DVD Pick: The Street Fighter
Directed by Shigehero Ozawa. February 1974, Japan. Unrated: 91 min.
(Originally published in buzz magazine on 10/4/2007)
If you're looking for an old-school martial arts film, The Street Fighter will not disappoint as long as you're not squeamish. The first movie to be rated X just for violence, this cult classic starring Sonny Chiba will have you laughing at its unsynced voice overs and tomato juice blood ... but that's all part of its charm. With all the eye gouging and barehanded castration, it's no wonder Quentin Tarantino cast Chiba in the Kill Bills.