"Actor: Sonny"

• Doberman Cop | Blu Ray | (26/06/2017) from £44.99   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Released just as the popularity of yakuza movies was waning in Japan, and as the country's film industry was undergoing some fundamental shifts, Doberman Cop is a unique entry in the career of director Kinji Fukasaku (Battles Without Honor and Humanity, Cops vs Thugs), and reunited him with star Shinichi Sonny Chiba (The Street Fighter, Wolf Guy) in an American-style crime movie that mixes gunplay and pulp fiction with martial arts and lowbrow comedy to create one of their most entertaining films. Based on a popular manga by Buronson (creator of Fist of the North Star), Doberman Cop follows the fish-out-of-water adventures of Joji Kano (Chiba), a tough-as-nails police officer from Okinawa who arrives in Tokyo's Kabuki-cho nightlife district to investigate the savage murder and mutilation of an island girl who had been working as a prostitute. Initially dismissed as a country bumpkin (complete with straw hat and live pig in tow!), Kano soon proves himself a more savvy detective than the local cops, and a tougher customer than anyone expected. As he probes deeper into the sleazy world of flesh-peddling, talent agency corruption and mob influence, Kano uncovers the shocking truth about the girl, her connection to a yakuza-turned-music manager (Hiroki Matsukata), and a savage serial killer who is burning women alive. Made to appeal both to the youth market with its biker gangs and popular music, as well as to old-time yakuza movie fans, Doberman Cop is an surprising oddity in Fukasaku's career, his sole film adapted directly from a manga and never before released on video outside of Japan. Featuring Chiba at his charismatic best channeling a Japanese Dirty Harry while doing all his own stunts and Fukasaku at his most fun, deftly showcasing the combined talents of his Piranha Army stock company of actors and other regular players Doberman Cop is a classic action comedy and a missing link in 1970's Japanese cinema deserving of rediscovery. SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS: High Definition digital transfer High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations Original uncompressed mono audio Optional English subtitles Beyond the Film: Doberman Cop, a new video appreciation by Fukasaku biographer Sadao Yamane New video interview with actor Shinichi Sonny Chiba New video interview with screenwriter Koji Takada Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Chris Malbon FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's book featuring new writing on the films by Patrick Macias

• Nanking Massacre | DVD | (09/06/2014) from £20.00   |  Saving you £-10.01 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Nanking tells the story of the rape of Nanking one of the most tragic events in history. In 1937 the invading Japanese army murdered over 200 000 and raped tens of thousands of Chinese. In the midst of the horror a small group of Western expatriates banded together to save 250 000 -- an act of extraordinary heroism. Bringing an event little-known outside of Asia to a global audience Nanking shows the tremendous impact individuals can make on the course of history. It is a gripping account of light in the darkest of times.

• Radiant: Complete Season 1 | DVD | (24/10/2022) from £9.00   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £N/A

  Seth is an aspiring sorcerer from the Pompo Hills area. Like all wizards, he is an infected, one of the few living beings who survived the contact of the Nemesiscreatures fallen from the sky that contaminate and decimate all those they touch. Being immune to them, Seth wants to become a Hunter and fight the Nemesis. But more than that, Seth wants to engage in a quest that goes beyond the simple hunt for monsters. He wants to find the Radiant, their presumed cradle. Aided by a faction of fellow sorcerers, he travels the world in search of the Radiant, under the harsh scrutiny of the Inquisition.

• Deadly Outlaw Rekka | DVD | (22/11/2010) from £8.08   |  Saving you £11.91 (147.40%)   |  RRP £19.99

  From cult director Takashi Miike (Audition Ichi the Killer) comes this fast paced black humoured Yakuza movie. Following the death of his boss Kunisada (Riki Takeuchi - Dead or Alive Battle Royale 2) embarks upon a journey of revenge against the rival gang who ordered the hit. However all is not how it seems as Kunisada uncovers the truth behind the shady deals that exist within his own clan. Pursued by two hit men Kunisada finds himself both hunter and the hunted as cross and double cross leads to murder mayhem and a bazooka! Cut to the psychedelic prog rock album Satori by Flower Travellin' Band Deadly Outlaw Rekka is a sensational ride with the modern Yakuza and features an astonishing performance by Takeuchi as well as an appearance by the legendary Sonny Chiba (The Street Fighter Kill Bill).

