I was ten years old when
I went to this store called Consumer's Distributing on a mission. The front of
the store was a couple of desks with giant catalogues sitting atop them. You
would flip through the pages to find what you wanted fill out a card and hand
it to the person behind the counter and they would disappear into the backroom
- which might have been the size of a walk-in closet or could have been the
warehouse from the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark - to locate what you
specified on the card. The mission that brought me to this store located on
Front street in my hometown on a Saturday was the news around my neighborhood
that the G.I. Joe figure Storm Shadow was in stock. Storm Shadow was a ninja
who fought on the side of the bad guys aka Cobra. He also came with more
weapons then most of the other G.I. Joe figures. When you are counting on money
from your Grandmother you must push those dollars as far as you can! The point
of this story is that at the age of ten ninjas were the coolest and took up a
lot of space in my imagination. There was a mysterious element to these masked
warriors. They used cunning and stealth to fight much stronger opponents. I was
a skinny kid that had my fair share of being picked on and I identified with
these fighters who could sneak around and win fights. I have only sewed two
things in my life, one was a football for an assignment in home economics class
and using these new found skills I crafted my own ninja hood that I would use
well into my teenage years as my friends and I made numerous VHS short films
where we fought one another. Here we are in the midst of 2021 and over a year
into a global pandemic. We are all coping in our own ways. I have been heading
back mentally to the video stores of my youth and my comfort movies with all those
amazing covers. In my preteen years Shô Kosugi was the living embodiment of a
real life ninja. With us wearing masks everywhere we go these days what a
perfect time to revisit the ninja films of the 1980s.
WHO IS SHO KOSUGI?
He was born Shōichi Kosugi
June 17th, 1948 in Tokyo, Japan. As a child his parents enrolled him in a local
dojo where he began to study Karate. At the age of 19 with 120 dollars in his
pocket he traveled to Los Angeles to study economics at CSULA. Originally
Shô was hired onto Enter the Ninja as one of six stuntmen out of over 600
applicants. At the time he was working five jobs, teaching martial arts as well
as attending university. He was trying to break into the acting business and
would be in several films as an extra. The Bad News Bears Go To Japan, The
Godfather Part II and Bruce Lee Fights Back From The Grave. A day into filming
Emmett Alston who was originally directing and Mike Stone staring was fired and
was replaced by Menahem Golan and Franco Nero. Mike Stone stayed on as a stunt
double and fight choreographer. The second day of shooting was an action scene
with Kosugi. Menahem and Yoram liked him so much that the script was rewritten
and Shô moved out of second unit stunt work and was now the bad guy in the
movie. After this film the phone began ringing for Shô to become the lead in
movies. From 1981 to 1987 he would appear in six films that involved ninjutsu
somewhere in the story line. He would also appear in the television series The
Master in 1984 alongside Lee Van Cleef. Shô would continue to appear in movies
over the next couple of decades. This essay will look at the six feature films
Shô Kosugi was in from 1981 to 1987.
ENTER THE NINJA (1981)
I surmise it was named
after the success of a film eight years earlier, Enter the Dragon. The film has
the distinction of being directed by Menahem Golan after the fired
aforementioned Emmett Alston was fired after the first day of principal
photography. Enter was also produced by Yoram Globus. Meneham was coming off
his latest directorial effort called The Apple which description reads like a
Gaspar Noe film. "In 1994, a young couple enters the world of the music
industry, and subsequently the world of drugs." Golan and Globus
would produce a staggering amount of genre films of various quality under the
Cannon Films label. Alongside Kosugi the film costars some genre heavyweights,
Franco Nero (Django, Keoma) and Susan George (Straw Dogs, Dirty Mary, Crazy
Larry).
Enter the Ninja opens
with a credit sequence - which drew me to that figure of Storm Shadow all those
years ago. The credits open on a black-clad ninja using a wide array of
weapons, nunchaku (which is a traditional Chinese weapon), tonfas (which can
also be traced to Chinese origins) , a pair of sais as well as a bow and arrow
to name a few weapons. As the title credit Directed by Menahem Golan appears so
does a white ninja flying into frame with a kick that miraculously knocks down
the black ninja even though it does not connect. So begins Enter the Ninja!
