5 comments about The Street Fighter.

1. Sonny Chiba really stretches it across the screen. The faces he makes! The story is that simple/complex gangster/spaghetti western fare, but this film is beautiful to look at. Great closeups, interiors and settings from Tokyo streets to woodsy sun-dappled river banks to oil tankers. Some creepy and outrageous side character/yakuza keep you on your toes as well. All that with a lotta red splatter and a killer soundtrack make this a classic. The DVD has a quiz at the end that is pretty dumb.



2. this movie stars sonny chiba. it is an old movie. not the jean claude van damme version.



3. 'The Street Fighter' isn't one of the classier or more elegant martial arts films, but it's a lotta fun. The fight choreography obviously isn't as complicated or polished as you'd see in more modern films, or even some of the better films of the time, but it's still pretty cool. That, and Chiba's gots real charisma and presence, and is a very solid (...)hero. That's about all you need as far as character is concerned, in this sorta film. This film was infamously violent at it's release, and while this is gonna fade a lot over 30 years, some of the violence here is pretty amusing and impressive. I can imagine people falling out of there chairs while watching the (...) scene 30 years ago. In fact, I could imagine that happening to me now, if I hadn't known about it before hand. The vomit-punch is pretty nasty, too. That, and it just generally has a level of intensity and brutality lacking from most kung-fu films. (Note the scene where Terry breaks one dude's arm three times, right in a row. Painful stuff) The film does take a while to get going, as there is relatively little fighting in the first half of the film, but whaddya expect. It can't all be fighting. (And, some movies try to have too much fighting, which occasionally becomes more tedious and repetitious than just having everyone sit around.) And if avoids the common pitfall of having the neverending 1 on 1 duel. If two characters fight for more than 4 minutes, it's almost guaranteed to get boring. Fortunately, Terrry usually has to fight groups of opponents, which is the real way to go.
   
   Yeah, I'm done. Very entertaining movie.
   
   Grade: B-



4. I agree with the previous reviewer. Terry Tsurugi is one of the most memorable and enjoyable martial arts characters ever. He's an anti-hero, not a smiling do-gooder. He helps break a guy out of jail, and when the man's brother and sister can't pay up, he throws the brother out the window and sells the sister into Hong Kong prostitution! Chiba's fighting style is unique. Whereas Bruce Lee fought with his trademark high pitched battle cry, Chiba does a strange deep breathing as a prelude to the painful punishment he's about unleash. Chiba uses a strange karate technique with some kung fu influences. It's not nearly as fluid and elegant and Bruce's, in fact a lot of his hand motions are kinda weird and awkward, but he gets the job done. And how! Oh, the plot? The Yakuza and the Chinese Mafia have teamed up with Western gangster's in order to force a deceased millionaire magnate's daughter to sign operations over to them. Terry switches sides and there is plenty of pain to be felt. Arm-breakings, eyeball-pokings, sword-snappings, throat-rippings and vomit-inducing punches, etc. The sequel, Street Fighter's Last Revenge, is also recommened. Fans seem to like it less than this one, but I found the action scenes to be superior.



5. If you like Kung Fu movies with the whacky sound effects and over the top facial expressions, this is definately up your alley.
   
   The star of this flick is a "Ninja for Hire" of sorts. In the beginning of the movie he is hired to save a dude from the hangman's noose. He does an ancient technique to slow the heart and and stop the breathing of the inmate. So when the criminal is about to be hung, he appears to have a heart attack. Now get this. The yare about to HANG this guy, but since they think he has a heart attack, they send him to the HOSPITAL!!! To cover this buffonnery, the warden simply says 'It is the code."
   
   Well the brother and sister that hired him to save their brother from the gallows, cannot pay him, so of course a fight breaks out. The sister is pretty hot and I only wish she did more high kicks. Unfortunatly the brother has bad timing. He attempts a leaping cobra front kick, but instead of hitting his target (his opponent's chest), he strikes the window and goes right through. Too bad they were at least 20 stories up.
   
   This movie has a few scenes of people falling to their deaths with a nice, rich, red colored paint oozing from their heads.
   
   This ninja man is bad to the bone and kills about 200 people in this movie. The only person he cannot beat is an overweight Karate teacher. The Ninja decides then that he wants to help a deceased billionaire's daughter. He decides to do this 'because I hate punks'.
   
   So the rest of the movie is fighting, fighting, and a little more fighting. This movie follows the old school rules. If you are the hero and you are surrounded by 30 bad guys, they will only attack one at a time. It is best that way anyway. If you fought everybody at once, the camera could not concentrate on each victim. Who would want to miss a dude getting punched in the stomach so hard that a pint of creamed corn comes out of his mouth?? I thought it was a nice touch.
   
