Sonny Chiba Mega Review Thread

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Hokuriku Proxy War (Japan, 1977) [35mm] - 4/5
This would be one of Fukasaku's best movies if it wasn't for the inconsistent tone. The problem is Ko Nishimura and Hana Hajime overdoing their cowardly boss roles to a comedic effect, an example of Fukasaku's trademark authority hate materializing as comic goofiness instead of nihilism. It's a shame as the film is otherwise terrific with chaotic violence as shocking as ever, another mother fucker score by Toshiaki Tsushima, and most importantly the snowy Hokuriku locations as a truly freezing backdrop for the action. Hiroki Matsukata is great as a psychotic, opportunistic yakuza (based on real life Kawauchi-gumi leader Hiroshi Kawauchi) and Sonny Chiba appears briefly as an Osaka yakuza boss (based on gangster Jiro Yanagawa). Chiba has two or three scenes, though his mullet is the most memorable part of his appearance. Tsunehiko Watase was also cast, but replaced by Goro Ibuki after he suffered a car accident on the snowy roads during filming. The film was Fukasaku's swansong for the jitsuroku genre (Sadao Nakajima put of a few more in '78 and '79). The same year also saw the final Toei entries in the karate and pinky violence genres. The end of an era.

* Original title: Hokuriku dairi senso (北陸代理戦争)
* Director: Kinji Fukasaku
* Chiba's role: Minor supporting role
* Film availability: Toei DVD (Japan) (no subs)







Chiba

[Jason C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jason C]

Hokuriku Proxy War (Japan, 1977) [35mm] - 4/5
This would be one of Fukasaku's best movies if it wasn't for the inconsistent tone. The problem is Ko Nishimura and Hana Hajime overdoing their cowardly boss roles to a comedic effect, an example of Fukasaku's trademark authority hate materializing as comic goofiness instead of nihilism. It's a shame as the film is otherwise terrific with chaotic violence as shocking as ever, another mother fucker score by Toshiaki Tsushima, and most importantly the snowy Hokuriku locations as a truly freezing backdrop for the action. Hiroki Matsukata is great as a psychotic, opportunistic yakuza (based on real life Kawauchi-gumi leader Hiroshi Kawauchi) and Sonny Chiba appears briefly as an Osaka yakuza boss (based on gangster Jiro Yanagawa). Chiba has two or three scenes, though his mullet is the most memorable part of his appearance. Tsunehiko Watase was also cast, but replaced by Goro Ibuki after he suffered a car accident on the snowy roads during filming. The film was Fukasaku's swansong for the jitsuroku genre (Sadao Nakajima put of a few more in '78 and '79). The same year also saw the final Toei entries in the karate and pinky violence genres. The end of an era.

* Original title: Hokuriku dairi senso (北陸代理戦争)
* Director: Kinji Fukasaku
* Chiba's role: Minor supporting role
* Film availability: Toei DVD (Japan) (no subs)

Couldn't agree more. Those characters ruin what are some amazing films.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Couldn't agree more. Those characters ruin what are some amazing films.

Battles without Honor and Humanity has this problem with Nobuo Kaneko's character. He's not only irritating, but also makes Sugawara's character look laughable, which really takes me away from the film.

Thankfully Fukasaku also made humor free yakuza pictures, like Graveyard of Honor and Hiroshima Death Match. I really wanted Hokuriku to be one of them.

Japanese mainstream audiences may beg to disagree. When I saw Hokuriku at National Film Archive a few moths ago with a packed audience, they were loving the comedy bits.

And I also do think the humor did work in some of Fukasaku's pictures. Cops vs. Thugs has the great scene in the beginning with gangster Matsukata taking calls at the police station when no one is looking after him. Takuzo Kawatani gets a pass from me these days in almost any film, too - I've come to love the dude.

[Randy G Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Randy G]

I watched all the Fukasaku yakuza films in a binge so they kinda blur but I recall digging Proxy War. The music and action scenes were amazing.

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

I watched all the Fukasaku yakuza films in a binge so they kinda blur but I recall digging Proxy War. The music and action scenes were amazing.

https://youtu.be/Pysc9r83_Ro?t=2400

By Toshiaki Tsushima. He scored pretty much all of Fukasaku's films + several others. Just a few picks:

The Delinquent Girl Boss series
The Battles without Honor and Humanity series
The Street Fighter series

Street Mobster
Girl Boss Guerilla
Hokuriku Proxy War
Cops vs. Thugs
Yakuza Graveyard
Graveyard of Honor
Violent Panic: The Big Crash

[tetrapak Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close tetrapak]

Battles without Honor and Humanity has this problem with Nobuo Kaneko's character. He's not only irritating, but also makes Sugawara's character look laughable, which really takes me away from the film.

