Knowledge

The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss

Source 📝

831:. The $ 10,000 USD figure that imdb.com lists was actually his salary per week. Lazenby was paid $ 10,000 US per week for his acting, plus $ 1,000 US per week for expenses for a total of $ 11,000 US per week for each of his three Golden Harvest films. Each film covered about 20 weeks worth of work, so Lazenby earned $ 220,000 US per film. Only Bruce Lee commanded more in Hong Kong, earning $ 12,500 ($ 1,000 of it for living expenses) per week. After Lee died, Lazenby was the highest-paid actor in Hong Kong for the next three years, with his $ 11,000 per week salary. The next highest-paid actor in Hong Kong was Lazenby's co-star in 601:
to Japan. Third, Lee's death brought terrible press, especially since the film's other star Lazenby was supposed to have dinner with Lee the very night he died. Fourth, Warner Brothers then dropped out and the film lost its large worldwide theatrical distribution. And finally, because of all of this Raymond Chow cut the film's production budget from $ 10,000,000 to $ 850,000 and severely cut the marketing budget to cover the film's new small theatrical release. Although this was still an enormous production budget for a Hong Kong-based film at that time, and actually matched
711: 431: 631:(1972) had pushed him over the $ 100 million mark at the box office, which at that time established actor's as international super stars. Even though Lazenby never got that label in the US or UK from the press, in reality it was true as he had tremendous box office success in Europe, Asia, and Australia (he actually outgrossed 600:
When Lee died the film's destiny took a turn for the worse. First, Lee, who may have been the biggest star in the world at the time the film was to be shot, was now not going to be in the film. Second, upon hearing of Lee's death, Chiba refused to sign his contract for the film and promptly flew back
791:
Whether the film actually took in around $ 25,000,000 worldwide at the box office (about $ 103,000,000 in today's money) is debatable, but what is not debatable is that within just two months of the film's release in Hong Kong, large production studios from both the UK and Australia were already in
649:
I have worked out every day for two hours and have run three miles every morning to get fit for the role. It is the most taxing form of film fighting activity in the world. You can't be slow and hope to look as if you're standing up to these experts. But you learn from the fight masters employed on
549:
grossed more than $ 21,000,000 in the US just in 1973 alone and more than $ 4,000,000 in the US in 1974. Through 2006 the film has grossed more than $ 115,000,000 in the US alone. It grossed more than $ 65,000,000 overseas through 1973, and more than $ 90,000,000 overseas through 1974. Through 2006
868:
said the film "feels staggeringly disjointed: part paranoid psycho-sexual attack on free-love hippy culture; part US-style cop movie; part international spy film and part old school kung fu movie" adding that Lazenby "seems only partially aware of what’s going on during the film" but "although not
787:
was very successful financially. No terms of what the film grossed worldwide were ever released by Golden Harvest or Run Run, but some journalist's estimates put it as high as $ 25 million worldwide, with another $ 10–$ 15 million worldwide in video revenue later on in the 1980s. Considering the
537:(1973) cost just $ 850,000 to produce and also had a $ 10,000,000 worldwide marketing budget, and in turn it grossed more than $ 265,000,000 worldwide at the box office (through 2006), making it the second highest grossing movie worldwide of the year 1973, behind 31: 650:
the film, learn a bit of karate and a bit of ballet and hope to keep on your feet. What I mostly want to do is earn us enough money to live the way we want to. Nothing on earth could buy me into the degradation of another Bond film, with all that entails.
686:
as another producer to help pay for the film's huge production cost based on Hong Kong film industry standards. Chow also kept producer Andre Morgan on board as he had helped with Lee's films and this would help to bring video revenue years later.