• The Stallone Action Icons Collection | DVD | (04/08/2008) from £5.14   |  Saving you £19.85 (386.19%)   |  RRP £24.99

  Titles Comprise: Lock UpFrank Leone is nearing the end of his prison term for a relatively minor crime. Just before he is paroled however Warden Drumgoole takes charge. Drumgoole was assigned to a hell-hole prison after his administration was publicly humiliated by Leone and has now arrived on the scene to ensure that Leone never sees the light of day. CliffhangerSarah was an inexperienced climber. She trusted Gabe to rescue her. But something went wrong high above the valley floor. Sylvester Stallone John Lithgow Michael Rooker Janine Turner and Ralph Waite star in this high-altitude avalanche of action: a non-stop adventure peaked with suspense and capped with heart-quaking terror. For Rocky Mountain Rescue the mission is almost routine: locate five climbers. With the woman he loves (Turner) and his best friend (Rooker) Gabe Walker (Stallone) braves the icy peaks only to discover that the distress call is really a trap set by merciless international terrorist Eric Qualen (Lithgow). Now millions of dollars and their own lives hang in the balance. Against explosive firepower bitter cold and dizzying heights Walker must outwit Qualen in a deadly game of hide-and-seek. Death Race 2000In the year 2000 auto racing has become very dangerous: it's not only how fast you drive but how many pedestrians you hit. David Carradine takes on Sylvester Stallone in this adrenaline thriller that will surely make you look both ways before you cross the road. Directed by Paul Bartel of 'Eating Raoul' fame and produced by Roger Corman.

• The Blade | DVD | (17/04/2000) from £29.99   |  Saving you £-10.00 (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  Legendary Hong Kong Director Tsui Hark blends violent action and stunning swordplay in his remake of the Shaw Brothers classic One-Armed Swordsman. The Blade is a sweeping epic which highlights the incredible fighting talent of Chiu Cheuk Hong Kong's latest action start. When a master sword-maker adopts the son of a murdered friend (Chiu Cheuk) the boy learns the master's craft well. As a young man he learns about his fathers death at the hand of a mysterious tattooed killer (Xiong-Xin-Xin). He takes fathers broken blade and sets out to seek vengeance. The daughter Ling follows but is caught in a bloody ambush. When he tries to rescue her his arm is hacked off in the battle and he is believed dead by all except Ling and his friend who set out in search of him. But he is saved by a hermit girl who nurses him back to health where he finds an old kung fu manual and practices with the broken blade to perfect the art of one armed swordfighting. In a breathtaking finale unlike anything you have seen before our hero sets off once again to find the tattooed assassin a quest that leads to an explosive and spectacular showdown.

• Three Faces West & Shepherd of the Hills (John Wayne) | DVD | (26/06/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Three Faces Of The West (Dir. Bernard Vorhaus 1940): A refugee physician and his daughter find themselves part of a group of townspeople who are trying to relocate out of the dust bowl region of the South Central U.S. John Wayne stars the group's tireless leader. Shepherd Of The Hills (Dir. Henry Hathaway 1941): When a stranger comes to an isolated mountain village and tempers the rough rage of its inhabitants one of the mountaineers (""The Duke"") is still suspicious of this mysterious interloper--and not incidentally still bitter over being deserted by his father as an infant.

• The Gift Horse | DVD | (04/01/2016) from £17.53   |  Saving you £-4.54 (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

• Muhammad Ali - the Greatest | DVD | (12/04/2005) from £10.35   |  Saving you £-0.36 (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Charting the life and times of Muhammad Ali this documentary begins in Louisville Kentucky the birthplace of the future World Heavyweight Champion and follows his career from his first amateur fight against Ronnie O'Keefe (for which he was paid the princely sum of $4.00) to the most infamous fights of his life: ""The Rumble in the Jungle"" and ""The Thrilla in Manila"". Featuring classic footage from legendary fights as well as interviews with his trainer Angelo Dundee and contribu

• Best Of The Best 2 | DVD | (21/02/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £9.99

  Sequel to 'Best Of The Best'. A member of the US Karate team is murdered. Now the team's fighting skills must be used for real!

• Cherry Tree Lane | DVD | (13/09/2010) from £6.89   |  Saving you £9.10 (56.90%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Cherry Tree Lane

• The Return Of The Streetfighter | DVD | (24/01/2005) from £5.38   |  Saving you £10.61 (66.40%)   |  RRP £15.99

  The incredible Sonny Chiba is back as Tsurugi! And this time he's meaner than ever! Otaguru is a big time mobster with activities that could put him behind bars so he hires Tsurugi (Sonny Chiba) to hush a couple of captured employees...