   The ninja man has a sidekick, but he meets his doom on a motorcycle atthe hands of a bling swordsman.
   
   The evil chick who masterminds the kidnapping plot is really hot, and likes to play Russian roulette on other people. She get's killed, but unfortunatly, she dies at the hands of the ninja behind an overturned couch, so we do not get to see her 'Death Howl'.
   
   What I liked best about this flick is the dude's facial expressions. Half the movie is close-ups of his deep breathing and opened mouth scowls. There are also plenty of grunts, howls, and 'aaaauugghhhhssss'. His face is pretty talented and can twist and turn many different ways.

No comments about Mastering Jujitsu Volume 2.

No comments about The Ultimate Self Defense Techniques.

2 comments about Shogun's Shadow: The Sonny Chiba Collection.

1. the film starts out ok, as a saturday-morning action flick which is decent. unfortunately about halfway through the film i guess they said the heck with it and just went full-blown into full-on cheesiness. horrible pop music, horrible special effects, really it goes from an average period/action film to just unwatchable. first half of movie- 2 and a half stars
   second half- 0 stars



2. Originally titled "Geki Totsu: The Insanity of Emperor Iemitsu Gekitosu", "Shogun's Shadow" is a non-stop action film featuring Kyokushinkai master Sonny Chiba. This film is based on the true story of a shogun who sends his army, led by an assassin (played by Chiba), to kill his eldest son and make way for his younger son to be the next shogun.
   
   Ogata Ken is the hero who leads a band of renegade ronin who escort the shogun's son to a meeting at Edo castle. His swordsmanship is a certainly match for Chiba's and the duel between them is very exciting to watch. Both are quick and skillful.
   
   The incorporation of Chinese martial arts in this Japanese film adds another dimension, thanks to Hu Jianqiang, who plays the mute guide. A former all-around national champion of China, Hu also did some of the choreography, performed by members of Chiba's Japan Action Club. Generally, Japanese martial artists don't have much respect for Chinese martial artists, but Hu is an exception and is highly regarded by the Japanese martial arts community because of his strong gongfu.
   
   As in most Asian martial arts films from the 70's and 80's, the cast performed their own stunts; some of them quite death-defying.
   
   This film is probably not good for children as several horses are injured and possible killed during the making of it.

No comments about Water Style Boxing Vol.2.

1 comments about Advantage: Flicks with Kicks.

1. What a great deal rarescope has put together here. I wanted to get the word out on this 10-pack since it's so cheap. I will give each movie a rating followed by a brief comment.
   
   
   
   SHOWDOWN AT THE COTTONMILL 4.5/5- one of the best indy flicks I've ever seen. Chi Kuan Chun is amazing in this, and Dorian Tan's footwork is some of the best he's ever done. And it's very rare to see Dorian Tan as a villain. So way to go Rarescope! Anyone who owns the only previously known version of this movie knows how truly great this DVD is.
   
   FACE BEHIND THE MASK 4/5- an allstar cast in this wuxia. Good fights, cool weapons, and a pretty good story. You can't go wrong.
   
   SHAOLIN VS NINJA 3.5/5- ninja craziness from Robert Tai. Very intricate choreography in all of the fights.
   
   SHAOLIN VS TAI CHI 3.5/5- decent movie with a great final fight.
   
   DREAM SWORD 3.5/5- kind of a confusing wuxia, but really cool action with Lung Fei handling an axe to perfection.
   
   THE LOST SWORDSHIP 3.5/5- not some of the best action you will ever see, but still pretty good. The best thing about this movie is the story and the comedy. Very good overall movie.
   
   NINJAS AND DRAGONS 3/5- if you like a little bit of weird with your kung fu, this is for you. Other than the weirdness this movie is average at best. It gets bonus points for the midget and witch duo.
   
   SWORD NAMED REVENGE 1.5/5- if you can figure out the story in this movie, you should win an award or something.
   
   CHINESE GODFATHER 1.5/5- I don't think I have ever seen a worse movie with Chan Wai Man in the lead role. I couldn't help but feel sorry for everyone involved.
   
   DUEL OF KARATE 1.5/5- ugh, only watch this to get a few laughs from the main villain flying around like Superman. The fights are extremely weak.
   
   
   
   
   Picture quality is fine on all the movies, just don't expect it to be really good. All movies are widescreen, and all are letterboxed or pretty close to it, expect for Dream Sword which has the least amount of picture out of the 10 movies.

