It was Bruce Lee's idea, as was the original Kung Fu series. And like Kung Fu, David Carradine ended up with Lee's role. Four roles, actually. (Although with CoI, Lee couldn't do it, having died before he got to it.) The setting changed from Lee's original story. And that script, which he wrote with actor James Coburn and Stirling Silliphant (who got an Oscar for his screenplay of the old movie In the Heat of the Night), is on the dvd!
It was originally in a somewhat contemporary Japan, Thailand, and Morocco, but the movie is in "a land that never was - and always is." It's about - and what I'm about to tell you is revealed in the first several minutes, so don't worry about spoilers 
- a martial artist named Cord (played by Jeff Cooper), who is attempting to find and read the Book of Zetan, which he has heard "...contains all the wisdom of the world." He goes through different trials, physical and non-, meeting a cast of odd and interesting folks, before finally attaining his goal.Zetan is played by Christopher Lee. Roddy McDowall runs the martial arts tournament that opens the movie. Eli Wallach has a hilarious scene.
The movie is funny, great on the philosophy, was shot is some gorgeous settings, has music that is beautiful and atmospheric, and has some decent fights. Not great fights, but pretty good. It's also surreal at several points, which only adds to the whole package for me.
So go get it!
