Sonny Chiba Mega Review Thread

[whitesnake]

On 10/23/2017 at 9:20 PM, Takuma said:

Original title: Robotto keiji: gekijoban (ロボット刑事: 劇場版)

Mention the above series and I can't resist digging up the opening theme for the TV series, from one of the record collections of Japanese opening theme songs I was accumulating at the time - 

 

[Takuma]

I've been thinking I might check out the whole series some day if I have time. Toei has released it on dvd.

[Takuma]

Blazing Dragnet (Japan, 1975-1976) [TV] - 3/5
The third series in Sonny Chiba's mid-70s streak of action packed detective shows, following The Bodyguard (1974) and The Gorilla Seven (1975), all produced for NTV where Chiba had his on TV slot in 1974-1976. This follows the usual Japanese cop series pattern with a team of detectives as the focus, also utilized in the previous two shows, with a slight new twist. The detectives now belong to a secret mobile unit, all having dull day jobs (Chiba and Hayato Tani are office clerks, Shihomi and Gajiro Sato traffic officers) as a cover and just waiting for a call by boss Nobuo Kaneko to jump in a travel van and head where ever crime is taking place.

This is the least action packed of the four shows, investing more on decently written detective storylines, though there are occasional shootouts and karate kicks by Chiba and Shihomi. An entertaining show, easily better than The Gorilla Seven, despite ultimately underutilizing the mobile police concept and not featuring anything unforgettable. Chiba's beautiful theme is one of the show's assets, always restoring the viewer's hope even after a weaker episode as the song plays over end credit montage of Chiba wandering on city streets.  

* Original title: Moeru sosamo (燃える捜査網)
* Director: Various
* Chiba's role: Starring role
* Film availability: Toei DVD (no subs) (June 2018) / Review format: TV

Kaneko briefing Chiba

Team meeting

Chiba and Tani in their day jobs

Tani on the job

Chiba kicking some ass

Shihomi kicking some ass

Occasional excellent cinematography

Gajiro Sato (Dragon Princess) restraining his usual comedy act. He's a bit silly but doesn't do anything too irritating here.

End credits montage

last but not least!

[Takuma]

Emergency Line (Japan, 1976) [TV] - 3.5/5
The last of the mid-70 action/detective shows with Sonny Chiba, this one makes an immediate impression with its grit and darkness. It's the usual 'group of detectives' (Chiba, Shihomi, Tani, Masaaki Daimon, Tamio Kawachi, Seigo Inoue, Yuriko Hishimi) pattern, but without jokes. The opening episode has a bitter war vet (Eiji Okada) trying to assassinate a foreign little girl flown to Japan for medical operation, and another story has Chiba, taking a bullet in his leg in the first scene, trying to penetrate a top floor condo where the shooter is holding hostages. There are also smaller delights like usual yakuza crook Eiji Go quest starring as a narcotics cop, and Toei's regular evil gaijin Osman Yusuf as murderous diplomat in an episode that concludes with one of Chiba's most explosive karate sequences as Chiba decides to ignore diplomatic immunity and fight his way though 20 bodyguards. Another stunt highlight involves Chiba chasing criminals. After his car falls off the cliff (!), he climbs on top of a train, then jumps down when the train is crossing a bridge, landing on the moving car's roof, only to slip, grab the rear bumper, pull out his gun and shoot the tires. Bravo! As usual, Chiba and Japan Action Club were in charge of the action.

Not every episode is as exciting as those, though. Despite having more action than Blazing Dragnet, this is the most talkative of the four shows. There are also a couple of dullish drama/thriller stories, and Etsuko Shihomi is largely wasted in a role that offers her little to do. The rest of the cast is ok, with Tani, who has developed some charisma since Key Hunter (1968-1973) faring the best. The episodes take a bit of patience since they often reveal the gist only at the end, which is interesting but a bit odd since these aren't strictly mystery stories. The show's ending is exceptionally powerful and each episode closes with a beautiful theme song and closing credits montage. Gritty and atmospheric, this is a very worthy closing product for Chiba's detective show streak.

* Original title: Daihijosen (大非常線)
* Director: Various
* Chiba's role: Starring role
* Series availability: None / Review format: TV

Chiba. I always loved the gritty 16mm look of these shows

Detectives. Eiji Go on the left.