We then see a vast land
of green and sea below us, the camera pans to reveal a ninja dressed in white.
He looks both weary-eyed and determined. His focus is towards something,
someone just out of the frame. Slow zoom to his eyes. We once again take in the
landscape and holy shit BLACK NINJA! A fight is about to begin! Nope the white
ninja flees. Enter a bunch of RED NINJAS under the direction of the BLACK
NINJA! Even though this is a cat and mouse pursuit among ninjas they run in
open fields. Perhaps taunting one another that mere skills of cunning and
sneakery will not define this fight. The red ninjas set fire to the surrounding
fields. This does not deter the White Ninja! He begins to dispatch the red
ninjas one by one. The black ninja shows back up with the ultimate ninja weapon
the shuriken aka NINJA STARS! Which I remember seeing for the first time ever
in real life under showcases of glass in a place at the North and South
Carolina state line called South of the Border. The ninja stars were nestled
beside butterfly knives which I would see Michael Dudikoff wield in American
Ninja! Back to Enter the Ninja, the black ninja procures two shuriken and
proceeds to throw them inexplicably into a tree?!?!? Now it's a nunchaku vs
sword fight! This does not last long. The white ninja destroys the nunchaku and
runs to a river. More red ninjas! The shuriken he throws does not miss! A foot
chase continues over open land. Now standing in shin high water before a
waterfalls the black and white ninja sword fight. They arrive at a massive
water fall. The white ninja "Butch Cassidys and Sundance Kids" it and
the black ninja follows suit. Now we are at a bridge guarded by more red
ninjas! Time for stealth, nope a fight ensues! Smoke bombs are tossed. The white
ninja knocks down the black ninja, "Surrender or die!" The black
ninja says, "Surrender!" The white ninja proceeds to walk over to a
man we can assume is a master ninja. He bows. And then draws his sword and holy
shit! Decapitates the master?!?!?! What is going on??? This is the first
eleven minutes of the what would begin a ninja film craze in American cinema.
Enter the Ninja would also be the first in a loosely based "Ninja
Trilogy". Like a true ninja Shô Kosugi disappears for the next fifty
minutes. Then he reappears with another weapons demonstration for a prospective
job to help greedy land developers. He is hired. "When will you do this
a.....job?" "At once sir." "And if you fail?"
"Then I do not wish to live." Cut to ninja finale action! Watching Christopher
George in the final moments of the movie walking around screaming
"NINJA!" "NINJA" "NINJA" is worth the price of
admission.
REVENGE OF THE NINJA.
1983
Shô Kosugi returns with
one of the great ninja motivators, revenge! This time he is in the lead role.
Name before the title lead role! This film also has the distinction of having
his oldest son Kane acting as well. We open on a pastoral family scene in
Tokyo. A new mom is fawning off and showing her son to family. The scene is
soon disrupted by ninjas! These ninjas are clad in black with red belts and
headbands. They use all the tools in the ninja kit and murder everyone. The new
mother briefly escapes and hides the crying baby. Mom returns to the violent
scene to be cut down seconds later. Ninjas cannot hear crying babies. Shô
playing Cho Osaki strolls along a scenic path with art dealer Braden played by
Arthur Roberts. They are talking business. Braden is telling Cho he should move
to America. Cho responds that his father and grandfather died fighting on this
this land. Braden says, "Are you going to wait here until the same thing
happens to you? That's crazy." Spoiler alert. It just did. Cho fights all
the ninjas. He cuts through swords, bamboo, and spears. More ninjas show up. A
smoke bomb is released to no effect. He has won the fight with a Taxi Driver
shot by shot of the dead to prove it. However the plot has just begun. Cho
unlike the other ninjas can hear crying babies and rushes to his son. There is
a truly inspired dead ninja wrapped around a tree. Cho's mother shows up to
reiterate that his father has died on this land and now his wife - in case Cho
has forgotten what happened ten minutes ago. Braden reiterates that Cho and his
surviving family should go to America they will be safe and happy there and
will have a great fortune. Cut to United States, six years later. Even in the
1980s immigrating to the United States took years and years.
