Welcome to the Clones of Bruce Lee
A website dedicated to Bruce Lee exploitation cinema, or 'Bruceploitation' as it has become to be known. This sub-genre was born following the death of the legendary Bruce Lee in 1973.

Bruce Lee became an overnight sensation in the early 1970's, turning from a struggling actor in America to become the biggest Chinese action star the world would ever see. His unique brand of martial arts and on-screen charisma captivated audiences but after completing only four movies, Lee's sudden death shocked the entire Hong Kong film Industry and left film makers desperate to find a replacement to fill the shoes of the late martial arts master.

While fans were still mourning the death of their legendary screen hero, movie producers hit upon the idea of using actors who had facial resemblance, and could copy his fighting movements to cash-in on the demand for more Bruce Lee. 

Perhaps one of the biggest pieces of Bruce Lee exploitation cinema came from Golden Harvest, the studio behind all the Bruce Lee movies. The company decided to attempt to complete an unfinished project that Bruce had began working on before his death.

However, the production of Game of Death was plagued with problems from the start. Not only was the leading star no longer around, but they were also faced with the increasing amount of Bruce-alike actors and movies that had used Bruce's ideas that had leaked out since his death.

The finished film was completed and released in 1978, cobbled together by using the footage Lee had shot and from his previous movies, as well as using three doubles to stand-in for Bruce.

Rival studio Shaw Brothers also dealt out their own piece of 'Bruceploitation' in 1975's Bruce Lee and I, co-starring Betty Ting-Pei, the real life mistress of Bruce, and told of the final days leading to his death.

Scores of films went into production detailing aspects of Lee's life and death, often fictionalised or taken from tabloid rumour. Sequels and remakes of Bruce's own completed films were also a popular choice with the exploitive filmmakers.

The criteria wasn't very strict, as long as the actor had a vague resemblance to Bruce Lee, then he could get a chance to make the move to leading man. A variety of actors and former stuntmen, often using a host of pseudonym names, and even co-stars from Bruce's movies, all tried to gain fame in the search to find the 'next Bruce Lee'.
Copyright © Lee Holmes 2009.