The series really is quite gritty

Chiba's had it

Osman Yusuf. This episode features the best role I've seen him in. I've really become a bit of a fan. He was born in the Ottoman Empire in 1920 but moved to Japan at a young age (his younger brother Osman Toruko was born in Japan and become a Japanese professional wrester). He was working on TV and movies since the 1940s, although all the roles I've seen him in (60s and 70s) have been small roles. He died in 1982.

Stunt action

Find Chiba in the frame!

Shihomi and Tani

Chiba and Shihomi

[Takuma]

Violent Street (Japan, 1963) [35mm] - 3/5
Decent yakuza lieutenant Ken Takakura tries to maintain peace between gangs while rivals and reckless subordinates (Shinjiro Ebara in full Hiroki Matsukata mode trying to make money with boxing and dirty gambling) give him hard time. This was one of the relatively few modern day ninkyo films (most were set in pre-WWII era), which lends to some interesting bits such as the "final walk" in contemporary milieu. Not especially well written, lacking the kind of strong honour/duty dilemma that is the backbone of the best ninkyo films, but there are many good scenes like a detailed yakuza ceremony in the opening and action packed ending. It's also surprisingly sexy, without explicit nudity, with one of Ebara's businesses being turning a traditional stage theatre into a strip joint. Sonny Chiba has a decent supporting role as an impulsive young yakuza holding grudge against Takakura's gang. There's no character development for him but Chiba acts well and gets enough screen time to make it the film's third or fourth biggest role. The film is unrelated to the Hideo Gosha movie (1974) of the same title.

* Original title: Boryoku gai (暴力街)
* Director: Tsuneo Kobayashi
* Chiba's role: Major supporting role
* Film availability: None / Review format: 35mm

Edited January 10, 2019 by Takuma

[Takuma]

Life of Blackmail (Japan, 1963) [TV] - 3/5
Two kids and best friends (Tatsuo Umemiya and Sonny Chiba) go different paths, one becoming a gangster specializing in blackmailing and the other a policeman. Umemiya and Chiba share the top billing; however, it is Umemiya who gets the juicier role with most screen time as the blackmailer. It’s an entertaining modern day gangster film with an energetic score and young cast; however it feels a bit superficial as the script doesn’t really pit the two main characters against each other most of the time, which could have added psychological depth. The storyline is an adaptation of Shinji Fujiwara’s novel. Kinji Fukasaku directed a better version called Blackmail is My Life for Shochiku in 1968 with a vastly different rendering of the storyline. Chiba’s character does not appear in that film at all, and the blackmailer, played by Hiroki Matsukata, faces mostly different scenarios although some plot elements and characters are the same.

* Original title: Waga kyôkatsu no jinsei (わが恐喝の人生)
* Director: Kiyoshi Saeki
* Chiba's role: Starring / Major supporting role
* Film availability: None / Review format: TV

[Takuma]

Gendai onibabako: Satsu ai (Japan, 1973) [TV] - 4/5

A 300 year old witch agrees to assassinate a dead-sick businessman and his ignorant sexy wife upon the former's own request - the kills are to take place in separate locations at the same time. The granny then exits the same way she entered his office, with rope via 20th floor window! And it gets even better when you realize the granny is played by Sonny Chiba. Chiba soon takes his own handsome form and retreats to plan the hits with his karate killer sister (17 year old Etsuko Shihomi in her first role).

A decently insane fantasy / karate / murder thriller based on a Kazuo Koike manga, brought to the small screen as a 46 minute TV movie, the final one shown in the "Suspense Series" slot (Toei / Mainichi Broadcasting System). The script by Koike himself is fabulous, with twists like the businessman receiving a call from hospital that they made a mistake and he's not dying from cancer after all, the kills set to take place in the afternoon at 02:02 (o-ni, o-ni, as for "demon in Japanese") and Chiba promising to buy tasty bread for Shihomi as soon as all targets have been murdered!

The closest comparison point would probably be Wolfguy (1975), and although not as wild or graphic, this still packs a punch and manages to throw in some nudity (courtesy of  Tomoko Mayama from the first Lone Wolf and Cub film). Oh and the scene where the cute as a button mini-skirt Shihomi takes down a roomful of men with karate... you'll need a face massage to get the resulting smile to go down.

