The Big Boss
Encyclopedia
The Big Boss, previously known by its U.S. title Fists Of Fury is a 1971 Hong Kong martial arts
action
crime
thriller film. The Big Boss was Bruce Lee
's first major film. It was written to star James Tien
; however, Lee's strong performance relegated Tien, already a star in Hong Kong
, to second billing. The film made Bruce Lee a major star across Asia
.
is a Chinese
man from Guangdong
who has moved to Thailand
to live with his uncle. He works in an ice factory with his cousins. When a block of ice is accidentally broken, a bag of white powder falls out. Cheng's cousins are asked to stay to see the manager, who tells them there are better jobs for them. The factory is really a front for a drug smuggling ring led by the Big Boss, Hsiao Mi. When the cousins refuse to cooperate, they are killed and their bodies disposed of.
Two more of Cheng's cousins, Hsu Chien and Ah Pei, go to Hsiao Mi's house to ask about their brothers. They realize he is acting suspicious and decide to inform the police. Hsiao Mi has them also killed, but not before Hsu kills two of their attackers. The Big Boss makes Cheng foreman, treating him with alcohol and prostitutes. One of the prostitutes reveals the truth to Cheng, who breaks into the factory at night and discovers his cousins' bodies. He is discovered by gangsters led by Hsiao Mi's son, Hsiao Chiun.
Cheng fights his way out, killing Hsiao Chiun and others. He returns home to find that his entire family has been murdered. He exacts revenge by killing Hsiao Mi in the final fight. He then surrenders to the Thai police, who arrive just after he has disposed of the Big Boss.
, the film featured multiple scenes that have since been removed from all mainstream cuts of the film. It is thought this is a result of the "1972 Hong Kong movie censorship crackdown", when Hong Kong martial arts films became censored for extreme violence. The The Big Boss originally included scenes of a body being cut in half with a circular saw
, an artery cut with a knife causing blood to spew from a character's forehead, and most infamously a villain killed by "vertical partial cranial laceration" with a hand saw.
When these cuts were asked to be made, the editors also cut out full sequences, presumably to hasten the pace of the film. These scenes were cut:
Allegedly, a print shown in London
in 1979 as part of a Bruce Lee film festival
did include all of these scenes, except for the "saw-in-the-head" shot. Also, rumors have spread about a Thai "live dub" version less than a decade ago in an alternate cut of the film which featured some of the above scenes but deleted some of the "regular" scenes; it was shown with live voice actors dubbing over the movie in Thai, as was formerly done in rural village open air showings. In 2004, a version was announced to be released on DVD by budget DVD company Video Asia titled 'The Big Boss: The Version You've Never Seen!'. The only unseen media on the disc that has been confirmed is the original rejected English dub, which used British voice actors as made famous by the English dubs of the Golden Harvest
and Shaw Brothers films of the 1970. However, this dub is said to have been created in synch with the extended Mandarin print, as a rare export trailer of the film features the footage from the Mandarin trailer, but with English voice actors. Also, this dub features the original score by Wang Fu Ling rather than the regular English dub score by Peter Thomas. Due to copyright issues, this "Version You've Never Seen" still has not been seen by the mainstream public, and is currently only in the hands of a select few collectors. However, a two-minute clip of the opening from this version is on YouTube
(see external links).
, seeing as how both films dealt with drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Bruce Lee's second film, Fist of Fury
, was going to be virtually identical in terms of its title, with the only difference being that it would be Fists of Fury rather than Fist of Fury. However, somewhere between being exported from Golden Harvest studios to being imported to US independent film company National General Pictures, the titles ended up being switched. As a result, The Big Boss became Fists of Fury and Fist of Fury became The Chinese Connection. To this day, there is still confusion among the titles, yet film purists refer to the two films under their original titles. Recent American TV showings and the recent official US DVD release, originally available in The Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection box set, from Twentieth Century-Fox have restored the original titles of all the Bruce Lee films that were renamed; as of 2004 this film is now officially called The Big Boss in the United States. The current DVD version also has a subtitle that says "A.K.A. Fists of Fury" when "The Big Boss" title appears on screen since the source material is the Fortune Star digital remasters.
, Way of the Dragon
, Enter the Dragon
, and Game of Death
all only feature one score, albeit possibly with minor alterations.
The first music score for the film was composed by Shaw Brothers veteran composer Wang Fu-ling, who worked on films such as The Chinese Boxer and One-Armed Swordsman
. This score was made intentionally for the Mandarin language version, as well as the first version of the English dub. The score has a sound to it very similar to other martial arts movie scores at the time, especially the Shaw Brothers films. While Wang was the only one to receive credit, it is also believed that fellow Shaw Brothers veteran composer Chen Yung-yu assisted with the score. Reason for this speculation is that a few of the music cues in the film echo those from the Shaw Brothers film The Duel, also composed by Chen. This is most evident when comparing the music from the scene in The Big Boss in which Cheng looks desperately for Chiao Mei with the music from the very last shot in The Duel. They sound nearly identical, with the music from The Duel sounding slightly slower. It should also be of interest to note that Wang Fu-ling is credited in every version of the film as music composer, even if his music isn't used. It is believed that the French
theatrical release of the film featured this score, as the French theatrical trailer features only Wang Fu-ling's score.
The second, and most popular, of the music scores was composed by German composer Peter Thomas. His work on the film did not become widely known until 2005, when most of the music he composed for the film appeared on iTunes
in a Big Boss collection. The story behind Thomas's involvement stems from the complete reworking of the English dub of the film. As mentioned above, there was an earlier English dub which was rejected. This earlier version of the dub featured the classic British voice actors who worked on virtually every Shaw Brothers film, and also used Wang Fu-ling's score. However, while unknown as to who made this decision (many believe National General Pictures
, the company who released the film in America), the choice was made to scrap this dub to make a new English dub that would stand out in comparison to the other martial arts films at the time. New voice actors were brought in to re-dub the film in English, and with this, Peter Thomas (composer)
was called in to re-score the film, completely abandoning Wang Fu-ling's original score. As mentioned earlier, most of his work on the film appeared on an iTunes compilation entitled The Big Boss/Die Todesfaust Des Cheng Li. However, the compilation is missing a few tracks:
There are others missing, but they may be library tracks never officially released to the public. Aside from this, while the mainstream English dub of the film features the Peter Thomas score, it is also believed that the German
dubbed version features his score, especially with the reference to the German title of the film on the iTunes compilation. Thomas's score was expanded upon for the Italian
version of the film, strangely enough, a couple of Wang Fu-ling's music cues having "snuck into" this version alongside.
