Discover the truth behind the origin of Bruce Lee’s iconic yellow jumpsuit.
If Bruce Lee is one of the most iconic martial artists in the history of cinema, his yellow and black tracksuit that he wore in The Game of Death, his last film, is just as iconic as him.
Filmed in 1972, the feature film was not released until 1978 following the star’s sudden death in 1973 and was subsequently finished by Robert Clouse. And the rest you know: the suit that the actor wears in the film has become a real emblem and its very distinctive coloring and style have given rise to numerous theories about its origins. Some argue, as Lusso Leather (via Grunge) explains, that the color was a political statement, relating to the mistreatment of fellow Asian immigrants from Bruce Lee in the USA.
According to Andre Morgan, a producer who worked with Bruce Lee on The Game of Death, the reasoning behind choosing the yellow jumpsuit had far more to do with pragmatic filming goals than a political statement. (South China Morning Post, 2015)
“The truth, however, is much simpler, as is usually the case with these sorts of things.“, did he declare. During filming, Bruce Lee indeed had the choice between a yellow or black tracksuit. In the script, there was a scene in which Lee’s opponent, played by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, was supposed to kick him in the chest, leaving an imprint there to show the impact. The team decided that the print would be difficult to see on a black suit, so they chose yellow.
“It was a clothing decision”, explained Morgan. “As simple as that.”
A DEEP CINEMATIC LEGACY
Whether the famous combination has a deeper meaning or not, after the death of Bruce Leeshe has become an important symbol in the history of martial arts cinema.
The original costume itself still exists, having been sold at auction in 2013 to an anonymous buyer for a staggering HK$780,000 (approximately 94,000 euros) and has inspired similar outfits in countless films, TV shows and video games, as Grunge explains (via Screenrant).
Arrow Films / Metropolitan Video
The most famous of these, of course, is the almost identical yellow tracksuit worn by Uma Thurman in Kill Bill, although Jacky Cheung wore a similar costume in the 1995 film Terror in Hong Kong with Jet Li, as did Taimak in The Last Dragon in 1985. The legendary outfit was also seen in Minions 2: Once upon a time Gru in 2022. Regardless, this yellow costume has been — and will continue to be — an important visual element of the lasting legacy of Bruce Lee.