The Sonny Chiba Collection

Four-disc set includes: Yakuza Wolf: I Perform Murder (1972)Gosuke Himuro (Sonny Chiba) came back to Japan seeking vengeance against the Yakuza that killed his father and sold his sister into prostitution-and he'd do so by provoking the mob's factions into bloody internecine combat as he saved the big boss (Kôji Nanbara) for last-and himself. Spaghetti western-redolent actioner also stars Ryoji Hayama, Tomoko Mayama. 88 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Yakuza Wolf 2: Extend My Condolences (1972)This in-name-only follow-up stars Sonny Chiba as a fresh-out-of-prison thug looking for some payback from the Yakuza boss (Asao Uchida) who put him there. Unfortunately, that's going to have to involve a two-man assault on the ganglord's isolated mountaintop compound. Tatsuya Fuji, Reiko Ike, Mikio Narita also star. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Bodyguard Kiba (1973)Weary of the drug trade ravaging Japan. Intelligence operative Kiba (Sonny Chiba) makes it public he'll use his lethal skills to protect anyone brave enough to testify against the Yakuza. He swiftly finds a taker in a lovely and frightened Mafia moll (Mari Atsumi) whose lover just got whacked-but does she have her own agenda as he drops all comers? Signature Chiba action opus co-stars Etsuko Shihomi, Ryohei Uchida. 87 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: R Bodyguard Kiba 2 (1973)Out of prison after his vigilante rampages, Kiba (Sonny Chiba) is reduced to gangland nightclub muscle to cover his sister's medical bills. Matters get worse when it turns out that he's working for the thug who set up his jail buddy Nanjo (Tsunehiko Watase)... and a now-free Nanjo's looking for payback. Early "Japanese Action Club" triumph for Chiba co-stars Etsuko Shihomi, Masashi Ishibashi. 88 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Swords of Vengeance (The Fall of Ako Castle) (1978)Splendid take on the "47 Ronin" legend from Kinji Fukasaku stars Kinnosuke Nakamura as the 18th century masterless samurai who, after his lord meets an unjust end, defies the shogunate and leads his fellows in a vengeance assault against the rival responsible. Sonny Chiba, Toshiro Mifune, Tetsuro Tanba, Mariko Okada also star. 159 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Samurai Reincarnation (1981)Martial arts-fantasy-horror epic with something to please every action fan. In 17th-century Japan, the ghost of the beheaded leader of a rebellion against the Shogunate teams with a magical female spirit to raise an army of the undead. Standing in their way is one-eyed samurai Sonny Chiba. Ken Sawada, Akiko Kana also star. 122 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR Shogun's Shadow (1989)Star Sonny Chiba's legendary Japan Action Club choreographed the spectacular combat for this martial arts adventure, which follows two sons of a ruling shogun vying for the right of succession. Though the shogun clearly prefers the younger son to succeed him, the older sibling decides not to take this insult lying down. With seven powerful samurai by his side, the elder warrior makes the fight for succession a brutal one. Ken Ogata, Hu Chien Chiang also star. 111 min. In Japanese with English subtitles. C/Rtg: NR