Synopsis: A brilliant professor gathers cells from the late Bruce Lee and creates three clones who are trained in martial arts, then sent out on missions to fight crime. (90Mins)

 

Views: Bruce Lee is dead and without a second to spare, Colonel Colin of the SBI and top scientist Professor Lucas join forces to create clones of the late Master using a sample of his brain tissue. Their efforts deliver three clones of Bruce who they deem as perfect (although viewers may think otherwise). After their martial-arts training, the clones are sent on missions to fight crime in Southeast Asia. Bruce 1 (Dragon Lee) is sent undercover as a Bruce Lee impersonator to draw out a corrupt producer who, eventually, aims to have him killed on camera. Bruce 2 (Bruce Le) and Bruce 3 (Bruce Lai) are sent to Thailand where they meet with Chuck (Bruce Tai), a Bruce Lee lookalike who isn't a clone. The trio are assigned to stop mad scientist Dr. Ngai who plans to take over the world with his bronzemen army. After their missions have been completed, the clones return to Hong Kong where they are soon pitted against each other by Professor Lucas – angered at the lack of appreciation for his efforts in helping the Special Branch of Investigations!

 

Considered by many to be the Plan 9 From Outer Space of the kung-fu world, The Clones Of Bruce Lee is one hell of an oddball movie and only one of a vast amount of Bruceploitation flicks since the Little Dragon's passing in 1973. But I guess the big pull with this one is its cast – offering a number of Bruce Lee-aikes such as the popular Dragon Lee, Bruce Le, Bruce Lai, and Bruce Tai. Rumour has it that the producers had intended to have Bruce Li (Ho Chung Tao) star instead of Bruce Lai, but that just didn't work out unfortunately. The Korean-born Dragon Lee (real name Keo Ryong) stars as the main Bruce clone of the story, and had already starred in 5 or 6 Bruceploitation flicks by the time this had come about. Of course, the pint-sized powerhouse had starred in a host of Korean made kung fu flicks also, impressing in films such as Fury Of The Dragon, Champ Vs Champ, Dragon's Snake Fist, Martial Monks Of Shaolin Temple, and Five Pattern Dragon Claws, yet has always been remembered as one of the most popular Bruce Lee clones.

 

Taiwanese star Bruce Le, also known as Huang Kin Lung, found his own success as another Lee after a few small roles in Shaw Brothers productions such as Rivals Of Kung Fu, The Tea House, Big Brother Cheng, and Super Inframan among others. After making his clone debut in Bruce's Fingers in 1976, Le would go onto appear in over 20 further Bruce Lee adventures as well as making his directorial debut with Bruce The Super Hero in 1979 before going on to deliver a further 8 self-directed titles including Challenge Of The Tiger, Bruce Strikes Back, Fire On The Great Wall, and Ghost Of The Fox – an erotic wuxia fantasy inspired by the likes of A Chinese Ghost Story and Erotic Ghost Story that co-starred the wonderful Sibelle Hu. Unknown to many, Bruce Lai – originally called Kowk Si Chi – only had a few cameos in Shaw Brothers titles before this, but very quickly left the film industry right after The Clones Of Bruce Lee to work in finance. And it seems that Bruce Tai had an even shorter time in the industry with his only other credit being a supporting role in 1979's Little Master alongside Bolo Yeung and Jackie Chan clone, Shing Lung – which would explain why the film is sometimes known as Fearless Hyena Part 3...

 

Aside from having the joy of sharing the screen with each other, the Lee-alikes are joined by familiar faces such as Jon T. Benn who starred with Bruce Lee in Way Of The Dragon and Bruce Le in Challenge Of The Tiger. Later, Benn would make an appearance in Jet Li's Fearless and soon after in The Man With The Iron Fists for Rza. The wonderfully prolific Chiang Tao co-stars as one of the trainers for the clones. Of course, this would only be one of a host of Bruceploitation films that he would star in as he would share the screen with Bruce Le and Bruce Li many times over the years. And the great Bolo Yeung lends his talents to the project, assisting Chiang as another of the trainers and without even breaking a sweat. Of course, 7 years before, Bolo had made a splash when he faced off against the real Bruce Lee in Enter The Dragon in one of the films' most memorable scenes; going onto appear in many of the aforementioned Bruceploitation titles alongside Bruce Le himself. Kung-fu actor Cheng Kei Ying, director of films such as The Eagle Fist, Satanic Crystals, and Rape In Public Sea, makes an appearance as the Professor's zombie fighter and prolific actors Chow Kong, Ng Kit Keung, Steve Mak, Lai Sau Kit, and Law Keung also pop-up throughout.

 

Featuring some borrowed music from Walter Hill's classic, The Warriors, the film was initially made as a Hong Kong production but saw some new scenes added for its Korean cut. These would be directed by Korean film-maker Nam Ki Nam who was also behind films such as Return Of Fist Of Fury, Four Infernos To Cross, Double Dragon In Last Duel, Seven Finger Kung Fu, and Return Of Red Tiger which also featured Bruce Le in the leading role. But the original piece was delivered under the watchful eye of director Joseph Velasco/Joseph Kong Hung, the same man behind kung fu classics such as Nick Cheung Lik's Tough Guy, A Tooth For A Tooth, Kung Fu's Hero, Superior Youngster, and The Big Risk as well as many Bruceploitation titles such as Bruce's Fingers, Return Of Bruce, My Name Called Bruce, Dragon On Fire, Bruce And The Shaolin Bronzemen, Bruce Strikes Back, and many more. The great Godfrey Ho lends his services as the assistant director of the piece – a job he had done at the Shaw Brothers studio many times before on films such as The Angry Guest, The Water Margin, Four Riders, and The Blood Brothers, as well as Dragon On Fire which was also directed by Velasco. Of course, by this stage, Ho had already delivered many of his own directorial efforts and plenty of his own Bruceploitation titles...

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While action packed, the fights are never amazing and often repetitive. Still, Bruce Le still manages to choreograph some fun moments with highlights being the one-on-one showdown between Dragon Lee and himself, and the exciting (almost) 30 minute closing fight scenes – obviously. It's all a bit mental and definitely a product of its era, but you can't help feel entertained at the madness on screen. Released as part of The Game Of Clones Bruceploitation Collection from Severin Films, The Clones Of Bruce has never looked better with a new restoration combined from German and Italian prints of the film!

 

Overall: Absolutely bonkers but so much fun, The Clones Of Bruce Lee is a fight-fest that has to be seen to be believed!

 

Severin Films Blu-ray Extras: Audio Commentary with Frank Djeng, Michael Worth, Brandon Bentley, Chris Poggiali, Mike Leeder, John Kreng & Rick Benn, Interview with Jon T. Benn, Severin's Kung Fu Theatre with Michael Worth, Trailer