Thankfully Fukasaku also made humor free yakuza pictures, like Graveyard of Honor and Hiroshima Death Match. I really wanted Hokuriku to be one of them.

Japanese mainstream audiences may beg to disagree. When I saw Hokuriku at National Film Archive a few moths ago with a packed audience, they were loving the comedy bits.

And I also do think the humor did work in some of Fukasaku's pictures. Cops vs. Thugs has the great scene in the beginning with gangster Matsukata taking calls at the police station when no one is looking after him. Takuzo Kawatani gets a pass from me these days in almost any film, too - I've come to love the dude.

I love Nobuo Kaneko in Battles... To me the comedy parts is one of the elements that makes old yakuza eiga so unique...

[Jason C Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Jason C]

Battles without Honor and Humanity has this problem with Nobuo Kaneko's character. He's not only irritating, but also makes Sugawara's character look laughable, which really takes me away from the film.

I assumed it was a cultural differences thing. I lost all respect for the men under Nobuo Kaneko's character, including Sugawara, for not putting a bullet in his head and taking over. Its not believable that those men would respect or be affliated with such a buffoon. Nor is it believable that Nobuo Kaneko's character would rise to power. Being a Yakuza boos isn't a birth rite.

I greatly enjoy Hiroshima Death Match. Its the final 3 "Battles" films I didn't care for. Cops vs Thugs is my favorite Yakuza film. Still need to give Graveyard of Honor a spin. Greatly looking forward to it.

[Keeth Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Keeth]

I received the Street Fighter set a month ago. Watched the orig. first immediately & finished the other two yesterday. I do not believe I had ever seen the 3rd before. It has its moments. I enjoyed all three in Japanese with subs. Really hope more of his films get released on Blu esp Karate Bear Fighter and Karate Bullfighter.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Iron Eagle III is coming to Blu-ray from Kino Lorber in Dec.

Not Chiba's finest moment, but still neat that it's coming out.

[Ian Jane Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close Ian Jane]

Not Chiba's finest moment, but still neat that it's coming out.

I watched this last night and that is an understatement. To be fair to Sonny, his part is poorly written and he has to deliver all of his lines in English, which is obviously not his first language. But yeah, wow. The movie is unintentionally funny in spots and entertaining enough if you're in the mood for mindless junk, but Sonny's character is such a bad cliche...

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

New Battles without Honor and Humanity: Boss's Head (Japan, 1975) [BD] - 4/5
Nothing but assholes for 93 minutes! Sugawara is a greedy bastard after his jail stint compensation money, which he's going to squeeze from a former friend gone miserable junkie Takashi Yamazaki when prick boss Ko Nishimura bails from his gang responsibilities... until slimy as motherfucker Mikio Narita begins scheming to make himself the new boss. The 1st New Battles had its standout scene with an intense restaurant encounter between Sugawara and Wakayama, here the comparable scene is with Sugawara and Narita's lover Yuriko Hishimi (absolutely stunning here, outdoing co-star Meiko Kaji) who is trying to make sure she's shagging the man who lives the longest. Also wait for Takuzo Kawatani as a raging police interrogator (a payback from Cops vs. Thugs where he was the punching bag in a near identical scene) and Sonny Chiba as a bartender (has approx. 7 seconds of screen time). The fantastic performances, Fukasaku's adrenaline shot direction, and the lack of comedic relief makes this the best of the New Battles.

* Original title: Shin jingi naki tatakai: Kumicho no kubi (新仁義なき戦い　組長の首)
* Director: Kinji Fukasaku
* Chiba's role: Cameo
* Film availability: Arrow BD

The caps below are from a VoD stream as I'm too lazy to try and cap em from my Arrow BD:

Narita


Hishimi




Kawatani strikes back!


Chiba!

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Judo for Life (Japan, 1963) [VoD] - 3/5
Sonny Chiba's first martial arts film, a partially fictionalized judo biopic based on prominent judoka Shiro Saigo (Chiba), the second student of judo founder Jigoro Kano (Naoki Sugiura). Akira Kurosawa's Sanshiro Sugata is based on the same character and shares some scenes, but Judo for Life focuses more on the martial arts philosophy and training, including scenes depicting how the protagonist learned his famous cat-like landing, coined the term judo, and trained with Tsunejiro Tomita (Hideo Mutota). There's also a slight yakuza film influence (Theatre of Life had came out just 1.5 months prior). The port street ambush scene is found in both films, but in Judo for Life it's not Kano but a travelling yakuza (Hideo Murata in a small supporting role) that jumps out of the rickshaw. Entertaining and beautifully old fashioned, one does however with there were more shades of gray between good and evil, and a stronger ninkyo-like moral / honour conflict. Also, the ending melee has Chiba play the second fiddle to his master and box office draw Murata, who is misleadingly given first billing in the film and advertising materials.

