THE STREET FIGHTER (1974)

THE STREET FIGHTER (1974)

                Presumably, this is the role that Sonny Chiba is best known for playing.    At least until being cast in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill”.    The story centers on Chiba’s character being a sword for hire, but when the Yakuza double crosses him he ends up defending the girl they hired him to kill.

                But I’m also willing to bet that you’re not watching this movie for the plot.   No, you’re in this for the ultra violence.    You’re watching this because you know it was the first movie to ever receive an X rating for the violence (no nudity here, folks).     This is quite possibly the first movie where a guy rips another guy’s heart straight out of his chest.    My wife was in the room with me but not really watching this, and at one point she looked up and said “Ah!  Right in his eye!”

                If you want your martial arts movies served with a lot of blood, then this is for you.