1 comments about Old School Killaz (Set One).

1. YOUNG HERO OF SHAOLIN 1 and 2 (1975-76) follow folk-hero Fong Sai-Yuk as he grows into adulthood, studies Shaolin kung fu, and eventually, in one of the most incredible martial lion dances ever to be screened, thwarts the enemies of Shaolin.
   
   JADE DAGGER NINJA (1979), kung fu killers vie for the possession of the most prized martial arts treasure of all--the purple jade badger.
   
   THE SILVER SPEAR (1979) is a cult classic revolving around the titular weapon, the most feared combat tool in the land.
   
   I liked this collection.. not the best transfers but what do you expect in a pack?

1 comments about Legends of the Poisonous Seductress #3: Okatsu the Fugitive.

1. This is a great samurai (chambara/jidai-geki) film, filled with loads of swordplay, villainy, and heroism. I'm quite confused as to why the film distributors labeled this film as "pinky violence." Those seeking "pinky violence" will be quite disappointed, as this film is no more "pinky violence" than any of a score of regular samurai films.
   
   The hero of this film is a samurai swordswoman on the path of revenge to avenge the death of her parents by corrupt clan members. Miyazono Junko is fabulous as the expert swordswoman O-Katsu. After her parents' torture and deaths, she wanders the countryside seeking vengeance and, on the way, uses her flashing sword to save helpless people from various villains. Great film, especially for those (such as myself) who are tired from the weeping, wafting, helpless females that infect too many films all over the world. O-Katsu provides an example of a strong woman who can take care of herself as she seeks righteousness.

5 comments about Kill and Kill Again.

1. I remembered this movie from daytime HBO in the early 80s. I was on a forum and we were discussing favorite martial arts movies, and I suddenly remembered this "classic". A poor man's(dirt poor, bordering on destitute) version of Enter the Dragon, it has average martial arts until the very end, when there are a couple of good scenes in the final arena battles. When I saw that it was on DVD, I immediately ordered it. The movie was just like I remembered it, and it is worth the $10. However, the print of the film is very poor, with certain parts very grainy or dark. The character of "Gorilla" played by Ken Grampu has no distinguishable facial characteristics at times. There isn't even a menu on the disc - both the quality of the disc and the quality of the print make it like you are watching a 20 year-old VHS tape. Plus, there's a picture on the back of the DVD case with two women (one of them with her shirt open and black censor circles over her nipples) that isn't even in the movie. By all means get it if you remember this campy classic and your VHS has worn out. My one star rating on this is for the DVD itself, not the movie.



2. This is one of the best cheesy movies of all time. James Ryan plays world Karate champion Steve Chase and he has to rescue a scientist. The scientist's daughter comes along and Steve gathers all his crazy friends for the mission. That is really all that needs to be said about the story. The great thing about this movie is the extreme corniness. The villain's voice is beyond classic, the dialogue should have won an Oscar, there are really too many good things to say about this, you just have to see it. The action is not great, but not bad. Some of the karate moves are very good and the tournament scene is AWESOME. The stunt double for James Ryan also enhances the action. 4/5 The DVD from Liberty International Entertainment is sadly full screen and the picture quality is not bad, but too dark in some scenes.



3. All the previous reviews hit the nail on the head when talking about the campiness of this flick. It rolls up Enter The Dragon, Magnificent Seven and {Insert any Steven Seagal movie here} for the cheesy plot of a kidnapped professor who has created an alternative fuel source from taters {which is also a powerful mind control drug} and must be saved by a band of kung-fu good guys.
   
   I wanted to second the notion that the DVD version of this film is as good as the VHS version. There are literally no special features and no care taken to create this DVD. The producers of this DVD version did NOT digitally remaster this film; it was simply transferred into a digital video format.
   
   If you really want to see this film, pick up the VHS copy for $5 - $10 and do not get rooked into paying $30 - $40 for the DVD. This flick is worth the view, but since the quality is the same on either format, save your money and go old school.
   
   {Quick note: I found my copy in a Value City bargain DVD bin for a $1.99 a couple years back. I suggest checking those cheap-o bins; sometimes you can find nuggets of DVD joy in the unlikeliest of places. Just don't expect the version you find to be Criterion quality.}



4. James Ryan, a blatant Bruce Lee wannabe, stars in one of the best "so bad it's good" martial arts flicks of all time. I remember this thing being on late-night cable in the early 1980s constantly, and I'm here to tell you it's just as hammy and over-the-top as you remember it. Ryan and a bunch of middle-age posers (who seem to think they actually ARE martial artists) race to save the world from an evil madman bent on enslaving the planet with his mind-control serum. Of particular interest is the scene where Ryan stops a fired bullet from killing someone by jumping through the air and intercepting the bullet with a handheld 3" x 3" steel plate. Oh yes, it's THAT ridiculous!



