“Game of Death Redux” Theatrical Poster
Stay as far away from the stair way as possible! Alan Canvan’s long-awaited Game of Death Redux will be screening at the 2022 Urban Action Showcase & Expo (UASE).
The first release of Game of Death Redux (released exclusively on Criterion Collection’s 2020 boxed set Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits) showcased 23 minutes of the 1972-era Game of Death footage that was presented closely the way Bruce intended, while at the same time, keeping in-tact some of the stronger as aspects of the universally panned, pieced together 1978 film (known to fans as Game of Death ’78), such as John Barry’s acclaimed score, as well some of the film’s strong audio design.
So why is there an updated Game of Death Redux – and more importantly – what can we expect from from it? We asked Canvan ourselves, and this is what he had to say:
Q: Why did you decide to make 2.0?
A: What’s the adage regarding art never being finished, only abandoned? Yeah. With the initial edit, my focus was entirely on the flow of the piece (i.e., how the shots were cut and how the music drove the narrative.) Artistically, I was satisfied. Technically, there were aspects that bothered me. What I really wanted was a complete visual and sonic restoration. It took over a year to achieve, and I was fortunate enough to work with the right team to arrive at this new version.
Q: For those who have seen the original Game of Death Redux, what can be expected in version 2.0?
A: Where do I begin? For starters, the new Redux has been fully restored with a brand-new color grade and audio mix. Additionally, Chris Kent, who looped Bruce’s war cries for Robert Clouse’s Game of Death movie, lent his voice once again to match the audio portions I used from the 1978 film. He did a stellar job. Finally, I reworked a dozen sequences which resulted in a far more concise and dramatic presentation of the narrative. I can honestly say that Game of Death, in any incarnation, has never looked or sounded better. After three years, I can finally put it to rest.
Canvan’s Game of Death Redux was the latest project that focused on Bruce Lee’s original 1972 storyline, a subject that was previously explored in John Little’s 2000 documentary, Warrior’s Journey and Artport’s Bruce Lee in G.O.D. (released in Japan the same year), not to mention a series of fan edits that have been circulating the internet. All aforementioned edits use 1972-era Game of Death footage that was initially discovered by Hong Kong film expert Bey Logan, who stumbled upon the footage in the now-defunct Golden Harvest studio vaults back in 1999.
Don’t miss the film’s Theatrical Trailer below. Also, for more details regarding the Game of Death Redux UASA screening, please visit 2022 Urban Action Showcase & Expo.
Note: In case you missed it, here’s a link to the earlier Teaser Trailer. Also, be sure and read our full interview with Alan Canvan.
I’m glad Canvan and co. are putting in so much effort to honor Lee’s legacy, but the harsh truth is no matter how nicely they edit the remains of Game of Death it’ll still be an incomplete film without the final input of the man himself. For me, seeing a more raw form of the footage assembled from The Warrior’s Journey was good enough. Can’t really imagine how it can be improved in a big way.
I hope he fixed some of the audio problems that were present in the criterion release of the film. I wonder if they’ll include version 2 in future releases of the criterion boxed sets.
Good points for sure, YM.
I don’t want to sound biased (I’ve obviously had some communication with Alan), but I think one of the biggest issues I had going in with the original “Criterion” release (other than some its technical audio issues) is that I, like so many others, were expecting “new” GOD footage.
When ‘Warrior’s Journey’ and ‘Artport’ were originally released, we were all fixated on the new “GOD” footage itself, ignoring the fact that the footage wasn’t “pieced together” by actual filmmakers (or at least by someone who had a grasp at editing with a certain “artistic flow” in mind). No hate on John Little and/or whoever worked on the Artport versions, but you can’t tell me they made the best editing choices (good, but not the best).
I haven’t seen ‘Warriors Journey’ (or Artport) in a few years, and the last time I saw the original “Criterion” Redux release was around the time it came out. I didn’t hide the fact that I was displeased with it (again, I was expecting new footage, so the lack of any new footage, and its technical audio problems were what left me displeased). Heck, I was one of the guys who bought the Criterion release because of this “Redux” extra, so it was a double whammy (otherwise, I was very happy with my Shout! copies, despite not having the Theatrical “Enter the Dragon” cut)
From my understanding, Alan’s new version cleans up some of these issues, and he also fine-tuned it – with some drastically new/different editing techniques – to make it flow better. I also believe some footage was also “cut out” to better the flow.
I think judging from the Teaser alone, I can tell that he’s able to piece things in an orderly fashion. As far as the finished product, we’ll just have to wait and see.
Scott Robinson: That would be cool. But probably not within their budget or time. On top of it, it would piss off a lot of people who already own the Criterion (Knowing there is a SKU of the same set out there with a substantial update).
maybe 88 films or eureka will include it?
Both of these UK companies have been picking up Golden Harvest/Fortune Star titles here and there, so depending on when Criterion’s license agreement for the films are up, it’s possible. With that said, imagine if they got Kung Fu Bob O’Brien to do the artwork!
