Bruce Lee > Game of Death (G.O.D.)

I grew up in Los Angeles and loved bookstores. One day while visiting UCLA bookstores in Westwood, I walked right by Kareen Abdul-Jabbar who had played at UCLA. I was excited, not because he was aGame of Death with Kareem basketball legend, but because he had starred in Game of Death. I didn’t ask for his autograph; instead, looking up, I just stared at him as he walked by me.

G.O.D. (1973): Last Film

Bruce Lee died in 1973 before the completion of Game of Death. He wrote and directed the film which is the first to explore the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do. Unfortunately, many scenes that were shot were lost. We only have pictures of some of the lost fights.

G.O.D. (Revised 1978): Bruceploitation

Though released after his death in 1978, the famous fight scenes from the film were actually filmed before Enter the Dragon.beopjusa temple Original

In 1978, using some of the existing fights the director of Enter the Dragon, Robert Clouse was hired to finish the film. Bob Wall was brought in as the script was revised.

Instead of keeping to the original story line which may not have been known, a Bruceploitation narrative was written: a film within a film. Billy Lo (Bruce Lee), a movie star, fights against organized crime. He fakes his own death when he is shot while filming. Only about 15 minutes of the original film was used. The plot is overdone and not very good. The best parts are when the real Bruce enters the screen.

Original G.O.D. : Bruce Lee A Warriors Journey (2000)

John Little found the original narrative and released the GOD as close to the way Bruce Lee constructed it. This is a better version. Had Bruce lived, it probably would have been revised a lot. The film occurs in the Beopjusa Temple in South Korea. When I visited the temple in Korea, they were refinishing it with gold or copper plating. In 1973, it was just a stone Buddha. The documentary used a current photo with a golden Buddha, not how it looked in 1973 when Bruce Lee filmed it.

In the original story, there were five levels. Only three levels were completed. Thus, three characters fight up the pagoda. Hai Tien (Bruce Lee) is the main character.Beopjusa Temple Now gold color James Tien and Chieh Yuan are the supporting characters. These supporting characters were deleted from the 1978 Robert Clouse version. 

First Level: Weapons, Filipino Arts (Tiger Palace)

Meets Dan Inosanto

  • Bamboo vs short sticks
  • Broken rhythm vs rehearsed routine
  • Nunchaus vs nunchaus

Second Level: Hapkido, Korean Art (Dragon Palace)Bruce Lee and Dan Inosanto

Meets Ji Han Jae

  • Grappling techniques
  • Kicks

Third Level: Style of the Unknown (Palace of the Unknown Style)

Meets Kareen Abdul Jabbar

  • Philosophical in nature.
  • Weakness is light.