When former child actor and Hollywood TV sidekick Bruce Lee returned to his native Hong Kong in 1971 to star in two films for fledgling company Golden Harvest, movie history was made thanks to one of the most iconic partnerships between star and studio that cinema has ever seen. In only a handful of films, Lee high-kicked his way into audiences’ imaginations forever, with a blistering screen presence and his masterful ‘Jeet Kune Do’ fighting technique.
The first two starring vehicles for Lee, The Big Boss and Fist of Fury (both directed by Lo Wei), smashed all box office records in Hong Kong, and made him the most famous face on the continent. Lee asserted his artistic independence by directing, writing and starring in The Way of the Dragon, arguably his most thrilling and personal film. Tragically, on the cusp of achieving the international stardom he had long strived for, Lee died suddenly in 1973, aged only 32.
Not to be outdone by the tidal wave of ‘Bruceploitation’ films that followed, Golden Harvest completed two posthumous films using unreleased footage: 1978’s Game of Death and its 1981 sequel, as well as two official documentaries, the first of which hit cinemas only three months after Lee’s death. Today, five decades since his passing, Bruce Lee continues to be the most beloved and influential martial artist in the world.
These 4K restorations - including the extended Mandarin Cut of The Big Boss, now 10 minutes longer than any version ever released on video worldwide - form a timely tribute to Bruce Lee’s enduring legacy and fruitful collaboration with Golden Harvest. Lee fans should also look out for the 4K restoration of Lee's all-time classic Enter the Dragon, coming to GFT in August 2023.