608:
Despite this, the film still featured former 007 Lazenby, whom despite being tabbed by the press as a "failed Bond financially", had still nonetheless grossed well over $ 100 million worldwide at the box office in the early 1970s, as his
307:) discovers that his sister has overdosed on a deadly new drug called "The Happy Pill" (an aphrodisiac/hallucenogen mixture), he travels to Hong Kong to track down its creators. Along the way, he meets up with a beautiful secret agent ( 571:
grossed more than $ 265,000,000 at the box office worldwide with just an $ 850,000 production budget/$ 10,000,000 marketing budget, then it isn't too far-fetched to realize Warner Brother's $ 400 million gross prediction for
560:(1973), had cost just $ 130,000 to produce and about $ 1,000,000 to market worldwide and it in turn grossed more than $ 85,000,000 worldwide at the box office, which made it the 6th highest grossing film worldwide of 1973. 521:
a large worldwide release, a $ 10,000,000 production budget and a $ 10,000,000 worldwide marketing budget (which was astronomical at that time – as a comparison the 1974 James Bond film
579:
George Lazenby had said that one of the main reasons that he quit the role of Bond was because he felt that he could gross more at the box office in other films. The Bond film
697:
Lazenby recalled "I was the only person on the set who really spoke English. I mean, I had an interpreter but the director didn't and my co-star didn't. It got a bit lonely."
605:
as the most expensive martial arts film of all time at that point, the huge cut in marketing and loss of worldwide distribution greatly hurt the film's box office.
820:
even had a wide US release the same year it was released in Hong Kong, something only Hong Kong films starring Bruce Lee had previously accomplished. So although
824:
never turned out to be what it could have, it still was remarkably successful and it still holds firm as one of the all-time classic 1970s martial arts flicks.
732: 585:(1974), ended up grossing $ 97,600,000 worldwide, so if not for Lee's sudden death, Lazenby's quite bold and now rather infamous prediction may have come true. 452: 855:
said directed Huang Feng "fails to coax anything out of this stock saga beyond the most rudimentary yarn-spinning" saying the movie was overly reminiscent of
511:
and was to star in that film, as well as two subsequent films with Lee. The film's original tagline was "It's Lee! It's Lazenby! It's Bruce Versus Bond!".
635:
in that time, as just one example). So the film still had Chow's studio behind it, a big international star, and a large budget for a martial arts film.
615: 798:(1975), which Chow had already approved at the highest budget ever for a Hong Kong film or martial arts film, surpassing the previous record held by 775:
turned out to be one of the better martial arts films of the 1970s, not on par with Lee's films, but Lazenby's three films in the genre for Chow's
1315: 788:
film's cost and the fact that its initial theatrical release was very limited by number of countries and screens, that was an astonishing feat.
1295: 1158: 567:
grossed more than $ 85,000,000 at the box office worldwide with just a $ 130,000 production budget/$ 1,000,000 marketing budget, and that
581: 523: 1044: 915: 758: 478: 779:
studios are probably the second best in the genre of that era after Lee's. Although without Lee and a large international release
827:
On a side-note, Lazenby was reportedly paid (according to the Hong Kong and Australian presses at the time) $ 220,000 USD to make
1330: 1285: 1129: 967: 1325: 1305: 1290: 816:(1976), which was Lazenby's third Golden Harvest film were then both given large scale international theatrical releases, and 1335: 736: 456: 806:. In fact, one UK production company wanted to co-produce Lazenby's next two films, just two months after Shrine's release. 1310: 621: 527:
also a 1974 release had only a $ 7,000,000 production budget and a $ 6,000,000 worldwide marketing budget). Forecasts for
576:
with its $ 20,000,000 total cost in production and marketing, as well as Lazenby and Chiba joining Lee in the cast.
1320: 1280: 776: 147: 869:
the most graceful of fighters, he carries himself well under the complex demands of Sammo Hung‘s choreography."
1151: 1090: 721: 441: 694:. I thought he handled the fight scenes there okay, but of course they were very different from what we do." 740: 725: 460: 445: 1300: 1236: 794: 285: 1084: 1212: 1275: 1144: 1122: 812: 588:
On 20 July 1973 Bruce Lee was meant to have dinner with George Lazenby and Raymond Chow to discuss
539: 291: 840: 517:
was going to co-produce and distribute the film before Lee's sudden death and was going to give
627: 1220: 1180: 1066: 1040: 911: 907: 857: 556: 531:
worldwide box office gross were around $ 400,000,000. This based on Lee's previous two films.
