The Most Epic Bruce Lee Fight Scenes Ever

Game of Death is one of the biggest "what ifs?" in movie history. Lee only shot 40 minutes of the film before his untimely death, but his vision sounds epic. The plot was going to follow Lee as he fought his way up a pagoda in search of a valuable treasure. Each time he reached a new floor, he would face a new boss who specialized in a specific martial art. Lee would have to overcome each master with Jeet Kune Do, a philosophy based on adaptability and using whatever works in a fight, regardless of style.

However, after Lee's death, the plot was completely changed, a Bruce Lee lookalike filled in for most of the movie, and only 11 minutes of the original Game of Death footage showed up in the final cut. Still, whether you're watching the theatrical version or the longer original footage, his battle with Dan Inosanto is a testament to Lee's swagger and speed. An escrima expert, Inosanto relies on rattan sticks to batter his opponents, but Lee fights back with a simple bamboo reed. Where Inosanto's weapons are stiff and rigid, Lee's is flexible, fast, and in the right hands, it "becomes a sword."

Lee is incredibly cocky here, and it's so fun to watch him dance, strut, and scream like a rooster-monkey hybrid. Eventually, the bad guy trades his sticks for nunchucks, and naturally, Lee pulls out his own pair. That's when both guys start twirling their weapons like they're Wild West gunfighters, showing off their tricks, and the battle ends when Lee garrotes Inosanto with the nunchucks. That ain't how you're supposed to use those things, but leave it to Lee to find new and inventive ways to kill his enemies.