When Bruce Lee died in 1974 right before the release of Enter the Dragon, martial arts fans were shocked. How could the ultimate fighter be gone at 32? Once the shock wore off, people wondered who the next Bruce Lee would be. It was like when James Dean died after only making a handful of films. But unlike Dean, producers in Asia didn’t ask who is the next. Instead, they dug around to find actors they could be passed off as Bruce Lee. They reused every word in Bruce Lee’s movie to make titles that might fool people into thinking a lost Bruce Lee film. This is how we had Enter Three Dragons playing at the downtown grindhouse. A few films used what had leaked out about the unfinished Game of Death to make their own versions. The fake Bruce Lee’s were billed as Bruce Li, Bruce Le, Dragon Lee and Bruce Liang. There must have been people who showed up at the theater thinking the newspaper ad had a typo. For quite a few years, these Bruceploitation films spread around the world. Gregory Dark’s documentary Enter The Clones of Bruce went into the subgenre and tracked down the actors that altered their names to sound like Bruce Lee. The documentary is being put out with 14 for The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1 boxset. Most of the films have been treated badly on home video. Perhaps the producers thought they could fool you into thinking Bruce Lee is on the screen with low resolution. But Severin has upgraded the image and presents them on Blu-ray. This is a Bruceploitation Film Festival for your home. Here’s the press release from Severin with all the details:
This item is a PRE-ORDER with a street date of June 25, 2024. Estimated webstore shipping start date is middle of May. Orders containing this item will not ship until all products are in hand at our shipping facility.
“Many films tried to capitalize on the popularity of Bruce Lee.
Some amped up the craziness as far as it would go.
Others played it straight, delivering seriously good films.
At its best, Bruceploitation was some of the most
uninhibited and exciting martial arts cinema of the age.”
Den Of Geek
8 DISC COLLECTION INCLUDES
14 RESTORED BRUCEPLOITATION CLASSICS
PLUS THE AWARD-WINNING DOCUMENTARY
ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE
WITH 100 PAGE BOOK OF ESSAYS, POSTERS & RARE PHOTOS
AND OVER 24 COMBINED HOURS OF SPECIAL FEATURES
Hours after Bruce Lee’s death, Bruceploitation was born. And for the next 10 years, talented martial artists were enlisted to mimic iconic aspects of Lee’s life, style and mannerisms. Fueled by equal parts deception and demand, these films instead created one of the most wildly entertaining sub-genres in movie history. THE GAME OF CLONES: BRUCEPLOITATION COLLECTION VOLUME 1 now presents 14 of the very best – and frequently very bizarre – films starring Bruce Li, Bruce Le, Dragon Lee, Bruce Liang and more, all restored for the first time ever from original elements. Then in the “fascinating gem of a documentary” (Culture Mix) ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE, director David Gregory tracks down the surviving Bruces – along with martial arts legends, producers, directors, distributors, historians and more – to reveal the entire shocking and bittersweet saga behind a celluloid phenomenon that still refuses to die.
