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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Goodbye Bruce Lee: His Last Game of Death" or "Si wang you ju")

directed by Robert Clouse
USA 1978

NOTE: Criterion's Blu-ray Boxset of Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits [ 7 Blu-ray Set ] is compared HERE

 

Star Bruce Lee died before this film was completed, thus the producers were forced to pad out the running time with outtakes and alternate shots. They also lifted chunks of footage from Enter the Dragon and Return of the Dragon. The finished product finally hit the screens in 1978, five years after Lee's death. The film's finale pits Lee against such formidable opposition as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Chuck Norris.

Theatrical Release: March 23, 1978 (Hong Kong)

Reviews                                More Reviews                                     DVD Reviews

 Comparison:

Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC vs. Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition) - Region 2,4 - PAL vs. Shout! Factory (The Bruce Lee Legacy Collection)  - Region 'A' Blu-ray

Big thanks to Henrik Sylow and Ole Kofoed for the Screen Caps!

1) Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition) - Region 2,4 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray RIGHT

 

 Box Covers

Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best...

Distribution

Fortune Star

Region 3 - NTSC

Hong Kong Legends
Region 2,4 - PAL

Shout! Factory

Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Runtime 1:40:06 1:36:34 (4% PAL speedup) 1:40:50.169
Video

2.31:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 8.58 mb/s
NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s

2.45:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 7.23 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

Disc Size: 49,228,801,605 bytes

Feature Size: 27,455,182,848 bytes

Average Bitrate: 28.63 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection)

 

Bitrate:

 

Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition)

 

Bitrate:

 

Blu-ray

 

Audio 2.0 Dolby Digital English, 5.1 Dolby Digital English, DTS English

5.1 Dolby Digital English

DTS-HD Master Audio English 2006 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2006 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1720 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1720 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 96 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 96 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio English 96 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 96 kbps / DN -4dB
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
Subtitles Traditional, Simplified, English, None Dutch or None. English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Fortune Star

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.31:1

Edition Details:
• Limited Edition (10,000)
• Each box marked by little 'silver' platter
• Menues available in both English and Chinese

DVD Release Date: April 29, 2004
Digipack

Chapters 21
 

Release Information:
Studio: Hong Kong Legends

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.45:1

Edition Details:
• Commentary by Bey Logan
• Alternative Cantonese opening seqence + ending & closing credits (1:51, 1:17)
• Legacy of the Dragon documentary (46:49)
• Game of Death Re-visited documentary (39:40)
• 3 deleted scenes (4:35, 0:19, 0:30) / Out Take montage (3:39)
• Dan Inosante, Taky Kimura, George Lazenby interviews(10:25, 9:26, 7:01)
• History of Jeet Kune Do (text)
• Dan Inosante Jeet Kune Do seminar (40:24)
• Trailers (Orginal English and Cantonese+ HKL's own)
• Way of the Dragon and Fist of Fury UK TV spots
• Game of Death retrospective (text)
• 2 photo galleries (production, stills, posters..)
• Biography of Bruce Lee - audio / text (21:02)
• Biographies of other cast
 

DVD Release Date: October 1, 2001
Keep Case with outer sleeve

Chapters 12

Release Information:
Studio:
Shout! Factory

 

Disc Size: 49,228,801,605 bytes

Feature Size: 27,455,182,848 bytes

Average Bitrate: 28.63 Mbps

Dual-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Commentary by Hong Kong Film Expert Mike Leeder

• Trailers (2:12)

• Stills Gallery

• Game of Death Outtake Montage (3:39)

• Game of Death Bloopers (2:30)

• Game of Death Revisited (39:01)

• Alt Opening (1:56)

• Alt Endings (3:52)

• Deleted Scenes (7:01) 

• Game of Death Locations (7:27)

• Game of Death Japanese Print in HD (1:39:52)

Blu-ray Release Date: October 22nd, 2013
Custom Blu-ray Case (see photos below)

Chapters 12

 

Package Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray

 

Comments:

The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

NOTE: Criterion's Blu-ray Boxset of Bruce Lee: His Greatest Hits [ 7 Blu-ray Set ] is compared HERE

NOTE: The entire Legacy Blu-ray collection is reviewed HERE.

ADDITION Shout! Factory Blu-ray - September 2013: This is the first Blu-ray of the 4-Blu-ray 7 DVD Bruce Lee Legacy Collection being released by Shout! Factory. It is a large book-style package (see photos above) with The Big Boss, Fist Of Fury, The Way Of The Dragon and Game of Death in 1080P. We hope to cover the entire set by later this week.

Pretty much the same deal as the others, but as we don't have the corresponding Asian Blu-ray we can't compare. But this dual-layered transfer looks remarkably improved beside the DVDs. Colors and contrast plus a sense of depth are areas where the 1080P advances. The film will always look lackluster and choppy but it is encouraging to see some grain. Artifacts, even on Fortune Star were fairly commonplace but the Blu-ray visuals have little to none.

Audio has the same multiple options:

  

and the lossless surround bump was the best I have heard for viewing the film. The less-robust 9and more original) options are appreciated to better immerse yourself in the theatrical experience. There are optional English subtitles on the region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc.

Included is the similar supplements from the other 3 films - a commentary by Hong Kong film expert Mike Leeder - again rougher than appreciated audio but still informative. There are trailers, a stills gallery Alt Ending and Opening plus some Outtake and Bloopers. We get the 40-minute piece Game of Death Revisited as well as some deleted scenes and revisiting many of the Game of Death Locations. What some many enjoy is the Game of Death Japanese Print in HD (12,712,261,632 bytes at 16 Mbps - if anyone is interested.) It doesn't look great but is interesting nonetheless - if only from a cultural standpoint.

For such a painfully hokey idea of releasing an additional Bruce Lee film after his death - this strangely works to a certain degree. Again, most probably the best home theatre experience of Game of Death.  

***

ON THE DVD: Once again, the Fortune Star has the upper hand, with beautiful natural colours and great details. The Hong Kong Legends image is cropped by approximately 4.5% and has a weird colour setting, sometimes "yellowish", sometimes "blueish". That some scenes are more grainy than others is due to the use of different stock and material.

The Fortune Star has the original mono track, which is preferable ahead of the mixed 5.1 and DTS. The added rear sounds are not as intrusive on this film, as on the previous Lee films.

In terms of extra, Hong Kong Legends once again prove to be the king. A superb audio commentary by Bey Logan, alternate openings, deleted scenes, documentary. Just impressive.

 - Henrik Sylow


Menus

(Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition) - Region 2,4 - PAL - RIGHT)
 

 

 

Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray

 

 


 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample - Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray

 

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - TOP

2) Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition) - Region 2,4 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - TOP

2) Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition) - Region 2,4 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - TOP

2) Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition) - Region 2,4 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - TOP

2) Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition) - Region 2,4 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


 

1) Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - TOP

2) Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition) - Region 2,4 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Fortune Star (Ultimate Collection) - Region 3 - NTSC - TOP

2) Hong Kong Legends (Special Platinum Edition) - Region 2,4 - PAL - MIDDLE

3) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

More Blu-ray Captures

 


 Hit Counter


Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Blu-ray

 

 Box Covers

Thinking of buying from YesAsia? CLICK HERE and use THIS UPDATED BEAVER PAGE to source their very best...

Distribution

Fortune Star

Region 3 - NTSC

Hong Kong Legends
Region 2,4 - PAL

Shout! Factory

Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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