mirrors. Shooting was completed in and around Hong Kong in early 1973 and in thesubsequent weeks, Bruce was involved in completing over dubs and looping for the final cut.Various reports from friends and co-workers cite how he was not feeling well during this period, and on July 20th 1973 he lay down at the apartment of actressBetty Ting Pei after
taking a headache tablet, and was later unable to be revived. A doctor was called, and he wasthen taken to hospital by ambulance and pronounced dead that evening. The official findingwas death was due to a cerebral edema, caused by a reaction to the headache tablet. In other words, death by misadventure.Chinese movie fans were absolutely shattered that their virile idol, had passed away at such ayoung age, and nearly 30,000 fans filed past his coffin in Hong Kong. A second, muchsmaller ceremony was held in Seattle, Washington and Bruce was laid to rest at Lake ViewCemetary in Seattle with pall bearers includingSteve McQueen,James Coburn and Dan
Inosanto. Enter the Dragon(1973) was later released in the mainland United States, and was
a huge hit with American audiences, which then prompted National General films to activelydistribute his three prior movies to US theaters...each of them was a box office smash. BruceLee was an international film star after he had died!Fans worldwide were still hungry for more Bruce Lee films, and thus remaining footage(completed before his death) of Lee fighting several opponents includingDan Inosanto, Hugh
O'BrianandKareem Abdul-Jabbar was crafted into another film titledGame of Death(1978).
The film used a look alike actor and shadowy camera work to be substituted for the real Leein numerous scenes. The film is a poor addition to the line up, and is only saved by the finaltwenty minutes and the footage of the real Bruce Lee battling his way up the tower.Amazingly, this same shoddy process was used to createSi wang ta(1981) (aka "Game of Death II"), with more look alike and stunt doubles interwoven with a few brief minutes of footage of the real Bruce Lee.Tragically, his sonBrandon Lee, an actor and martial artist like his father, was killed in afreak accident on the set of The Crow(1994).
Bruce Lee was not only an amazing athlete and martial artist, but he possessed genuinesuperstar charisma and through a handful of films he left behind an indelible impression onthe tapestry of modern cinema.
Trade Mark
Often had a scene in his films where in a fight, he gets wounded. Standing stunned, he tasteshis own blood and then he goes berserk wiping out any opponent in his path.Made animal sounds when he fought to unnerve his foes and focus his strength. Hischaracters were often proudly Chinese and battled foes who racially oppressed his people asin when he smashed a "No dogs or Chinese allowed" sign with a flying kick Use of Jeet Kun Do, a form of martial arts he invented himself in which freedom of reactionwas far more important than rigid form
Trivia
Ranked #100 in Empire (UK) magazine's "The Top 100 Movie Stars of All Time" list.[October 1997]Father of Brandon Lee.Died of brain edema in Hong Kong at age 32.He is considered the greatest martial artist of the 20th century.
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