The third score is the 1983 Cantonese release score, which primarily features music from Golden Harvest
composer Joseph Koo
. However, a good portion of Joseph Koo's music in the Cantonese version was originally created in 1974 for the Japanese theatrical release of The Big Boss, which was half Koo's music and half Peter Thomas'. Golden Harvest simply took Koo's music from the Japanese version and added it to the Cantonese version. Aside from this, this version is most infamous for its use of the Pink Floyd
music cues "Time" and "Obscured by Clouds", as well as King Crimson
's "Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part Two." At one point, Pink Floyd's "Time" as well as their track "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party (Entertainment)" are mixed together to create a more sinister tone when Hsiu Chien and Ah Pei leave "The Boss"'s mansion. It is uncertain as to whether or not any music was actually created specifically for this version, or if it is all stock and unlicensed music. As mentioned earlier, Wang Fu-ling is given credit for the music in this version despite having nothing to do with it. In addition, the one country that had used the appropriate imported title was Australia.
and Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
and The Rising Dragon. Both of these films feature their respective actors, Bruce Li
and Jason Scott Lee, at one point acting as Lee on the set of The Big Boss. Both films feature a variation of the rumor that Lee was challenged on the set by a Thai boxer. In Myth, Lee was challenged on set and was caught in the middle of an ambush later on off the set. In Dragon, Lee is challenged during an actual take during filming of The Big Boss, wearing the trademark rolled up long sleeve white t-shirt, white sash, and black pants. Both of these are highly exaggerated accounts (not to mention that Dragon makes the mistake of saying that filming for The Big Boss began in July 1970 rather than in July 1971), as the story told is that Lee merely discusses martial arts with a Thai fighter on the set. Besides these two examples, a third Bruce Lee biopic, The Legend of Bruce Lee
, this time with Danny Chan Kwok Kwan as Lee and filmed in mini-series form, will be shown in Hong Kong in 2008 as part of China's hosting of the summer Olympics. Once again, this biopic will have Lee encountering a Thai boxer on the set of The Big Boss, this time with the challenger being played by martial arts film veteran Mark Dacascos
. Photos and behind-the-scenes video of this scene have appeared on various websites, including Dacascos's official site.
Martial arts film
Martial arts film is a film genre. A sub-genre of the action film, martial arts films contain numerous fights between characters, usually as the films' primary appeal and entertainment value, and often as a method of storytelling and character expression and development. Martial arts are frequently...
action
Hong Kong action cinema
Hong Kong action cinema is the principal source of the Hong Kong film industry's global fame. It combines elements from the action film, as codified by Hollywood, with Chinese storytelling and aesthetic traditions, to create a culturally distinctive form that nevertheless has a wide transcultural...
crime
Crime film
Crime films are films which focus on the lives of criminals. The stylistic approach to a crime film varies from realistic portrayals of real-life criminal figures, to the far-fetched evil doings of imaginary arch-villains. Criminal acts are almost always glorified in these movies.- Plays and films...
thriller film. The Big Boss was Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee
Bruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
's first major film. It was written to star James Tien
James Tien (actor)
James Tien Chun is a Hong Kong actor from Guangdong, China. He appeared in almost 70 films, primarily in Hong Kong action cinema, including roles in the films of martial arts stars including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. He often played villains or supporting roles...
; however, Lee's strong performance relegated Tien, already a star in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, to second billing. The film made Bruce Lee a major star across Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Plot
ChengCheng Chao-an
Cheng Chao-an is a fictional character from the film The Big Boss. He is a young man who travels from China to the remote town of Pak Chong in Thailand to work at the Man Lee Ice Factory, run by manager Ching Hao, and owned by Hsiao Mi...
is a Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
man from Guangdong
Guangdong
Guangdong is a province on the South China Sea coast of the People's Republic of China. The province was previously often written with the alternative English name Kwangtung Province...
who has moved to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
to live with his uncle. He works in an ice factory with his cousins. When a block of ice is accidentally broken, a bag of white powder falls out. Cheng's cousins are asked to stay to see the manager, who tells them there are better jobs for them. The factory is really a front for a drug smuggling ring led by the Big Boss, Hsiao Mi. When the cousins refuse to cooperate, they are killed and their bodies disposed of.
Two more of Cheng's cousins, Hsu Chien and Ah Pei, go to Hsiao Mi's house to ask about their brothers. They realize he is acting suspicious and decide to inform the police. Hsiao Mi has them also killed, but not before Hsu kills two of their attackers. The Big Boss makes Cheng foreman, treating him with alcohol and prostitutes. One of the prostitutes reveals the truth to Cheng, who breaks into the factory at night and discovers his cousins' bodies. He is discovered by gangsters led by Hsiao Mi's son, Hsiao Chiun.
Cheng fights his way out, killing Hsiao Chiun and others. He returns home to find that his entire family has been murdered. He exacts revenge by killing Hsiao Mi in the final fight. He then surrenders to the Thai police, who arrive just after he has disposed of the Big Boss.
Cast
- Bruce LeeBruce LeeBruce Lee was a Chinese American, Hong Kong actor, martial arts instructor, philosopher, film director, film producer, screenwriter, and founder of the Jeet Kune Do martial arts movement...
: Lee plays Cheng Chao-an , who travels from China to the remote town of Pak Chong, ThailandThailandThailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
to work at the Man Lee Ice Factory. He is a skilled martial artist, but is described as someone who believes anything he is told. He he wears a jade pendant as a symbol of a promise he made to his mother never to fight again. - Maria YiMaria YiMaria Yi is a retired Chinese actress from Shanghai. She appeared in films by Hong Kong's Golden Harvest Productions in the 1970s, most notably in The Big Boss and Fist of Fury, both starring Bruce Lee.-Career:Yi began acting as a teenager, and though she made only a handful of films, she received...
: Chiao Mei is portrayed as a typical "damsel in distressDamsel in distressThe subject of the damsel in distress, or persecuted maiden, is a classic theme in world literature, art, and film. She is usually a beautiful young woman placed in a dire predicament by a villain or monster and who requires a hero to achieve her rescue. She has become a stock character of fiction,...