Cho's son Kane Osaki now
of school age is walking with his grandmother and they are stopped and confronted
by a gang of bullies. Kane assimilating to American society is wearing his LA
Dodgers ball cap. The bullies abscond with it. Kane however will not back down.
Although he is the smallest kid on the playground we assume he has been trained
in the martial arts and quickly stands up to the bullies. Not without taking a
few hits himself. Cho shows up and admonishes Kane for fighting. The
grandmother is not having it. She tells Cho that Kane must be taught in the
ways of the ninja and shows him her necklace bearing the families crest. Cho
listens and begins to train Kane. So what we watched earlier was just pure
natural martial art instinct and talent.
Cathy (Ashley Ferrare)
shows up to the dojo and ends the training session only to begin one of her own
but not before she gets very close to Cho fishing for a kiss. They fight. Cathy
has some moves but still has much to learn. She tries to get intimate again.
Cho does not have it. Braden shows up to the gallery he promised Cho would
bring him great fortune. Cho shows a perspective buyer a statue of a ninja.
"It's a ninja, professional soldier. Specializing in espionage and
assassination. About four hundred years ago." Braden pipes in, "Worst
bastards the world's ever known right?" Cho, "It's a common misunderstanding
that ninjas were all evil. But not accurate" Braden, "But they
still killed people." Cho, "That was their special skill a thousand
ways of death." The prospective buyer traces who finger along the replica
word of the ninja and cuts herself. Not all is what it appears. Moments later
Kane walks through the gallery and accidentally knocks over one of the dolls.
White powder spills out. I'm sure it is only a filler for the statue. Cathy is
there to help and reassure Kane t
hat it will be their little secret. Kane runs
along. Cathy meets Braden and tells him Kane knocked over a statue. So much for
keeping secrets Cathy. That white powder was not filler, it was heroin! Seems
Braden is using the gallery as a front. Once gain not everything is what it seems.
Braden is in business
with the mob and Braden is getting impatient. He wants the money. However mob
boss Caifano (Mario Gallo) tells him he is going to have to wait on the dead
presidents. "Two more days ain't going to make a difference." There's
more to the story. Seems Caifano already fronted 100 hundred thousand big ones
up front. Braden is saying his Japanese connection wants the rest of the money
now. Threats are made. Braden last words before leaving the mob meeting,
"If you think about going behind my back you are making a big mistake, a
very big mistake. You don't even know me...yet." Cut to Braden back at his
office and he is opening a drawer to reveal...a ninja uniform! With lots of
ninja weapons and silver mask!?!?! And yet again not everything is what it
seems...
There is some good
action in the movie. A van fight scene is quite memorable. Kane kicks
ass. The end fight scene finishes, as a ninja fight scene should, twenty
floors up on a rooftop tennis court. Revenge of the Ninja is directed by Sam
Firstenberg who would also directed Breakin', Breakin' 2 Electric Boogaloo,
American Ninja and the next movie I'm going to talk about.
NINJA III The Domination
(1984)
Oh, where to begin....
The Domination would be the last of the Cannon ninja trilogy films. A trilogy
linked only by the word ninja in the titles and Shô Kosugi in various lengths
of screen time. Sam Firstenberg is back as director. This would also be the
first film where Kosugi would be credited as the fight choreographer.
The opening of the film
sets the disjointed nature of the rest of the film. We cut back and forth
between a man in suit who parked his car in a remote and a bunch of other
guys golfing. Is it sunrise? Is is sunset? The man in the suit climbs a trail
as suburban sprawl is off in the distance. He heads towards a cave. Once inside
discovers? or returns to? a treasure trove of ninja weaponry. Is this some
telefon "the woods are lovely dark and deep" type shit going on. The
man replaces his suit for ninja garb. He climbs back down the hill as the first
golf shot is taken.