The title, Gendai onibabako: Satsu ai, roughly translates as "Modern Witch Tale: Murderous Love".

* Original title: Gendai onibabako: Satsu ai (現代鬼婆考 殺愛)
* Director: Koichi Takemoto
* Chiba's role: Starring role
* Film availability: None / Review format: TV

Kazuo Koike TV Play

Chiba!

Tomoko Mayama

Shihomi!

Edited March 27, 2019 by Takuma

[Takuma]

A couple of cool stills for Yakuza Deka: No Epitaphs for Us (やくざ刑事　俺たちに墓はない) (1971)

[Takuma]

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (USA, 2006) [VoD] – 2/5
An American guy moves in with his American father, falls in love with an Australian girl, and makes friends with a Korean. What country was this film set in again? A nonsensical Hollywood foreign vacation only utilizes Japan as a superficial visual backdrop; the script could've been filmed in any country with minor modifications. Sonny Chiba shows up in three scenes as a yakuza boss, and beats everyone else with his... Japanese language skills! In a typically ignorant move, the film is cast almost exclusively with Americans and people of random Asian descent, including the Japanese villain Drifting King who really struggles with his Japanese dialogue! And who the hell were those Japanese bit characters who help this white twat hero challenge a yakuza-backed gangster? "White boy fantasy" as Spike Lee would say. Also, Lucas Black makes Paul Walker and Vin Diesel look like character actors in comparison. And in 2019, you can't help but notice the film opens AND closes with a race where a woman in the main prize! All that being said, it's still watchable teen garbage, somehow. The mix of stupidity and action with ok tech credits is to thank. Also, keep your eyes open for future martial arts star Mitsuki Koga as yakuza henchman.

* Japanese title: Wild Speed X3: TOKYO DRIFT (ワイルド・スピードX3 TOKYO DRIFT)
* Director: Justin Timberla, no, I mean Justin Lin
* Chiba's role: Minor role
* Film availability: Easy

Two yankees in Tokyo

Two yankees in...

A Korean-American, an Australian and an American of Korean-Japanese descent in...

"Monkey didn't have his banana today"

Holy shit, a Japanese! Mitsuki Koga before Hard Revenge Milly and Bushido Man

Chiba

[Takuma]

Resurrection of the Golden Wolf(Japan, 1979) [35mm] – 4/5
A toxic, overly contrived and positively astonishing anti-hero spectacle with badass Yusaku Matsuda an office worker at day and a villain climbing the underworld ladders at night. Haruhiko Oyabu’s source novel delivered 2½ films worth of gangster plotting and action crammed into 131 minutes, filmed by Toru Murakawa with his trademark one-shot action bravuras and mindboggling sexism. Matsuda is 6'0" of toxic masculinity, groping women, dealing drugs, blasting inferior men (“got kids? They’ll be happier without you!”) and going bananas over the sense of power after he has turned villainous corporate bosses into his slaves. And who could forget the strange ending. Sonny Chiba ventures into the film as nerdy, glass-wearing extortionist about an hour in and stays on board for 30 minutes – he’s one of the big names in the incredibly packed cast alongside Mikio Narita, Asao Koike, Koichi Iwaki, Toru Abe, Shin Kishida, Kenji Imai, Yutaka Nakajima, Kyosuke Machida and others. Frankly, a bit of an epic mess, but a tremendously entertaining one with style to spare. And the ultra-funky score is superb. Matsuda’s best action film.

* Original title: Yomigaeru kinro (蘇る金狼)
* Director: Toru Murakawa
* Chiba's role: Major supporting role
* Film availability: Kadokawa BD (4K remaster) (Japan) (no subs), Kadokawa BD & DVD (digital remaster) (Japan) (no subs), Kadokawa DVD (old master) (Japan) (no subs), Adness DVD (USA) (old master)
 
The screencaps below are from the old Kadokawa Blu-Ray. There is a more recent 4K remastered BD also, but I never bothered getting it because the old disc looks fine. The Adness DVD is from an older master and looks notably inferior.

