In connection with death famous actor Sonny (Shin'ichi) Chibs from the consequences of Covid, I decided to honor his memory with a review of selected filmography, since Comrade Tiba, in my opinion, receives quite little attention, despite the fact that he probably has about a hundred combat roles under his belt. The review was written a long time ago, but was inadvertently lost, so I didn’t decide to make a new version soon. I'll start with my favorite chip (torn from Uran): first a description of the general features of creativity, and then a transition to the analysis of individual films.
So, the characteristic features of films with Chiba:
- Very high degree of tin. Yes, the Japanese were not at all shy about extreme sports, both in the 70s and now. Due to the exaggerated violence, as well as several puppet and implausible effects and makeup, it looks rather comical by today's standards. And the level is different everywhere: somewhere completely beyond (“Street Fighter”), somewhere much less, but Sonny rarely played a pacifist and broke skulls the only way - without reflections and regrets.
- Sonny very often played in the company of certain actors. Even if you don’t know their names, you’ll still remember when watching the next imperishable film - wow, that same dude was over there and over there. Probably the most famous personalities who shared the screen with him are the fighting girl Etsuko Shihomi and now a famous actor Hiroyuki Sanadawho trained in the stunt organization created by Chiba Japan Action Club
- Chiba is a basic karateka. He also mastered other martial arts, but his base was kyokushinkai. He uses it on screen first of all, and in this element he is very convincing.
- Despite the actor's personal talent, the fights in his films are choreographed and shot... averagely. Especially when compared with the best with the same Bruce Lee. The takes seem long, yes, but the strange love of the Japanese to shoot action with a hand-held camera and the abundance of close-ups do not have a very positive effect on the perception of fights, which are often perceived as some kind of chaotic fuss. The problem is that Chiba's peak as an action actor was in the 70s, and in the next decade Japanese action films fizzled out. Then Hong Kong ruled the roost. And I think that under different circumstances Sonny would have become a world-famous and respected actor... Although he is already respected, he is more likely among a narrow layer of genre connoisseurs, while Bruce and Jackie are probably recognizable even by grandmothers in a remote Russian village.
- Sonny very rarely plays outright villains, whom the GG defeats in the final fight, but often he plays anti-heroes. “Correct bandits”, “noble killers” (kek), all sorts of dark personalities with serious shortcomings. Chiba himself, in his appearance, has a combination of photogenicity and masculine brutality, plus he loves to overact, making brutal faces. This, again, is rather an “ethnic feature”, since in NON-Japanese films he has quite normal, calm acting.
- More than once Chiba played real martial artists and swordsmen: Masutatsu Oyama, Sho Doshin, Yagyu Munetoshi, Miyamoto Musashi and so on.
“Street Fighter” trilogy (dir. Shigehiro Ozawa, 1974)
One of the most famous films in the titanic filmography of the actor and, perhaps, his “magnum opus”. At one time I read about him in a magazine about computer games (I think it was "Gambling addiction", and the film was mentioned in connection with a review of some fighting game along with some other Asian films. I remember exactly it was Hong Kong “Five Poisonous” – a rare suck, in my opinion). Since then I really wanted to watch it, and you know... it’s a rare case when the result exceeds expectations.
When he was described as ultra-violent, it was a serious understatement. Even by today's standards, when there are virtually no limits and restrictions in the display of violence, "Street Fighter" has some transcendental level of brutality and relishing cruelty, which borders on sadism, in the spirit of later films with Steven Seagal. It is pointless to describe in what ways the “hero” destroys enemies; it is better to see for yourself. Because of the moronic makeup, as I mentioned above, and the incredible gore, it looks rather comical, but that’s just now. In the year of its release, even the Italians did not have greater tin. What gave it a special “spice” was the fact that the protagonist of the film, Takuma “Terry” Tsurugi, is not even an anti-hero, but a complete scumbag and bastard, who is not clear how the earth carries him. And we are invited to root for him. How the authors want to make the viewer empathize with this - see for yourself.
The sequel turned out worse, the violence there crossed the level of seriousness and began to be perceived comically, like cartoons Happy Tree Friends, and the third is generally barely watchable. I can’t imagine how it was possible to ruin a good formula. By the way, it is believed that in the first "Street Fighter" The “X-ray shock”, which later became popular, was first shown, and later appeared in many films and later parts of the game series Mortal Kombat.
