Best Sonny Chiba introduction film to 1st time viewer?

[mpm74]

I've only seen bits and pieces of his films here and there. I want to finally watch one from beginning to end, but it's really important to me to start with one that will make me interested in watching more. (if i wanted someone to get into Bruce Li, I probably wouldn't recommend watching "Bruce vs Supermen" first). So, with that said, where do I start? What's the best introduction Sonny Chiba film to someone like me?

Here are the ones I own:

(I realize that some of these are not all "his" starring movies, but just listing what I have)

G.I. Samurai (aka Time Slip)

Ninja Wars (aka Black Magic Wars)

Legend of the Eight Samurai

Resurrection of Golden Wolf

Bullet Train

Golgo 13

Dragon Princess

The Bodyguard

Karate Warriors

Sister Street Fighter

[Jesse Smooth]

I've only seen bits and pieces of his films here and there. I want to finally watch one from beginning to end, but it's really important to me to start with one that will make me interested in watching more. (if i wanted someone to get into Bruce Li, I probably wouldn't recommend watching "Bruce vs Supermen" first). So, with that said, where do I start? What's the best introduction Sonny Chiba film to someone like me?

Here are the ones I own:

(I realize that some of these are not all "his" starring movies, but just listing what I have)

G.I. Samurai (aka Time Slip)

Ninja Wars (aka Black Magic Wars)

Legend of the Eight Samurai

Resurrection of Golden Wolf

Bullet Train

Golgo 13

Dragon Princess

The Bodyguard

Karate Warriors

Sister Street Fighter

I would recommend KILLING MACHINE, KARATE WARRIORS and the OYAMA trilogy.

[KUNG FU BOB]

KILLING MACHINE is definitely the best one to start with. And as Jesse said, the Oyama trilogy...

#1 KARATE BULLFIGHTER

#2 KARATE BEARFIGHTER

#3 KARATE FOR LIFE

... are all great. But for me, despite the shaky camera and sometimes bad angles during fights, THE STREETFIGHTER is THE Sonny Chiba movie! And as Wigsplitta once pointed out, if you watch THE STREETFIGHTER and THE RETURN OF THE STREETFIGHTER back to back as a double feature/one long movie... well, it's pretty much Japanese karate exploitation movie bliss!

[66 Mantis]

The Executioner is my favorite Chiba film with The Streetfighter in close second. Those are the two I'd start with.

I'm also one of the few who really liked Executioner 2, but I wouldn't in any way start with that one!

[Yakuza954]

I would start with The Street Fighter. Chiba's first big hit and it's still his iconic role to this day. Also, I know someone who showed his mom The Street Fighter and she loved it. If the first non-porn to get a X-rating can get that kinda reaction, then there's no way I can't recommend it.

[One Armed Boxer]

I would go with 'The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift'...:

Jokes, like most other people have mentioned, I'd go with 'The Streetfighter' and it's sequel, and for me personally I would also check out 'Return of Sister Streetfighter' for a nice double team with Etsuko Shihomi.

Sonny Chiba get's a lot of love on this forum, and rightfully so, but I think it's important to go into his movies with the right mindset. When I first got into the martial arts movie scene I practically gorged myself on the movies of Jackie, Sammo, Jet, etc., and I always noticed Chiba's name was mentioned in the same posts as these guys when talking about great screen martial artists.

As you can imagine only being used to the intensive & intricate style of HK choreography....my initial reaction after watching 'The Streetfighter' was something along the lines of "What the hell was that?". Something that I've noticed a few other people on the forum have posted similar reactions too in the past, only to be greeted by replies consisting of comments like "You need help if you didn't enjoy this!" & "Are you saw it was the right movie you watched?".

The fact is Japanese karate choreography from the 70's is exploitation first and quality second, the movies are almost more about attitude, which they have in spades, than the fighting which is on display....which is normally filmed by someone who looks like they've just spent most of the day knocking back saki and is attempting to stay on 2 feet, while they're often set to wild 70's funk or psychadelic sounding music.

When I watched 'The Streetfighter' movies for a second time, I appreciated the bad ass attitude of them 100% more than when I first watched them under a completely wrong preconception, so I think it will serve people well to know what to expect when getting into the 70's Japanese karate scene.

On a sidenote, you may get even more responses if this is moved to the 'Japanese' section of the forum, which is where it should probably be.