Chiba

Chiba

[Takuma]

Resurrection of the Golden Wolf BD vs. DVD comparison

Top: Kadokawa BD (2009 master) (not the 4K mastered new version)
Bottom: Adness DVD

For uncompressed caps, see here:
https://www.bulletsnbabesdvd.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=5316&p=136339

[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

[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!

[Omni Dragon]

On 12/12/2016 at 3:45 PM, Takuma said:

The Bullet Train (Japan, 1975) [35mm] - 4/5

Toei anticipated Speed (1994) by nearly two decades with this excellent thriller. The film stars Ken Takakura as a criminal who plants a bomb on a bullet train and demands money from the government. If the speed falls below 80km / hour, the train will explode. The police do their best to track down the criminals without giving in to their demands, while the desperate train pilot (Sonny Chiba in a rare 1970s non-action role) is trying to keep his cool. Tension begins to rise among the uninformed passengers as the train skips its designated stops.

Director Junya Sato does fine job helming a character driven thriller, even if there are a couple of silly bits and too many flashbacks. The film’s biggest merit is the well crafted villains, whose acts are understandable though not acceptable. Takakura is very good at making his character human. Action scenes are few, but expertly executed. The ultra-funky 1970s score feels out of place at first, but once you get used to it, you can't imagine the movie without it. Supporting roles feature a whole variety of stars from Takashi Shimura to Etsuko Shihomi, Yumi Takigawa, and Tetsuro Tamba, sometimes only getting a few seconds of screen time. Chiba has limited screen time, but it's nice to have him in the film.

Interestingly, 1975 saw the release of not one but two bullet train thrillers. The other was Yasuzo Masumura's Toho release Dômyaku rettô, in which noisy bullet trains are seen as industrial monsters upsetting peace and tradition. In that film, too,  activist/terrorists threaten to destroy a speeding bullet train unless the government gives in to their demands. Suffering from a silly premise and underwhelming climax, Dômyaku rettô was certainly the lesser of the two bullet train films released that year.  

* Original Title: Shinkansen daibakuha (新幹線大爆破)
* Director: Junya Sato
* Chiba's role: Small supporting role
* Film availability: Twilight Time BD (US) (Upcoming), IVL DVD (R3 HK), Subkultur BD (DE) (no Eng subs), Optimum DVD (UK)

The original English dubbed US release was cut down to around 115 minutes, and should be avoided. The uncut version runs 152 minutes (NTSC).

I watched this with my family today and it was my first time watching the (cut) English dubbed version. I did watched the original (uncut) Japanese version a few years back. Personally I prefer the ED cut. I must stress I say this not because I'm an English dub enthusiast, but because removing the flashback scenes helps with the pacing IMO. To me the flashback scenes are unnecessarily melodramatic and slow the pacing down. 

[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

Edited February 18, 2020 by Takuma

[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

[Tex Killer]

Finally watched wolfguy and doberman cop from arrow blu rays...Both ended to recycle (which may or not regret later). Wolfguy was great fun and terrific end doberman was bit meh but was not yawning with it either. Action(fights) in both was ok considering these are not shapes but bashing and chiba has looks to be on rampage. Mysterious storyline of revenge curse in wolf was finely scripted. But still prefer chibas ninja flicks..

C`mon arrow bring us karate bearfighter!

[Takuma]

On 4/27/2018 at 2:44 PM, Takuma said:

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

[Killer Meteor]

Hope it gets a BD release!

[rdenn]

his bodyguard tv series is worth a watch some good fights in it

[Takuma]

1 hour ago, rdenn said:

his bodyguard tv series is worth a watch some good fights in it

Ah yes, it's an excellent show. I recorded it from TV AND bought the Japanese DVD set as soon as it was announced!

I reviewed the series a few pages back:

 

[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/

 

Edited October 6, 2020 by Takuma

[Takuma]

Happy birthday Chiba! The man turned 82 today!