The ninja is creeping
around the golf course and approaches one of the dudes and crushes a golf ball
in front of him. He then begins killing everyone. In pure ninja fashion! Ninja
star!. Blowpipe!. Blowing the dart directly into the barrel of a revolver being
fired is exactly what you would think it is. Mindbogglingly amazing!!! Double
kicks are administered. Twice. A couple tries to take off in a golf cart. Nope.
The ninja lifts it off the ground and then punches the driver. The driver
swings a golf club, it wraps around the ninja's arm.!!! He kills him and his
woman companion. Golf security show up and phones in a "451 at the golf
course." The closest cop car responds to the "451 at the golf
course." 451 is not only the temperature that freedom burns but also the
code for ninjas killing mofos.
This being a country
club the cops are on the scene in five seconds. The ninja having stashed
everything except a get away vehicle high tails it on foot. The cops pursue in
a squad car and motorcycles. The ninja jumps on the roof of the cop car and
proceeds to stab his sword through the roof into the cop riding shotgun who is
firing his shotgun. Side note: this ninja - unlike the ninjas in the two
previous films is wearing a grey ninja outfit. At the time of this writing I do
not know exactly what it means but wanted to make note of it for further
research. The ninja then dispatches the bike cops with more ninja stars. The
ninja then swings his grappling hook around a palm tree and swings off the car
with precision ninjutsu timing as the cop car flies off the course into a giant
water hazard off of hole seven. The other motorcycle cop quickly follows suit
and flies into the water as well.
A cop copter then shows
up and the 451 has now been elevated to a 1020. Another squad car is in
pursuit. The grey ninja climbs the palm tree. Getting to the top as the copter
hovers above he jumps onto the copter and throws one of the cops down. More
cops show up to the scene. One gives an order not to harm the helicopter. They
know the defund police movement is in full effect and they may never see the
budget for a replacement.
The ninja in a puro
piece of ninja cunning pulls out another shuriken and places it in the split on
his tabi boots and kicks the pilot. Another cop grabs the ninja and they both
fall out of the helicopter into the water hazard. The helicopter with a
grievously injured pilot begins to fly out of control and crashes in a ball of
flames on the other side of a ridge. The plethora of cops approaches the water.
I do not know the destruction of the helicopter has changed the code from a
1020 to 1271 or not. There is no time radio as the dragnet closes in. A cop
approaches a bunch of reeds. Big mistake one was actually the blowpipe. Cop
dead. The ninja once again takes off on foot. More ninja star bike-jumping
action. Some Punishment Park type cops show up. Things are looking grim for the
assassin. They shoot and four cops surround the ninja in a circle. Miranda rights
time. Nope. Quick thinking and a sword in a 360 move takes out the four cops.
No time for a pause the ninja leaps up and throws more shuriken. The ninja star
inventory done spiked metal balls makes an appearance and are thrown into the
fray. More cops. More bullets. The ninja is dead. Nope. One more kick. More
bullets. Then a smoke bomb. The ninja has disappeared. The cops take off to
find the ninja. The ninja then emerges from the fucking sand trap!!! Cut to the
ninja strapping safety gear to his boots to do phone line work???? Nope. That
is Christie (Lucinda Dickey) working on the phone lines. At the top she moves
her hard hat and her feathered hair blows in the breeze as she surveys the
scene from up high. She then spots the ninja stumbling down below. He descends
to find out what is going on. The ninja grabs her and tries to kill her. They
wrestle on the ground. She frees herself. He yells (in a foreign language). She
pauses. She returns and takes the dying ninjas sword form him which seems to be
his dying wish. She sees a flashback of the ninja being gunned down moments
ago. The sword is giving off a great and intense power. More flashbacks. And
thus begins Ninja III The Domination.
The Domination is a
ninja film, a revenge film, and an exorcism film, with a stalker
"romance" thrown in. Chris is living her best 80's life. Playing a
standup arcade game with leg warmers, headband aerobics gear. She is also
carrying the ninja sword everywhere she goes. Not only she dealing with a
revenge ninja curse she is also dealing with a stalker cop. And a bunch of
other sex abusers who are also part of the gym where she works out. She fights
them with an arsenal of kicks and punches. The cop than coerces Christie into
his car under the guise that she is under arrest. Chris says arrest me or stop
the car. They then windup at her place? The movie gets weirder and weirder. But
hey, I thought Shô Kosugi was in this movie?
