Karate for Life (1977)
KARATE FOR LIFE (aka KARATE BAKA-ICHIDAI) by Kazuhiko Yamaguchi. Sonny Chiba plays Mas Oyama, a karate expert who gets duped into leaving mainland Japan to fight in rigged wrestling matches staged in Okinawa for American G.I.s. Once he learns the score, he refuses to throw the fights, putting him at odds with the bad guys.
This film can be watched alone, but it is actually the last in a trilogy of films, preceded by Karate Bullfighter and Karate Bear Fighter. All of these are very loosely based on the life of Chiba's mentor, Masutatsu Oyama.
Although the plot is really just karate vs. pro-wrestling, the cinematography and editing are top-notch; this is a beautiful-looking film with great atmosphere. Although some scenes are hand-held with some frenetic cuts and such, this is always done to enhance the action. Even the ripped-off "hall of mirrors" scene at the end of the film is excusable because, well, it just looks really cool. The scenes with the pro-wrestlers are very fun once Chiba takes off the kid gloves. The non-action scenes aren't spectacularly interesting, but they're well done and really just look great. The action comes along enough that the scenes do not take away any energy.(MH)
Highlights: The opening fight, against 101 karate students who try to even the odds by oiling the floor; the title cards that go up during the wrestling matches, proclaiming things like "Airplane Spin Toss" and "Secret Ring;" the brutality of Chiba's fighting style--lots of bone breaking; and, again, the cinematography was excellent.
This film can be watched alone, but it is actually the last in a trilogy of films, preceded by Karate Bullfighter and Karate Bear Fighter. All of these are very loosely based on the life of Chiba's mentor, Masutatsu Oyama.
Although the plot is really just karate vs. pro-wrestling, the cinematography and editing are top-notch; this is a beautiful-looking film with great atmosphere. Although some scenes are hand-held with some frenetic cuts and such, this is always done to enhance the action. Even the ripped-off "hall of mirrors" scene at the end of the film is excusable because, well, it just looks really cool. The scenes with the pro-wrestlers are very fun once Chiba takes off the kid gloves. The non-action scenes aren't spectacularly interesting, but they're well done and really just look great. The action comes along enough that the scenes do not take away any energy.(MH)
Highlights: The opening fight, against 101 karate students who try to even the odds by oiling the floor; the title cards that go up during the wrestling matches, proclaiming things like "Airplane Spin Toss" and "Secret Ring;" the brutality of Chiba's fighting style--lots of bone breaking; and, again, the cinematography was excellent.
This entry was posted
on Tuesday, March 01, 2005 at 3/01/2005 01:47:00 PM.
You can skip to the end and leave a response.
» Post a Comment