With popularity of martial arts films and the death of Bruce
Lee its biggest star in 1973 the search was on for someone to take his place.
In 1974 Japanese actor Sonny Chiba was put in the film THE STREET FIGHTER
starring as a martial arts expert seeking justice in today’s world. Followed by
two sequels the film also spawned a spin-off series with SISTER STREET FIGHTER.
The SISTER STREET FIGHTER film was followed by two sequels of its own and all
three are now collected in this offering from Arrow Video.
The first film, SISTER STREET FIGHTER, has female martial
arts expert Li Koryu (Etsuko Shihomi) working undercover with the police as she
attempts to take on heroin smugglers. Her brother was working in the same
position when he disappeared and now she sets out to find him as well as shut
down the bad guys. The film plays like a rehash of Bruce Lee films with Li
facing off against several assassins the main bad guy has ala GAME OF DEATH and
then facing off against the main man himself sporting a claw for a hand like
Han in ENTER THE DRAGON. Sonny Chiba makes a cameo appearance in the film as a
member of the good guys taking on the army of the bad.
On the heels of this film three months later SISTER STREET
FIGHTER HANGING BY A THREAD was released. Shihomi stars once again as Li, this
time investigating yet another smuggling operation. This time it isn’t drugs
but illegal diamonds that are being shipped into the country via the posteriors
of female prostitutes. The bad guys are despicable and the good guys’ heroic,
just what you would expect.
Next is THE RETURN OF THE SISTER STREET FIGHTER and Shihomi
sticks with the same character completing the trilogy with the same actress in
the lead. This time around Li goes to Yokohama in an attempt to find the lost
daughter of a family friend. It turns out the girl is being used as bait to
lure Li into the open so that she can be killed. More martial arts infused bad
buys taking on Li and a mysterious stranger who helps her is the end result.
Lastly we have an unofficial sequel to the series called
SISTER STREET FIGHTER: FIFTH LEVEL FIST. Shihomi returns but as a different
character this time. Here she plays Kiku, the daughter of a kimono shop owner
who has an interest in karate. When her friend’s brother needs avenged she
enters a movie studio in Kyoto where drug smugglers are operating.
All four films are great examples of the martial arts
exploitation genre with plenty of high flying leaps, massive spin kicks and
decimating punches that are the mainstay of the genre. Unlike most of the films
these didn’t rely solely on the story of martial arts schools competing or a
lengthy period of training for the main character. It also set the story in the
present rather than the historic past. The end result is an entertaining series
that will keep fans pleased for some time.
Not only are the films available together in this set from
Arrow is releasing them in hi definition digital transfers making them look
better than ever. They’re also featuring a number of interesting extra as well
like they always do. These include new video interviews with Sonny Chiba,
director Kazuhiko Yamaguchi and screenwriter Masahiro Kakefuda, the original
Japanese theatrical trailers for all four films, the US trailer for SISTER
STREET FIGHTER as well as the original English opening titles for the film, the
original German theatrical trailer for SISTER STREET FIGHTER, a stills and
poster gallery, a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned
artwork by Kungfubob O’Brien and for the first pressing only an illustrated
booklet featuring writing on the series by Patrick Macias and a new essay on
the US release of Toei’s karate films by Chris Poggiali.
If you’re a fan of the genre then by all means make a point
of adding this collection to your own. It’s a great example of the genre and is
certain to entertain fans and non-fans alike.
No comments:
Post a Comment