The Story (film)

For others films about Bruce Lee's Game of Death, see disambiguation

The Story is a 2001 short film for 1972 Bruce Lee's enacted storyline of The Game of Death, and prequel and sequel of the film. Distributed in 2001 with the documentary DVD Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey.

• While we may never know how The Game of Death would have turned out had Bruce Lee lived we do know, with unimpeachable certainty, the vision Lee had for the film during the time that he was filming its finale. According to his 12-page storyline the film would begin on an airplane that hade departed from Hong Kong. The character that Bruce Lee was to play in the film was named Hai Tien a retired, undefeated martial arts champion. Accompanying him on the flight would be his sister and young brother. The family are preparing to take a tour of Southheast Asia. When en route an annoucement is made that there will be a one-hour stopover in Korea. The plane then touches down and taxis into the gate at South Korea's Kimpo Airport.

• [ Dialogue ]

• Later, in the training garden of the Boss,s home avery member of the team is training but Hai Tien who is still reticent and worried about the safety of his family.

• [ Dialogue:
• Hai Tien: I want you to remember me

Hai Tien's brother: Why? I see you everyday

• (The day after)
• Hai Tien: Good morning Fellas! ]

• Upon arriving at the compound the team must first fight their way through 10 guards all black belts in Karate. After dispatching the Karate men, the team heads for the pagoda. On man, the locksmith, opens the door to the temple. The martial artists enter the pagoda to do battle while the locksmith stands watch below. It was within the pagoda that the epic battles in The Game of Death were to take place as each floor of the pagoda was to be guarded by as killed martial arts stylist. On the first floor, one of the team would be killed. The second floor, The Floor of the Praying Mantis would see what was now the quartet lose another member of the team. Fortunately, the battle on the third floor of the pagoda and on the remaining floors as well, Bruce Lee captured on film.

• [1972 original footage]

• At the end of the film an exhausted Hai Tien Staggers down the steps from the pagoda and departs the village. Although Bruce Lee never finalized the details for the ending of the film it is evident from his scene breakdowns that the boss would be arrested. Hai Tien, his sister and brother would be reunited after returning of the Korean airport. The storyline perfectly justified the action that would be required in the film while the choreography of the fight sequences served to related Lee's message of personal liberation in the art of combat.

• Good morning Fellas!

• [ Announcer: Attention: there is a call for Mr. Tien. Mr. Hai Tien, please pick up the white courtesy phone at gate 16.(Hai Tien answers)] Voice (Tien): We've got your sister and little brother. Listen carefully - there is a car waiting for you outside. I want you to calmly walk out and get into the car. The lives of your sister and brother depend on you doing exactly what you are told.

• The Boss: This Is The Temple of the Leopard. It Is located there hours from here. This Temple contains one of our national treasures - It's irreplaceable and worth many millions of dollars to the Korean government. Your job will be to get it for me. As no guns are allowed here, the temple is guarded by trained fighters - martial artist. The temple has five floors - and we believe that the treasure Is on the top floor. The martial artists guard each level of the temple. I have acquired footage of some of them to let you know what you'll be up against. This man's specialty Is Escrima - a Filipino stick fighting art. He Is very dangerous and, I'm told, guards the third level of the pagoda the Hall of the Tiger. He has also been known to be an exponent of the nunchaku - a weapon I'm sure most of you gentlemen are familiar with. This man is a Hapkido master, 7th degree. He guards the fourth level. His skill is extraordinary. It may take all of you to subdue him. The first floor will be protected by this man. As you can see, his kicks are devastatingly powerful and incredibly fast. The entranceway will be blocked by karatemen. But you should be able to get past them. The real talent Is within the pagoda. If the door to the temple is locked Is locked - which It has been since our last attempt to get the treasure - our locksmith here should be able to pick the lock and let you in. Once inside the temple, I don't really know what you will be facing. There was a prior group that attempted to make It to the before you. Only one man from that group, Mr. Huang, survived. Seeing the members of his team killed by whomever guards that last level caused him considerable mental stress. He has since been committed to a local asylum. All he could tell us was Unbelievable agility and power. We don't know who guards the upper level, but whomever he is - he is extremely dangerous and skillful. Mr. Huang was a formidable martial artist in his own right - a very effective kicker - one of Hai Tien's students, I believe. I'm hoping that where the student fails, the master will succeed. Hai Tien and Mr. Tien will be in charge of the operation. That's It, gentlemen.

