Comparison between the German DVD from Laser Paradise, with the Export Cut of the movie (similar to the version on the US "Game of Clones" Blu-ray from Severin) and the Hong Kong DVD from IVL, with the Hong Kong Cut of the movie

Attack of the Clones! Since the beginning of June 2024, The Game of Clones: Bruceploitation Collection Vol. 1 has been available in the USA from the label Severin Films. As expected, fans of the trashy Eastern subgenre will get their money's worth, because a lavish package has been put together here with lots of new HD scans of rare theatrical prints, exclusive interviews as well as several audio commentaries and other goodies such as a full 100-page book. Some of the titles were not so easy to work on and Severin also communicated in advance that not every film is available here in the longest possible version due to original materials not being available anymore - although some films do run longer than earlier releases in e.g. German or the US/UK/France.

 

Many different versions of GOODBYE BRUCE LEE

In addition to Enter the Game of Death, Disc 3 contains Goodbye, Bruce Lee - His Last Game of Death, a rather trashy film starring Bruce Li, which in 1975 was still one of the early Bruceploiters that superficially dealt with autobiographical elements. Curiously, there are even three different versions of this film, which must be considered "official" in their own right.

1. Hong Kong version / HK-DVD from IVL - 86min in PAL speed
Apparently the original version of the film, which contains some scenes that were missing in the international versions. Thanks to Celestial's "restoration", the DVD master is, as usual, a few minutes shorter than earlier versions due to a number of frame cuts.

2. German export version / German DVD from Laser Paradise - 79min in PAL
Starts with its own opening credits, which, according to excerpts from Bravo, for example, were probably made in Germany. The song "King of Kung-Fu", which was published by music publisher Hans Wewerka in the DACH region, plays constantly. Preserved on various German DVDs with quite good picture quality, while missing some further short moments on the German VHS.

3. US export version / US Blu-ray from Severin - 83min in 23.976fps
Largely corresponds to the German export version, but here the first 10 minutes have been heavily adapted yet again with a separate introduction for Bruce Lee and cuts in the course of the scene. Only here you can see introductory interview excerpts from Steve McQueen, James Coburn and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Unfortunately, a complete fight scene on one floor of the tower was cut from the finale. For more info, check out our detailed report.

In the Hong Kong original version, it is particularly noticeable that some of the subplot has been trimmed in the first half of the film. The baddies' completely far-fetched plan, in which Bruce's girlfriend is asked by her boss at work to keep her daughter company and is then trapped there, is given considerably more space here. In further dialog, Bruce also talks to his girlfriend about the planned wedding. The similarly stupid approach of Bruce's brother Han Li not handing over a suitcase of money and having fun with a girl instead is also much longer. It's all filler material that you really don't miss, so you can live perfectly fine with the shorter export version.

The altered soundtrack is difficult to represent in the report, but definitely worth a single mention. For example, the different song in the opening credits sequence was already noticeable between the German and US export versions - even though the annoying "King of Kung-Fu" is also constantly heard in the US version later on. Instead, the Hong Kong original version plays "Love's Theme" by Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra during its own opening credits. In general, relaxed soul music often plays throughout the movie, which of course also changes the mood somewhat.

As already mentioned in the other report: Severin has included deleted scenes in the bonus material on the US Blu-ray, but only the exclusive footage of the German export version from the German DVD. So if you really want to see everything from the film or the more extensive exclusive scenes from the Hong Kong version, there is currently no way around a Hong Kong import.

 

Runtime specifications are arranged according to the scheme
German DVD in 25fps / Hong Kong DVD in NTSC (PAL speed)

Different logos at the start.

German DVD	Hong Kong DVD

The US and German export versions then have their own opening credits, where you see lots of newspaper articles about the real Bruce. In the German export version, the song "King of Kung-Fu" is played ad nauseam for the first time, while the US version uses the theme song from 2001 ("Also Sprach Zarathustra").

+ 82.2 sec (= 1:22 min)

In the Hong Kong original version, the loose, soulful "Love's Theme" by Barry White's Love Unlimited Orchestra plays instead, and Bruce is seen on a sports field. He jumps over hurdles in slow motion and his girlfriend watches him.

47.3 sec

The German DVD and Hong Kong DVD continue in sync with the training in the gym. Only the US export version had this sequence at the beginning and changed even further.


Here are a few comparison pictures. As is typical for Celestial, the colors on the Hong Kong DVD are quite shiny and the picture quality is good, albeit somewhat flat-filtered. As you could already see in the report between the US and German export versions, the picture on the German DVD is a little too bright, but shows a little more on the sides than the US Blu-ray. The Celestial DVD shows even more.

German DVD	Hong Kong DVD

Missing on the Hong Kong DVD
05:46-05:47 / 04:36

Basically, there have already been a number of such moments before, but highlighted here because it's noticable during the fight: In the long shot and then in a close shot, Bruce makes another kicking motion.

+ 0.6 sec

07:31 / 06:13-06:20

At the beginning of the scene, the HK DVD has an additional shot of the waterfall. The camera moves over to Bruce and Lu Ping.

6.6 sec

07:58 / 06:47-08:02

Bruce and Lu Ping continue their conversation. He mentions the wedding planned for next month, which will now probably be postponed. She says that they have already talked to her parents. They are big fans of Bruce Lee themselves and are very excited about the chance Bruce has to succeed him. In other shots, Bruce goes on to say that he has no experience in front of the camera. Lu Ping reassures him that with a little self-confidence, he would be fine. But she wonders whether, as the second Bruce Lee, he would also have a second wife. With a small hand gesture, they promise to marry right after the movie is finished.

