Bruce Lee was a revolution in racist post-war America, his oriental philosophy shocked and convinced the entire world audience.
Authored by Bruce Lee via Jeet Kune Do
We will examine Game of Death, Bruce’s great unfinished film.
To this day, only a handful of notes from Lee’s unfinished fourth film exist, and for 30 years, rumors have posited many myths and fantasy stories ranging from 50-story pagodas to zombies fighting Bruce. Unfortunately the truth is unknown and after Bruce’s death we therefore lost the plot forever, not even he, who was the director, knew for sure what his final plans for this film were. But we can tell from what we analyzed that this was definitely more than your average martial arts movie.
Lee intended to use this film to educate people he had mistakenly misled with his martial arts methods or teachings summed up in Jeet Kune Do, as JKD is not an actual fighting style but a philosophy on how to become a whole ‘one with martial arts, like the water that becomes the jug.
Be Water my friend
In the film Bruce wears a modern suit, which does not represent a style, unlike his opponents, he is just a man in a comfortable flashy suit. Each of the pagoda guardians wears a traditional martial arts uniform that represents their chosen style.
Lee supposedly wanted to prove that all martial arts styles have a weakness.
You can’t stick to just one style as it is predictive and mechanical like a robot. Follow the code of a 1000 year old tradition and, as Lee said, you become a mechanical man, a robot.
So this is the basis of what he intended to show once he entered the pagoda. Unfortunately he never completed the film and the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do remained trapped only in the memory of scholastic wrestling, one discipline among others, for the masses.
According to some researchers, the plot of Game of Death, or Tower of Death, can be summarized as follows:
Bruce is a retired martial arts champion named Hai Tien. One day he stops at a Korean airport with his brother and sister but while he is on the phone they are kidnapped and Bruce is told that he must enter a five-story pagoda together with 4 other martial arts champions to face other champions of the same disciplines . Everything is studied by the local Mafia with the aim of getting rid of the guardians of the Pagoda and stealing a treasure that these criminals believe is located at the top of the pagoda.
Besides the final guardian, played by Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Bruce supposedly had to continue climbing and finding the treasure in order to save his sister, but we’ll never know anything more beyond that. We can only speculate.
Kareem’s alien eyes had to have some meaning that would only be discovered if Bruce was able to complete the film. Such a pity.
The 35 minutes of footage leaves few clues about the entire script. And it is said that after Kareem another fight with a masked Samurai would take place, just like in the nightmares of the biopic Dragon, The Legend of Bruce Lee
#Curiosity
Many of my generation in the 80s were convinced, I don’t know where they got their information, that Bruce Lee died from a gunshot loaded with a live bullet during a shoot, but Bruce died, as far as we know, due to a cerebral hemorrhage due to an allergic reaction.
Thus my friends were telling this thing long before their son Brandon was actually killed with a real bullet during the filming of Proyas film “The Crow” which took place in the 90’s. I remember that in the 80’s we didn’t have the Internet but only TV and newspapers worth four cents.
Bruce Lee, the renowned martial artist, actor, and philosopher, wrote several books during his lifetime and after his passing. His literary contributions are a testament to his intellectual curiosity and his desire to share his insights on martial arts, philosophy, and personal development.
1. **Chinese Gung Fu: The Philosophical Art of Self-Defense** (1963) – This is Bruce Lee’s first book, which he self-published. It explores the philosophical aspects of Chinese martial arts.
2. **Tao of Jeet Kune Do** (1973) – Published posthumously, this book is a comprehensive guide to Lee’s martial art, Jeet Kune Do, and its philosophical underpinnings.
3. **Bruce Lee’s Fighting Method** (1978) – Another posthumous publication, this book provides a detailed look at Lee’s approach to self-defense and fighting techniques.
**Books Edited by Bruce Lee**
1. **Wing Chun Kung Fu** (1972) – Lee served as the technical editor for this book, which focuses on the Wing Chun style of martial arts.
**Books About Bruce Lee**
1. **Bruce Lee: A Life** (2024) – A biography written by Matthew Polly, which offers a detailed look at Lee’s life and career.
2. **Who Was Bruce Lee?** (2014) – Part of the “Who Was?” series, this book provides a concise introduction to Lee’s life and achievements.
3. **Bruce Lee: The Man Only I Knew** (1975) – Written by Linda Lee Cadwell, this book offers a personal perspective on Lee’s life and legacy.
**Other Books and Resources**
1. **Bruce Lee Library** – A series of books edited by John Little, which includes volumes on Lee’s philosophy, martial arts, and personal development.
2. **Striking Thoughts: Bruce Lee’s Wisdom for Daily Living** (1998) – A collection of Lee’s quotes and insights on personal development and philosophy.
3. **The Warrior Within: The Philosophies of Bruce Lee** (1996) – A book that explores Lee’s philosophical ideas and their application to personal growth.
4. **Be Water, My Friend: The Teachings of Bruce Lee** (2020) – A book that delves into Lee’s teachings on martial arts, philosophy, and personal development.
These books offer a glimpse into Bruce Lee’s intellectual and philosophical pursuits, as well as his contributions to the world of martial arts and personal development.
