Game of Death (1978) Review
March 26th 2010 18:44
Bruce Lee, martial artist, film maker, and philosopher. Not just an on-screen hero Bruce
Lee fought for equality and the rights of all men in real life. When he was instructed not to teach his brand of Kung Fu to white men and black men by Chinese gangs, he chose to fight the thugs they sent instead of give in. Truly an amazing man, almost like a living pulp adventure hero, and his movies were some of the best martial arts films made.
Before Bruce Lee came along, the Hong Kong movie studios would often make two or three films in a month. They were made with ultra-low budgets and had little story. Studios made money by making as many movies as possible and releasing them to as many theaters as they could. When Bruce Lee made his first big movie, “The Big Boss” it changed everything, audiences couldn't get enough of it, and it made more money than any other Hong Kong film in history, the record only being broken by Lee's next movie “The Chinese Connection”. After two more Film, Bruce Lee wanted to make a movie showcasing his Jeet Kune Do Fighting style, and began filming his next effort: Game of death. However, an American producer offered Bruce Lee an unheard of Salary to make “Enter the Dragon” so with only 100 minutes of film shot, Lee put “Game of Death” on Hiatus. Bruce Lee died in a Hong Kong apartment from an brain aneurism brought on by a bad reaction to a prescription medicine just after he finished “Enter the Dragon” and never got back to finishing “Game of Death”..
Golden Harvest productions has already sunk millions of dollars into “Game of Death” and had misplaced all but 10 minutes of Fight footage which is now considered lost for good. The fight scenes were incredible, but there was no story to go around it, Bruce Lee's vision of the movie was certainly unfilmable without him to direct, so what to do? What followed was one of the most ridiculous and bizarre movie oddities in the history of film. Golden Harvest, actually tried to assemble a 90 minute film, with a dead leading man. Making this the first (but not last) posthumous performance of Bruce Lee.
The story was completely re-written as the story of fictional martial arts superstar Billy Lo, played by Hong Kong actor Tai Chung Kim with stuntman Yuen Biao handling some of the fight scenes and stunts. Footage of Bruce Lee was cut in from other films, and since Kim didn't really look anything like Lee, when he was on camera the director went to great lengths not to show his face. Every trick was used, from putting Kim in heavy makeup, putting him behind bushes or having him wear a motorcycle helmet. In a few notorious scenes the director used cardboard cut outs of Lee, even once pasting a still shot of Lee's face over Kim's, and it was not convincing in the least. Long time collaborator Bob Wall, and basketball superstar Kareem Abdul Jabbar, close friends of Bruce Lee, appeared in footage made before Lee's death. However they refused to take part in the film's continued production and in newer footage, lookalikes were hired to stand in for them. Again, this is painfully obvious to anyone looking close enough.
In a morbid and painfully distasteful bit of exploitation, footage of Bruce Lee's real life funeral were utilized in the movie after the main character faked his death. Bruce Lee's widow was devastated when she heard footage her her grieving her husband was used in the movie itself. The camera even peers into the coffin at one point, making Bruce Lee the only person to appear posthumously in a film. As a man who admires Bruce Lee greatly, I was angered at the lengths this studio went to, almost to the point of turning the film off then and there.
The only redeeming quality of this movie would be that you get to see Bruce Lee in action
one last time, in a memorable fight scene between him and the imposing Kareem Abdul Jabar, a brutal contest that certainly would have been the thrilling climax of Bruce Lee's greatest film, should he lived to make it. Though even these scenes were cut down dramatically, and given cheesy new dialogue.
My brother Jason, an avid fan of Bruce lee purchased a collection of Bruce Lee films and was angered that "Game of Death" and and it's equally groan-worthy sequel (don't even ask) were included alongside Bruce lee's greatest hits. After all, "Game of Death" can't really be considered a Bruce Lee movie in the strictest sense, as it's doubtful he would've approved of the studios butchering of his work and exploitation of his image.
The fifteen minutes of footage Lee filmed before he died was included, uncut in the documentary: “Bruce Lee: a Warrior's Journey” and you get a glimpse of the “Game of Death” that could have been. My suggestion? Skip this bit of tripe and just watch the documentary, it's more bruce for your money, and no cornball dialogue.
The Game of Death posters, don't be fooled, Bruce is barely in this film despite his face being plastered all over the promotion material
The story was completely re-written as the story of fictional martial arts superstar Billy Lo, played by Hong Kong actor Tai Chung Kim with stuntman Yuen Biao handling some of the fight scenes and stunts. Footage of Bruce Lee was cut in from other films, and since Kim didn't really look anything like Lee, when he was on camera the director went to great lengths not to show his face. Every trick was used, from putting Kim in heavy makeup, putting him behind bushes or having him wear a motorcycle helmet. In a few notorious scenes the director used cardboard cut outs of Lee, even once pasting a still shot of Lee's face over Kim's, and it was not convincing in the least. Long time collaborator Bob Wall, and basketball superstar Kareem Abdul Jabbar, close friends of Bruce Lee, appeared in footage made before Lee's death. However they refused to take part in the film's continued production and in newer footage, lookalikes were hired to stand in for them. Again, this is painfully obvious to anyone looking close enough.
In a morbid and painfully distasteful bit of exploitation, footage of Bruce Lee's real life funeral were utilized in the movie after the main character faked his death. Bruce Lee's widow was devastated when she heard footage her her grieving her husband was used in the movie itself. The camera even peers into the coffin at one point, making Bruce Lee the only person to appear posthumously in a film. As a man who admires Bruce Lee greatly, I was angered at the lengths this studio went to, almost to the point of turning the film off then and there.
The only redeeming quality of this movie would be that you get to see Bruce Lee in action
Bruce Lee meets his biggest fan (rim shot)
My brother Jason, an avid fan of Bruce lee purchased a collection of Bruce Lee films and was angered that "Game of Death" and and it's equally groan-worthy sequel (don't even ask) were included alongside Bruce lee's greatest hits. After all, "Game of Death" can't really be considered a Bruce Lee movie in the strictest sense, as it's doubtful he would've approved of the studios butchering of his work and exploitation of his image.
The fifteen minutes of footage Lee filmed before he died was included, uncut in the documentary: “Bruce Lee: a Warrior's Journey” and you get a glimpse of the “Game of Death” that could have been. My suggestion? Skip this bit of tripe and just watch the documentary, it's more bruce for your money, and no cornball dialogue.
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