For me it’s more about artistic intent/integrity. GoD seemed like a very personal project for Lee, so even if actual filmmakers put it together, Canvan and team are outsiders. Your mentioned “drastically new/different techniques”, which may improve the flow, but is it what Lee would have done? Is it what he envisioned or wanted? Given the time gap between the footage and the new cut, modern editing choices may not be congruent with the antiquity of Lee’s work, even if it’s better to our eyes. Lee may have cut some scenes out altogether after reviewing it all. Maybe he would have added stuff. Reshot stuff. Maybe he’ll edit something in a way we don’t expect. Maybe there are some scenes in the footage we’re still missing that changes how the scenes we do have should be edited. Point is, a professional cut from a modern crew unconnected to the source is not gonna be any closer to knowing what Lee himself would have done, and to me that renders all this moot; a dead end that’s an improvement from the hack Clouse version but still infinitely far from what it’s suppose to be.
If all of the lost footage were recovered, maybe I’ll be more interested in a new cut, but it’ll still be compromised. The value of GoD to me will forever remain only as an artifact, as a partial intent of what Lee wanted, and the more we play around with it beyond the raw footage, the farther we move away from that intent, even if the results are pleasing.
YM, all valid, well-thought points. =)
As we are entering in the deep fake’s Era, I’d like to see a new “GOD” following strictly the Lee’s original concept using what he did and all the rest using double actors with deep fake not only for Bruce, but also all the cast of the original project (Hwang In Shik, Taky Kimura, Sammo Hung, Nora Miao, etc). Now we have a ton of material than 1978 and the right technology for to complete “GOD” and for me this effort would be the ultimate homage to the legend.
They have to stop with the deep fake thing! it still looks fake anyways.
You have the right to think this and partially you’re right because I don’t like how Deep Fake technology is being used for anything, including very silly tic tok videos.
But in this case that I said, it would be epic.
It just depends on the finished product. I find that when ‘deep fake’ is used sparingly, it can work fill in the gaps for cameos etc. But to use throughout a movie as a whole, not sure.
And that only takes care of the face. The voice is another thing that can derail it completely.
With that said, I’d still be open to it.
The voice does not matter as much since his movies were mainly dubbed anyway
I would like to see the “rest of the movie” in animation. I think with the right artist, one who can capture the essence of the 1972 footage.
Another idea is to shoot a completely New ‘Game of Death’ movie and pretend the existing footage doesn’t exist. With some good writers and choreography, it would be an interesting scenario.
Your approach isn’t bad. But (partially or not) it would be like a remake of GOD. It would not be enough for me.
Nah.
“Come on, fellas?”
I’d like them to reedit, recut, rescan to 4K HDR and redo all sound on Lee’s Hong Kong films! I have seen kung-fu flicks like “The Five Deadly Venoms” and “36 Chambers of Shoalin” look mind blowing in HD, while Lee – the most popular of them all, still has his HK films looking like DVD upscaled to 1080P!
I can tell because the images are flat, without that 1080P 3D ‘pop’ to it, in addition to detail not being what it should be.
They really need to redo the sound in surround sound and since his voice was not his in the films, just do it all over. “Hapkido” was a film that seemed to have redone the sound and the results were great. Lee’s HK films have not so great picture quality and the audio always sounded dry and certainly not hi-fi. This is why I am never buying a Burce Lee box set unless it is really done over and done right! I don’t even mind a slight reedit on them either. I would also like all deleted and behind the scenes footage of the films as well! THAT is what would make a box set of a long dead icon complete!
Good stuff.
I’m not a technical guy by any means, but I hear that (unlike Golden Harvest) Shaw Brothers kept all their original film negatives in pristine condition (secured, covered, down to the temperature they were stored at). With that said, it’s safe to say that a lot of Golden Harvest titles will never look as good as the Shaw films, regardless of the technology we have today. It seems like Golden Harvest just carelessly stored their original sources without thinking long-term about their films’ conditions.
Very true. But some GH titles bought out by Eureka and 88 Films in the UK on Blu ray still look amazing.
Leave the sound as mono as originally released, we don’t need 5.1 remixes, with new effects it just sounds awful. We are now getting some rare Joseph Kuo films in remastered HD so there is still hope for other rare classics getting a HD release if the negatives still exist.
i wish somebody hands over the missing 2mins log fight scean as 2 people have that footage 1 was danny insonta who starred in the flim ,,but he wont say whats he done with the missing footage
Very excited to hear of this as someone who makes they’re own re-edits of existing media, always a drive to go back and attempt another try. With Alan’s 2020 cut I felt it was edited the best of the (at the time) four versions (78, Warriors, G.O.D, Redux) but what let it down was the consistency of the footage/audio quality. Going by the trailers, this seem to have really fixed them and while I’d love Alan to have access to the original footage negatives, this looks to be the absolute best of the previous attempts. Really looking forward!
When will the movie come???
Will it be available on CDs or OTT platforms
Don’t get this. Why does this exist. It has no more legitimacy than the bonus disc on HK Legends Game of Death DVD back in the day. I’d be more interested if they just deep faked Bruces face onto the acting and stunt double in Robert Clouses film.
If we are talking deep fake, then I’d rather see the filmmaker redo all the Bruce Lee ideas that weren’t filmed, then apply deep fake on the new scenes that are filmed. This Alan guy did his homework, I just hope it’s better than what appeared in the criterion set. The audio in that version is a buzz kill. Does anyone know when the new redux will be released? I’ve been to NY once. Never again.
i wish some private collector ,or somebody ,could have handed over the 2 mins missing log fight scean to criterion ,who could have included it , in there redux version ,,i know danny insanto was given the flim reel of it ,because they didnt want to include it ,in the 1978 flim ,,but he wont say whats he done with it