". She is also the a love interest of Cheng Chao-an. Chaio Mei is very kind and tries to keep her family and friends together. - James TienJames Tien (actor)James Tien Chun is a Hong Kong actor from Guangdong, China. He appeared in almost 70 films, primarily in Hong Kong action cinema, including roles in the films of martial arts stars including Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung. He often played villains or supporting roles...
: Cousin Hsu Chien who himself if a strong fighter and often gets into fights with the thugs that cause trouble in Pak Chong. - Yin-chieh Han: Hsiao Mi ("The Big Boss") is the owner of the ice factory that acts as a front for his drug cartel.
- Lee KwanLee KwanLee Kwan , also known as Li Kun or Li Quinn, was a Chinese actor.He joined Shaw Brothers in 1957 and acted in Mandarin films. He later played supporting roles in Bruce Lee's The Big Boss and Fist of Fury. Later he became a film and television actor in Taiwan...
: Cousin Ah Kun - Tony LiuTony LiuTony Liu Yung is a Hong Kong actor and martial artist. He often appeared in martial arts films. He debuted in Bruce Lee's The Big Boss and later appeared in Lee's next three films.-Early life:...
: Hsiao Chiun (Hsiao Mi's son) - Chao Chen: Ah Sheng (Foreman)
- Chia Ching Tu: the Uncle
- Gam Saan: Cousin Ah Shan
- Billy Chan Wui-ngai: Cousin Ah Pei
- Lam Ching-ying: Cousin Ah Yen (also Assistant Action Director of the film)
- Nora MiaoNora MiaoNora Miao ); born February 8, 1952 ) is a Hong Kong actress who appeared in many kung-fu films in the 1970s. She was contracted to Golden Harvest, and spent her time making films in Hong Kong and in Taiwan, where she starred in several romance movies....
: the drinkstand owner - Ma La Lene: Miss Wuman
Shooting style
Bey Logan noted the main difference between Yin-Chieh Han and Bruce Lee:- Yin-Chieh Han, who directed most of the action scenes for this movie and Fist of FuryFist of FuryFist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
, used the action style common in the 70's of mainly arm swinging, legs waving, and very static and stagy cinematography. Most action directors use this style as they mostly resemble the way Shaw Brothers shoot their action scenes with the exception to Liu Chia-Liang who directed the classic movies like "36 Chambers of Shaolin" and "My Young Auntie".
- When Bruce Lee directed his action scenes, he implemented ideas which became the mainstream after this movie. Firstly, realism had been added so when he hits his opponent, the opponent shows real pain with the exception of the villains who might be able to take down the hero. Secondly, he has the sense of how to move the camera, where the edit points were and how to make the choreography more fluid. This made his fights nicely paced, giving the intensity to make it enjoyable. Lastly, he is able to use the whole set rather than just two people standing there, fighting. This is shown in the attention to detail in the confrontation and how people surrounded the main hero or used weapons in an ice warehouse. In other words, from this point on, Hong Kong action directors like Yuen Woo Ping, Sammo Hung and Jackie Chan seems to think in 3D compared to Hollywood in which the action directors think in 2D of having two macho men, trading blows in a slow and methodical way with no attention to the details around the area they're fighting in.
Original Mandarin cut
When the movie was first released in 1971 in Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, the film featured multiple scenes that have since been removed from all mainstream cuts of the film. It is thought this is a result of the "1972 Hong Kong movie censorship crackdown", when Hong Kong martial arts films became censored for extreme violence. The The Big Boss originally included scenes of a body being cut in half with a circular saw
Circular saw
The circular saw is a machine using a toothed metal cutting disc or blade. The term is also loosely used for the blade itself. The blade is a tool for cutting wood or other materials and may be hand-held or table-mounted. It can also be used to make narrow slots...
, an artery cut with a knife causing blood to spew from a character's forehead, and most infamously a villain killed by "vertical partial cranial laceration" with a hand saw.
When these cuts were asked to be made, the editors also cut out full sequences, presumably to hasten the pace of the film. These scenes were cut:
- The first confirmed missing scene takes place after Cheng Chao-an and Hsiu Chien have beaten the six men from the casino. As they are walking down an alley, one of the remaining men appears, lights a cart of coal on fire and attempts to run them over with it. However, Hsiu grabs Cheng and they leap onto the side of a wall to avoid it.
- A large number of photos from this missing scene were featured as an easter eggEaster egg (media)Image:Carl Oswald Rostosky - Zwei Kaninchen und ein Igel 1861.jpg|250px|thumb|right|Example of Easter egg hidden within imagerect 467 383 539 434 desc none...
on the original "Hong Kong Legends" DVD.
- A large number of photos from this missing scene were featured as an easter egg
- The next missing scene took place soon after the first. Cheng and Hsiu have returned home, and Hsiu doesn't hesitate to tell the other cousins all about what happened, right down to acting out a dramatization of the fight using Ah Kun as an example. The scene ends with Chiao Mei entering, presumably telling everyone that they need to get to bed.
- Footage of Hsiu giving his example has appears in the original Mandarin trailer, and a still exists of the part in which Mei enters.
- The third takes place right after the stock footage sunrise shot. Cheng and his uncle get ready to leave for the ferry, Chiao Mei seeing them off with two small glasses of tea. They have their drinks, say their goodbyes and leave. The scene ends with Chiao Mei looking off as they leave.
- The final shot, of Chiao Mei looking off after Cheng and his uncle as they leave, is present in the mainstream cuts. The deletion of Cheng and his uncle's departure makes it seem like she's simply watching the sunrise. In the mainstream cuts, when Mei knocks on the front door to wake everyone up, she can be seen her holding a tray with two empty glasses on it. A still of this scene exists as well.
- The next scene somehow involves Cheng and the girl who owns the drinkstand, played by Nora MiaoNora MiaoNora Miao ); born February 8, 1952 ) is a Hong Kong actress who appeared in many kung-fu films in the 1970s. She was contracted to Golden Harvest, and spent her time making films in Hong Kong and in Taiwan, where she starred in several romance movies....
.- This is one of three deleted scenes from the film that appear in the Mandarin trailerTrailer (film)A trailer or preview is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema. The term "trailer" comes from their having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening. That practice did not last long, because patrons tended to leave the...