Disc 1:
ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE (2023)
Runtime: 94 mins
Stereo Audio / English Subtitles, Chinese Subtitles, French Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Co-Executive Producer/Director David Gregory, Co-Producers Frank Djeng, Vivian Wong And Michael Worth And Director Of Photography Jim Kunz
- Working At Shaw Brothers – Outtakes With Godfrey Ho, David Chiang, Yasuaki Kurata, Lee Chiu, Lo Meng, Mars And Phillip Ko
- Bruce Lee And I – Outtakes With Sammo Hung, Phillip Ko, Yasuaki Kurata, Mars, Angela Mao, Andre Morgan, Lee Tso Nam And More
- The Lost World Of Kung Fu Film Negatives – Outtakes With Godfrey Ho, Joseph Lai, Angela Mao, Lee Tso Nam And Film Preservationists
- Bruce’s Hong Kong – Location Tour With Frank Djeng
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Trailers
Disc 2:
THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE (1980)
Runtime: 90 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Michael Worth And Frank Djeng, Co-Producers Of ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE; Bruce Lee Historian Brandon Bentley; Chris Poggiali, Co-Author Of These Fists Break Bricks; Matthew Whitaker, Co-Host Of The Clones Cast; Action Film Historian Mike Leader; Stunt Coordinator/Author John Kreng; And Rick Benn, Brother Of Actor Jon T. Benn
- The Big Boss Remembered – Interview With Actor Jon T. Benn
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Trailer
ENTER THREE DRAGONS (1978)
Runtime: 87 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Trailer
Disc 3:
ENTER THE GAME OF DEATH (1978)
Runtime: 90 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
- Partial Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Scene Specific Commentary With Actor Chi Ling Chiu
- Kung Fu Movie Hustle – Interview With Chi Ling Chiu
- Talking A Good Game – Roundtable Discussion With Martial Artists/Kung Fu Film Experts Tatevik Hunanyan, John Kreng, Ron Strong And Michael Worth
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
- Trailer
GOODBYE, BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST GAME OF DEATH (1975)
Runtime: 83 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Frank Djeng, Co-Producer Of ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE, With Contributions From Chris Poggiali, Co-Author Of These Fists Break Bricks
- The Last Kung Fu Picture Show – The Bay Area’s Movie Theater Era
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Radio Spot
- Trailer
Disc 4:
THE DRAGON LIVES AGAIN (1977)
Runtime: 91 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Michael Worth And Frank Djeng, Co-Producers Of ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE
- Deleted Scenes From French Version
- Audio Essay By Cult Cinema Critic Lovely Jon
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Trailer
BRUCE AND THE IRON FINGER (1979)
Runtime: 89 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- My First Bruceploitation – Roundtable Discussion With Martial Artists/Kung Fu Film Experts Tatevik Hunanyan, John Kreng, Ron Strong And Michael Worth
- Deleted Scenes
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
- U.S. Trailer
- Hong Kong Trailer
Disc 5:
CHALLENGE OF THE TIGER (1980)
Runtime: 89 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth And Film Historian C. Courtney Joyner
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
- Trailer
CAMEROON CONNECTION (1984)
Runtime: 91 mins
French Mono / English Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Writer/Criterion Reflections Podcast Host David Blakeslee
- Lights… Cameroon… Action! – The Life And Films Of Alphonse Beni
- 2022 Q&A With Alphonse Beni At Cine Club N’Kah
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Disc 6:
SUPER DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY (1974)
Runtime: 93 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
- Partial Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
- TV Spot
- Trailer
THE DRAGON LIVES (1976)
Runtime: 87 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Actress Caryn White Stedman And Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Audio Interview With “He’s A Legend, He’s A Hero” Songwriter Anders Gustav Nelsson
- The Taiwan Connection – Interview With Caryn White Stedman
- Bruce Biopics – Roundtable Discussion With Martial Artists/Kung Fu Film Experts Tatevik Hunanyan, John Kreng, Ron Strong And Michael Worth
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
- TV Spots
Disc 7:
THE DRAGON, THE HERO (1980)
Runtime: 87 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Director Godfrey Ho And Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Godfrey, The Hero – Interview With Director Godfrey Ho
- Deleted Scenes
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
- Trailer
RAGE OF THE DRAGON (1980)
Runtime: 90 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth With Contributions From Chris Poggiali, Co-Author Of These Fists Break Bricks
- Kung Fu Theaters – Roundtable Discussion With Martial Artists/Kung Fu Film Experts Tatevik Hunanyan, John Kreng, Ron Strong And Michael Worth
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
- Trailer
Disc 8 (Limited Edition Bonus Disc)(Webstore Exclusive):
THE BIG BOSS PART II (1976)
Runtime: 91 mins
Cantonese Mono / Burned-In English Subtitles, Burned-In Chinese Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
- Trailer
THE BLACK DRAGON VS. THE YELLOW TIGER (1974)
Runtime: 88 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
- Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth With Contributions From Actor Clint Robinson
- Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
- Trailer
