| Martial
Arts Double Feature: The Killing Machine
& Blood of the Dragon
It’s like a trip back through time
to 42nd street at the highth of its grindhouse
days, just without the junkies, fights
and sticky floors. Get ready for a martial
arts double feature featuring Sonny Chiba
(The Street Fighter) & Wang Yu (The
One Armed Swordsman) complete with kung
fu trailers in between the features!
The Killing Machine: Sonny Chiba as Doshin
So, originator of Shorinji Kempo. This
was Chiba's first of two portrayals of
a real life martial arts masters ( His
portrayal of his Sensei Mas Oyama in "The
Champion of Death" being his second).
Incredible fight scene choreography featuring
authentic shorinji kenpo techniques, though
of course it wouldn't be a Sonny Chiba
film without his removal of body parts
of several opponents. The plot involves
life in postwar Japan in which Doshin
So comes to the aid of numerous war orphans
as well as a young girl who is forced
to become a prostitute to survive. The
film also features Sue "Sister Streetfighter"
Shiomi, a mainstay in many Chiba Films
as well as a talented martial artist herself.
Sonny Chiba shows much love and respect
for the history of his chosen arts as
well as his former Senseis (he has a black
belt in shorinji kempo as well as Mas
Oyamas kyokushikai karate).
Blood of the Dragon: White Dragon must
get a list with the names of rebel supporters
to Prince Ma Tung, the leader of the rebellion.
Trying to stop him in his mission is the
evil Prime Minister, who naturally wants
the list in order to crush his opposition.
Adding another complication is the fact
that Ma Tung wants to kill White Dragon
in revenge for the humiliation Tung's
father suffered in a duel against White
Dragon years earlier. A non-stop action
fest!
video
source quality rating: B |
