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The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1 - Exclusive 8-Disc Blu-ray Box Set + Book
Hvis man ikke kender til begrebet "bruceploitation," så er det kort fortalt exploitation-film, eller sensationsfilm, der lukrerer på Bruce Lees tidlige død i 1973.
Bruce Lee døde på sin karrieres højdepunkt, efter indspilningen af Enter the Dragon, men før filmens premiere. Han var på det tidspunkt allerede en international stjerne, og mange asiatiske filmproducenter var bange for, at det internationale marked for kamsportsfilm ville kollapse uden ham som trækplaster.
Samtidigt skabte tomrummet efter Lees død også fornyet interesse for hans person, og det udnyttede driftige asiatiske filmproducenter og internationale filmdistributører til at kaste en bunke film på markedet, der forsøgte at lokke kunderne til kassen ved at smage lidt af den "ægte" vare.
Nogle film genbrugte simpelthen plottet fra Bruce Lees egne film, andre markedsførte deres hovedrolleindehavere som "den nye Bruce Lee." En lang række ukendte eller mindre kendte skuespillere og kampsportsudøvere tog kunstnernavne, der nemt kunne forveksles med den rigtige Bruce Lee, som fx Bruce Le, Bruce Li, Bruce Leung m.m. Nogle film gjorde direkte Bruce Lees død til en del af deres handling, som i The Clones of Bruce Lee, hvor videnskabsmænd skaber nogle kloner af Lee. Andre film købte og genbrugte optagelser med den rigtige Bruce Lee og satte dem ind i nye sammenhænge.
Boksens omdrejningspunkt er den spillefilmslange dokumentarfilm Enter the Clones of Bruce (2023), som Severin selv har produceret, og som har taget seks år at lave. Her går de i dybden med hele fænomenet, og som noget udsædvanligt er det faktisk lykkedes dem at opspore en lang række af de gamle Bruce Lee-"kloner" for at høre deres historie. Resultatet skulle være virkelig underholdende, og Enter the Clones of Bruce har da også været vist med stor succes på en lang række internationale filmfestivaler siden sin premiere for et år siden.
Med en succesfuld dokumentarfilm i bagagen har det længe været kendt, at Severin også arbejdede på en boks som denne. Overraskelsen er selvfølgelig, at der åbenbart kommer mere end en boks.
Boksen indeholder hele 14 Bruceploitation-film, den prisvindende dokumentarfilm Enter the Clones of Bruce samt en bog på 100 sider med essays, fotos og plakater.
Bemærk at disk 8, med The Big Boss Part II og The Black Dragon vs. the Yellow Tiger, er en webstore exclusive. Det vil sige, at den kun er med i den version af boksen, man kan købe direkte hos Severin. Når boksen senere bliver lanceret i en version til almindelig handel, vil der kun være syv diske i.
Der har allerede været lidt brok i krogene om, at de fleste af filmene kun har engelske dubs. Men fans siger, at vi skal være glade for, at det overhovedet er lykkedes for Severin at finde originale filmkopier af alle filmene. De var billigt produceret og beregnet til eksportmarkedet, og det er derfor sandsynligt, at ting som negativer og dubs på produktionslandets sprog er gået tabet for årtier siden.
The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1 står til at udkomme den 25. juni, men hvis man forudbestiller direkte hos Severin får man ikke alene en ekstra disk, man kan også forvente at få sendt boksen allerede i maj.
Ved siden af boksen sælger Severin også dokumentarfilmen for sig selv, en særlig Severin-udgave af en bog med 150 plakater fra bruceploitation-film samt bogen These Fist Breaks Breaks - How Kung-Fu Movies Swept America and Changed the World (2021).
På sædvanlig Severin-manér kan det hele naturligvis også forudbestilles samlet i et bundle, og så får man lidt sjovt ekstra gejl med, bl.a. to originale, vintage filmplakater, en plakat signeret af Bruce Le og et kassettebånd (+ digital download) med musiknumre fra nogle af filmene.
