The Cutting Room Floor: Lost, Censored & Deleted Bruce Lee Movie Scenes (Article)

[DragonClaws]

 

Some year's ago, over on the BL Lives forum, a fan posted a legit looking Hong Kong promoional leaflet for Fist of Fury. Something I really wished I'd saved looking back, but at that time, I wasnt big on collecting information etc. Anyway, it featured the original theatrical runtime for the film, which everyone agreed, was much longer than in its current form. Sure there must have been a lot of promotional stuff, in regards to this films original Asian release.

Now, has anyone got a copy of this old Hong Kong promotional leaflet/program?, that features a longer runtime for the film.

Edited April 4, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

Edited February 21, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

 

[DragonClaws]

 

Curious to know what BL is doing in this behind the scene WOTD picture?. It looks like they've covered the camera due to the rain. You can spot pools of water on the ground, during the Whang In-Sik/BL duel. Looks like the film crew might be filming, some of the solo shot's of Tang Lung. Featured in his fight with Bob Wall's hire fighter character?. However, there's no footage of Tang Lung striking at the camera, during those related sequences. There's the wall behind BL, that can be seen next to the car that pulls up with Tang Lung, his uncle and the waiter's in.

 

Edited March 10, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

Answering my own question in the previouse post, was BL setting up the shot of Bob Wall's character, striking at the camera?. The sequence that takes place when Wall tackles Tommy(Chen Fu-Ching), then hit's him while he's still on the ground.

Edited March 11, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

If you look at the original trailer for ETD, theres an alternative shot of John Saxon squaring of with Tony Liu. Taken from a completely different angle, to the ones used in the final theatrical cut. Skip to the 1-minute 2sec mark, there's another alternative shot, this time from the Bob Wall fight. The same movement appears in the final edit. It's just not shown from over Bob Wall shoulder. Just two of many alternative angles used for capturing the fight's.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 21, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

Isolated version of the alternative Bob Wall/BL ETD clip.

 

 

[DragonClaws]

 

 

[DragonClaws]

 

Can anyone back this information up?. I know Warner Brothers trimmed the mirror scene slightly in 1998. Claiming it was the only way they could smoothly insert the new footage. That long since I've watched the theatrical cut, I'm not sure what footage they removed?. Or if its related to the alternative scene mentioned below?.

 

Quote

I swear to you all, there's a scene from Enter in the Mirrors, when Bruce side kicks Han in slow motion.
This is the scene we all see in the final cut.
However, this 20 minute reel I've got, it's a second or two longer.
Trust me, he doesn't side kick Han, it only looks like he does.
What happens is the following,
Han tries to kick Bruce's foot, but Bruce raises his foot and spin kicks his head.
The final print we see, only gives the viewer the impression it's a side kick, it's not, it's the completion of his spinning kick.
Damm it, I'm not technical on this phone, because I want to record the footage from my super 8 screen and paste it to this site.
It's only a few seconds footage, but you'll all see what I mean.

ELVIS73 Bruce Lee Lives Forum

Link- https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/bruceleelivestributeforum/what-ignited-your-interest-in-bruce-lee-t4408-s10.html

 

 

Lam Ching-Ying doubles for Shek Kien, in the mirror room sequence.

Edited April 8, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

Quote

My favorite Big Boss “big gasp moment” (cut in most countries!) was when Bruce slammed a handsaw into the brain of a luckless opponent with a mighty downswing. - Brian Trenchard Smith

Source- http://www.talkhouse.com/brian-trenchard-smith-the-man-from-hong-kong-talks-his-ill-fated-trip-to-meet-bruce-lee-and-the-legacy-of-the-dragon/

 

Note how the saw, actually changes angles between the first two images. By the third image, it looks like the stuntman, is holding the prop saw in position?.

 

 

 

 

According to Brian Trenchard Smiths article, the Australian cinema prints of Way of The Dragon. Removed the scenes of Tang Lung suffering from sore gut's. Similar to how the toilet joke scenes, where cut from the U.S theatrical print's too.

Quote

Not many films show a hero challenged by a bowel emergency three times in the first 20 minutes! The urban Chinese audience fell about laughing. The Australian distributor, perhaps excessively toilet-trained as a child, frowned and got me to trim the scenes.

 

 

 

Thanks to @OpiumKungFuCracker, who originally posted a link to the article, in the thread below.

 

 

Edited January 12, 2020 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

On 4/3/2019 at 9:12 PM, DragonClaws said:

I swear to you all, there's a scene from Enter in the Mirrors, when Bruce side kicks Han in slow motion.
This is the scene we all see in the final cut.
However, this 20 minute reel I've got, it's a second or two longer.
Trust me, he doesn't side kick Han, it only looks like he does.
What happens is the following,
Han tries to kick Bruce's foot, but Bruce raises his foot and spin kicks his head.
The final print we see, only gives the viewer the impression it's a side kick, it's not, it's the completion of his spinning kick.
Damm it, I'm not technical on this phone, because I want to record the footage from my super 8 screen and paste it to this site.
It's only a few seconds footage, but you'll all see what I mean.

ELVIS73 Bruce Lee Lives Forum

Link- https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/bruceleelivestributeforum/what-ignited-your-interest-in-bruce-lee-t4408-s10.html

 

Knowone have any thoughts on the above?, it would be cool to see this, if it surfaces online. I've just become very skeptical over the year's.