1096: 655: 533: 244: 204: 200: 1188: 939: 690:
Hung recalled Lazenby "wasn't a martial artist as such but he moved pretty well. I'd seen
514: 678:
to the film's cast along with Lazenby. In addition to this he also enlisted rival studio
1228: 1204: 1196: 504: 380: 320: 304: 280: 83: 30: 1269: 1033: 900: 679: 632: 619:(1969) had grossed $ 87,400,000 worldwide through 1970, and his subsequent two films 338: 268: 91: 1252: 683: 252: 69: 1117: 931: 783:
obviously fell short of the box office of Lee's previous two films. Nonetheless,
710: 496: 430: 1136: 1168: 1102: 675: 667: 663: 659: 610: 500: 407: 395: 347: 332: 326: 308: 256: 97: 87: 79: 47: 962: 888:
STONER Monthly Film Bulletin; London Vol. 43, Iss. 504, (Jan 1, 1976): 236.
671: 401: 263: 499:
as well. The film was to pit Lee against "The Western Adversary" played by
1078: 507:. Lazenby had been signed to a multi-picture deal by Lee and Chow during 413: 59: 1072: 1060: 1009: 792:
negotiation with Chow to co-produce Lazenby's next martial arts film,
550:
it has grossed more than $ 150,000,000 overseas. Lee's film prior to
1109: 638:
Lazenby said that after Lee's death Chow "sent his hatchet men in."
276:
in 1973 and that film's release date was delayed by five years.
1140: 654:
To try to keep the success of Lee's films going, Chow added in
704: 424: 311:) who's on her own mission to investigate the same drug ring. 971:. National Library of Australia. 17 October 1973. p. 2 251:) is a 1974 Hong Kong action film which was produced by 843:, who earned a total salary of just $ 2,500 per week. 641:
In October 1973 Lazenby said the film would be called
495:
was to star not only Lee, but also Japanese film star
210: 196: 188: 178: 155: 143: 129: 121: 111: 103: 75: 65: 53: 43: 23: 1032: 899: 1152: 8: 739:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 459:. Unsourced material may be challenged and 1159: 1145: 1137: 963:"George Lazenby takes a new domestic role" 303:When a tough Australian cop named Stoner ( 283:made for Golden Harvest, the others being 29: 20: 759:Learn how and when to remove this message 479:Learn how and when to remove this message 262:The film was originally scheduled to be 884: 882: 878: 7: 938:. H Bunch Associates. 1975. p.  737:adding citations to reliable sources 457:adding citations to reliable sources 592:. However Lee died that afternoon. 14: 362:Hung Sing-chung as Inspector Feng 272:. However Lee died while filming 861:and that Lazenby was "lumpish". 709: 429: 279:It was the first of three films 692:On Her Majesty's Secret Service 616:On Her Majesty's Secret Service 1316:1970s Cantonese-language films 596:Aftermath of Bruce Lee's death 353:Samuel J. Peake as Cult leader 1: 1008:Johnson, Ben (23 July 2016). 