The Game of Death is an incomplete Hong Kong martial arts film directed, written, produced by and starred by Bruce Lee, in the effort of his last film. Lee died during filming. More than 100 minutes of footage shot before his death, some of them then misplaced in the Golden Harvest archive. The remaining footage has been released with the Cantonese dialogue and Lee's original English, with John Little dubbing Lee Tien Lee's character as part of a documentary entitled Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey. Most of the footage taken is from what became the core of the film.
During filming, Lee received an offer to star in Enter the Dragon , the first kungfu film produced by Hollywood studio (Warner Bros.), and with an unprecedented budget for the genre ($ 850,000). Lee died of cerebral edema before the film was released. At the time of his death, he had already made plans to continue filming The Game of Death .
After Lee's death, Enter the Dragon director Robert Clouse was enrolled to complete the film using two stand-ins; it was released in 1978, five years after Lee's death, by Golden Harvest.
Video Game of Death
Film asli
Plot
The original plot involved Lee playing the role of Hai Tien, a retired champion martial artist confronted by underground Korean gangs. They tell the story of a pagoda where weapons are forbidden, and under tight guard by highly skilled martial artists who protect something (not identified at all in any surviving material) held at the top. The gang boss wants Hai to be part of a group whose goal is to take back the item. They will be the second group to try to do so because the first attempt with the previous group failed. When Hai refused, his brother and younger brother were kidnapped, forcing him to participate. Hi, as well as four other martial artists (two of whom were played by James Tien and Chieh Yuan), then fought in a five-level pagoda, facing different challenges on every floor. The pagoda setting is in Beopjusa temple in Songnisan National Park in South Korea.
The pagoda, called Palsang-jon, is the only remaining wooden pagoda in South Korea. At their pagoda base against 10 people, all black belts in Karate. While inside the pagoda, they find different opponents on each floor, each more challenging than the last. Although their allies are trying to help, they are easily defeated, and Hai has to face each of the martial artists in a one-on-one battle. He defeated the Eskrima masters of the Philippines, Dan Inosanto, Hapkido Korea, Ji Han-jae, and finally Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who fought freely and deftly to reflect Lee Jeet Kune Do. Since the character of Abdul-Jabbar has a great size and strength besides a fighting style as strong as Lee, he can only be defeated once Hai admits that the sensitivity to extremely high light is his greatest weakness.
Immediately after defeating the giant guardian, Hai turns and descends the stairs, heading out of the pagoda. Apart from all the talk about something waiting at the top of the stairs (now not guarded), no mention of anyone will take it. No material survives to explain how this would affect Hi or his captive brother.
Production
Although the pagoda should have five floors, the full scenes are only taken for three floors: "Tiger Temple", where Lee faces Inosanto; "Temple of the Dragon", where he fights against Ji Han-jae; and the last floor, where he fought Abdul-Jabbar was the "Temple of the Unknown." Hapkido master Hwang In-Shik is scheduled to play the first floor guardian, a kick-oriented style expert, while Bruce's old student and good friend Taky Kimura are asked to play as second floor guards, stylist praying kung fu locusts.
The purpose of the film plot is to demonstrate Lee's beliefs about the principles of martial arts. Since every martial artist is defeated (including Lee's allies), the deficiencies in their fighting style are revealed. Some, like the character of Dan Inosanto, are too dependent on fixed patterns of offensive and defensive techniques, while others have no economic motion. Lee defeated his opponents by having a fighting style that involves fluid movements, unpredictability, and a blend of eclectic techniques. The dialogue often includes comments about their weaknesses.
Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey
A few years later, the Bruce Lee historian John Little released Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey, a documentary revealing the original recording and storyline of The Game of Death. The documentary also includes Lee's pretty deep biography and leads to the filming of The Game of Death. Fans still believe there are more footage to be found. Originally intended to be a documentary in its own right, it can now be found on the second disc of the 2004 Special Edition DVD of Enter the Dragon , along with the documentary Bruce Lee: Dragon Curse .