 

 

The sidekick from ETD, was there more to this sequence in the Super 8mm versions?.

 

Edited April 8, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

Is this film collector, talking about the same Super 8 version of ETD73, which was being discussed over at the BL Lives Forum?.

 

Quote

Like the one about his pride and joy, a Super 8 copy of Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon – one of only twenty in the world. How he got hold of it and what it’s worth? You’ll have to pay Umit and Son a visit to find out.

Source- https://www.shopikon.com/s/london/umit-and-son

 

Quote

My most prized possession is a Super 8 copy of Enter the Dragon. There are only 20 in the whole world, and I have one of them right here. It's worth about three grand, probably more.

Source- https://www.vice.com/en_au/article/gqdaem/fuck-digital

 

There was a copy sold off on ebay recently, for as litte as £37, I wonder why this guy thinks they are worth three grand?.

Link- https://www.ebay.ie/itm/Bruce-Lee-Super-8mm-Film-Enter-The-Dragon-400-reel-/112423762630

 

Edited April 13, 2019 by DragonClaws

[saltysam]

i had that Super 8 (had a projector before Video came around) but can't remember a lot about it (far too long ago)

[DragonClaws]

19 hours ago, saltysam said:

i had that Super 8 (had a projector before Video came around) but can't remember a lot about it (far too long ago) 

 

They don't that appear rare eough to be worth such a hgh price, and why would WB only put a run of twenty copies?.

 

Here is the German release.

 

 

 

 

Another exampe of an English release on Super 8.

 

Edited April 14, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

Is the actress on the bike Susan Yam Yam?.

 

 

[DragonClaws]

 

The only official release of The Big Boss, to feature one of the deleted scenes on the cover art?. Star Video was an Australian VHS label, that released the movie during the 1990's.

 

 

 

Edited May 26, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

Did BL's character in Enter The Dragon, have any verbal interaction with Williams(Jim Kelly)?. Only for the scenes to end up on the cutting room floor?. Are there any scene's featuring the two exchanging words, in the original script?. Her's a cropped behind the scenes image from ETD-73, with John Saxon(cropped from image) talking to BL.

 

Edited June 12, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

 

[Alan C]

On ‎6‎/‎12‎/‎2019 at 4:25 PM, DragonClaws said:

 

Did BL's character in Enter The Dragon, have any verbal interaction with Williams(Jim Kelly)?. Only for the scenes to end up on the cutting room floor?. Are there any scene's featuring the two exchanging words, in the original script?. Her's a cropped behind the scenes image from ETD-73, with John Saxon(cropped from image) talking to BL.

 

None in the original Blood And Steel script, and none in the novelization by Mike Roote either. It would have been fun to see how those two characters would have spoken to each other.

[DragonClaws]

On 6/21/2019 at 11:34 PM, Alan C said:

None in the original Blood And Steel script, and none in the novelization by Mike Roote either. It would have been fun to see how those two characters would have spoken to each other.

 

Thanks @Alan C, highly unlikely anything between them was filmed. It's something that always stood out to me. You have these fighters, put on a strange Island run by a crime lord. You would think they would have talked amongst themselves more?.

Edited June 25, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

 

[DragonClaws]

 

Are there any moremissing shots from the above clip?, taking from the climax of the  Big Boss's final fight sequence?.

Edited December 15, 2019 by DragonClaws

[DragonClaws]

 

Why did this scene end up on the cutting room floor?, did the poster on wall behind actor Jim Kelly. Cause an issue with Warner Brothers?, did the censors hate the poster?, or was just cast aside to help the pacing?.

 

Edited July 21, 2019 by DragonClaws

[Markgway]

On 1/7/2018 at 7:20 PM, Fist of the Heavenly Sky said:

Even the script for ETD (Blood and Steel) had extensive rewrites before proper filming actually started. 

Just to provide an example, here's a following quote of what could've been, courtesy of the greenbamboo forums.

http://www.network54.com/Forum/256969/message/1483775812

"In the original script, there is supposed to have a steamy scene where Lee Jun Keung and Mei Ling (Betty Chung) had a shower and love scene. But this was not shot. Unlike Roper and Williams who made love to the Han’s beautiful ladies, Bruce definitely would not allow his hero image be “ruined by these love scenes.” Another excuse he could use is Lee is a holy monk (external) and is thus, prohibited from womanizing as this is one of the taboos of the Shaolin Temple."

Bruce isn't a monk, he's a layman (although not a man who gets laid, apparently!)

I can see why Lee isn't shown engaging in sex with Ling - they're both agents on a mission, after all (not this ever stopped James Bond!) - but it would've been a positive to break the old Chinese men as sexless bots stereotype. 

[Markgway]

On 1/28/2018 at 7:35 PM, DragonClaws said:

I think WB were unsure at the time if Lee could sell the movie on his own. Thats why he's not given centre stage treatment, like he got in FOF and WOTD. That said, his charisma and talents forced him into being the star of the movie regardless. They also made Lee the focus of the films theatrical poster and media campaigns.

That much is true. But I'm sure the reason the scene with the monk was removed is because it would have been of no interest to moviegoers looking for action. Die hard fans may be interested in Bruce's martial philosophy. Most everyone else, not.