The Game Of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection, Vol. 1 Blu-Ray Review – A Baffling & Amazing Ode To The Greatest

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 film elements.

Each of these 14 Bruceploitation classics – THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE (1980), ENTER THREE DRAGONS (1978), ENTER THE GAME OF DEATH (1978), GOODBYE, BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST GAME OF DEATH (1975), THE DRAGON LIVES AGAIN (1977), BRUCE AND THE IRON FINGER (1977), CHALLENGE OF THE TIGER (1980), CAMEROON CONNECTION (1984), SUPER DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY (1974), THE DRAGON LIVES (1976), THE DRAGON, THE HERO (1980), RAGE OF THE DRAGON (1980), THE BLACK DRAGON VS. THE YELLOW TIGER (1974), and the never-before available THE BIG BOSS PART II (1976) – also feature exclusive bonus programming that includes all-new interviews, audio commentaries and revealing featurettes, as well as a 100-page Bruceploitation book filled with essays, posters, rare photos and more.

For thoughts on The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection, Volume 1, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection, Volume 1 comes to Blu-Ray with one documentary and 12 films spread over 7 discs. The version of the release being discussed here is the Severin webstore exclusive with an additional disc featuring The Big Boss Part II and The Black Dragon vs. The Yellow Tiger, for a grand total of 15 films over 8 discs. The documentary Enter the Clones of Bruce (also available separately) is the oddity here as it is the only new film and the only film not sharing a disc with another film. The HD presentation is terrific with crisp new interviews complemented by clips from the best surviving sources of the films showcased, many of which are included in this set. The colors are rich and natural, and there are no digital anomalies to speak of. This assessment is relatively easy to sum up, but the rest of the set requires a bit more exploration. 

The remaining 14 films are spread across seven discs, which is surprisingly not an issue when it comes to compression given the brevity of these films. Many of these films share the same qualities, so I will mostly be judging them in groups while pointing out noticeable differences when necessary. These films appear to be presented in their original aspect ratios in the most complete forms available. There are numerous text warnings when you play films from this set about missing elements and restoration challenges. These transfers are derived from restorations of a mixture of high-quality prints and original material typically a generation or two removed from the camera negative. If you take in this set, you will understand that the team has worked tirelessly to serve the best presentation possible. There are plenty of deficiencies within these masters, but these undoubtedly look the best physically possible. The quality hovers in the “passable” to “very good” range throughout. 

Color saturation ends up being one of the most stable elements throughout this set with the palette often suffused with bold colors that stand out in the costumes and landscapes. The temperature for some of these films can occasionally appear to be slightly off, but it rarely pulls you out of the viewing experience. The refinement in fine detail within the background elements is a welcome treat for longtime fans of these films who have only seen ancient DVDs, battered VHS copies, or worse. The most impressive source appears to be Cameroon Connection, which looks dynamite derived from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative. Throughout these films, it becomes clear how problematic some of these sources were with the dip in quality.

There is a pretty consistent level of wear and tear throughout this set. With so many films in this subgenre, we know precious few have been perfectly preserved, so the restoration efforts from Severin are appreciated even if they are fighting a daunting battle. The most damaged transfers would be The Clones of Bruce Lee, The Dragon Lives Again, Bruce and the Iron Finger, Super Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story, The Big Boss Part II and The Black Dragon vs. The Yellow Tiger, as these all stem from prints. Challenge of the Tiger stands out as another great one from a 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative. The damage in this set ranges from a consistent rain of speckles to some aggressive splotches and tears. 

The natural film grain appears to be largely untouched with perhaps very minor management. Most titles remain in good enough shape without appearing frozen or swarming in large amounts.  These encodes avoid instances of gaudy compression artifacts and other additional digital anomalies. Black levels are dependent on the title, but most are lacking in some regard. Highlights do not appear to showcase much in the way of blooming. The transfers typically get the job done in an agreeable manner if you have the right expectations in mind. The deficiencies are due to the sheer number churned out back in the day and lack of preservation, but Severin is working to bring these grindhouse favorites back to audiences in the highest quality possible. 

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray set presents all the films with DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono tracks with an English dub track. The exceptions to this are Enter the Clones of Bruce (which was produced primarily in English), Cameroon Connection (which is in French) and The Big Boss Part II (which is in Mandarin). Like the video side of the equation, there is some exceptional deficiencies baked into these tracks, but the company has once again made an effort to clean them up as much as possible. The audio quality is not always horrendous but every track has some damage to it. 

