The Game Of Death

"The footage begins in the Hall of the tiger, where a battle is already in progress with the remaining members of Hai Tiens team... The Game of Death 死亡的遊戲 Redux"

"American Fighter: Legend has that man's greatest beard dwells and temple. The Game of Death is as old as time itself ... many attempt to challenge you survived. [Some assumed that it was a trailer narrator, but it’s really the American mercenary who befriends Bruce’s character prior to the mission. This role was going to be played by Bob Baker. The V.O. is Kincaid speaking to Hai Tien the night before they leave for the temple. Exclusively for the trailer. (Trailer for the second version of Game of Death Redux in 2022 on <!--cityonfire.comand[https://youtu.be/ZSXPzjtKBPs"

"4rd Floor Guardian: As you gentleman know red means danger. Therefore, I advise to you people not to step into this warning arena. If you want to go an living, stop here. Go back downstairs. Life Is precious."

"A masterpiece of action and emotion."

"Game of Death Redux is a lovely tribute that essentially functions as a Bruce Lee-direted short film."

"Watching Game of Death Redux, is like inhaling the pure essence of Bruce Lee. Alan Canvan has completed Lee's vision and the three levels of the pagoda now feel like a cinematic novella."

"Prequel: While we may never know how The Game of Death would have turned out had Bruce Lee lived we do know, with unimpeachable certainty, the vision Lee had for the film during the time that he was filming its finale [...]"

"Game of Death Redux showcased 23 minutes of the 1972-era Game of Death footage that was presented closely the way Bruce intended, while at the same time, keeping in-tact some of the stronger as aspects of the universally panned, pieced together 1978 film, such as John Barry’s acclaimed score, as well some of the film’s strong audio design."

"Golden Harvest and Niche Pictures:"

"Alan Canvan — Bruce Lee Voiced / Creative Editor / Produced and Adapted"

"Cristopher Wasmer — Edited by"

"Alan Pattillo — Acknowledgment"

"— (Voiced American Fighter: only for the trailer. Candidate Bob Baker)"

"Chris Kent — Bruce Lee War Cries Voiced (from Game of Death, 1978)"

"John Barry — Music (from Game of Death, 1978)"

"Concord Production Inc. and Golden Harvest:"

"Raymond Chow — Co-producer"

"Tadashi Nishimoto — Cinematography"

"Bruce Lee — Written / Directed / Co-producer / Choreography / Acknowledgment / Starring :"

"Bruce Lee — Hai Tien"

"James Tien — (Tien)"

"Chieh Yuan — (Yuan)"

"Dan Inosanto — (3rd Floor Guardian)"

"Ji Han-jae — (4rd Floor Guardian)"

"Kareem Abdul-Jabbar — Mantis (5rd Floor Guardian)"

"Golden Harvest and The Criterion Collection (Distribution)"

"While we may never know how The Game of Death would have turned out had Bruce Lee lived we do know, with unimpeachable certainty, the vision Lee had for the film during the time that he was filming its finale. According to his 12-page storyline the film would begin on an airplane that hade departed from Hong Kong. The character that Bruce Lee was to play in the film was named Hai Tien a retired, undefeated martial arts champion. Accompanying him on the flight would be his sister and young brother. The family are preparing to take a tour of Southheast Asia. When en route an annoucement is made that there will be a one-hour stopover in Korea. The plane then touches down and taxis into the gate at South Korea's Kimpo Airport."

"[ Dialogue ]"

"Later, in the training garden of the Boss,s home avery member of the team is training but Hai Tien who is still reticent and worried about the safety of his family."

"[ Dialogue: Hai Tien: I want you to remember me"

"Upon arriving at the compound the team must first fight their way through 10 guards all black belts in Karate. After dispatching the Karate men, the team heads for the pagoda. On man, the locksmith, opens the door to the temple. The martial artists enter the pagoda to do battle while the locksmith stands watch below. It was within the pagoda that the epic battles in The Game of Death were to take place as each floor of the pagoda was to be guarded by as killed martial arts stylist. On the first floor, one of the team would be killed. The second floor, The Floor of the Praying Mantis would see what was now the quartet lose another member of the team. Fortunately, the battle on the third floor of the pagoda and on the remaining floors as well, Bruce Lee captured on film."

"[1972 original footage]"

"At the end of the film an exhausted Hai Tien Staggers down the steps from the pagoda and departs the village. Although Bruce Lee never finalized the details for the ending of the film it is evident from his scene breakdowns that the boss would be arrested. Hai Tien, his sister and brother would be reunited after returning of the Korean airport. The storyline perfectly justified the action that would be required in the film while the choreography of the fight sequences served to related Lee's message of personal liberation in the art of combat."

"Good morning Fellas!"

"[ Announcer: Attention: there is a call for Mr. Tien. Mr. Hai Tien, please pick up the white courtesy phone at gate 16.(Hai Tien answers)] Voice (Tien): We've got your sister and little brother. Listen carefully - there is a car waiting for you outside. I want you to calmly walk out and get into the car. The lives of your sister and brother depend on you doing exactly what you are told."