Thirty minutes and
fifty-six seconds a man steps off of a 747 jetliner. He is clad in a black suit
and has a sword hilt as an eye-patch. Mr Kosugi aka Yamada-san is now in the
movie! Three wise old dudes greet him. They have bad news, but will talk later.
We never see the three wise dudes again. 13 movie minutes later Yamada is back.
I dig this film in all it's kitchen sink weirdness. Yamada drives around
looking for Christie in an El Camino. He escapes from three cops while being
handcuffed in the backseat of a police car. How can you not dig this
movie! Of course a ninja movie is only as good as it's closing fight scenes.
Which takes place not in a kumite ring, or tennis courts but begins in a temple
on the outskirts of suburban Phoenix.
INTERMISSION
The Kuji-Kiri according
to Shô Kosugi movie ninja mythology.. These are the nine levels of Ninja power.
1) Rin - Strength of mind and body. 2) Kyo - Direction of energy. 3) Toh -
Harmony with the universe. 4) Sha - Healing of self and others. 5) Kai -
Premonition of danger. 6) Jin - Knowing the thoughts of others. 7) Retsu -
Mastery of time and space. 8) Zai - Control of the elements of nature. 9) Zen -
Enlightenment
9 DEATHS OF THE NINJA
(1985)
9 Deaths would see Shô
Kosugi team up with writer/director Emmett Alston who was fired from Enter the
Ninja and would pave the way for Kosugi to a breakout performance in that
movie. Gone from Cannon Film Group this picture was made for Crown
International Pictures. It also features one of the all time great video cover
art of the era.
The movie opens on a
banner and pans left passing a mountain range. We see many people who look like
rebel fighters. It looks like the Middle East? A smoke bomb is thrown at two
guys in a lookout tower. Then the camera pans up in puro hero shot of a guy and
we notice a belt with weapons and lollypops! It's Shô Kosugi! The opening action
sequence features Sais vs an M-16. It turns out we just observed a combat
exercise conducted by one of the world's best anti-terror teams. From Japan,
the captain of the D.A.R.T. team, Spike Shinobi, (Shô Kosugi) his U.S.
counterpart, captain Steve Gordon and in charge of communications and control,
Lt. Jennifer Barns. Helicopters take off kicking up sand and dust everywhere.
And then holy
shit!
A James Bond
choreographed credit sequence! Complete with dancers, Shô Kosugi busting out
serious sword swinging skills, a song, "Take Me High" Performed by
Ivy Violan and a fog machine!
A group of tourists
board a bus and began a tour of some beautiful island volcano locales.
They take in some local culture. We see people dancing and a wedding ceremony.
It's warm and sunny. All is well. Some dude with the biggest walkie-talkie ever
has other ideas. The wedding was a farce! The bride boards the tour bus and
removes her white lace dress to reveal combat fatigues. She tells the tourists
that she is Colonel Honey Hump. Yes, you read that correctly. She is taking the
people on the bus as prisoners. She also has a penchant for cutting people open
to see what they had for breakfast. Oh, oh. Kane Kosugi and his brother
Shane (first appearance in a movie) are on this bus.
Calls are made to
Washington. That's D.C. The U.S. Capitol Building and the portrait of Ronald
Regan make us sure of this. It's a priority one and Regan has authorized the
use of the D.A.R.T. team. We then see Spike's training regiment. That requires
a lot of watermelons. A flashback. A different type of training (or real world)
exercise. Now being in the forth ninja film and we see ninjas only clad in
black. No flourishes, no red belts, headbands. Okay, I wrote too soon.
Some ninjas show up with white belts and headbands. We then learn a ninja
lesson, "A ninja does not allow himself to be swayed by emotion."