[Jesse Smooth]

I would go with 'The Fast & the Furious: Tokyo Drift'...:

Jokes, like most other people have mentioned, I'd go with 'The Streetfighter' and it's sequel, and for me personally I would also check out 'Return of Sister Streetfighter' for a nice double team with Etsuko Shihomi.

Sonny Chiba get's a lot of love on this forum, and rightfully so, but I think it's important to go into his movies with the right mindset. When I first got into the martial arts movie scene I practically gorged myself on the movies of Jackie, Sammo, Jet, etc., and I always noticed Chiba's name was mentioned in the same posts as these guys when talking about great screen martial artists.

As you can imagine only being used to the intensive & inticate style of HK choreography....my initial reaction after watching 'The Streetfighter' was something along the lines of "What the hell was that?". Something that I've noticed a few other people on the forum have posted similar reactions too in the past, only to be greeted by replies consisting of comments like "You need help if you didn't enjoy this!" & "Are you saw it was the right movie you watched?".

The fact is Japanese karate choreography from the 70's is exploitation first and quality second, the movies are almost more about attitude, which they have in spades, than the fighting which is on display....which is normally filmed by someone who looks like they've just spent most of the day knocking back saki and is attempting to stay on 2 feet, while they're often set to wild 70's funk or psychadelic sounding music.

When I watched 'The Streetfighter' movies for a second time, I appreciated the bad ass attitude of them 100% more than when I first watched them under a completely wrong preconception, so I think it will serve people well to know what to expect when getting into the 70's Japanese karate scene.

On a sidenote, you may get even more responses if this is moved to the 'Japanese' section of the forum, which is where it should probably be.

Very good point. Its also a good idea to remember that karate in itself is a wee bit different than kung fu.

[Takuma]

Yes. You have to understand the mindset in karate and kung fu choreography is different. Kung fu movies focus on long fights and almost athletic performances, while karate films emphasize power and intensity. Karate films are similar to samurai films in the sense that every blow could be deadly.

Some kung fu fans don't get much out of karate films because the fights are short. Personally, I tend to have the opposite problem, with some old school kung fu films boring me because the fights go on forever and the fighters seem like they are completely powerless. With karate films you know the fights will be short, so every kick is like a penalty kick in football - could end your life.

And like mentioned before, karate films lived their prime time during the 70's, which was a very exploitative era in Japanese cinema (just like it was in the US cinema). So there would always be plenty on graphic violence plus random chicks getting their tits out. Chiba was, while a karate master, above all a badass, the baddest motherfucker on the planet!

The Street Fighter is the most legendary Chiba-film, but for a karate fan I think The Killing Machine and Karate Bearfighter are the most rewarding movies.

[One Armed Boxer]

Kung fu movies focus on long fights and almost athletic performances, while karate films emphasize power and intensity.

Exactly, screen fighting HK style is rooted in the Peking opera style, so the flair and acrobatic touches that are common place in most old school kung-fu movies are unique to the territory.

People who enjoy kung-fu movies may not necessarily be the same people that enjoy karate movies.

With karate films you know the fights will be short, so every kick is like a penalty kick in football - could end your life.

Wow, a penalty kick that could end your life, now that I have to see! (sorry, couldn't resist!)

Chiba was, while a karate master, above all a badass, the baddest motherfucker on the planet!

Bingo.

[Takuma]

Wow, a penalty kick that could end your life, now that I have to see! (sorry, couldn't resist!)

That's cause you never saw Sonny Chiba do a penalty kick. The goal keeper had to be identified from dental records...

This is pure geniusness: Sonny Chiba x Johann Strauss II:

"I put together some clips of Sonny Chiba with Walts music. It seemed to match"

The reaction shot by Reiko Ike (at 0:39) is priceless

[ShaOW!linDude]

Streetfighter!

STREETFIGHTER!

STREETFIGHTER!

Oh, and I recommend Soul Of Chiba, too.

[wigsplitta]

That's cause you never saw Sonny Chiba do a penalty kick. The goal keeper had to be identified from dental records...

This is pure geniusness: Sonny Chiba x Johann Strauss II:

"I put together some clips of Sonny Chiba with Walts music. It seemed to match"

The reaction shot by Reiko Ike (at 0:39) is priceless

Ha ha ha. Brilliant!

My fav has got to be The Street Fighter (singular - there is no need to add Return of the Street Fighter because like Kung Fu Bob said already, I simply view them as one long and very cool film that must be watched in one sitting!)

