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R.I.P. Sonny Chiba

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  • R.I.P. Sonny Chiba

    Terrible news news: Sonny Chiba passed away today. He died from pneumonia caused by COVID-19. He had been hospitalized since August 8. He was 82 years old.
    - https://www.nikkansports.com/enterta...190001057.html
    - https://www.iwate-np.co.jp/article/oricon/2204126

    Sonny Chiba and Ken Takakura

  • #2
    goddamn it. :(

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    • #3
      Fuck no. RIP.
      I'm bitter, I'm twisted, James Joyce is fucking my sister.

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      • #4
        Chiba is my favourite actor of all time. I've seen more than 150 of his films. He was much more than just a karate film star, an endlessly inspiring actor who would make almost any film better with his sheer energy. A lot of his work from the 60s as well as TV work (including the incredible Yaguy Clan Conspiracy series which is even better than the Fukasaku film) is waiting to be discovered.

        I was lucky enough to meet him in Cinema Vera's 24 film Chiba retrospective back in 2014. He was energetic like a little boy, and at the same time modest and very grateful to fans. I got to ask him a question about Soul of Chiba (though he ended up asking me several questions in return), and later take a photo with him. But the nicest part was when Chiba was leaving the site and I was loitering in the corridor, he stopped by me to shake my hand and say “thank you for attending”. It only took 10 seconds of his time, but it was a really nice thing of him to do. Most big stars wouldn't have stopped.

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        • #5
          Awful news. What a legend. RIP
          "When I die, I hope to go to Accra"

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          • #6

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            • #7
              Damn. R.I.P.

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              • #8
                :( .
                "No presh from the Dresh!"

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                • #9
                  Viva Chiba! :(

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                  • #10
                    This is such a bummer… :(

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                    • #11
                      Incredibly sad to hear this news today.

                      Will hopefully get some more thoughtful response together later, but for now, it's just heart-breaking that a man who'd remained so vital and energetic throughout his life, hitting his eighth decade looking about twenty years younger, should suffer a miserable death from covid. Really brings home what a curse this f-ing virus really is.

                      R.I.P.
                      https://breakfastintheruins.blogspot.com/
                      http://stereosanctity.blogspot.com/

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                      • #12
                        He was phenomenal in just about everything he was in. An absolute legend, and I'm glad that we have the films to remember him by. RIP.

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                        • #13
                          I will miss him. Thanks for the great movies!

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                          • #14
                            While I like them very much, I'm probably not as much of an aficionado as the rest of you on the genre, but I will say Chiba's charisma enhanced any production he was in. I'll have to watch something of his in his honor (maybe one of the oddities, like WOLF GUY or LEGEND OF THE EIGHT SAMURAI).
                            VHS will never die!

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                            • #15
                              One of the legendary trio of cinema Martial Artists. Usually in the shadow of the more charismatic Jackie Chan and, of course, the lionized Bruce Lee, Chiba nonetheless made a huge impact on the screen.
                              I can't say I'm a huge fan of the genre, but, I enjoyed the heck out of seeing him on screen and Ric Meyers' kickass Kung Fu Extravanganza shows at San Diego's Comic Con always featured some prime Chiba.
                              RIP

                              Perhaps his most widely released Japanese film stateside was the STAR WARS knockoff - MESSAGE FROM SPACE.

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