Spike Shinobi was deemed not worthy to be a ninja and must follow a different
path. Cut back to his watermelon beheading training session. While Spike
trains, Steve and Jennifer sit by the pool soaking up sunrays. Jennifer the
communications expert is alerted that the D.A.R.T. team has a "Red Option
4 Active." Training, sunbathing time is OVER.
Cut back to the heart of
the Philippine jungle. The terrorists are sending out a message to the world.
There will be no more bloodshed than necessary. We meet the commander of the organization.
Demands are made which are the release of a prisoner and the total withdrawal
of American drug enforcement personal from Southeast Asia. If these demands are
not met than there will be total execution of all hostages. A gun shot rings
out killing the first hostage. I surmise that bloodshed was necessary. A box is
delivered to a government building. A woman opens it and screams. I guess the
terrorists did not bank on government forces watching their earlier broadcast
so they had to also pay for shipping and handling. While annoying to pay for
both it is necessary.
Wait a second....are
those martial art oompa loompa's....yes, yes they are.
The movie cuts back to
the cruelty of being a hostage in the jungle. The commander boasts that he has
never seen a more pitiful group of hostages. I surmise he has seen his fair
share of hostages. The plot becomes a cat and mouse affair of D.A.R.T.
trying to locate the terrorists. Having watched my fair share of films that
were made in the Philippines I have to say that they have the greatest per
capita movie helicopter sequences. These films have also taught me that if you
are flying a helicopter and also doing street detective work you should have a
different set of clothes. You do not need to go crazy or anything a different
jacket will suffice. Also if you have helicopters at your disposal you will
have aerial montages. The length of these montages is up to you.
The 9 Deaths of the
Ninja is ultimately a story about American intervention. The United States and
the Philippines goes as far back as 1899 with the Philippine-American War,
which occurred in the years of 1899-1902. After its defeat in the
Spanish-American War of 1898, Spain ceded its longstanding colony of the
Philippines to the United States in the Treaty of Paris. On February 4, 1899,
just two days before the U.S. Senate ratified the treaty, fighting broke out
between American forces and Filipino nationalists led by Emilio Aguinaldo who
sought independence rather than a change in colonial rulers. The ensuing
Philippine-American War lasted three years and resulted in the death of over
4,200 American and over 20,000 Filipino combatants. As many as 200,000 Filipino
civilians died from violence, famine, and disease.
I'll take off my tweed
jacket with elbow patches for a second and get back to the movie at hand. As
far as 9 Deaths goes as a ninja action movie, it is okay. The one death of the
terrorist leader was inspired. And if 9 Deaths is indeed a film about
intervention it is one that sees the American forces seize the day and rectify
the wrongs.
PRAY FOR DEATH (1985)
Pray for Death opens
with a beautiful weapon display montage and the very 80s song "Back To The
Shadows" We then get right into a giant ninja battle using a variety of
weapons. This sequence is actually a ninja TV Show that is watched by two boys,
Shô's own sons Shane and Kane. Kosugi.
If we look at the 9
Deaths of the Ninja through the lens of American intervention Shô Kosugui's
other film released in 1985 Pray For Death is a film about the dark side of the
American immigrate experience. Shô plays Akira Saito. Akira's wife Aiko (whose
father was an American) wants them to move to America in pursuit of a better
life. Akira has his apprehensions citing how violent American cities are. He
goes forth anyway and begins the process of moving to America.
Akira meditates in a
dojo and is subsequently attacked by red ninja. It's a classic sword vs lit
torch battle. The red ninja is actually Akira's brother Shoji who upon dying
cryptically says, "You think it's....over." This being the beginning
of the film so, Akira and myself do not believe it is over. You may move to a
new country but you cannot leave the past of the old country behind. The immigrant
parable. A wise man looks on. After Shoji the wise old man does not look
on any longer but fights. He then shouts, "You must forget the past!"