Edited January 22, 2021 by Takuma

[Takuma]

On 12/13/2016 at 12:38 AM, Takuma said:

Tokyo Seoul Bangkok Drug Triangle (Japan/Korea/Thailand/Hong Kong, 1973) – 3/5

Sonny Chiba stars in this major Asian co-production based on the thoughts and ideas of the anti drugs/prostitution/sexually transmitted diseases campaigning businessman / political figure Tsusai Sugawara, who had previously inspired the two Narcotics / Prostitution G-Men films (1972). Tokyo Seoul Bangkok was a loose follow-up, with Chiba playing an ordinary man instead of a narcotics detective, and the storyline taking place in four Asian countries: Korea, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Japan. Co-stars came from each country, and multiple edits of the film were produced for different markets.

The film opens in South-Korea, with truck driver Chiba arriving Seoul to receive his dead sister's ashes. While there, he discovers the death may not have been an accident after all, and has something to do with international drug smuggling. Chiba receives help from a Korean detective (Choi Bong, delivering the film's only martial arts moves) to track down his sister's runaway gangster husband (Hiroki Matsukata) and his Korean lover (Kim Chang-Suk). The chase takes Chiba first to Hong Kong and eventually Thailand, where Chiba hooks up with a bilingual woman (Nora Miao) and a local tough guy (Chaiya Suliyun).

Tokyo Seoul Bangkok has long been a sought-after movie for its fantastic cast, but those few who have seen it have sometimes been left a bit underwhelmed. This is more due to false expectations than the film, although the latter is also at fault. Tokyo Seoul Bangkok is not a martial arts movie, and it's not even very much an action movie as the filmmakers aim for more realistic crime drama/thriller. While that's quite fine, it is also true that with the level of action talent involved, the viewer can't help but to wish there were some more outrageous action sequences. This is especially true when some of the scenarios are, in fact, a little too wild to feel entirely realistic. Also, as a drug thriller, it is not as good as for example A Narcotics Agent's Ballad (1972).

On the positive side, the storyline is very good and the film remains interesting from start to finish. Locations are well used, especially in the Thai sequences, which are both exotic and atmospheric. This is partly due to the beautiful score by Ichiro Araki, which is also used to create some powerful images when the camera lingers on Chiba's desperate, badly bruised face. The supporting cast is interesting as well, the real stand outs being Nora Miao and Hiroki Matsukata. The latter's portrayal of an ultra-stylish gangster may be at odds with the film's intended realism, but he's so cool the viewer won't mind. The same can be said about one great action sequence in Thailand.

There's a lot of history to the production. First of all, it was the first film Chiba made after finishing the Key Hunter TV series (1968-1973), marking the beginning of a new era on his career that allowed a stronger focus on films. Tokyo Seoul Bangkok was also one of the two major drug trafficking themed Asian co-productions that had been planned for 1973, the other having been The Shrine of the Ultimate Bliss. The latter was to star Bruce Lee, Sonny Chiba and George Lazenby, but by the time Chiba arrived Hong Kong, Lee had just passed away (the project was eventually completed in heavily modified form and with a new cast as "Stoner"). It is likely (but unconfirmed) that the planned meeting between Chiba and Lee was scheduled to take place while Tokyo Seoul Bangkok was filming in Hong Kong.

The Lee connection is probably the reason why the film co-stars Nora Miao, whose open cleavage may come as a delightful surprise to the fans of her Hong Kong films. It's a lot of fun to see Chiba and Miao act together, although the kiss suggested by one of the promotional stills is not found in the film, at least not in the Japanese cut (which is the only cut is available at the moment). If it did take place, it would surely make Miao the only woman in the world who has kissed both Bruce Lee and Sonny Chiba!

Tokyo Seoul Bangkok Drug Triangle is a fascinating, even if slightly underwhelming piece of cinema that can be quite enjoyable when approached with realistic expectations. It's not the lost action classic some wished it to be, but it's an atmospheric and entertaining crime drama with a good storyline.

* Original title: Tokyo-Seoul-Bangkok: Jitsuroku Mayaku Chitai (東京-ソウル-バンコック 実録麻薬地帯)
* Director: Sadao Nakajima
* Chiba's role: Starring role
* Film availability: VoD (Japan) (No subtitles)

 

Toei Channel finally did this film HD justice. The screencaps exhibit the usual TV recording compression; it actually looked better when I watched it live on TV last week. Also enjoyed the film quite a bit, I'd be inclined to round up the rating to 3.5/5 now.

[Killer Meteor]

I'd love for Arrow to give this a BD release.