• Battles Without Honor and Humanity | Blu Ray | (07/12/2015) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £99.99

  Kinji Fukasaku (Battle Royale) gave the world Japan’s answer to The Godfather with this violent yakuza saga, influencing filmmakers from Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill, Reservoir Dogs) to Takashi Miike (Graveyard of Honor, Audition). Made within just two years, the five-film series brought a new kind of realism and ferocity to the crime genre in Japan, revitalizing the industry and leading to unprecedented commercial and critical success. Literally exploding onscreen with a mushroom cloud, and ending with Hiroshima’s A-bomb Dome, the epic story of Battles Without Honour and Humanity follows over 100 characters through twenty years of gang wars, alliances, betrayals, and assassinations, in an exciting exploration of criminal power and politics in Japan. In the opening episode, ex-soldier Shozo Hirono escapes from the post-war black markets to become a key member of the Yamamori gang, but soon finds himself disillusioned by the selfish duplicity of his bosses. Hiroshima Death Match focuses on a demobilized kamikaze pilot drifting through the early 1950’s, whose suicidal impulses find good use as a mob assassin. Proxy War and Police Tactics form a labyrinthine, two-part story of ambition and betrayal set against Japan’s rapid economic growth of the 1960’s, with Shozo caught between warring factions. Final Episode concludes the series in the 1970’s as the former Yamamori gang transforms itself into an economic conglomerate called the Tensei Group, in a bid for mainstream respectability. Fukasaku and his team broke with the longstanding studio tradition of casting marquee idols as honorable, kimono-clad heroes, defending their gang bosses against unscrupulous villains, and instead adapted true accounts torn from the headlines, shot in a documentary-like style, and with few clear-cut heroes or villains. The vibrancy and dynamism of the filmmaking, plus its shocking violence, Shakespearean plotlines, and wide tapestry of characters, launched a revolutionary new genre, establishing the series as one of the great masterpieces of world crime cinema. Limited Edition Contents: Limited Edition Blu-ray Collection High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentation of all five original films Original Mono audio (uncompressed PCM on the Blu-rays) Optional English subtitles for all five films Remembering Kinji – a new featurette about director Kinji Fukasaku and his work, featuring interviews with Kenta Fukasaku and film critic and Fukasaku biographer Sadao Yamane Secrets of the Piranha Army – a new documentary about the troupe of supporting actors who appeared throughout the series, featuring new interviews with original Piranha members Masaru Shiga and Takashi Noguchi, plus second-generation Piranha, Takashi Nishina and Akira Murota All the Bad Guys – a new, comprehensive video guide to the actors in the films Fukasaku Family – a new interview with Proxy War and Police Tactics assistant director Toru Dobashi Man of Action – a new interview with series fight choreographer Ryuzo Ueno Tales of a Bit Player – a new interview with supporting actor and stuntman Seizo Fukumoto Last Days of the Boss – a new interview with Final Episode screenwriter Koji Takada Yakuza Graveyard – a new interview with Takashi Miike about Kinji Fukasaku and the yakuza film genre Original trailers for the series Original poster gallery for the series Limited Edition packaging and reversible sleeves for all five films including original and newly commissioned artwork by Reinhard Kleist The Complete Saga - Limited Edition Exclusive English-subtitled premiere of the 224-minute compilation edition of the first four films, previously screened only as part of a limited Japanese theatrical release in 1980 and on the Toei cable channel Introduction by Complete Saga editorial supervisor Toru Dobashi The Yakuza Papers - Limited Edition Exclusive 150-page hardback book featuring writing on the history of the yakuza film genre, the background and continuing importance of the Battles series, and additional essays on the men who made them, including a newly-reprinted and fully annotated edition of Paul Schrader’s classic 1974 Film Comment essay Yakuza-Eiga: A Primer, a new, exclusive English translation of screenwriter Kazuo Kasahara’s 1974 Scenario magazine essay on his writing process for the first four films, as well as new essays and interviews from critics and authors Chris D., Grady Hendrix, Patrick Macias, Tom Mes, Mark Schilling, and Jasper Sharp.