The wise old man is actually Akira's father Kaga. After they fight he informs
him that he is moving to the United States. His father being cool says that
whatever decision Akira makes will be the right one. He then hands Akira an
ornate sword but Akira refuses saying when he leaves Japan he will leave his
shadows behind him. It is here that Akira's father contradicts himself and
states, "You cannot escape your shadows, my son. You will always be a
ninja." Looking for a concession Kaga wishes Akira at least takes an
ornate facemask. Akira accepts. He will take it as a memory. The condition is
he never reveals the families' sect. And must swear to it. It is sacred and
bound until death. Akira swears. Both men know Akira will never set upon
Japanese soil ever again.
Upon landing in America,
Houston, Texas to be more precise the family pays their respects to Aiko's
father and walk down the rough and tough streets. They then head to the
restaurant they have bought from Mr. Green. The neighborhood much like the
restaurant is in very rough shape. After the sun sets some dudes drive over to
the restaurant and it looks like it is being used as a drop off place for
"the stuff". My guess is not the great yogurt you cannot get enough
of but more likely drugs, or drug related money.
Akira and the boys go
off on an excursion with Mr. Green leaving Aiko behind. More dudes show up and
look for "the stuff" but "the stuff" is not there. We
subsequently learn that "the stuff" is a paper bag full of jewels. I
was wrong not drugs. James Booth who also wrote the movie plays the heavy “Limehouse”
Willie. When not holding a pen he holds a tire iron that he beats Mr. Green to
death with. The resulting station wagon explosion I have to say is the second
best of the explosions in a Shô Kosugi movie. The first will happen later in
the film.
We cut back to the Saito
family as they earn their first American dollar at their newly renovated and
opened restaurant. Unfortunately the moment is short-lived when neighborhood
bullies attack Akira’s sons. Takeshi fights them off but Tomoya is kidnapped by
“Limehouse” Willie and demands the necklace that Akira knows nothing about.
Aiko wants to phone the police but Akira says, "not yet" Akira heads
to a warehouse without the necklace but with information on who took the
jewels. A butterfly knife is pulled on him and Limehouse cuts his chest open.
Then “Limehouse” grabs a blowtorch, ignites and it brings it close to Tomoya.
The blowtorch is seconds away from harming Tomoya when Akira and us learn that
he cannot escape the shadows but will once again become them. Akira momentarily
defeats “Limehouse” and saves his son.
Akira takes Aiko's
advice and heads to the police and learns of the limitations of American
policing. Meanwhile the Saito family is further terrorized. Death, death, death
and vengeance follow. Pray For Death is a dark movie and arguably the best of
the 1980s Shô Kosugi ninja movies. It also has one of the best movie jumps of
all time! There was also going to be a sequel to Pray For Death, unfortunately
it never materialized. If the last pieces of dialogue are any indication it
might have been a Ninja type Batman story. And one last thought the pastel
purple and pink shot of the Houston skyline is peak 1980s cinematography.
RAGE OF HONOR (1987)
Rage once again sees Shô
working with director Gordon Hessler who also directed Pray For Death. The film
begins with a boat party in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The good times do not last
for long though. There is a bunch of undercover agents from the Drug
Investigation Bureau D.I.A. onboard lead by none other than Shô Kosugi playing
Shiro Tanaka. "Party's over." Bullets and kicks begin flying through
the hot, humid air. The bad guy gets in a speedboat and begins to escape,
thankfully there is another speed boat and Shiro is in pursuit! Bullets won't
cut it but a ninja star! will! The shuriken hits the driver and the boat veers
off and EXPLODES! The rest of the party goers are arrested and the D.I.A. hit
the mother load of drugs. Despite this success Shiro and his partner Ray seems
to have run afoul of the rules and regulations of the department.