Trilogy “Doomed to Solitude” (dir. Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, 1975-1977)
Biographical films about Masutatsu Oyamu, the founder of Kyokushinkai karate, from whom Chiba studied personally (Dolph Lundgren, by the way, too). For those who are depressed by the role of Sonny as a complete scumbag in "Street Fighters" - You can watch this series. The main character, Oyama, here is a classic positive defender of the weak, oppressed, and disadvantaged. Not without human flaws, but invariably kind and empathetic, plus not so cruel. If he needs to fight, he fights to the end, but always for some reason, and not because he is a psychopath and a sadist. The films, of course, are adaptations of probably ALL myths about the famous karate master, but at least it comes out of respect and love, and not like a Korean “Wind Warrior”, which represents anti-Japanese propaganda in its purest form.
Murder Machine (dir. Norifumi Suzuki, 1975)
Another “biographical” film, this time about the founder of the martial art Shorinji-kenpo Sho Doshina. A VERY boring film, despite the abundance of fights, with representatives of various martial arts. There was a feeling that it was directed by a very patriotic Japanese, since the GG in the film beats both the Chinese and the American occupiers, who are presented as unpleasant as possible.
Time Lapse (dir. Kosei Saito, 1979)
Also a very famous film with Chiba, but he has one very short “combat” scene in it, basically he just shoots here. The plot of the film is interesting, about how a detachment (or company? Sorry, I don’t remember) of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces falls into a time loop and finds itself in the Sengoku era (15-17th centuries) with modern weapons and military equipment, after which they organize a “child of revelry” there ” – this is if we talk about perception.
In fact, having watched this generally well-made film several times, I didn’t understand a damn thing at all: who is good, who is bad, what who wants to achieve... the morality is MAXIMUM vague, maybe that was the idea. There are battles between a modern army and samurai, and, based on the results, military tactics and morale still defeat modern technology. Sonny is here for the first time with a mustache, which will later become an invariable attribute of his appearance; before that, he was clean-shaven almost everywhere.
Fight for Immortals (dir. Dan Neira, 1994)
In original -"Immortal Combat". Yes, I wrote the English name for a reason, because it reminds me of something. First game in the series Mortal Kombat was released in 1992, the film was released in 1994, and the plot of the movie, although not 100% consistent with the cult toy: there is a theme with a tournament, as well as ninjas. There are a couple of Tibes here Roddy Piper - a charismatic Canadian wrestler, who, even as an actor in category “B” films, pleasantly pleased with his pronounced charisma of such ... a cheerful rural dunce.
And this film traces the division of cultures (whether conscious or accidental, I don’t know). The modest, reserved Asian played by Sonny and the loud, hyperactive Piper. In general, the film, despite its crazy nature, appealed to me. It's light and fun. Chiba fights using mostly kendo, karate and ninjutsu, Piper also swings, but in that crazy “itch your shoulder” style. Overall, it turned out to be a good buddy duet. Despite the low rating, this is one of those films where I really liked Sonny.
Werewolf: Fury of the Wolfman (dir. Kazuhiko Yamaguchi, 1975)
To be honest, the film seemed like the bottom, but it is noteworthy that here Chiba plays not initially a tough guy, but a werewolf, and before that, well, such a nerd with a scared and confused expression on his face. Now, to the question that Sonny can play, at least at a basic level. Then he turns out to be a werewolf invulnerable to bullets and extinguishes everyone. Of course, that’s why we watched the movie. Alas, a relationship with a woman... is strange and, most importantly, boring and uninteresting. Plot twists are like “two fingers in your mouth and everything will pass.” Not the most successful movie with our karateka.
What's the result? There are superstars shining brightly in the night sky. There are those that flash brightly, but fade away a second later. And there are people like Sonny Chiba – glowing, but calmly and not brightly. We will put its glow in the hearts of all connoisseurs, but not those who strike the very heart. Although there was a video on YouTube in the recommendations where Keanu Reeves, who was already popular, and who has also become an action icon, meets Mr. Tiba on some program and reacts something like this: oh my bastard... oh my bastard, oh... So yes, Tiba - even if it’s not Bruce Lee, but he left a mark on history. Kingdom of heaven.
Oleg MapintasBangis Chernenko
Especially for fight-films.info
Without any attacks, not in any way, but I noticed a certain trend with names. Moreover, this applies not only to the Russian segment of the Internet. It was Sonny Chiba all the time, but suddenly they started writing Chiba, even in the English-language segment. Instead of Chow Yun Fat, there was Fat Yun Chow, Takeshi Kitano, Kitano Takeshi, and with kopecks there was death. Wu Bin, Bin Wu and so on. I wonder what this is connected with?
They change because official sources change. As an example – Kinopoisk. Everyone focuses on it so that search engines treat the materials well.