phil Mitchell and John Grace,...
. - A Gorillabite from the band Gorillaz is titled Game of Death. In the bite, NoodleNoodle (Gorillaz)Noodle is a musician and member of the virtual band Gorillaz. She provides the guitar and keyboard, as well as some main and backing vocals for the band. She, like all other Gorillaz members, was created by Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett...
, the guitarist, dons the yellow tracksuit to take on Russel. - The cover for the third volume of the American DVD release of the anime, PaniPoni Dash!, features the main character Rebecca Miyamoto wearing a track suit similar to Bruce Lee's. The subtitle for the DVD, "Class of Death", also pays homage to Game of Death.
- In episode 20 of Hayate the Combat ButlerHayate the Combat Butleris a Japanese manga series, written and illustrated by Kenjiro Hata, about a boy who starts a new job as a butler and the events he experiences with his employer. Shogakukan have released 29 volumes in Japan. The English edition of the series has been licensed by Viz Media for distribution in North...
, Hayate asks Maria is she knows "the art of assassination". She denies it, but Hayate and does not believe her and Nagi imagines what Maria would look like wearing a yellow jumpsuit and holding nunchucks. - Episode 100 of the Teenage Mutant Ninja TurtlesTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003 TV series)Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is an American animated series, mainly set in New York City. It first aired on February 8, 2003 and ended on November 21, 2009...
cartoon depicts Master Splinter's former owner, Hamato Yoshi, wearing the yellow tracksuit. - In the classic anime/manga series Dragon BallDragon Ballis a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Akira Toriyama. It was originally serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1984 to 1995; later the 519 individual chapters were published into 42 tankōbon volumes by Shueisha. Dragon Ball was inspired by the classical Chinese novel Journey to the...
during his early adventures, Goku enters a military base named "Muscle Tower" in the shape of a dumbbell, in which he visits numerous floors, fighting enemies that inhabit them. He fights a robot, a ninja, a beast, and a general of the military. - In The BoondocksThe BoondocksThe Boondocks was a daily syndicated comic strip written and originally drawn by Aaron McGruder that ran from 1996 to 2006. Created by McGruder in 1996 for The Diamondback, the student newspaper at the University of Maryland, College Park, the strip moved from the college pages and was printed in...
episode "Let's Nab OprahLet's Nab Oprah"Let's Nab Oprah" is the eleventh episode of the Adult Swim animated television series, The Boondocks. It originally aired on February 12, 2006.-Plot:...
", Oprah's bodyguard Bushido Brown is seen as a reference to Jim Kelly's character, Williams in Enter the Dragon. Brown also tells main character Huey FreemanHuey FreemanHuey Freeman is a fictional character of The Boondocks syndicated comic strip written by Aaron McGruder, as well as the main character and recurrent principal narrator of the animated TV series of the same name...
"You come straight out of a comic book," a reference to Enter the DragonEnter the DragonEnter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
> However, he wears a Karate gi version of the yellow and black tracksuit in the episode Stinkmeaner 3: The Hateocracy. - Character Hong KongHong KongHong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
from the famous anime series "Hetalia Axis Powers", fans love to portray him wearing the yellow tracksuit. - In episode 11 of Heartcatch Pretty Cure! the guest characters for the episode, brothers Masato Sakai and Yoshito Sakai, both wear the yellow tracksuit. Masato Sakai styles himself as a "Kung Fu Master" and his brother is his pupil.
DVD releases
Universe (Hong Kong)- Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) letterboxed
- Sound: Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 5.1)
- Subtitles: Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese
- Supplements: Stars' Files, Trailer for the film, Trailers for The Big BossThe Big BossThe Big Boss, previously known by its U.S. title Fists Of Fury is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts action crime thriller film. The Big Boss was Bruce Lee's first major film. It was written to star James Tien; however, Lee's strong performance relegated Tien, already a star in Hong Kong, to second...