The worst offenders for the audio largely line up with the disappointments on the video side. There are some pretty unpleasant sonic qualities that flare up. Dialogue is hilariously cheesy but somewhat clear and easily distinguishable with minor distortion. These films are usually accompanied by some powerful sound effects in the mix that are an essential part of the enjoyment. The score usually exposes some notable age-related wear and tear at the highest amplitudes. These films have a ceiling for how good they can sound, but at least audiences usually get as good as they possibly can. Severin has handled these with as much care as the source will allow. 

All the films included in this set have optional English SDH subtitles provided except for Enter the Clones of Bruce (which has English SDH, Chinese, and French), Cameroon Connection (which has standard English) and The Big Boss Part II (which has burned-in English subtitles).

Special Features

The Limited Edition Webstore Exclusive of the Severin Blu-Ray of The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection, Volume 1 comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer case and includes a 100-page bound book featuring essays from Michael Worth, Chris Poggiali, Jon Casbard, and Roger Cross. These works provide a great analysis of this subgenre and the star in a thoughtfully written style accompanied by posters and rare photos. The on-disc special features are as follows: 

DISC ONE: Enter the Clones of Bruce

• Audio Commentary: Co-Executive Producer/Director David Gregory; Co-Producers Frank Djeng, Vivian Wong, and Michael Worth; and Director Of Photography Jim Kunz
• Outtakes: As the disc notes, the original assembly of this documentary was over three hours long, so fans can now see some of the fascinating footage that did not make the final cut. While we understand why some of this had to be cut, there are so many great insights that you will not want to miss including material about Shaw Brothers, the background of Bruce Lee, and film preservation of martial arts dramas.    
  • Working At Shaw Brothers – Outtakes with Godfrey Ho, David Chiang, Yasuaki Kurata, Lee Chiu, Lo Meng, Mars and Phillip Ko (19:21)
  • Bruce Lee And I – Outtakes with Sammo Hung, Phillip Ko, Yasuaki Kurata, Mars, Angela Mao, Andre Morgan, Lee Tso Nam and More (24:32) 
  • The Lost World Of Kung Fu Film Negatives – Outtakes with Godfrey Ho, Joseph Lai, Angela Mao, Lee Tso Nam and Film Preservationists (15:59)
• Bruce’s Hong Kong – Location Tour With Frank Djeng: A nearly 28-minute location tour with the Hong Kong Film Historian. 
• Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth: A minute-and-a-half introduction to the documentary with the Bruceploitation expert and director David Gregory. 
• Trailers (2:43, 2:00, 0:30)

DISC TWO: The Clones of Bruce Lee & Enter Three Dragons

• The Clones of Bruce Lee
  • Audio Commentary: 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 Leeder; Stunt Coordinator/Author John Kreng; and Rick Benn, Brother Of Actor Jon T. Benn
  • The Big Boss Remembered – Interview With Actor Jon T. Benn: A 17-minute interview with the actor in which he recounts his life and work with Bruce Lee. 
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:54): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Trailer (1:42)

• Enter Three Dragons

• • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:59): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Trailer (3:29)

DISC THREE: Enter the Game of Death & Goodbye, Bruce Lee: His Last Game of Death

• Enter the Game of Death
  • Partial Audio Commentary: Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
  • Scene Specific Commentary: Actor Chi Ling Chiu
  • Kung Fu Movie Hustle – Interview With Chi Ling Chiu: A 15-minute interview with the Grand Master in which he reflects upon his experiences in kung fu films. 
  • Talking A Good Game – Roundtable Discussion With Martial Artists/Kung Fu Film Experts Tatevik Hunanyan, John Kreng, Ron Strong, and Michael Worth: A nearly 12-minute discussion with these experts who reflect on Game of Death and how Enter the Game of Death played out. 
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:24): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Trailer (3:00)

• Goodbye, Bruce Lee: His Last Game of Death
  • Audio Commentary: 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: A nearly 13-minute featurette on the kung fu explosion in the ‘70s and ‘80s. 
  • Deleted Scenes (11:46)
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (2:08): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Radio Spot (1:04)
  • Trailer (4:07)

