The Street Fighter Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Street Fighter Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf May 13, 2019

The man, the myth, the legend, Sonny Chiba, cements his position as a martial arts movie draw with 1974’s “The Street Fighter,” delivering a full- body performance that single-handedly keeps the sometimes iffy feature together. He’s a force of nature here, going nuclear for director Shigehiro Ozawa, who assembles a competent run of combat sequences, making the most of his star, who’s always ready to deliver with full power, Kabuki- style reactions, and a deep commitment to a tale that’s not as interesting as he is.

“The Street Fighter” establishes the rise of Terry (Chiba), a hired gun who’s caught in the middle of trouble when he resists the power of the Yakuza by refusing a kidnapping job. There’s certainly more to the story, but there really doesn’t have to be, as the highlights of “The Street Fighter” belong to Chiba and his habitual emphasis, turning every martial art move into operatic fury, working his way through waves of foes as Terry encounters aggressors at every turn.

The Street Fighter Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.35:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "The Street Fighter" opens with a card explaining that Shout Factory used two sources to create the viewing experience, merging a new scan of the English Language cut with an "earlier HD master" of the Japanese cut. Consistency isn't an issue here, as the two sources blend relatively well, creating a clear, bright look at frame activity in the feature. Detail reaches about as far as the original cinematography allows, offering adequate textures on costuming and facial surfaces, with bodily harm easily surveyed. Interiors are retained, highlighting decoration and expanse, especially with the climatic shipyard fight. Colors are appealing, with natural skintones and livelier period hues, while blood red retains its paint-like appeal. Delineation has a few moments of solidification with thicker hair. Sources are in reasonable shape, but some speckling and scratches are detected, along with a few blemishes along the way.

The Street Fighter Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA English Language sound mix is hit with a few fluctuations in volume, with short bursts of iffy compression encountered. Overall, it's a pleasing listen with defined dialogue exchanges, finding dubbing as clear as can be expected. Sound effects are nicely charged, with sharp kicks and punches. Scoring needs are met as well, supporting with active musicianship. A more natural 2.0 DTS-HD MA Japanese Language track is included, along with a 2.0 DTS-HA MA "90's Re-release" English dub.

The Street Fighter Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview (27:10, HD) with Sonny Chiba is a surprisingly candid discussion of "The Street Fighter" with its iconic star. The interviewee tracks his entrance into moviemaking, refocusing his interests after an injury halted his career as an Olympic athlete. Chiba discusses his karate training, with a concentration on Budo, developing his skills while martial art films were becoming a trend in Japan, exploding with Bruce Lee productions. While agreeing to star in "The Street Fighter," Chiba fully admits he didn't want to, showing reluctance to participate in a feature that demeans karate, with his lack of industry power making it impossible to achieve any type of control over the endeavor. In fact, Chiba seems embarrassed by the work, but brightens up some when discussing Jackie Chan's fandom and his time with co-stars. Chiba details his renaming for the American market, his career ambitions at the age of 80, and his time with Quentin Tarantino, who included "The Street Fighter" in his screenplay for "True Romance."

• Interview (13:03, HD) with editor Jack Sholder explores his early years as a trumpet player, with a dismal career forecast and LSD experimentation ultimately leading him to moviemaking. Showing Robert Shaye, president of New Line Cinema, his short films, Shoulder was eventually recruited to cut trailers for the company. Shoulder recalls various technical challenges and other jobs during his training years, before launching himself as a director, with credits such as "The Hidden" and "A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge."

• Still Gallery (6:32) collects publicity snaps, lobby cards, newspaper slicks and ads, reviews, poster art, and VHS box art.

• A U.S. Trailer (2:26, HD) and a Japanese Trailer (3:00, SD) are included.

The Street Fighter Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"The Street Fighter" doesn't come through clear enough with dramatics, finding Terry's war with various entities best served as physically as possible, finding narrative twists not nearly as engrossing as the spectacle provided by Chiba, who delivers a masterfully animated performance.