• G.I. Samurai | DVD | (19/09/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £12.99

  A Japanese Army unit commanded by Yoshiaki Iba (Sonny Chiba) is mysteriously transported 400 years back in time to the warring states period of Japanese history. Forming an alliance with the samurai Kategora who yearns to be the next Shogun Iba and his men become embroiled in a brutal and bloody conflict and end up facing an entire army of Samurai warriors... Previously available as a heavily cut version entitled ""Timeslip"" this DVD presents the film fully uncut with over thirty

• AKA Cassius Clay | DVD | (18/05/2002) from £6.22   |  Saving you £9.77 (157.07%)   |  RRP £15.99

  Made in 1970, just as he was reaching the end of a three-year exile from boxing, AKA Cassius Clay is a documentary about Muhammad Ali's life and career. Produced by Jim Jacobs and Bill Cayton--who would go on to manage Mike Tyson--it includes reams of Jacobs' vast collection of fight footage, some of it familiar, some quite rare, such as flickery images of his earliest bouts. The film intersperses an account of Ali's career with good natured, if combative, sections to camera featuring Ali and future Tyson trainer Cus D'Amato, who plays devil's advocate, arguing with the ex-champ that he would never have beaten Joe Louis in his heyday, or (more dubiously) his own protégé Floyd Patterson. Watching footage of his 1967 bout against Cleveland Williams here, it's hard to believe any champion before or since could have beaten Ali at his height. Ali's familiar story is competently related here (though narrator Richard Kiley has the mildly disconcerting air of a Bond villain): his 1960 Olympic triumph; his defeat of Sonny Liston who was expected to annihilate the young 22-year-old blowhard in 1964; his conversion to the Nation of Islam; and the plainly vindictive decision on the part of the authorities to revise his draft status and call him up for service in Vietnam. Ali refused and faced the possibility of a five-year jail sentence as well as being stripped of his title. The principle pleasure of AKA Cassius Clay is watching Ali in full verbal flow. His maniacal teasing of Liston was a psychological knockout blow. "The man's too ugly to be the world champ. The world champ should be pretty, like me!" On the DVD: extras comprise scene selections and the original trailer. The reproduction is visually adequate, with the sepia tones of the fight footage holding up well; but the dubbing in places is poor. --David Stubbs

• Ninja Scroll | DVD | (26/11/2012) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £19.99

  A ninja-for-hire is forced into fighting an old nemesis who is bent on overthrowing the Japanese government. His nemesis is also the leader of a group of demons each with superhuman powers.

• Hillbilly Rockabillies On TV | DVD | (06/03/2006) from £11.19   |  Saving you £1.80 (13.90%)   |  RRP £12.99

  Features fifty original colour performances from 1950s American T.V Shows and the legendary names are legion: Chet Atkins Marty Robbins Jim Reeves Faron Young Moon Mullican Ernest Tubb and many many more. Tracklist: 1. Silver Lake Blues - The Cherokee Cowboys 2. That's Alright Mama - Marty Robbins 3. Teenage Boogie - Webb Pierce 4. Rock 'n' roll Mr Bullfrog - Moon Mullican 5. Car Hoppin' Mama - Hawshaw Hawkins 6. So Doggone Lonesome - Ernest Tubb 7. I Can't

• The Streetfighter | DVD | (24/01/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £15.99

  A mercenary kung fu fighter is hired by both Yakuza and Mafia as they plot to kidnap the daughter of an oil magnate. However when each gang refuses to meet his asking price the master switches sides and is hired to protect the woman at all costs... Excellent martial arts action from the first in the series of 'Streetfighter' movies that made Sonny Chiba lately referencing his own reputation with a cameo in Quentin Tarantino's 'Kill Bill' an international star.

• Sonny Chiba Collection - Vol. 1 | DVD | (29/08/2005) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £24.99

  The Killing Machine (Dir. Norifumi Suzuki 1975): Sonny Chiba stars as real life master Doshin So originator of Shorinji Kenpo who comes to the aid of orphans and a young girl forced into prostitution in post-war Japan. However corrupt authorities are unwilling to allow him to open a martial arts school and the stage is set for a bloody showdown... Yakuza Deka (Dir. Yukio Noda 1970): Tough thriller starring the inimitable unstoppable force of Japanese action cinema

• The Fifth Element (Special Edition) | DVD | (08/02/2006) from £N/A   |  Saving you £N/A (N/A%)   |  RRP £22.99

  In the year 2257 a planet-sized vessel of supreme evil is hurtling towards the earth with relentless speed threatening to exterminate every living organism in its path. It has been left to the ex-marine and unlikely taxi-driving hero Korben Dallas (Willis) to reunite the four stones that represent the elements - Earth Air Water and Fire with the mysterious Fifth Element to unleash the only power that will save the Earth. Joined on his mission by the intriguing Leeloo (Jovovich) and Priest Vito Cornelius (Holm) Dallas must retrieve the elements from the beautiful Diva aboard the luxury cruise ship the Fhlotsin Paradise.