MovieChat Forums > Game of Death (1979) Discussion > Was anyone sold?

Was anyone sold?

posted 17 years ago by Nephren-Ka
18 replies | jump to latest

While we are all detractors of this film and the manner in which it was edited, produced and directed, what I'd like to know is was anyone actually fooled into believing that the real Bruce Lee was actually in this film for its entirety when they watched it?

Fair enough if you saw this film as an adult and could pick the Bruce Lee doubles from a mile away, but I first saw this film when I was around 7-8 years old and not knowing anything about the ins and outs of film-making and whatnot I actually thought that Bruce was in the whole film (yes, I was very gullible, but given my age I think I can be slightly forgiven).

To save some face, I always sensed that there was something slightly amiss when I watched this film as a kid as I always thought to myself "how come Bruce's appearance changes so much during this movie?". This was coupled with the fact that I always found it somewhat odd that a film could be released with him in it years after he had died, yet I never questioned how this could be possible.

I'm sure what I had to say will probably give a few of you a good chuckle or perhaps make you roll your eyes and think "geez, how dumb is this guy!", but is there anyone else out there who was convinced by Clouse and his team of Bruce Lee doubles that you were watching the real thing?

[–] justiceforall272 17 years ago

The first time I saw this movie was on Television and was about the same age as you were. My brother made a mistake and told me that Bruce shot only the fight scenes for the "whole" film. So for the longest time I thought the fight with Carl Miller was the real Bruce Lee. And naturally it was hard to tell because of his wearing that disguise.

At 7 years old you can believe your father is the real Santa Claus.

[–] Jack_Butler 17 years ago

I saw this around that age as well, and yes I thought it was the real Bruce Lee. That was even after seeing Enter the Dragon. Although this actor is not even a hair on the head of the late legend he does a good job of emulating the moves and going through the motions IMO.

[–] f3203 17 years ago

I totally agree with everything you just said and I also thought it was the real Bruce Lee when I first saw it at age 9. Man,and all this time, I thought I was the only one... good to know there are other, like-minded fans.

[–] gjung01 17 years ago

I didn't watch this film until a few nights ago when it was showing late night on Spike. I couldn't believe the one scene where they actually spliced Bruce Lee's face onto the lookalike for a close up and it was floating around like a baloon. Also the lookalike wears these shades that take up the top half of his face and I would say that he was a thinner build than the more muscular, wiry Bruce Lee. I would have much rather they had done a retrospective or a documentary on the unfinished film a la Terry Gilliam's "Man from La Mancha." Most of the footage was B listed American actors who had done their rounds on Love Boat and Fantasy Island and not enough footage with Bruce Lee but rather the back of the lookalike's head.

[–] Nephren-Ka 17 years ago

It's funny when you watch this film in light of knowing that for about 85% of the film you're watching a Bruce Lee double.

As I said in my previous post, when I watched this film as an 8 year old I didn't even question why Bruce Lee's appearance changed so much throughout the course of the film; however, now when I watch it I realise just how tacky and amateur-ish the film is - countless doubles, the eternally-discussed "cut and paste" job, sunglasses, beards and always filming the body doubles either from the back or the side. Robert Clouse really pulled out all the stops in his attempt at ensuring that the audience was convinced that they were watching the real Bruce Lee.

Having said all that though, I'm quite a fan of the Billy Lo-Carl Miller fight scene and thought that it was pretty decent.

In addition, the Cantonese version includes a fight scene between Billy Lo and some other guy (played by Casanova Wong) whose name escapes me at this point that is played out in a greenhouse with pot plants everywhere. That fight scene has some pretty impressive kicking choreography - watch for the brilliant tactic employed by Clouse in that scene where he uses branches from a tree to cover the Bruce Lee double's face - utter hilarity!

[–] justiceforall272 17 years ago

The part that disgusted me the most is when they used the footage of Bruce Lee's actual funeral. That was more than just crossing a border in my opinion.

[–] siukong 17 years ago

Agreed.