, but no one exactly remembers what took place in the full scene.
- This is one of three deleted scenes from the film that appear in the Mandarin trailer
- The next cut is this first one involving violence, in which the first two cousins, Chen and Wong, are killed. In the mainstream cuts, the scene starts with Chen being killed with a hatchet to the head and Wong being killed with a knife to the stomach. Their bodies are taken to the circular saws, Wong's being the first to be cut. The mainstream versions end with the saw just reaching Wong's back, and then jump cutJump cutA jump cut is a cut in film editing and vloging in which two sequential shots of the same subject are taken from camera positions that vary only slightly. This type of edit causes the subject of the shots to appear to "jump" position in a discontinuous way...
s to the ice containers being lowered into the freezer. It's been said that the original version shows Wong being cut completely in half with the saw, as well as various shots of the Thai foremen placing the severed limbs of Chen and Wong into the ice containers.- While no visible proof has been presented to substantiate these claims, in the edited Mandarin versions a jump cut in the music can clearly be heard where the cuts most likely took place.
- The next cut, which is a very short one, is when Hsiu's forehead is cut by Hsiao Chiun's knife. In the mainstream versions, the scene plays out with Hsiao Chiun leaping over Hsiu with his knife and then cuts to a shot of Chiun standing up, still holding the knife. However, in the uncut printFilmmakingFilmmaking is the process of making a film, from an initial story, idea, or commission, through scriptwriting, casting, shooting, directing, editing, and screening the finished product before an audience that may result in a theatrical release or television program...
, after Chiun has leapt over Hsiu, Hsiu's wound is clearly visible as he stumbles back with a gush of blood literally pouring from the top of his forehead.- This shot was previously only visible in a rare SpanishSpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
trailer for the film, which was only likely to be possessed by the most ardent collectors of Bruce Lee footage. However, the new Hong Kong Legends Platinum Edition DVD features a slightly better quality and full 2.35 widescreen version of the shot (as pictured).
- This shot was previously only visible in a rare Spanish
- The next cut, and most recently acknowledged one, takes place during the banquet when Cheng Chao-an becomes drunk. In the regular prints, he sees Wu Mang (the prostitute), his vision blurs, and then he hallucinates, seeing Chiao Mei standing where Wu Mang was. However, according to the audio commentary on the Hong Kong LegendsHong Kong LegendsHong Kong Legends was a United Kingdom DVD distribution company, based in Hertfordshire and operating from the UK and Australia between 1999 and 2007...
platinum edition DVD of the film, before he sees Chiao Mei, he first hallucinates and sees Wu Mang standing there topless. However, there is currently no visible proof in backing up this claim, only another eyewitness report. - The next cut is from the scene in which Cheng investigates in the icehouse at night. While we see him discover a severed hand and a disembodied head, as well as the remains of Hsiu, apparently the scene was longer. One shot included a deformed face, caused by some type of trauma.
- This shot was included in the aforementioned Spanish trailer as well.
- The next cut is the most widely known: the infamous "saw-in-the-head" shot. Despite the popularity of this shot, there are two interesting factors. First, many people believe that the shot itself was probably only 3–6 seconds. Also, many people have concluded that the scene only existed in the premierePremiereA premiere is generally "a first performance". This can refer to plays, films, television programs, operas, symphonies, ballets and so on. Premieres for theatrical, musical and other cultural presentations can become extravagant affairs, attracting large numbers of socialites and much media...
print (as stated by co-star Maria YiMaria YiMaria Yi is a retired Chinese actress from Shanghai. She appeared in films by Hong Kong's Golden Harvest Productions in the 1970s, most notably in The Big Boss and Fist of Fury, both starring Bruce Lee.-Career:Yi began acting as a teenager, and though she made only a handful of films, she received...
in a rare interview), and was never used in any of the releases after the premiere. According to the interview with Yi, apparently the shot was made up of a crudely put together animation and just did not look good. However, many people believe it was "reverse animation" in which a prop handsaw was created with a gap to put on the stuntmanStuntmanA stuntman or stunt performer is someone who performs dangerous stunts.Stuntman may also refer to:*The Stunt Man, a 1980 film starring Peter O'Toole*Stuntman , a 2002 video game**Stuntman: Ignition, its sequel...
's head, and then Lee would quickly pull the prop off. Then, in post production it would be reversed to create the illusion of the saw going into his head.- While print of the shot is said to no longer exist, two completely different images of the shot do. One is a forty-five degree angled shot while the other (and more gruesome) one is a side shot (as pictured). The latter was most widely seen in the Bruce Lee documentary, Curse of the Dragon.
- The next cut takes place when Cheng arrives back home, only to find his remaining cousins murdered. The only shot that known to be missing is an extended shot of Ah Shan's dead body covered in blood.
- The mainstream cuts simply cut away once Cheng has lifted Shan's mosquito net, but a jump cut in the music can be heard where the cut takes place.
- The next cut takes place when Cheng is sitting by the creek, involving superimposed shots of his dead cousins as Cheng looks into the creek. While the mainstream version shows a "group photo" style shot of the cousins, supposedly extra shots explicitly show their dead bodies. No full details have ever been released on what the images looked like.
- The next takes place during the same scene as the above, right after Cheng throws his possessions into the water. In the mainstream cuts, he simply looks up at the sky, then Cheng is shown running away. However, in the original print, Cheng raises his fist into proclaiming that he will get revenge.
- In the mainstream cuts, just before Cheng runs off, we see his fist raised out of nowhere.
- The next cut is another entirely deleted scene, and another popular one alongside of the "saw-in-the-head" scene. After Cheng runs down the road from the creek, rather than cutting to him arriving at Hsiao Mi's mansion like the mainstream cuts, he returns to the brothel for a third time. Here, he picks up the prostitute in a red sweater-type dress (seen in the background the second time Cheng visits the brothel). Cheng and the prostitute go to her room, Cheng pushes her onto the bed, and the two begin to strip. Cheng stands in front of the bed, completely nude, but also completely emotionless. The shot apparently ends either fading or blurring out and back in to show Cheng putting his final article of clothing back on while the prostitute lies asleep. Cheng then takes out all of his money and lays it by the prostitute, which is apparently much more than he needs to pay. As he's about to leave, he grabs a bag of prawn crackers, which he is seen carrying when he finally arrives at the mansion later on.
