The Film Detective archive and streaming network restores classic films and today they announced that for the 40th anniversary of Fist of Fear, Touch of Death is being released in a special collector’s set. The film first came out in 1980, starring Bruce Lee. The film is one of his last.
Here’s the official synopsis:
A subgenre of 1970s cinema, Bruceploitation clung to the box office success of the Bruce Lee legacy after the star’s untimely demise in 1973, utilizing Lee lookalikes and archival footage from the legend himself. Carving a niche within the grindhouse market, Bruceploitation not only appealed to fans of the day, but has generated a cult status in recent years.
True to Bruceploitation fashion, Fist of Fear, Touch of Death features eye-popping combat scenes viewers will have to see to believe, putting the 1979 World Karate Championship at center stage, where martial artists take their shot at eliminating the competition and claiming the title of “successor to the Bruce Lee legacy.”
Using mockumentary-style interviews in the film, hosted by Academy Award-nominee Adolph Caesar, martial arts masters Fred Williamson and Ron Van Clief, among others, emerge from every corner of the martial arts world to give their take on whether any competitor can be deemed worthy of the Bruce Lee legacy.
The film will be available on March 31, 2020 in limited-edition Blu-ray (retailing at $24.99) or DVD ($19.00). The Blu-ray will have a limited pressing of just 1,500. You can preorder today: www.thefilmdetective.com/fist-of-fear