[–] Mr_K_Pratt 17 years ago

I first saw Game of Death when I was 13 and I noticed straight away. I'd already seen Big Boss, Fist of Fury and Way of the Dragon and was really looking forward to it. Those other three turned me into a Bruce Lee fan for life. I started watching with a friend who hadn't seen any Bruce Lee films before and I too thought it was a bit strange how they used the Chuck Norris fight at the beginning. Then as soon as that fight scene ended and that fake Bruce brushes his trousers with his hand I said, "That's not him!", and I also noticed they then used more Way of the Dragon footage of the real Bruce looking up after the light falls to the ground. I noticed every trick they tried to pull from then on. I was almost fooled during the Carl Miller fight, until I noticed the restaurant wallpaper from Way of the Dragon in the background!

Despite all that, I still enjoyed the film, especially the real Bruce Lee footage at the end, but not as much as Enter the Dragon, which I saw for the first time on TV a few weeks later.

I bought the Hong Kong Legends DVD of Game of Death when it came out a few years ago and it was great to finally see the uncut footage that Bruce had shot. That footage is worth the price of the DVD alone!

[–] Outrun2006 17 years ago

Nephren-Ka, I swear, you and I have the exact same brain waves, because I too, went through the exact same thing you did at that age. I was totally fooled but at times wondered why he looked so different in every scene.

Still, Game of Death as a film on its own merit is still a classic IMHO. Cheesy editing and all.

[–] Nephren-Ka 17 years ago

Outrun2006 - haha, it's hilarious that we were both duped by Clouse yet still had the presence of mind to think to ourselves "what the hell's going on here?" when watching the ever-changing appearance of Bruce Lee/Yuen Biao and Kim Tai Chung during Game of Death.

In all honesty, when I saw Game of Death as a kid I never quite understood why the "Way of the Dragon" Bruce Lee-Chuck Norris fight scene was spliced in at the beginning of the film. I mean, I found it odd that it was there, yet never bothered to question why it was there.

Like yourself Outrun2006, I still enjoy Game of Death based on its tackiness and the absolutely hilarious delivery of lines by Dean Jagger - "You're looking a little pale. What you need is a nourishing meal that'll stick to your ribs! (Laughs hysterically). Oh you, you beautiful b*stard! (laughs hysterically again)" - I just crack up everytime I hear that line.

[–] tommyboy221 17 years ago

yup.

[–] tbilski82 17 years ago

Me? Not at all. Mainly because prior to the airing of the film on TV over here a film buff gave a little blurb, calling Game of Death "The Bruce Lee film that really wasn't" (or something along those lines). And even if I hadn't been told, it's pretty darn obvious that it's only Bruce in those glorious final few minutes at the end. The techniques they used were pathetically transparent.

[–] MrBlondNYC 17 years ago

I was 6 when I first saw it and so I was fooled. But I still knew they used footage from his other movies. I actually thought he just got lazy. 20 years later the movie's still good for a laugh.

The Sopranos: "Family? They're a glorified crew!"

[–] mjscarface 17 years ago

I wasn't fooled even as a kid.

Ironically though, the parts that made me question the film were the real close-ups of Bruce himself and I'll explain why. In one part they used an extreme close-up of Bruce's eyes (from 'The Big Boss') but it seemed so forced into the film that I knew something wasn't right.

But yeah the parts with Billy wearing sunglasses and the dubbing also told me it was fake.

I was more angry about the film being a fake when I was younger but now I've watched it again, I just take it with a pinch of salt because there are some good moments in the film.

"We're gonna find out who did this... and we're gonna kill 'em!" - Vic Mackey

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] 17 years ago

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[–] warshipspictures1 8 years ago

The main scenes that I thought were the real Bruce Lee were the locker room fight and the warehouse fight.

Come on Johnny, we're countin' on you to fly us to the promised land!

[–] Notzi81 8 years ago

I first watched this movie when I was about 10 years old, and although I didn't like it, I thought the stand-in was the real Bruce. I kept getting mad because Bruce would never take off those sunglasses, and he'd never face the camera, not to mention they kept showing clips from old films. My favorite parts were the scenes in the pagoda, because you could actually see his face. I didn't even notice the still photograph cut out scene (I'm not sure how I missed that one, even at that young age)!

Love,

Notzi