- The above scene is described in eyewitness reports and corroborated by a short amount of footage in the rare Mandarin trailer. In the mainstream cut, when listening to the Mandarin mono track (at least on the Universe Video CDVideo CDBefore the advent of DVD and Blu-ray, the Video CD became the first format for distributing films on standard 120 mm optical discs. The format is a standard digital format for storing video on a Compact Disc...
version), a distinct jump cut in the music can be heard when Cheng arrives at the mansion, where the music plays for an extra second or two longer than it should, and then suddenly cuts off.
- The above scene is described in eyewitness reports and corroborated by a short amount of footage in the rare Mandarin trailer. In the mainstream cut, when listening to the Mandarin mono track (at least on the Universe Video CD
- Supposedly, there is at least one more cut in the finale after Hsiao Mi slashes Cheng's stomach. As with the fight with Hsiao Chiun, Cheng tastes his own blood. However, there's been little proof to back this deleted shot.
Allegedly, a print shown in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1979 as part of a Bruce Lee film festival
Film festival
A film festival is an organised, extended presentation of films in one or more movie theaters or screening venues, usually in a single locality. More and more often film festivals show part of their films to the public by adding outdoor movie screenings...
did include all of these scenes, except for the "saw-in-the-head" shot. Also, rumors have spread about a Thai "live dub" version less than a decade ago in an alternate cut of the film which featured some of the above scenes but deleted some of the "regular" scenes; it was shown with live voice actors dubbing over the movie in Thai, as was formerly done in rural village open air showings. In 2004, a version was announced to be released on DVD by budget DVD company Video Asia titled 'The Big Boss: The Version You've Never Seen!'. The only unseen media on the disc that has been confirmed is the original rejected English dub, which used British voice actors as made famous by the English dubs of the Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market for an extended period of time, especially with the films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan...
and Shaw Brothers films of the 1970. However, this dub is said to have been created in synch with the extended Mandarin print, as a rare export trailer of the film features the footage from the Mandarin trailer, but with English voice actors. Also, this dub features the original score by Wang Fu Ling rather than the regular English dub score by Peter Thomas. Due to copyright issues, this "Version You've Never Seen" still has not been seen by the mainstream public, and is currently only in the hands of a select few collectors. However, a two-minute clip of the opening from this version is on YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
(see external links).
Alternate title confusion
When The Big Boss was being prepared for American distribution, it was going to be retitled as The Chinese Connection, as a play on the popular The French ConnectionThe French Connection (film)
This article is about the 1971 film. For the British fashion label, see French Connection .The French Connection is a 1971 American crime film directed by William Friedkin. The film was adapted and fictionalized by Ernest Tidyman from the non-fiction book by Robin Moore...
, seeing as how both films dealt with drug trafficking. Meanwhile, Bruce Lee's second film, Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury
Fist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
, was going to be virtually identical in terms of its title, with the only difference being that it would be Fists of Fury rather than Fist of Fury. However, somewhere between being exported from Golden Harvest studios to being imported to US independent film company National General Pictures, the titles ended up being switched. As a result, The Big Boss became Fists of Fury and Fist of Fury became The Chinese Connection. To this day, there is still confusion among the titles, yet film purists refer to the two films under their original titles. Recent American TV showings and the recent official US DVD release, originally available in The Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection box set, from Twentieth Century-Fox have restored the original titles of all the Bruce Lee films that were renamed; as of 2004 this film is now officially called The Big Boss in the United States. The current DVD version also has a subtitle that says "A.K.A. Fists of Fury" when "The Big Boss" title appears on screen since the source material is the Fortune Star digital remasters.
Alternate music scores
Unlike other Bruce Lee films, The Big Boss is unique in that there are not only two, but three completely different music scores. Fist of FuryFist of Fury
Fist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
, Way of the Dragon
Way of the Dragon
The Way of the Dragon is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film written, produced, directed by and starring Bruce Lee.- Plot :Tang Lung is sent from Hong Kong to Rome to help his friend's niece Chen Ching Hua, and family friends, whose restaurant is being targeted by the local Mafia, which has been...
, Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon
Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973...
, and Game of Death
Game of Death
The Game of Death is a 1972 film starring Bruce Lee. It was almost the last film Bruce Lee had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. Over 100 minutes of footage was shot before his death, some of which was later misplaced in the Golden Harvest archives...
all only feature one score, albeit possibly with minor alterations.
The first music score for the film was composed by Shaw Brothers veteran composer Wang Fu-ling, who worked on films such as The Chinese Boxer and One-Armed Swordsman
One-Armed Swordsman
One-Armed Swordsman is a 1967 Hong Kong wuxia film produced by the Shaw Brothers Studio. Directed by Chang Cheh, it was the first of the new style of wuxia films emphasizing male anti-heroes, violent swordplay and heavy bloodletting...
. This score was made intentionally for the Mandarin language version, as well as the first version of the English dub. The score has a sound to it very similar to other martial arts movie scores at the time, especially the Shaw Brothers films. While Wang was the only one to receive credit, it is also believed that fellow Shaw Brothers veteran composer Chen Yung-yu assisted with the score. Reason for this speculation is that a few of the music cues in the film echo those from the Shaw Brothers film The Duel, also composed by Chen. This is most evident when comparing the music from the scene in The Big Boss in which Cheng looks desperately for Chiao Mei with the music from the very last shot in The Duel. They sound nearly identical, with the music from The Duel sounding slightly slower. It should also be of interest to note that Wang Fu-ling is credited in every version of the film as music composer, even if his music isn't used. It is believed that the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
theatrical release of the film featured this score, as the French theatrical trailer features only Wang Fu-ling's score.
The second, and most popular, of the music scores was composed by German composer Peter Thomas. His work on the film did not become widely known until 2005, when most of the music he composed for the film appeared on iTunes
ITunes
iTunes is a media player computer program, used for playing, downloading, and organizing digital music and video files on desktop computers. It can also manage contents on iPod, iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad....
in a Big Boss collection. The story behind Thomas's involvement stems from the complete reworking of the English dub of the film. As mentioned above, there was an earlier English dub which was rejected. This earlier version of the dub featured the classic British voice actors who worked on virtually every Shaw Brothers film, and also used Wang Fu-ling's score. However, while unknown as to who made this decision (many believe National General Pictures
National General Pictures
National General Pictures was a Distribution and Film production company which was active between 1967 and 1973. NGP produced nine motion pictures inhouse and was the distributor of eighty films....