968:The Australian Women's Weekly 643:The Golden Needles of Ecstasy 529:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss' 1296:Hong Kong martial arts films 1245:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 1098:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 1086:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 1074:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 1062:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 829:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 822:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 785:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 773:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 519:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 493:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 222:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 24:The Shrine of Ultimate Bliss 932:"Bruce Lee's Game of Death" 582:The Man With The Golden Gun 524:The Man With The Golden Gun 1352: 1175: 359:Romanolee Rose as Melanie 248: 28: 1091:Hong Kong Movie DataBase 365:Su Chiang as Kuan Te-jen 1331:Films shot in Hong Kong 1286:1974 martial arts films 1133:review at City on Fire. 1035:Hong Kong action cinema 344:Joji Takagi as Mr. Chin 164:2 August 1974 1326:Films set in Hong Kong 1306:Police detective films 1291:Hong Kong action films 1237:When Taekwondo Strikes 906:. WALLFLOWER. p.  833:The Man From Hong Kong 808:The Man From Hong Kong 795:The Man From Hong Kong 652: 389:Ren Hao as Fake priest 286:The Man from Hong Kong 1336:1970s Hong Kong films 1213:Bandits from Shantung 1014:Hong Kong Movie Guide 853:Monthly Film Bulletin 647: 595: 335:as Agnes Wong Yen-yen 329:as Angela Li Shou-hua 38:Hong Kong film poster 1311:Golden Harvest films 902:KUNG FU CULT MASTERS 733:improve this section 670:and also well-known 563:So considering that 453:improve this section 392:Suen Lam as Gangster 371:Chin Lu as Club girl 1123:Hong Kong Cinemagic 1031:Logan, Bey (1996). 898:Hunt, Leon (2003). 866:Kung Fu Movie Guide 266:'s next film after 234:A Man Called Stoner 18:1974 Hong Kong film 1167:Films directed by 1113:review at HK Film. 1039:. Overlook Press. 847:Critical reception 818:Man From Hong Kong 1321:Films about drugs 1281:1974 action films 1263: 1262: 1221:Deadly China Doll 1181:The Crimson Charm 858:Deadly China Doll 769: 768: 761: 622:Universal Soldier 565:Way of the Dragon 557:Way of the Dragon 489: 488: 481: 410:as Thug at temple 404:as Thug at temple 218: 217: 1343: 1161: 1154: 1147: 1138: 1050: 1038: 1018: 1017: 1005: 999: 996: 990: 987: 981: 980: 978: 976: 959: 953: 950: 944: 943: 928: 922: 921: 905: 895: 889: 886: 837:A Queen's Ransom 813:A Queen's Ransom 800:Enter the Dragon 764: 757: 753: 750: 744: 713: 705: 628:Who Saw Her Die? 603:Enter the Dragon 569:Enter the Dragon 552:Enter the Dragon 547:Enter the Dragon 534:Enter the Dragon 484: 477: 473: 470: 464: 433: 425: 356:Lu Chin as Helen 323:as Joseph Stoner 292:A Queen's Ransom 255:and directed by 250: 240:Hong Kong Hitman 225:, also known as 201:Mandarin Chinese 171: 169: 33: 21: 1351: 1350: 1346: 1345: 1344: 1342: 1341: 1340: 1266: 1265: 1264: 1259: 1189:The Angry River 1171: 1165: 1057: 1047: 1030: 1027: 1022: 1021: 1007: 1006: 1002: 997: 993: 988: 984: 974: 972: 961: 960: 956: 951: 947: 936:Kung Fu Monthly 930: 929: 925: 918: 897: 896: 892: 887: 880: 875: 849: 765: 754: 748: 745: 730: 714: 703: 598: 515:Warner Brothers 485: 474: 468: 465: 450: 434: 423: 317: 301: 203: 181: 174: 167: 165: 158: 150: 139: 134: 132: 116: 96: 94: 90: 86: 82: 58: 39: 19: 12: 11: 5: 1349: 1347: 1339: 1338: 1333: 1328: 1323: 1318: 1313: 1308: 1303: 1298: 1293: 1288: 1283: 1278: 1268: 1267: 