Bruce Lee in God : Shib? Teki Y? Gi
In 2000, the Japanese film Bruce Lee in G.O.D ????? released in DVD. The film shows Lee's original vision of the film through the recording that was taken for the film before he died, interviews, and a re-history of what goes on behind the scenes. DVD "special edition" was released in 2003.
Cast
Movie cast
- Bruce Lee as "Hi Tien" (also called "Yellow-faced Tiger")
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as "Mantis, the 5th Floor Guardian"
- James Tien as "Mr. Tien, Second Fighter"
- Chieh Yuan as "Yuan, the Third Fighter"
- And Inosanto as "And, the 3rd Floor Guardian"
- Ji Han-jae as "4th Floor Guardian"
- Lee Kwan as "Mr. Kuan the Locksmith" (sound heard at the end of the movie)
Lock is not formatted
- Hwang In-shik as "Floor Keeper 1"
- Taky Kimura as "2nd Floor Guardian"
- Robert Wall as "Mr. Wall, American Brawler and Hai Tien allies"
- George Lazenby as "master of Hai Tien"
- Nora Miao as "Hi Tien's sister"
- Uncast Child Actor as "brother of Hai Tien"
- Carter Wong as "Mr. Wong"
- Shih Kien as "Lord of Evil"
- Tony Liu as "Huang"
- Wan Kam Leung as "Lee Guo Hao, Fifth Fighter"
- Betty Ting Pei as "Hai Tien's wife"
- Bolo Yeung as "Black Belt Karate Leader - Ground Floor"
- Lam Ching-ying, Yuen Wah, Unicorn Chan, Bee Chan, Wu Ngan, and 14 others as "Black Belt Karate Fighters - Ground Floor"
- Han Yin-Chieh as "Thug 1"
- Yuen Biao as "Thug 2"
- Alan Chui Chung-San as "Thug 3"
- Corey Yuen as "Thug 4"
- Jackie Chan as "Fan who requested Hai Tien's signature"
The intended rolls
- Wong Shun Leung was originally approached to play the role of Wing Chun-oriented 2nd Floor Guardian, but he refused, and was replaced by Taky Kimura.
- Robert Baker, Lee's student, is considered for the role ultimately awarded to Robert Wall.
- Sammo Hung has been cast as the Third Fighter, but by the time Lee is ready to film with him, Hung has moved on to another project; Chieh Yuan took part as his successor.
- Chuck Norris
- Jim Kelly
- Joe Lewis
- Mike Stone
Maps Game of Death
Game of Death (1978)
Game of Death is a Hong Kong 1978 action movie co-written (under the pseudonyms of Jan Spears with Raymond Chow) and directed by Robert Clouse. Bruce Lee, Kim Tai-jong, Yuen Biao, Gig Young, Dean Jagger, Colleen Camp, Robert Wall, Hugh O'Brian, Dan Inosanto, Mel Novak, Sammo Hung, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Ji Han-jae and Casanova Wong. Plot
The 1978 version uses part of the original recording married to an entirely new plot involving a new character, Billy Lo (???), battling the "blackmail" syndicate after gaining international success as a martial arts star. When Billy refuses to be intimidated by Steiner's allusive (Hugh O'Brian) and his criminal gang, the owner of the syndicate. Land (Dean Jagger) ordered the murder to be an example for others.
Disguised as a stuntman, Killer Land, Stick (Mel Novak), sneaked onto Billy's new movie set, and shot Billy during the shoot. A bullet fragment pierces Billy's face, making him alive but in need of plastic surgery that alters his facial features. Billy took the opportunity to forge his death and disguise himself, demanding revenge against those who mistreated him one by one. When the syndicate threatened and kidnapped her fiancée, Ann Morris (Colleen Camp), Billy was forced out of hiding to save her. In the revised film, the Bruce Lee brawl scene in the pagoda is assumed to occur on the top floor of the Red Pepper restaurant, where Dr. Land and his criminals have ambushed. At last Billy survived the ambush, rescued Ann, and destroyed every major mob one by one.