Boksens indhold:
Disc 1:
ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE (2023)
Runtime: 94 mins
Stereo Audio / English Subtitles, Chinese Subtitles, French Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Co-Executive Producer/Director David Gregory, Co-Producers Frank Djeng, Vivian Wong And Michael Worth And Director Of Photography Jim Kunz
Working At Shaw Brothers – Outtakes With Godfrey Ho, David Chiang, Yasuaki Kurata, Lee Chiu, Lo Meng, Mars And Phillip Ko
Bruce Lee And I – Outtakes With Sammo Hung, Phillip Ko, Yasuaki Kurata, Mars, Angela Mao, Andre Morgan, Lee Tso Nam And More
The Lost World Of Kung Fu Film Negatives – Outtakes With Godfrey Ho, Joseph Lai, Angela Mao, Lee Tso Nam And Film Preservationists
Bruce's Hong Kong – Location Tour With Frank Djeng
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Trailers
Disc 2:
THE CLONES OF BRUCE LEE (1980)
Runtime: 90 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With 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 Leader; Stunt Coordinator/Author John Kreng; And Rick Benn, Brother Of Actor Jon T. Benn
The Big Boss Remembered – Interview With Actor Jon T. Benn
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Trailer
ENTER THREE DRAGONS (1978)
Runtime: 87 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Trailer
Disc 3:
ENTER THE GAME OF DEATH (1978)
Runtime: 90 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
Partial Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Scene Specific Commentary With Actor Chi Ling Chiu
Kung Fu Movie Hustle – Interview With Chi Ling Chiu
Talking A Good Game – Roundtable Discussion With Martial Artists/Kung Fu Film Experts Tatevik Hunanyan, John Kreng, Ron Strong And Michael Worth
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
Trailer
GOODBYE, BRUCE LEE: HIS LAST GAME OF DEATH (1975)
Runtime: 83 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With 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
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Radio Spot
Trailer
Disc 4:
THE DRAGON LIVES AGAIN (1977)
Runtime: 91 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Michael Worth And Frank Djeng, Co-Producers Of ENTER THE CLONES OF BRUCE
Deleted Scenes From French Version
Audio Essay By Cult Cinema Critic Lovely Jon
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Trailer
BRUCE AND THE IRON FINGER (1979)
Runtime: 89 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With 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
Deleted Scenes
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
U.S. Trailer
Hong Kong Trailer
Disc 5:
CHALLENGE OF THE TIGER (1980)
Runtime: 89 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth And Film Historian C. Courtney Joyner
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
Trailer
CAMEROON CONNECTION (1984)
Runtime: 91 mins
French Mono / English Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Writer/Criterion Reflections Podcast Host David Blakeslee
Lights... Cameroon... Action! – The Life And Films Of Alphonse Beni
2022 Q&A With Alphonse Beni At Cine Club N'Kah
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Disc 6:
SUPER DRAGON: THE BRUCE LEE STORY (1974)
Runtime: 93 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
Partial Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
TV Spot
Trailer
THE DRAGON LIVES (1976)
Runtime: 87 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With 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
The Taiwan Connection – Interview With Caryn White Stedman
Bruce Biopics – Roundtable Discussion With Martial Artists/Kung Fu Film Experts Tatevik Hunanyan, John Kreng, Ron Strong And Michael Worth
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
TV Spots
Disc 7:
THE DRAGON, THE HERO (1980)
Runtime: 87 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Director Godfrey Ho And Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Godfrey, The Hero – Interview With Director Godfrey Ho
Deleted Scenes
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
Trailer
RAGE OF THE DRAGON (1980)
Runtime: 90 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With 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
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
Trailer
Disc 8 (Webstore Exclusive Limited Edition Bonus Disc):
THE BIG BOSS PART II (1976)
Runtime: 91 mins
Mandarin Mono / Burned-In English Subtitles, Burned-In Chinese Subtitles
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth
Trailer
THE BLACK DRAGON VS. THE YELLOW TIGER (1974)
Runtime: 88 mins
English Mono / Closed Captions
Region Free
Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
Special Features:
Audio Commentary With Actor/Director/Bruceploitation Expert Michael Worth With Contributions From Actor Clint Robinson
Severin's Kung Fu Theater With Michael Worth
Trailer