We are now in Phoenix,
Arizona. Where the D.I.A. is either headquartered or has a branch. Shiro is
having dinner with his lady friend Jennifer Lane. Ray is working and seeing
what is going on at Tetra Imports. A convertible red car would not be my first
choice for undercover work but what do I know. He sneaks into the building and
is discovered by thugs. Given his car choice this does not come as much as a
surprise. We meet Havlock. Based on his look carefree and scattershot this is
our heavy. Slapping a shirtless and bound Ray confirms this. Havlock informs
Ray that his boys are soft when it comes to inflicting pain, he is different he
enjoys it and pulls out a metal rod conveniently lying in a nearby fire and
lights a cigarette off it to show how hot the rod is. Shiro and Jennifer are
leaving the restaurant and gets an earlier message from Ray. He has to ditch
Jen and speeds off in a black corvette. Probably a better, but still a flashy
car for undercover work. Shiro arrives at Tetra and gets right into it kicking
dudes into hot water tanks and shooting mofos all the while clad in a black tie
and white scarf. Eliminating the immediate threats he heads to the basement
where and gets to Ray right before he passes away. Shiro promises to get the
bastard if it is the last thing he does. Tetra blows sky high! Havlock is at
the airport and out of there. Shiro hides from the first responders in a bunch
of dirt.
Shiro shows up at the
head of the D.I.A. and once again is lectured about procedures. Shiro needs
authorization to head to Argentina to find Havlock. The head of the department
says he is looking for revenge. Shiro says no, just order. He is informed he is
not going on a goose chase vendetta. He is given two weeks off but has to file
a report before.
Rage is a film about
bureaucracy and regulations - two things that will bog down anything you are
trying to do. The film is also about loyalty and obligation. And first and
foremost, honor and the rage the goes with it. Once again eschewing
procedure Shiro - to no ones surprise - arrives in Argentina. Framing it as a
vacation. For all the regulations the department has it does not follow up
where it's agents are traveling to. It is also a film about surpassing
the ego as is demonstrated by Havlock calling out a martial arts bodyguard that
a fight is much more than brute strength. And then uses brute strength to defeat
him.
Shiro and Jen arrive in
Buenos Aries and run into an old pal who goes by the name of Dick. He and Shiro
go way back because he knows all about the timely demise of Ray. Dick has info
that can lead to Havlock. Dick is leaving town but has to meet a contact first.
Dick also says that it is none of business but Shiro has to let it go.
Meanwhile Jen is upstairs checking into the room and is attacked by a dude.
Shiro gets up there and we see some truly spectacular athleticism. Jen wants to
jet. "What can you do about what has already been done." She puts
down an ultimatum. Shiro has to choose her or vengeance. Shiro informs her that
it is not a choice but an obligation. Ray must've been a swell dude and
partner. Everyone around Shiro is telling him to move on. As he promised a
dying Ray he will get Havlock if it's the last thing he does and the way it is
shaping up it very well might be. As Shiro clad in a black leather jacket and
black turtleneck observes the goings on at an export warehouse I'm struck with
the thought that Shô would have made a great Golgo 13.
Rage moves along at a
good pace never really bogging itself down in unnecessary plot details. The
story is simple - Shiro's partner was killed and he is out for - in his words,
"order". The film also benefits from the on location shooting
in Argentina. With a fight sequence-taking place in what I assume would be near
the Iguazu Falls. One watches these films for action and there is plenty of
bullets and kicks and people being thrown through shit. And finally people show
up clad in ninja garb with some different weapons. Havlock and Cho get their
final battle and it begins with Sergio Leone close-ups and slow motion to
accentuate the importance of this fight. The film kicks into high gear when camouflaged
ninjas show up in a LOUD ass helicopter firing fucking bazookas and one wields
a cross-like staff with three separate blades. This is worth the price of
admission alone. I also have to say as far as movie villains go Havlock has
some serious longevity. As the end credits roll (unknown at the time) they also
mark the end of the Kosugi era. He still acts and shows up in movies but never
again would have the star power of these 1980 action movies.
Because in these dark
pandemic times we all need a piece of inspirational montage 1980s music, I
leave you with this song “Back To The Shadows” from Pray For Death.
"There's a spirit
deep within you,
That must remain
concealed,
Where the heart of a
warrior,
Can never be revealed,
Back to the shadows,
Back to the shadows,
Back to the shadows
Destiny will find
you
And peace will come at
last,
For the heart of a
warrior,
Must forget the past
Back to the shadows,
Back to the shadows,
Back to the shadows
Love will last
Freedom's in your grasp,
Memories surround you,
Back to the shadows,
Back to the shadows,
Back to the
shadows."