DISC FOUR: The Dragon Lives Again & Bruce and the Iron Finger

• The Dragon Lives Again
  • Audio Commentary: Michael Worth and Frank Djeng, Co-Producers Of ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE
  • Audio Essay by Cult Cinema Critic Lovely Jon: This serves the same function as a commentary track, but it ends after about 41 minutes. 
  • Deleted Scenes from French Version: A seven-minute collection of unused footage is provided here with English subtitles. This is worth checking out if you want to attempt to get more from the plot. 
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (2:02): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Trailer (1:37)

• Bruce and the Iron Finger
  • Audio Commentary: 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: A nearly 11-minute discussion with these experts who reflect on their first dalliance with the Bruceploitation genre. 
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:39): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • U.S. Trailer (1:40)
  • Hong Kong Trailer (4:05)

DISC FIVE: Challenge of the Tiger & Cameroon Connection 

• Challenge of the Tiger 
  • Audio Commentary: Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth and Film Historian C. Courtney Joyner
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:27): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Trailer (3:52)

• Cameroon Connection
  • Audio Commentary: Writer/Criterion Reflections Podcast Host David Blakeslee
  • Lights…Cameroon…Action! – The Life and Films of Alphonse Beni: A 48-minute documentary that takes a look at the career of the performer and filmmaker.  
  • 2022 Q&A with Alphonse Beni at Cine Club N’Kah: An 11-minute Q&A in which the performer reflects on the production and legacy of Cameroon Connection. 
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:08): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 

DISC SIX: Superdragon: The Bruce Lee Story & The Dragon Lives

• Superdragon: The Bruce Lee Story
  • Partial Audio Commentary: Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:39): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • TV Spot (0:31)
  • Trailer (2:09)

• The Dragon Lives
  • Audio Commentary: 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: A 28-minute audio interview with the songwriter that plays over the film like an audio commentary track before ending and allowing the film to play out. There are some great insights into the songwriting process at this time and in this corner of the world. 
  • The Taiwan Connection – Interview With Caryn White Stedman: A 15-minute interview with the actress that gives additional insight into the film that differs quite a bit from the commentary track. 
  • Bruce Biopics – Roundtable Discussion With Martial Artists/Kung Fu Film Experts Tatevik Hunanyan, John Kreng, Ron Strong, and Michael Worth: A nearly 10-minute discussion with these experts who reflect on the subgenre of Bruce Lee biopics and how different performers inhabited the legend.  
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:18): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • TV Spots (0:43, 0:32)

DISC SEVEN: The Dragon, The Hero & Rage of the Dragon

• The Dragon, The Hero
  • Audio Commentary: Director Godfrey Ho and Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
  • Godfrey, The Hero – Interview With Director Godfrey Ho: An 18-minute interview with the actor that gives additional insight into the film that differs quite a bit from the commentary track while exploring the old studio.  
  • Deleted Scenes (23:14)
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:54): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Trailer (1:49)

• Rage of the Dragon
  • Audio Commentary: 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: An eight-minute discussion with these experts who reflect on the kung fu theater experience.  
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:36): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Trailer (1:38)

DISC EIGHT: The Big Boss Part II & The Black Dragon vs. The Yellow Tiger

• The Big Boss Part II
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:51): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Trailer (3:38)

• The Black Dragon vs. The Yellow Tiger
  • Audio Commentary: Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth with Contributions from Actor Clint Robinson
  • Severin’s Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth (1:35): The Bruceploitation expert gives you some great background information for this entry in the set. 
  • Trailer (3:48)

Final Thoughts

The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection, Volume 1 is both amazing and baffling in the best way. The fact that this subgenre even exists is pretty ghoulish, but watching Enter the Clones of Bruce helps you understand the phenomenon a bit more and appreciate the talent behind the exploitation. The 14 Bruceploitation films included are not good films by most metrics, but they have a bizarre charm that really appeals to the right audience. The fights are often incredible while being flanked by nonsensical narratives, unnecessary nudity, and wooden performances (often made worse by the dubbed voices). It is terrible and amazing in equal measure. It surely isn’t for everyone, but if it is for you, this just might be the release of the year. Severin has bundled these 15 films together into a Blu-Ray collection featuring a mixed bag of an A/V presentation and a mind-blowing array of special features. As long as they keep releasing new volumes, we will be happy to devour them. Highly Recommended

The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection, Volume 1 is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Severin has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.