- Note 1: the film spun off from a TV series of the same name (1962-1964) that focused on Jigoro Kano. Chiba was not in the series.
- Note 2: typical to the era, the character names have been modified, e.g. Rigoro Kano = Jigoro Kano, Shiro Hongo = Shiro Saigo, Tsunejiro Toda = Tsunejiro Tomita etc.
- Note 3: a sequel followed in 1964.

* Original title: Judo ichidai (柔道一代)
* Director: Kiyoshi Saeki
* Chiba's role: Starring role
* Film availability: VoD (Japan) (no subtitles)



Young judo fighter Sonny Chiba encounters yakuza Hideo Murata on the street. The same scene appears in Sanshiro Sugata but without the yakuza character.


Chiba enters Kano's temple dojo.


Hongo (Saigo) learns his trademark cat-like movements from this stray cat. The same cat who witnessed Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris at Colosseum?


Hideo Murota as Kano's 1st student Tsunejiro Toda = Tsunejiro Tomita. Always confusing when you have Hideo Murota and Hideo Murata in the same film…


Training with master Kano


Hongo vs. old jijutsu master. The same scene is in Sanshiro Sugata


Yoshiko Sakuma as old jujutsu master's daughter Chiba falls in love with (but is too much of a gentleman to try any bedroom judo with). The character also appears in Sanshiro Sugata. Here in Murata's hands.


Rinichi Yamamoto as rogue assistant instructor who becomes the bad guy.


Final battle against a karate-monk.






Rare English language trailer, which like the film's poster and opening credits, gives Hideo Murata the top billing even though he only appears in maybe 4 or 5 scenes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bO0oIPkKreQ

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Hey, Clouds! (Japan, 1965) [VoD] - 3/5
Charmingly cute and old fashioned Toei youth film with a slight musical swing and myriad of family / romance relationships. There's the “Saijo family” with kids Jiro Okazaki, Ichiro Araki and Yoshiko Mita taking an initiative to pimp their single dad Isao Yamagata to the “Mishima family” mother Haruko Kato, who is a single parent to the super-cute daughters Chiyoko Honma and Fuemi Kashiyama. Okazaki is also friends with “Kuwabara family” rich kid Koji Ishizawa, who has begun suspecting his old man may have a bit more offspring than has been publicly announced. Perhaps the “Matsumiya orphans” Hiroyuki Ota and his sister Junko Fuji? And then, people start getting interested in patrilineage, falling in love, making friends etc. Thankfully there's human relationship MacGyver senpai Sonny Chiba popping up every 20 minutes, always saying the right words (or grabbing a man and lifting him in the air). An entertaining, if conservative youth film, oddly enough based on a 1965 novel by Shintaro Ishihara who was better known for his rebellious work e.g. Crazed Fruit. My guess is the material may (also) have gone through a bit of a transformation in Toei and director Masaharu Segawa's (Four Sisters) traditionally minded hands.

* Original title: Ooi kumo! (おゝい、雲！)
* Director: Masaharu Segawa
* Chiba's role: Small (but not that small) supporting role
* Film availability: VoD (Japan) (no subtitles)



The “Saijo family” kids Jiro Okazaki, Ichiro Araki and Yoshiko Mita


Hah, Jigoro Kano returns. Just joking. Naoki Sugiura with Araki (who btw has become of of my fav actors)


Mishima daughters Chiyoko Honma and Fuemi Kashiyama


Human relationship MacGyver Sonny Chiba


Chiba and Junko Fuji


“Matsumiya orphans” Hiroyuki Ota and Junko Fuji.


“Kuwabara family” rich kid Koji Ishizawa

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

A few words about the technical quality of the two Dragon Princess DVDs.

The BCI, which presents the English dubbed American cut of the film, is quite poor unfortunately. It's from a beaten print with pale colors and other issues.

The Toei dvd, which features no subtitles sadly, has 10 times better colors / brightness and is generally much better except for being really soft. However, if you sharpen the image artifically via your PC/TV/Player settings, the image gets a fair bit more pleasing without major side effects (and I'm not saying this as a "Toei fan" but as what I feel is an honest opinion). The film is certainly in a need of a better transfer, but for the time being the Toei DVD with some sharpening is easily the best way to view the film. Not to mention it's the original Japanese cut of the film.

Below is a comparison. BCI top, Toei Bottom.

A new master premiered on Toei Channel (TV).








A few more Toei Channel screencaps

[Takuma Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Takuma]

Toei will be releasing a Toei Action Film Collection with the Yakuza Deka films (4 movies) and the Yakuza Wolf films (2 movies) on DVD 2021/1/13. Oddly enough, it will be a single 3 disc set with two movies on each disc...

And yes, on DVD for heaven's sake! No BD! Despite all of these films streaming in HD on Amazon, and on TV in HD as well.

https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B08KK3CTZQ/