, the company who released the film in America), the choice was made to scrap this dub to make a new English dub that would stand out in comparison to the other martial arts films at the time. New voice actors were brought in to re-dub the film in English, and with this, Peter Thomas (composer)
Peter Thomas (composer)
Peter Thomas is a German composer/arranger. He was born in Breslau on 1 December 1925, and his active career spanned more than 50 years between 1955 and 2006....
was called in to re-score the film, completely abandoning Wang Fu-ling's original score. As mentioned earlier, most of his work on the film appeared on an iTunes compilation entitled The Big Boss/Die Todesfaust Des Cheng Li. However, the compilation is missing a few tracks:
- "Moontown"
- This track is available on the libraryMusic libraryA music library contains music-related materials for patron use. Collections may also include non-print materials, such as digitized music scores or audio recordings. Use of such materials may be limited to specific patron groups, especially in private academic institutions...
album Orion 2000, released on LPGramophone recordA gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
, and is very hard to find. It is also found on the re-release of the 'Raumpatrouille' LP as a bonus track, on Bungalow Records. This music cue was used in two parts of the English dub of The Big Boss. The first is when Hsiu Chien and Ah Pei try to leave Hsiao Mi's mansion. The second is when Cheng Chao-an returns to the brothel to see Wu Mang.
- This track is available on the library
- "Communication in Hyperspace"
- This track is available on Peter Thomas's album 'Bruce Lee – The Big Boss Original Soundtrack'. This music cue was used in the scene in which the announcement is made that Cheng Chao-an has become foreman.
- "EKG"
- This track is also available on Warp Back to Earth, and was used in the scene when Chiao Mei cries about Cheng and the others not finding Hsiu Chien.
There are others missing, but they may be library tracks never officially released to the public. Aside from this, while the mainstream English dub of the film features the Peter Thomas score, it is also believed that the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
dubbed version features his score, especially with the reference to the German title of the film on the iTunes compilation. Thomas's score was expanded upon for the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
version of the film, strangely enough, a couple of Wang Fu-ling's music cues having "snuck into" this version alongside.
The third score is the 1983 Cantonese release score, which primarily features music from Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest
Golden Harvest is a film production, distribution, and exhibition company based in Hong Kong. It played a major role in becoming the first Chinese film company to successfully enter the western market for an extended period of time, especially with the films of Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan...
composer Joseph Koo
Joseph Koo
Joseph Koo Kar-Fai, MBE, SBS is one of the most respected composers in Hong Kong. He used the pen name Moran for Mandarin songs. He is the younger brother of famous Chinese singer Koo Mei .-Career:...
. However, a good portion of Joseph Koo's music in the Cantonese version was originally created in 1974 for the Japanese theatrical release of The Big Boss, which was half Koo's music and half Peter Thomas'. Golden Harvest simply took Koo's music from the Japanese version and added it to the Cantonese version. Aside from this, this version is most infamous for its use of the Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
music cues "Time" and "Obscured by Clouds", as well as King Crimson
King Crimson
King Crimson are a rock band founded in London, England in 1969. Often categorised as a foundational progressive rock group, the band have incorporated diverse influences and instrumentation during their history...
's "Larks' Tongues In Aspic, Part Two." At one point, Pink Floyd's "Time" as well as their track "The Grand Vizier's Garden Party (Entertainment)" are mixed together to create a more sinister tone when Hsiu Chien and Ah Pei leave "The Boss"'s mansion. It is uncertain as to whether or not any music was actually created specifically for this version, or if it is all stock and unlicensed music. As mentioned earlier, Wang Fu-ling is given credit for the music in this version despite having nothing to do with it. In addition, the one country that had used the appropriate imported title was Australia.
Other actors as Bruce Lee playing Cheng Chao-an
Various Bruce Lee biopics have been filmed over the years, with the two most famous being Bruce Lee: The Man, The MythBruce Lee: The Man, The Myth
Bruce Lee: The Man, The Myth, originally released as Li Hsiao Lung chuan chi and also known as Bruce Lee - True Story, is a 1976 Bruceploitation biopic that stars Bruce Li as famed martial artist Bruce Lee. The film chronicles his life beginning with Lee leaving China to go to University in...
and Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story
Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story is a 1993 American semi fictionalized biographical martial arts action film telling the story of actor and martial arts expert Bruce Lee, starring Jason Scott Lee as Bruce Lee, Lauren Holly and Robert Wagner...
and The Rising Dragon. Both of these films feature their respective actors, Bruce Li
Bruce Li
Bruce Li is one of the stage names of Ho Chung Tao , a Taiwanese martial artist and Bruce Lee imitator who starred in martial arts movies from the Bruceploitation movement.-Early life:...
and Jason Scott Lee, at one point acting as Lee on the set of The Big Boss. Both films feature a variation of the rumor that Lee was challenged on the set by a Thai boxer. In Myth, Lee was challenged on set and was caught in the middle of an ambush later on off the set. In Dragon, Lee is challenged during an actual take during filming of The Big Boss, wearing the trademark rolled up long sleeve white t-shirt, white sash, and black pants. Both of these are highly exaggerated accounts (not to mention that Dragon makes the mistake of saying that filming for The Big Boss began in July 1970 rather than in July 1971), as the story told is that Lee merely discusses martial arts with a Thai fighter on the set. Besides these two examples, a third Bruce Lee biopic, The Legend of Bruce Lee
The Legend of Bruce Lee
The Legend of Bruce Lee is a Chinese biographic television series based on the life story of martial artist and actor Bruce Lee. The 50 episodes long series was produced and broadcast by CCTV and had been aired since 12 October 2008. It starred Hong Kong actor Danny Chan as Bruce Lee and American...
, this time with Danny Chan Kwok Kwan as Lee and filmed in mini-series form, will be shown in Hong Kong in 2008 as part of China's hosting of the summer Olympics. Once again, this biopic will have Lee encountering a Thai boxer on the set of The Big Boss, this time with the challenger being played by martial arts film veteran Mark Dacascos
Mark Dacascos
Mark Alan Dacascos is an American actor and martial artist. He won numerous karate and various styles of kung fu championships between the ages of 7 and 18....