1261: 1260: 1258: 1257: 1249: 1241: 1233: 1225: 1217: 1209: 1205:Lady Whirlwind 1201: 1197:The Fast Sword 1193: 1185: 1176: 1173: 1172: 1166: 1164: 1163: 1156: 1149: 1141: 1135: 1134: 1126: 1114: 1106: 1094: 1082: 1070: 1056: 1055:External links 1053: 1052: 1051: 1045: 1026: 1023: 1020: 1019: 1000: 991: 982: 954: 945: 923: 916: 890: 877: 876: 874: 871: 848: 845: 777:Golden Harvest 767: 766: 717: 715: 708: 702: 699: 597: 594: 505:George Lazenby 487: 486: 437: 435: 428: 422: 419: 418: 417: 411: 405: 399: 393: 390: 387: 384: 383:as Gang member 381:Ching Siu-tung 378: 375: 372: 369: 366: 363: 360: 357: 354: 351: 345: 342: 336: 330: 324: 321:George Lazenby 316: 315:Cast and roles 313: 305:George Lazenby 300: 297: 281:George Lazenby 216: 215: 212: 208: 207: 198: 194: 193: 190: 186: 185: 182: 179: 176: 175: 173: 172: 161: 159: 156: 153: 152: 148:Golden Harvest 145: 144:Distributed by 141: 140: 138:Golden Harvest 137: 135: 130: 127: 126: 123: 119: 118: 113: 109: 108: 105: 104:Cinematography 101: 100: 84:George Lazenby 77: 73: 72: 67: 63: 62: 55: 51: 50: 45: 41: 40: 34: 26: 25: 17: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1348: 1337: 1334: 1332: 1329: 1327: 1324: 1322: 1319: 1317: 1314: 1312: 1309: 1307: 1304: 1302: 1301:Kung fu films 1299: 1297: 1294: 1292: 1289: 1287: 1284: 1282: 1279: 1277: 1274: 1273: 1271: 1255: 1254: 1250: 1247: 1246: 1242: 1239: 1238: 1234: 1231: 1230: 1226: 1223: 1222: 1218: 1215: 1214: 1210: 1207: 1206: 1202: 1199: 1198: 1194: 1191: 1190: 1186: 1183: 1182: 1178: 1177: 1174: 1170: 1162: 1157: 1155: 1150: 1148: 1143: 1142: 1139: 1132: 1131: 1127: 1124: 1120: 1119: 1115: 1112: 1111: 1107: 1104: 1100: 1099: 1095: 1092: 1088: 1087: 1083: 1080: 1076: 1075: 1071: 1068: 1064: 1063: 1059: 1058: 1054: 1048: 1046:9780879516635 1042: 1037: 1036: 1029: 1028: 1024: 1015: 1011: 1004: 1001: 995: 992: 989:Logan p 87-88 986: 983: 970: 969: 964: 958: 955: 949: 946: 941: 937: 933: 927: 924: 919: 917:9781903364635 913: 909: 904: 903: 894: 891: 885: 883: 879: 872: 870: 867: 862: 860: 859: 854: 846: 844: 842: 841:Jimmy Wang Yu 838: 834: 830: 825: 823: 819: 815: 814: 809: 805: 801: 797: 796: 789: 786: 782: 778: 774: 763: 760: 752: 742: 738: 734: 728: 727: 723: 718:This section 716: 712: 707: 706: 700: 698: 695: 693: 688: 685: 681: 680:Shaw Brothers 677: 673: 669: 665: 661: 657: 651: 646: 644: 639: 636: 634: 633:Steve McQueen 630: 629: 624: 623: 618: 617: 612: 606: 604: 593: 591: 590:Game of Death 586: 584: 583: 577: 575: 570: 566: 561: 559: 558: 553: 548: 544: 542: 541: 536: 535: 530: 526: 525: 520: 516: 512: 510: 509:Game of Death 506: 502: 498: 494: 483: 480: 472: 462: 458: 454: 448: 447: 443: 438:This section 436: 432: 427: 426: 420: 415: 412: 409: 406: 403: 400: 397: 394: 391: 388: 385: 382: 379: 376: 373: 370: 367: 364: 361: 358: 355: 352: 349: 346: 343: 340: 339:Hwang In-shik 337: 334: 331: 328: 325: 322: 319: 318: 314: 312: 310: 306: 298: 296: 294: 293: 288: 287: 282: 277: 275: 274:Game of Death 271: 270: 269:Game of Death 265: 260: 258: 254: 246: 242: 241: 236: 235: 230: 229: 224: 223: 213: 209: 206: 202: 199: 195: 191: 187: 183: 177: 163: 162: 160: 154: 149: 146: 142: 136: 128: 124: 120: 114: 110: 106: 102: 99: 93: 92:Hwang In-shik 