75.1 sec (= 1:15 min)

12:05 / 11:50-13:07

The dialog between Bruce and Mrs. Ling is much longer before he offers his help. She says that his life is also in danger and continues to whimper that the baddies have her only son in their power. The only way out is to flee, but then her son would still not be safe.

77 sec (= 1:17 min)

Missing on the Hong Kong DVD
16:29-16:30 / 17:21

As the men approach, a short cut to Bruce behind the wall was lost in the Celestial master.

+ 1.1 sec

Bruce and Han Lai opening the money package in the 20th/21st minute is a nice example of how the many frame cuts virtually destroy the flow of the scene. With only less than 0.5 seconds left per shot, it just feels extremely hectic how we switch between perspectives. Before the framecuts these shots have all been played out at least by about a second each.


24:11 / 24:30-27:04

Doi Doi talks Han Lai into drinking more champagne and says he should relax and just lie down on the bed. Afterwards, Lu Ping's boss comes home and his daughter (Xiao Mei) immediately says to him, annoyed, that he promised her he'd take care of finding some company for her. After all, she can't sleep her whole life away. He promises to find someone for her in the next two days.

Meanwhile, Han Lai is sleeping peacefully and Bruce learns on the phone that the suitcase of money entrusted to him has not yet been returned. He walks through the room looking thoughtful and dejected.

153.6 sec (= 2:34 min)

Missing on the Hong Kong DVD
24:11-24:12 / 27:04

Once again, basically just an example of the framecut massacre in the Celestial version: The subsequent shot of the baddie in front of the painted screen starts a little earlier on the German DVD.

+ 0.8 sec


26:39 / 29:22-31:21

When Lu Ping reassures Bruce about his brother, we switch back to him. Han Lai is still asleep and she wakes him up with some cigarette smoke. He notes that he had such a good time with her yesterday that he forgot all about the money case. Doi Doi now mentions that it is probably "dirty" money and that he should therefore simply keep it instead of going to the police. They could make a nice life for themselves with it. Han Lai is rather against it, but wants to talk it over with his brother first. They agree to meet later and she promises to keep the money safe.

118.5 sec (= 1:59 min)

29:54 / 34:25-34:29

From a close-up shot of Bruce, the HK DVD switches briefly to a close-up on his eyes and then back to the previous, close perspective.

3.8 sec

30:12 / 34:44-34:47

Another frontal shot before Bruce hangs up.

2.6 sec

Missing on the Hong Kong DVD
33:18-33:19 / 37:42

Between the long shot and a close-up of Bruce holding his nose, you could actually see a baddie.

+ 1.4 sec

35:49 / 40:06-41:47

The man is out of the picture for a moment longer, then an additional scene with Lu Ping follows. She dances around with Xiao Mei and the boss is happy that the two get on so well. But Bruce is obviously trying to make a phone call, which he doesn't like very much. Lu Ping should take care of Xiao Mei today. She suggests inviting Bruce over as well. The father agrees and she picks up the phone.

101.2 sec (= 1:41 min)

36:03 / 42:00-46:12

As discussed in the previous cut, Bruce is now also visiting much earlier and they have dinner together. Bruce is worried about the suitcase of money and the boss offers his help. He mentions a gang of gangsters (from "Old K") who might have kidnapped Han Lai. Since Bruce would now also have to fear for his own life, he should rather stay here with him. Bruce emphasizes that he is not afraid. The boss goes to the phone in the next room and learns that Old K didn't kidnap Han Lai after all. He says that the second plan should be carried out as normal. Back in the dining room, he comes up with another tall tale involving Secretary Shum, who is now to meet Lu Ping in the office and take him to the airport. Xiao Mei takes Lu Ping out and again expresses his annoyance to her father about the company that has now disappeared again. He simply tells her to take a nap and she leaves.

251.7 sec (= 4:12 min)

Re-ordered scene
40:00-40:01 / 49:57-50:05 or 50:06-50:07

When the phone call ends, the export version immediately shows Lu Ping turning the phone to the side. In the Hong Kong original version, various stuffed animals are shown first. Then you can already see Bruce calling for her and this shot of him is interrupted by a short fragment of the shot of Lu Ping. Apparently the shot of Bruce was once again somewhat damaged and the short other shot was therefore shifted slightly to cover up these frames at the beginning of the shot.

Hong Kong DVD 6 sec longer

Missing on the Hong Kong DVD
74:53-74:54 / 82:28

When Bruce is thrown around, the German DVD shows her employer again before the shot of Lu Ping. Since this shot was already quite short in the original, Celestial probably had some insight here and considered a few remaining frames after the usual treatment at the beginning/end to be too short and removed the shot completely.

+ 0.6 sec

Missing part of the Hong Kong DVD
75:06-75:06 / 82:39

And again.

+ 0.6 sec


78:53 / 86:13-86:18

The one unintentional mistake on the German DVD (included on the US export version of the Severin Blu-ray and on the German VHS): Shortly before the end, there is a first, slightly more distant shot of the tower and the following shot begins earlier.

+ 4.5 sec

An end fade-in appears above the following, final shot only on the Hong Kong DVD.

German DVD	Hong Kong DVD