Cast
- Bruce Lee as "Billy Lo" (an incomplete archive of version 1)
- Gig Young as "Jim Marshall"
- Dean Jagger as "Dr. Land"
- Colleen Camp as "Ann Morris"
- Hugh O'Brian as "Steiner"
- Robert Wall as "Carl Miller"
- And Inosanto as "Pasqual"
- Ji Han-jae as "Restaurant Fighter"
- Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as "Judge"
- Mel Novak as "Stick"
- Sammo Hung as "Lo Chen"
- James Tien as "Charlie Wang" (US version)/"Fong Chun" (HK version)
- Roy Chiao as "(Uncle) Henry Lo" (US version only)
- Casanova Wong as "Lau Yea-chun" (HK version only)
- Chuck Norris as "Fighter in Film" (archive record)
- Kim Tai-jong as "Billy Lo" (doubling for Bruce Lee)
- Yuen Biao as "Billy Lo" (doubling for Bruce Lee in acrobat)
- Alan Chui Chung-San (Assistant actor, also One of Dr. Land's Guards)
- Albert Sham as "Billy Lo" (doubling for Bruce Lee)
- Chris Kent as the English voice of Billy Lo (dubbing for Bruce Lee)
- Tony Leung
- Billy McGill
- Jim James
- Russell Cawthorne
- Lam Ching-ying
- John Ladalski
- David Hu
- Don Barry
- Jess Hardie
- Eddie Dye
- Peter Nelson
- Peter Gee
- Peter Chan
- Mars as one of Dr. Land (extra)
- Lau Kar-wing
- Fung Hak-on as Thug Wearing the Yellow Jas Bout at Place Henry Lo Opera (US version only)
- Tai San
- Jason Williams
Production
The revised version of the film takes only 11 minutes and 7 seconds from the original recording of The Game of Death, and for most films, Billy Lo's role is shared by Yuen Biao and taekwondo master Kim Tai-jong and voiced by Chris Kent. The movie plot allows Kim and Yuen to spend most of the movie in disguise, usually involving fake beards and large sunglasses that obscure the fact that they are less similar to Lee's. Many scenes, including the fight scenes, also include a short close-up footage from Bruce Lee's original recording of the pre- Enter the Dragon film, often lasting just a second or two. This clip is easy to recognize because of the difference between movie quality between old and new recordings. At one point in the film, Lee's original footage of the body in her open top crate was used to show Billy Lo's character forging her death. There was even a scene, which took place in Billy's dressing room, where Lee's face piece was taped to the mirror, covering her own stand-in face.
Some of the actors associated with Lee's previous films were included in a re-shoot for the late 1978 film. For example, Robert Wall, a criminal on both The Way of the Dragon and Enter the Dragon, plays a kickboxer named Carl Miller who must fight with Billy Lo. Sammo Hung, who appeared in Enter the Dragon , served as battle coordinator for Game of Death shoots, and also appeared on the screen as opposed to a ring for Miller. To maintain continuity with the recording of combat taken from the original film, Dan Inosanto (renamed Pasqual) and Ji Han-jae (whose character is unnamed and not shown until near the end of the film) are given a small section as an additional enforcer for the syndicate. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar refused to participate in the re-shoot, with other higher-profile African-Americans (called Judges) inserted instead. Although Chuck Norris is credited as a star in the film, her role is limited to clips from the Way of the Dragon put in the movie.
The quality of the movies from the recordings directed by Clouse is noticeably higher than in previous Hong Kong Lee movies, and John Barry provides an original soundtrack. The film also features performances by experienced actors as well as upcoming stars, including two Academy Award recipients for Best Supporting Actor (Dean Jagger and Gig Young) and some who have been honored with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, including Bruce Lee, Dean Jagger, Chuck Norris, Hugh O'Brian, and Gig Young (in the last movie).