Karate Warriors is also very good, and i'll ditto everyone else on The Killing Machine and Oyama Trilogy

mpm74 - May I please request that once you have watched some Chiba-San films, you kindly take the following quiz.....

http://www.flixster.com/quizzes/the-street-fighter-sonny-chiba

Obviously, any score of less than 100% will result in Tsurugi coming over to your house and giving you a badass beating!

[mpm74]

Thanks for the comments guys. Read every single one. Appreciate it. =D

wigsplitta: I got to the 2nd question and pretty much failed, no use finishing it. I'll be waiting for Tsurugi with a gun.

[dionbrother]

I would recommend THE EXECUTIONER. Sort of a proto-LUCKY STARS movie with more raunch and Chiba's best fight scenes (no handheld camera nonsense that plagues many of his 70s production).

[Takuma]

The Executioner films are like medicine. I broke up with a girlfriend and re-watched both films, and immediately felt better. No kidding

I like the second one even better than the first. While not much of a karate film, it's totally nuts, one of those Teruo Ishii angst classics. The guy was never keen on making a karate film, so he made the first film very trashy. To his great misfortune it was a hit, and Toei had him make a sequel. That's why the sequel turned out 100% mental insanity

[ChineseSausage]

My suggestion is The Street Fighter. It captures Sonny Chiba's bad-ass character and traits, and that's undoubtedly one of the main reasons why we watch his films. KILLING MACHINE is another good choice. Too bad I only have a grainy VHS to DVD fullscreen version of the film.

Cheers!

[makone]

killing machine, streetfighter trilogy and oyama trilogy.

just watched doberman cop for the first time, thought it was pretty good.

[Takuma]

Here's a couple of awesome old school trailers:

The Street Fighter

537MurkV2uU

Karate Bullfighter

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And French trailer for The Killing Machine:

http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x1ptnm_shaolin-karate-norifumi-suzuki-trai_shortfilms

And in case someone's still wondering whether Chiba is a tough guy in real life...

Chiba holds black belts in the following martial arts:

Ninjutsu - 4th Dan

Goju-ryu karate - 2nd Dan

Judo - 2nd Dan

Kendo - 1st Dan

Shorinji Kempo - 1st Dan

Kyokushin karate - 4th Dan

- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sonny_Chiba

[bigscore]

I remember Sonny's 1st movie was rated "X" for violence in the USA..

[sifu iron perm]

Subs

[KUNG FU BOB]

Subs

The STREETFIGHTER trilogy is available subtitled with it's original Japanese soundtrack as a boxed set from the UK. But honestly, the first and second film have classic English dubbing, with great, appropriate voice acting, and are among the few films that I think are much better dubbed. Give them a shot man.

And where's mpm74, the man who started the thread two years ago? Did you watch any of these recommendations? What did you think bro?

[sifu iron perm]

The STREETFIGHTER trilogy is available subtitled with it's original Japanese soundtrack as a boxed set from the UK. But honestly, the first and second film have classic English dubbing, with great, appropriate voice acting, and are among the few films that I think are much better dubbed. Give them a shot man.

And where's mpm74, the man who started the thread two years ago? Did you watch any of these recommendations? What did you think bro?

I have all 3 but all in jap and eng subs. I will need to cop the eng dub versions as recommended.

But yo..the Uncle (of the oil- heiress) Sensei dude is classic (streetfighter 1), his voice tone is beyond glory!

btw "subs" as in subscribing to this thread..lol all good.

[Tosh]

SOUL OF CHIBA!!!!

Now if we can get a widescreen remastered dvd of this I'd be a happy man!

Time to go hook the electrodes up:xd:

[GOLDEN DRAGON YIN-YANG]

Funny in all these years of watching "kung fu movies" I never saw The Street Fighter or any of Chiba's Karate movies.

I have watched and enjoyed all of Chiba's Samurai and Ninja movies.

If I recall he directed a few of them during that era of his career.

So I guess at some point its time to view 'early' Chiba.

GD Y-Y

[Takuma]

If I recall he directed a few of them during that era of his career.

He has only directed two films: Yellow Fangs (1990) and Oyaji (2007).

He did work on the action choreography in some of his films, though.

So I guess at some point its time to view 'early' Chiba.

I know this is not what you meant, but speaking of early, Chiba did a lot of action films with Kinji Fukasaku in the early 60's... Most people don't know he was a major star already before he started making karate films.