. Photos and behind-the-scenes video of this scene have appeared on various websites, including Dacascos's official site.
Trivia
- The Chinese title "唐山大兄" (Tang Shan Da Xiong/Tong Saan Daai Hing) is literally translated "Big Brother from the Tang Mountains" (in Cantonese, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
is often referred to as "TangTang DynastyThe Tang Dynasty was an imperial dynasty of China preceded by the Sui Dynasty and followed by the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period. It was founded by the Li family, who seized power during the decline and collapse of the Sui Empire...
").
- Upon its release The Big Boss became the highest grossing film in the history of Hong Kong and remained undefeated until Bruce Lee's second film, Fist of FuryFist of FuryFist of Fury, formerly known as The Chinese Connection and The Iron Hand in the United States, is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film directed by Lo Wei. It starred Bruce Lee in his second major film after The Big Boss...
.
- When the film was released in the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
the death of Hsiao Mi, "The Boss", was cut down to simply being stabbed in the chest with a knife in order to receive an "RMPAA film rating systemThe Motion Picture Association of America's film-rating system is used in the U.S. and its territories to rate a film's thematic and content suitability for certain audiences. The MPAA system applies only to motion pictures that are submitted for rating. Other media may be rated by other entities...
" rating. The original version of his death, which not only shows an explicit close up of the knife in his chest but Cheng Chao-an's fingers piercing his rib cage and blood flowing from under his shirt, would have given the film an "XMPAA film rating systemThe Motion Picture Association of America's film-rating system is used in the U.S. and its territories to rate a film's thematic and content suitability for certain audiences. The MPAA system applies only to motion pictures that are submitted for rating. Other media may be rated by other entities...
" rating. Ironically, the first time this scene was shown in the US was when it played on AMC in July 2004.
- Dialog from The Big Boss is sampled on the Ghostface KillahGhostface KillahDennis Coles , better known by his stage name Ghostface Killah, is an American rapper and prominent member of the Wu-Tang Clan. After the group achieved breakthrough success in the aftermath of Enter the Wu-Tang , the members went on to pursue solo careers to varying levels of success...
album FishscaleFishscaleFishScale is the fifth studio album by American rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member Ghostface Killah, released March 28, 2006 on Def Jam in the United States. The album features guest appearances from every member of the Wu-Tang Clan, as well as Ghostface Killah's Theodore Unit...
.
VHS releases
| Release date |
Country |
Classifaction |
Publisher |
Format |
Language | Subtitles | Notes |
REF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | United States | Unknown | Good Times Home Video | NTSC | Unknown | Unknown | Individual Release Under the title Fists of Fury. | |
| Unknown | United States | Unknown | Good Times Video Corp | NTSC | Unknown | Unknown | Part of a boxset - contains Bruce Lee Kong-Fu Mania ,Fist of Furry (Aka The Big Boss)and The Chinese Connection Aka Fist of Fury). | |
| Unknown | United States | Unknown | Vintage Video Inc | NTSC | Unknown | Unknown | Individual Release Under the title Fists of Fury. | |
| 17 March 1997 | United Kingdom | 18 | 4 Front (UK) | PAL | English (Dubbed) | None | Individual Release Under the title The Big Boss. | |
| 17 March 1997 | United Kingdom | 18 | 4 Front (UK) | PAL | English (Dubbed) | None | Part of a boxset - contains Game of Death/Game Of Death II, The Way of the Dragon, Fist of furry and The Big Boss. | |
| 25 July 1998 | Japan | Unknown | Happinet Pictures | NTSC | Cantonese | Japaneses | ||
| 1 October 2001 | United Kingdom | 18 | 4 Front (UK) | PAL | English (Dubbed) | None | Part of a boxset - contains The Big Boss, Game of Death and The Legend. | |
| 29 May 2001 | United States | X (Mature Audiences Only) | Front Row Video, Inc | NTSC | Unknown | Unknown | Individual Release Under the title Fists of Fury. | |
| 21 May 2002 | United States | X (Mature Audiences Only) | 20th Century Fox (America) | NTSC | Unknown | Unknown | Individual Release Under the title Fists of Fury. | |
| 23 September 2003 | United States | X (Mature Audiences Only) | Good Times Video | NTSC | Unknown | Unknown | Individual Release Under the title Fists of Fury. |
Laserdisc Releases
| Release date |
Country |
Classifaction |
Publisher |
Catalog No |
Format |
Language | Subtitles | Notes |
REF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | United States | N/A | Fox Video | Unknown | CLV / NTSC | Unknown | Unknown | Rated R, 100 minutes, Widescreen, Audio Mono |
DVD releases
| Release date |
Country |
Classifaction |
Publisher |
Format |
Region |
Language |
Sound |
Subtitles |
Notes |
REF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unknown | Hong Kong | N/A | Universe Laser (Hong Kong) | NTSC | ALL | Cantonese, Mandarin | Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 5.1) | Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese | Widescreen (2:35:1) letterboxed, Supplements Trailer, Trailers for Way of the Dragon Way of the Dragon The Way of the Dragon is a 1972 Hong Kong martial arts film written, produced, directed by and starring Bruce Lee.- Plot :Tang Lung is sent from Hong Kong to Rome to help his friend's niece Chen Ching Hua, and family friends, whose restaurant is being targeted by the local Mafia, which has been... , Enter the Dragon Enter the Dragon Enter the Dragon is a 1973 Hong Kong martial arts co-production with Golden Harvest and Warner Bros. studios, directed by Robert Clouse; starring Bruce Lee, Jim Kelly and John Saxon. This is Bruce Lee's final film appearance before his death on July 20, 1973... , Game of Death Game of Death The Game of Death is a 1972 film starring Bruce Lee. It was almost the last film Bruce Lee had planned to be the demonstration piece of his martial art Jeet Kune Do. Over 100 minutes of footage was shot before his death, some of which was later misplaced in the Golden Harvest archives... , Legacy of Rage Legacy of Rage Legacy of Rage is a 1986 Hong Kong action film starring Brandon Lee in his film debut, Michael Wong, Regina Kent, Chung Lam and a cameo appearance by Bolo Yeung who had appeared in Lee's father Bruce Lee's last film Enter the Dragon. It was directed by Ronny Yu and made in Cantonese... , Star files. |