"The Boss: This Is The Temple of the Leopard. It Is located there hours from here. This Temple contains one of our national treasures - It's irreplaceable and worth many millions of dollars to the Korean government. Your job will be to get it for me. As no guns are allowed here, the temple is guarded by trained fighters - martial artist. The temple has five floors - and we believe that the treasure Is on the top floor. The martial artists guard each level of the temple. I have acquired footage of some of them to let you know what you'll be up against. This man's specialty Is Escrima - a Filipino stick fighting art. He Is very dangerous and, I'm told, guards the third level of the pagoda the Hall of the Tiger. He has also been known to be an exponent of the nunchaku - a weapon I'm sure most of you gentlemen are familiar with. This man is a Hapkido master, 7th degree. He guards the fourth level. His skill is extraordinary. It may take all of you to subdue him. The first floor will be protected by this man. As you can see, his kicks are devastatingly powerful and incredibly fast. The entranceway will be blocked by karatemen. But you should be able to get past them. The real talent Is within the pagoda. If the door to the temple is locked Is locked - which It has been since our last attempt to get the treasure - our locksmith here should be able to pick the lock and let you in. Once inside the temple, I don't really know what you will be facing. There was a prior group that attempted to make It to the before you. Only one man from that group, Mr. Huang, survived. Seeing the members of his team killed by whomever guards that last level caused him considerable mental stress. He has since been committed to a local asylum. All he could tell us was Unbelievable agility and power. We don't know who guards the upper level, but whomever he is - he is extremely dangerous and skillful. Mr. Huang was a formidable martial artist in his own right - a very effective kicker - one of Hai Tien's students, I believe. I'm hoping that where the student fails, the master will succeed. Hai Tien and Mr. Tien will be in charge of the operation. That's It, gentlemen."

"Hai Tien Fans: Aren't you Hai Tien - the fighter? Hai Tien:Yes, I am Hai Tien Fans: I'm a huge fan of tours. May I please get your autograph? Hai Tien: Sure."

"Hai Tien: Will you excuse me a Moment?"

"Hai Tien: Nice weather"

"The movie would open with a shot of a reed bending in the wind; this from many statements Bruce made at the time. Then on to a plane just landing in Korea. Bruce is aboard, as Hai Tien, a retired martial arts champion, known as the “Yellow-Faced Tiger” in the West. With Hai Tien are his sister and very young brother. A co-traveler recognizes Hai and asks him about his tournament days. Here we get a promising mention from Bruce of Hai Tien’s “blank face” as he remembers his days as a martial arts champion, fighting in a crazed manner in the ring."

"During the fight with Kareem’s character, Bruce wrote a voiceover for himself that begins: “The advantage of Mantis is that he doesn’t fear death.” [...] the fighters practice in the yard. Hai Tien’s sister comes out and tearfully warns him about someone called Mantis, most likely referring to Kareem’s character. Hai tells her to watch out for the kid, should anything happen to him. Then Hai tells the kid to be careful, requesting that the kid remember his face. “Why should I?” asks the kid. “I see you every day.” That night after a group dinner, the American fighter takes Hai Tien aside and tells him about “The Game of Death.” Bruce leaves this part vague"

"The next morning the fighters gather onto a touring bus, ready to go to the pagoda. Finally Hai Tien arrives, casually strolling onto the bus: “Morning, fellas.” They arrive at the pagoda, and here Bruce finishes his outline by merely writing: “The big fight. An arrest is made. The airport. The end.” The big fight obviously refers to the pagoda raid. I’m assuming the crime lord gets arrested, though Bruce doesn’t detail how this comes about"

"Bruce illustrated the pagoda, describing who was on each floor. The ground floor was to be guarded by a group of kung-fu fighters"

"Little had Bruce’s dialog notes for Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey [...] however Little [...] didn’t have dialog notes for one of Bruce’s lines, Little chose to leave the audio portion silent, with a “dialog missing” legend appearing on-screen [...] Bruce seems to say is, “Do you understand? This sword becomes a whip,” [...] Little used Jabbar and Ji Han Jae to dub their own voices [...] Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey features the dialog Bruce actually wrote for the movie [...] both English and Cantonese."

"Nora signed on for The Game of Death shortly before Bruce stopped filming. No one knows what part she would’ve played [...] Most likely she would’ve played Bruce’s sister, as Bruce’s script outline, shown in Little’s “Bruce Lee: A Warrior’s Journey” book, states that Bruce was to play Hai Tien, a retired martial arts champion who travels to Korea with his sister and little brother."

"The picture quality is phenomenal [...] is presented in PAL [...] Dan Inosanto, however, does a fine job dubbing his own voice [...] of Kareem's normal eyes; then we get a quick close-up and his eyes become like those of a lizard's.[...] And the longer scenes [...] make the fights seem like they're occurring in real time."

"Bruce’s tracksuit is orange-yellow in this movie because Clouse darkened the film print, thus resulting in a change in its color from bright yellow to orange. Clouse darkened the film because in his version of Game of Death, Bruce fights Kareem at night, whereas in Bruce’s version of the movie, the pagoda battle is during the day."

"Just an all-around good, old-school kung fu flick, Tower of Death carries on the Game of Death concept by having Kim Tai-chung infiltrate an underground tower, each level housing a different guardian. Fast-paced action and quality direction and choreography make this one of the best Bruceploitation flicks of all."

"In 1975, before Clouse’s Game of Death or any of the Bruceploitation Game of Death movies came out, a book titled “Game of Death” was published in Japan. It told the story of a former martial arts champion whose sister and brother were kidnapped, and who was blackmailed into raiding a martial artist-filled pagoda to retrieve a priceless artifact. This book claimed to be based on Bruce’s original story, and John Little’s discovery of Bruce’s outline, twenty years later, pretty much confirms this. So how did the Japanese publishers know Bruce’s story? They even got minor details correct, like Kareem having lizard eyes. Bruce used a Japanese cameraman, Tadashi Nishimoto, for the Game of Death footage. Could he have had anything to do with the leaking of Bruce’s story to the book’s publishers?"

"In 1972, Bruce Lee began working on his second directorial project, Game of Death. The Plot involved Lee playing the role of Hai Tien, a retired martial arts champion who is confronted by a Korean crime syndicate that Kidnaps his sister and younger brother and force him to partecipate in a raid on a five-story pagoda located in South Korea."