THE STREET FIGHTER

The Street Fighter is a classic ’70s exploitation film that first introduced American audiences to Sonny Chiba, earned the first X-rating (equivalent to NC-17) for violence and established Chiba as the most charismatic martial arts star since Bruce Lee. Clearly inspired by the gritty yakuza films of the day, it features Chiba as an unrepentant antihero who ends up doing the right thing, but the wrong way by leaving behind a bloody trail of cracked skulls, gouged eyes and castrated rapists, very entertaining as exploitation movies go. The action is consistently frantic and raw with Chiba very much in his element as an uncompromising badass. Although Chiba is clearly being sold as the next Bruce Lee, any direct references are kept in check and we basically end up with a yakuza-style flick with the emphasis put on gritty karate fighting.