For Chinese-speaking viewers, the film is dubbed in Cantonese and Mandarin, and has significant changes, such as the inclusion of greenhouse fights with Casanova Wong and different opening and closing credits, featuring new theme songs, plus some minor scenes. Unlike the English version, they use actual fighting sounds from Lee. Some of the scenes have been removed, too, including the fight in the dressing room of the opera house.
In the original version of Hong Kong, a fight with Ji Han-jae is included (during the middle of the movie), while the ending does not show Billy Lo captured. Instead, both she and Ann share goodbye to Jim because they seem to leave Hong Kong by boat. The Singapore version ends with Billy's arrest, and it does not feature Ji Han-jae's fight. This is a version commonly found in Chinese.
The Chinese version of the film features a different theme song than the Cantonese version. The theme song sounds familiar with the main theme of Way of the Dragon. This version also includes scenes where Billy and Ann share goodbye to Jim. The dubbed Cantonese version shows the usual scenes where Billy was caught by the police.
Theme song
- "Game of Death" ( ???? )
-
- Lyrics: James Wong
- Composition and Settings: Joseph Koo
- Show: Roman Tam
The American score was composed by John Barry.
Reception
The film was a success at the Hong Kong box office, grossing HK $ 3,436,169, but was not well received. Critics of the revised version include the inclusion of scenes that can be considered in bad taste, such as the incorporation of Lee's actual burial records. Another scene, often shown by film critics, involves Kim's shot looking at himself in the mirror, with clear pieces of cardboard from Lee's face taped to the mirror's surface.
The action directed by Sammo Hung for the scene with Bruce Lee lookalikes and the recording that Lee shot for the original recording with the last three fights helped to alleviate the film's problems. Apart from the cheesy technique used to hide the fact that Lee is played by a stand-in, the movie enjoys a respectable production value.
Bey Logan pointed out some logical problems with the 1978 film. In order for the henchman to stay low key, they should wear more casual outfits than the colorful tracksuits seen in different parts of the film. But as an excuse, this explains why Lee is wearing a yellow sport. Also in the battle between Lee and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the scene near the vase in Logan's opinion seems to look choppy along with a brief fight with Hugh O'Brian. Perhaps the most important thing in the first half of the English version, Lee's fight order has been lowered to a more realistic level and unlike the previous film, he looks beaten rather than making short work of these men.
However, apart from the major drawbacks, for Western audiences, narrative stories are easier to follow up than previous movies such as The Big Boss , Fist of Fury and Dragon Street . Compared to Hong Kong movies, he has a western character and his story structure is more straightforward than the Hong Kong structure that has action, but the humor and drama of the story may not work for people in the west such as the United States and Britain.
Aggregator reviews Rotten Tomatoes reported the film holds an overall 75% approval rating based on 8 reviews, out of these six still fresh and two others rotting.
Other Game of Death Movies
After Bruce Lee's death, several studios exploited the situation by creating their own version of Game of Death based on what they had learned from stories from production stills and magazine articles. Some of these films already existed before the official date of Robert Clouse Game of Death (1978).
- Goodbye Bruce Lee: The Last Death Game (1975)
- Enter Game of Death (1978)
- The True Game of Death (1979)
- Game of Death II ( Tower of Death ) (1981)
- The Clouse movie has a sequel to the 1981 kung fu mystery action movie Game of Death II , which uses snippets from Lee's Enter the Dragon film to make it appear at the beginning of the movie, only to be killed in the middle of the road, allowing his brother on screen to take on the role of the protagonist. In addition to the English title that gives the character "Bruce Lee", Billy Lo, this movie seems to have nothing to do with the movie Clouse, and directed by Ng See-yuen.
- The Wong Jing movie City Hunter also has the same premise. Jackie Chan as Ryu Saeba takes two tall black men and this film uses Lee fight scene clash against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to get the best of both.
See also
- Bruce Lee Filmography
- Samography Hung filmography
- Completed the Game
References
External links
- Official website at Miramax Films
- Game of Death on IMDb
- Game of Death at AllMovie
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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