, Way of the DragonWay of the DragonThe Way of the Dragon is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film written, produced, directed by and starring Bruce Lee.- Plot :Tang Lung is sent from Hong Kong to Rome to help his friend's niece Chen Ching Hua, and family friends, whose restaurant is being targeted by the local Mafia, which has been...
, Enter the DragonEnter the DragonEnter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
and Legacy of RageLegacy of RageLegacy of Rage is a 1986 Hong Kong action film starring Brandon Lee in his film debut, Michael Wong, Regina Kent, Chung Lam and a cameo appearance by Bolo Yeung who had appeared in Lee's father Bruce Lee's last film Enter the Dragon. It was directed by Ronny Yu and made in Cantonese... - All regions, NTSC
Mega Star (Hong Kong)
- Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) letterboxed
- Sound: Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 5.1)
- Subtitles: Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Spanish
- Supplements: Synopsis, Cast and Crew Info, Theatrical trailer
- All regions, NTSC
Fortune Star - Bruce Lee Ultimate DVD Collection (Hong Kong)
- Released: April 29, 2004
- Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) anamorphic
- Sound: English (DTS 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
- Subtitles: Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English
- Supplements: Original trailer, New trailer, Still photos, Slideshow of photos, Unseen footage, Game of Death outtakes, Enter the DragonEnter the DragonEnter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
alternate opening, Celebrity interviews, 32-page booklet - Region 3, NTSC
Fox (America)
- Released: May 21, 2002
- Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) letterboxed
- Sound: English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
- Subtitles: English
- Supplements: None
- Region 1, NTSC
Fox - Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection (America)
- Released: October 18, 2005
- Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) anamorphic
- Sound: English (DTS 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)
- Subtitles: English
- Supplements: Original trailer, New trailer, Still photos, Slideshow of photos, Game of Death outtakes, Bonus trailers
- Region 1, NTSC
Hong Kong Legends Platinum Edition (United Kingdom)
- Released: October 1, 2001
- Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:45:1) anamorphic
- Sound: English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
- Subtitles: Dutch
- Supplements: Disc 1: Commentary by Bey Logan, Animated biography of Bruce, Biography of Bey Logan, Deleted scenes (in Cantonese) Disc 2: Game of Death retrospective, History of Jeet Kune DoJeet Kune DoJeet Kune Do is a hybrid martial arts system and life philosophy founded by martial artist Bruce Lee with direct, non classical and straightforward movements. Due to the way his style works they believe in minimal movement with maximum effect and extreme speed. The system works on the use of...
, Photo galleries: Production gallery; Rare photo archive, US trailer, Hong Kong trailer, UK promo trailer, UK promo trailers for The Big BossThe Big BossThe Big Boss, previously known by its U.S. title Fists Of Fury is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts action crime thriller film. The Big Boss was Bruce Lee's first major film. It was written to star James Tien; however, Lee's strong performance relegated Tien, already a star in Hong Kong, to second...
, Fist of FuryFist of FuryFist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
, Way of the DragonWay of the DragonThe Way of the Dragon is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film written, produced, directed by and starring Bruce Lee.- Plot :Tang Lung is sent from Hong Kong to Rome to help his friend's niece Chen Ching Hua, and family friends, whose restaurant is being targeted by the local Mafia, which has been...
, TV spots for Way of the Dragon and Fist of Fury, Biography of Dan Inosanto, Biography of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Dan Inosanto: Warrior and Teacher - interview, Jeet Kune Do seminar, Taky Kimura: Keeping the Flame Alive - interview, George Lazenby: Reflection of the Dragon - interview, Game of Death outtake montage, Legacy of the Dragon - documentary, Game of Death revisted - Region 2, PAL
Blu-ray disc release
- Kam & Ronson - Bruce Lee Legendary Collection (Hong Kong)
- Released: August 27, 2010
- Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (1.78:1)
- Sound: English (Dolby DTS HD MA 7.1), English (Dolby TrueHD 7.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1)
- Subtitles: Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, English, Thai
- Supplements: Trailers, Legacy of the Dragon featurette, Game of Death Revisited, Game of Death Outtake Montage, Photo Gallery
- Region A, NTSC