• Hai Tien Fans: Aren't you Hai Tien - the fighter?
  Hai Tien:Yes, I am
  Hai Tien Fans: I'm a huge fan of tours. May I please get your autograph?
  Hai Tien: Sure.
• Hai Tien: Will you excuse me a Moment?
• Hai Tien: Nice weather
• Hai Tien:Man! That's a big snake! That's more likes It - don't be so stiff.
  Hai Tien: It's very kind of Uncle Wong to have picked us up and allowed us to stay in his house while we are in Korea.
  The Boss: Ha, ha, ha. At last we have the pleasure of your company.
  Tien: "Lee Guo Hao," It's said that the foreigners call him "the yellow faced tiger."
  The Boss: I have five martial artist here that I would likes ti introduce to you.
  Hai Tien: Not yet
  Hai Tien: I thik there May be some Toys in your room.
  Hai Tien: Maybe you should go and help him look for them?
  Hai Tien: I'll be back in a Moment.
• Hai Tien: Do not let the kid know what's going on here. Stay insider and don't run around!
  sister: We'll be okay.
• The Boss: Ah, nice, of you rejoin us. These men Will all be taking part in our mission. This man is a fighter from America. This is Mr. Wong -- he is being paid $2000 - wich he needs for his mother for his mother's operations. This is Yuan, he is being paid only $700 but he is very strong. This is our locksmith, Mr. Kuan -- he makes me laugh. And this is Mr.Tien -- he has cost me the most because he is extremely efficient and is the current Asian Champion.
  Tien:By the way, I don't like retired and undefeated champions. I've Just spoken to you at the have forgotten my voice?
  Hai Tien:You know something, you sound tougheter than you look.
  The Boss: Hey, we're all froends here. Don't worry, I Will pay you for your part in this Mission!
  Hai Tien: I don't want your money
  The Boss: Perhaps not -- but you Will join us anyway because I know you want your brother and sister to remain healthy. We Will all meet back here in four hours to Watch a film of where we're going on our mission.
• Hai Tien: I would like to ask permissione to use your car to go to the asylum tomorrow mornig -- alone
  The Boss: To see Huang? Of course you can use my car but I can tell you it's a waste of time.
  Hai Tien: Thank you for letting just me go
  The Boss: That is why I like you: you know you HAVE to come back! For you know that if you don't, you Will never see your sister and brother again.
• Tien: I sure don't like the way you dress as a martial artist.
  Hai Tien: It's about what a martial artist wears. What really counts Is the ability of the man behind those clothes. By the way, have you looked at how you dress lately?
• Huang: Unbelievable power and agility.
• Tien: You have a bad habit of being late!
  Hai Tien: You want your job done, don't you?
  The Boss: I can assurde you that the boy and girl are fine and know nothing about "our project."
  Hai Tien: You have no choice anyway - you need me and by the way, don't you or anyone in this house lay even one finger on either one of them!
  The Boss: I can assure you that my guardas personally Will take good care of then. And I might even be generous enough to let you see them anytime you want - but don't even try or think that you can leave this house. My generosity, you see, has a limit. Take today easy and conserve your energy. You can have a light workout later.
• Hai Tien: I want you to remember me

Hai Tien's brother: Why? I see you everyday

• Another unexpected surprise Is discovered among his choreography writings. His hand-written storyline, 12 pages in length and containing all scene breakdowns and select dialogue passages the original storyline stands in sharp contrast to the one presented in the film released under the same name. After the discovery of Lee's script notes a search to find the missing footage [1972 original footage] is launched.
  • (Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey), Bruce Lee: A Warrior's Journey quotes at the imdb.com

• Hak-kyu Kim — Hai Tien
• Byung-joo Kim — Tien
• Sung-woo Park — Yuan
• Sun-man Bae — First Tung
• Hee-soo Hwang — Sister
• Kang-kook Lee — Wong
• Se-kyn Oh — Second Thung
• Tong-il Pang — The Boss
• Marty Rhodes — Narrator
• Ho-you Yun — Kid
• Bill Katz — American Fighter
• Bruce Lee — Written by (for The Game of Death, 1972)

• Bruce Lee — Hai Tien (only a 1972 short footage in credits cloused without dialogue)
• Hwang In-shik — (1rd Floor Guardian: only a 1972 short footage outdoors without dialogue)
• Dan Inosanto — (3rd Floor Guardian: only a 1972 short footage outdoors without dialogue)
• Ji Han-jae — (4rd Floor Guardian: only a 1972 short footage outdoors without dialogue)

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• The Story quotes at the Internet Movie Database