5. Kill and Kill Again (Ivan Hall, 1981)
   
   There are some bad movies I love, and I can't justify my love of them in any way save pure nostalgia. Kill and Kill Again, a movie I was obsessed with throughout my teen years, is one of them. It is, I believe, the first martial arts movie I ever saw; while I have seen many since, some worse, most better, this one holds a spot in my heart that nothing will ever replace.
   
   Steve Chase (James Ryan) is a martial arts superstar who is called upon by the beautiful, deadly Kandy Kane (Anneline Kriel) to save her father from the clutches of the evil Marduk (Michael Mayer), who is planning on releasing a mind-control drug (developed by Kane's father) into the American water supply. Of course, Marduk has leaked all this in order to attract Chase, so he can pit Chase up against his own pet martial arts champion, Optumis (Eddie Dorie). Chase gets together a team of fighters, and off they go to save the world.
   
   It's astoundingly bad, even more so than I remembered. The script is derivative, the acting wooden, the plot convoluted and manipulative. And yet it's a stupidly fun movie to watch, one I could (and have, at many points in my life) see again and again without it ever getting old. Though I grant you, if you didn't first see it when you were young and impressionable, I doubt it will hold the same magic for you. **

3 comments about Sonny Chiba Double Feature: Fighting Fist & Soul of Chiba.

1. The greatest movie in the history of film.
   Makes Citizen Kane look like a bad 70's martial arts movie.
   Sonny Chiba is god like.
   p.s.
   I am not insane.



2. I borrowed this from a friend and I only watched Soul of Chiba. He warned me that Fighting Fist is a horrible movie, so I passed on it.
   
   Soul of Chiba is a very strange movie. The info on hkmdb says it's from 1973, but that's really hard to believe. I would guess 76. The action is jaw dropping. Sonny Chiba is in his physical prime and has a few great fight scenes. The story is really bad. Chiba is looking for the man who killed his master. The villain is played by Luk Chuen, who is probably more famous for his fight choreography on movies like Killer Constable. Chiba uses this weird electric shock device seen on the cover of the DVD to enhance his fighting skills. He is also a drug addict and stuffs the white stuff in his mouth the whole movie. Bronson Lee, Bolo and Shiomi Etsuko round out the rest of the cast. Bronson and Bolo have a really awesome fight at the end of the movie. I wasn't expecting that. Bronson Lee seems like he could tear people up in real life, but on screen he just doesn't look that good. His movie fighting style reminds me of Dragon Lee. And I don't know for sure, but I think his name is a cross between Charles Bronson and Bruce Lee. Anyways, he has an amazing fight with Bolo, and along with a few other really good fights, that's the only reason why this movie is worth watching. I know a certain someone who enjoyed Sun Dragon, and I liked the fights in Soul of Chiba even more. So get it!
   
   3/5
   
   There is a Japanese and an English version included. The Japanese version is about 5 minutes longer, but the English version has way better picture quality. And in the English version Bolo sounds like he's puking the whole time in his fight scene. Hilarious.



3. Shinichi (Sonny) Chiba fans certainly ought to be singing BCI's praises, as they have released a great many of his films in the last couple of years. The two films in this set are particularly uncommon, and, compared to some others, are mediocre at best. SOUL OF BRUCE LEE is a real Frankenstein job, as it is a German print with a soundtrack that jumps back and forth. The English dialogue track sounds a bit muddy and switches at times to a sharper-sounding track for some of the fight scenes. The film itself is no great shakes, but features some pretty lively fights with Chiba and others. A Japanese-language print is also included. FIGHTING FIST is a Japanese-language print (with no onscreen title) which has some videotape artifacts, but is otherwise OK. This cops-vs-gangsters outing was directed by Chiba, who also plays a small role; most fans will be disappointed that he's not in the film to speak of, but FIGHTING FIST is not too bad. It does contain some graphic violence, and is a better production than SOUL, which generally seems like a typical cheesy kung-fu title with Chiba thrown into the mix. All things considered, I don't regret buying this, but don't expect Chiba classics here. I hope BCI releases a nice box set of the STREET FIGHTER films; although they are very common on budget DVDs, BCI would do it up right.