|
| Unknown | Hong Kong | N/A | Mega Star (Hong Kong) | NTSC | ALL | Cantonese, Mandarin | Cantonese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono) | Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean | Widescreen (2:29:1), Supplements: Trailer, Synopsis, Cast and Crew Info. | |
| 6 November 2000 | United Kingdom | 18 | Hong Kong Legends | PAL | 2 | Cantonese, Dubbed English | Cantonese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono), English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono) | English | Special Collector's Edition, Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) anamorphic, Supplements: Commentary by Bey Logan Bey Logan Bey Logan is a respected expert on East Asian cinema, particularly Hong Kong action cinema. He is also notable as a screenwriter, film producer and as a martial artist who has had roles in a number of films, including the 2003 Dante Lam film The Twins Effect.He has written two books - Hong Kong... , Production photo gallery, Animated biography showcase of Bruce Lee with voice over, Original Mandarin trailer, Hong Kong promotional trailer, UK promotional trailer, Bonus trailers. |
|
| 21 May 2002 | Hong Kong | N/A | Fox (America) | NTSC | 1 | Dubbed English | Dubbed English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) | English, Dutch | Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:27:1) letterboxed. | |
| 14 July 2003 | United Kingdom | 18 | Hong Kong Legends | PAL | 2 | Cantonese, Dubbed English | Unknown | English, Dutch | Limited Edition. | |
| 29 April 2004 | Hong Kong | N/A | Fortune Star (Hong Kong) | NTSC | 3 | Cantonese, Mandarin | Cantonese (DTS 5.1), Cantonese (Dolby Digital 5.1), Cantonese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Mandarin (DTS 5.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital 5.1) | Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English | Bruce Lee Ultimate DVD Collection (Hong Kong), Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) anamorphic, Supplements: Original trailer, New trailer, Still photos, Slideshow of photos, Celebrity interviews, Unseen footage, Game of Death outtakes, Enter the Dragon alternate opening, 32-page booklet. | |
| 18 October 2005 | Unites States | N/A | Fox (America) | NTSC | 1 | Cantonese, Mandarin, English (Dubbed) | Cantonese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), Manadarin (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), English (DTS 5.1), English (Dolby Digital 5.1) | Traditional, Simplified Chinese, English | Bruce Lee Ultimate Collection, Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) anamorphic, Supplements: Original trailer, New trailer, Still photos, Slideshow of photos, Interview with Tung Wai, Bonus trailers. | |
| 23 October 2006 | United Kingdom | 18 | Hong Kong Legends | PAL | 2 | Cantonese, English (Dubbed) | Cantonese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo), Cantonese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono), English Dubbed (2.0 Dual Mono) | English, Dutch | Platinum Edition (United Kingdom), Aspect Ratio: Widescreen (2:35:1) anamorphic, Supplements, Disc 1: Commentary by Andrew Staton, Will Johnston, Bonus trailers. Disc 2: UK platinum trailer, UK promotional trailer, Original Mandarin trailer, Hong Kong promotional trailer, Rare uncut 8mm UK trailer, Original 35mm UK title sequence, Textless 35mm title sequence, Original lobby cards, "Paul Weller: Breaking the West", "Fred Weintraub: A Rising Star", "Tom Kuhn: What Might Have Been", "The History of The Big Boss: A Photographic Retrospective", "Deleted Scenes Examined: The Story of the Elusive Original Uncut Print", Animated biography showcase of Bruce Lee with voice over, DVD credits. |
Blu-ray Disc release
| Release date |
Country |
Classifaction |
Publisher |
Format |
Aspect Ratio |
Region |
Language |
Sound |
Subtitles |
Notes |
REF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 August 2009 | Hong Kong | N/A | Kam & Ronson Enterprises (Hong Kong) | NTSC | Widescreen 2:35:1 |
A | Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai | Cantonese (DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1), Cantonese (Dolby True HD 7.1), Mandarin (Dolby Digital EX 6.1), Thai (Dolby Digital EX 6.1) | Traditional Chinese, English, Thai | Supplements: Tung Wai Interview | |
| 27 August 2010 | Hong Kong | N/A | Kam & Ronson Enterprises (Hong Kong) | NTSC | Widescreen 2:35:1 |
A | Cantonese, Mandarin, Thai | 7.1, Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio | English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese | Box-set: Blu-ray's The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, The Way of the Dragon, Enter the Dragon, Game of Death, 1 DVD Bruce Lee: the Man and the Legend. | |
| 26 November 2010 | Japan | N/A | Paramount Home Entertainment (Japan) | NTSC | Unknown | A | Cantonese | Cantonese (7.1DTS-HD Master Audio) / Cantonese (Dolby True HD) | Japanese | ||
| 26 August 2011 | Germany | N/A | Unknown | NTSC | 2.35:1 | B | Cantonese, English, German | Cantonese: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English: DTS 2.0, German: DTS 2.0 | German | Uncut Box-set:The Big Boss / The Way of the Dragon / The Game of Death / Fist of Fury Blu-ray | |
| 9 September 2011 | Germany | N/A | Unknown | NTSC | 2.35:1 | B | Cantonese, English, German | Cantonese: DTS-HD Master Audio 7.1, English: DTS 2.0, German: DTS 2.0 | German | Uncut | |
| 11 October 2011 | France | N/A | Metropolitan Video | NTSC | Widescreen 2.39:1 |
B | Cantonese, French | DTS HD Master Audio French 5.1, DTS HD Master Audio Cantonese: 5.1 | French | Box-set:The Big Boss / Fist of Fury / Way of the Dragon / Enter the Dragon / Game of Death / Game of Death II |
External links
- The Big Boss at the Hong Kong Movie DataBaseHong Kong Movie DatabaseThe Hong Kong Movie DataBase is a bilingual website that was created in 1995 by Ryan Law to provide a repository for information about movies originating from Hong Kong and the people that created them....
- A gallery of still shots from The Big Boss
- An in-depth article on the missing scenes featuring rare publicity shots and screenshots
- The opening credits from the "version you've never seen"
- "the big boss & the beautiful orphan" by d. (contemporary artist/designer). "the big boss & the beautiful orphan" is a remix/remake of "The Big Boss." Genre: cross-genre, appropriation art, experimental, literary. "the big boss & the beautiful orphan" appeared March 22, 2011 in the online arts journal, "Orion headless."