89: 85: 81: 78: 74: 71: 68: 64: 61: 56: 52: 49: 46: 42: 37: 32: 27: 22: 16: 1253:Shaolin Plot 1251: 1244: 1243: 1235: 1227: 1219: 1211: 1203: 1195: 1187: 1179: 1128: 1116: 1108: 1097: 1085: 1073: 1061: 1034: 1013: 1003: 994: 985: 973:. Retrieved 966: 957: 948: 935: 926: 901: 893: 865: 863: 856: 852: 850: 836: 832: 828: 826: 821: 817: 811: 807: 803: 799: 793: 790: 784: 780: 772: 771:In the end, 770: 755: 746: 731:Please help 719: 696: 691: 689: 684:Run Run Shaw 653: 648: 645:. He added: 642: 640: 637: 626: 620: 614: 607: 602: 599: 589: 587: 580: 578: 573: 568: 564: 562: 555: 551: 546: 545: 540:The Exorcist 538: 532: 528: 522: 518: 513: 508: 492: 491:Originally, 490: 475: 466: 451:Please help 439: 386:Andre Morgan 368:Chin Chi-chu 350:as Chen-Chin 302: 290: 284: 278: 273: 267: 261: 253:Raymond Chow 239: 238: 233: 232: 227: 226: 221: 220: 219: 180:Running time 157:Release date 117:Michael Kaye 115:Peter Cheung 107:Lee Yau-tong 70:Raymond Chow 35: 15: 625:(1971) and 497:Sonny Chiba 289:(1975) and 214:HK$ 555,003 184:107 minutes 125:Tony Orchez 95:Joji Takagi 66:Produced by 57:Huang Feng 44:Directed by 1276:1974 films 1270:Categories 1169:Huang Feng 1103:Letterboxd 998:Logan p 94 952:Logan p 87 873:References 676:Roger Ward 672:Australian 668:Sammo Hung 664:Betty Ting 660:Angela Mao 501:James Bond 421:Production 408:Eric Tsang 396:Roger Ward 348:Sammo Hung 341:as Mr. Big 333:Betty Ting 327:Angela Mao 309:Angela Mao 257:Huang Feng 211:Box office 168:1974-08-02 131:Production 98:Sammo Hung 88:Betty Ting 80:Angela Mao 54:Written by 48:Huang Feng 749:July 2018 720:does not 656:Hong Kong 469:July 2018 440:does not 402:Yuen Biao 264:Bruce Lee 197:Languages 192:Hong Kong 112:Edited by 1079:AllMovie 1010:"Stoner" 839:, actor 414:Yuen Wah 398:as Biker 377:Nick Lam 295:(1976). 249:鐵金剛大破紫陽觀 122:Music by 76:Starring 60:Ni Kuang 1229:Hapkido 1089:at the 975:10 July 741:removed 726:sources 701:Release 682:run by 461:removed 446:sources 416:as Thug 374:Yi Feng 245:Chinese 205:English 189:Country 166: ( 133:company 1256:(1977) 1248:(1974) 1240:(1973) 1232:(1972) 1224:(1972) 1216:(1972) 1208:(1972) 1200:(1971) 1192:(1970) 1184:(1970) 1130:Stoner 1118:Stoner 1110:Stoner 1043:  914:  804:Shrine 781:Shrine 674:actor 666:, and 658:stars 574:Shrine 247:: 237:, and 228:Stoner 151:Cathay 36:Stoner 1025:Notes 613:film 503:star 1067:IMDb 1041:ISBN 977:2012 912:ISBN 864:The 851:The 835:and 810:and 802:and 724:any 722:cite 611:Bond 444:any 442:cite 299:Plot 1121:at 1101:at 1077:at 1065:at 908:166 735:by 455:by 1272:: 1012:. 965:. 940:22 934:. 910:. 881:^ 662:, 554:, 543:. 259:. 231:, 1160:e 1153:t 1146:v 1125:. 1105:. 1093:. 1081:. 1069:. 1049:. 1016:. 979:. 942:. 920:. 762:) 756:( 751:) 747:( 743:. 729:. 482:) 476:( 471:) 467:( 463:. 449:. 243:( 170:)

Index


Huang Feng
Ni Kuang
Raymond Chow
Angela Mao
George Lazenby
Betty Ting
Hwang In-shik
Sammo Hung
Golden Harvest
Mandarin Chinese
English
Chinese
Raymond Chow
Huang Feng
Bruce Lee
Game of Death
George Lazenby
The Man from Hong Kong
A Queen's Ransom
George Lazenby
Angela Mao
George Lazenby
Angela Mao
Betty Ting
Hwang In-shik
Sammo Hung
Ching Siu-tung
Roger Ward
Yuen Biao

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.