The Killing Machine - Production & Contact Info

The Killing Machine (1975)
R
87 min | Action, Drama

The Killing Machine (1975)

87 min | Action, Drama

Sonny Chiba plays the character referred to as "Mr Soh", who is based on the true life founder of Shorinji Kempo, Doshin So. Mr Soh has been acting as a secret agent in Manchuria during the Japanese occupation. He is first seen spying on a...See moreSonny Chiba plays the character referred to as "Mr Soh", who is based on the true life founder of Shorinji Kempo, Doshin So. Mr Soh has been acting as a secret agent in Manchuria during the Japanese occupation. He is first seen spying on a meeting of Chinese soldiers as they plan a surprise ambush on the retreating Japanese Army. He is discovered and has to fight his way out, using fists, feet and then a machine gun. He rushes to inform the Japanese commanders of the plot, but is horrified to learn that Japan has done the unthinkable by surrendering unconditionally. Soh returns to his homeland to find a ravaged land of beaten people. Victimised by gangsters, occupation forces and corrupt local officials, the poor and the disenfranchised have lost the will to fight back. Using his "Shao Lin" skills (subtitle translation of Shorinji Kempo), he regularly champions the weak and teaches the black market thugs the error of their ways, becoming a regular guest at the local prison. He is seen to assist a former soldier, Otaki, who is seeking his lost wife at the bottom of a bottle, a fallen woman (Kiku) who has turned to prostitution after suffering rape by Russian soldiers, her little brother Kimio who gets injured by some American G.I.s who subsequently try to flee from accident. The Prison Governor warns him that the US Administration will not be so tolerant now that he has "crippled" the troops, suggesting a likely death sentence. He helps him to "escape" the jail and Soh leaves town in a hurry, pausing only to give advice to the band of orphans that he has befriended. Soh leaves the city of Osaka (central Japan) to go to the rural island of Shikoku where he finds a similar situation. He determines to bring new hope to the locals by teaching his martial arts skills to a growing band of followers. He gathers the loafers, ruffians and aimless, teaches them Shorinji Kempo (referred to as "Shao Lin" in subtitles) to build them up to be stronger physically and mentally. He meets some new characters, who he soon enlists in his school; Tomoda the young ex-soldier and his sister Miho. When the noodle-stall girl Noriko is raped by a gang of yakuza thugs, Soh and Tomoda dish out some rough justice (with some sharp scissors to one of the miscreant's tenderest flesh). Later, Tomoda and Miho are attacked and Tomoda has his arm cut off with a katana (Samurai sword). Soh avenges that with a visit to the local yakuza boss that leaves the boss with a dislocated arm and his minion missing a digit. Otaki, the former drunken soldier from Osaka joins the group, then in an emotional scene, discovers his wife is alive but has re-married after he was reported dead in the war. When the small-time local yakuza gangs are joined by familiar faces from Osaka seeking to expand their activities, it is time for action with a capital A. Before the final climactic face-off between Soh's students and the yakuza mob, there is time for Soh to receive an urgent message to see Kiku in Osaka. He returns to find the orphans caring for a terminally ill Kiku, who had turned to prostitution to help support them all. Soh experiences an epiphany and comes to recognise that "Strength and Compassion must be together" (Riki Ai Funi). In a typically cinematic finale, Soh's friend Otaki dies is killed by yakuza thugs paid to clear the honest poor from land to be used to build brothels and gambling dens. Soh goes on a final rampage to clear the yakuza right out of town forever. The epilogue reveals how Soh's school has flourished and spread across Japan (circa 1975), with scenes filmed at the organisations magnificent headquarters still based in the town of Tadotsu. Written by David Noble See less

Contacts

+ Add

Become a member to see contact information for Shôrinji kenpô.

Cast	+ Add Cast
71 cast members

Name	Known for
Shin'ichi Chiba Doshin So (as Sonny Chiba) Doshin So (as Sonny Chiba) See fewer	Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)
Yutaka Nakajima Kiku Sakamoto Kiku Sakamoto See fewer	Karate Bear Fighter (1975)
Makoto Satô Kentaro Otaki Kentaro Otaki See fewer	The Hidden Fortress (1958)
Naoya Makoto Hiroshi Tomoda Hiroshi Tomoda See fewer	Gokaiger Goseiger Super Sentai 199 Hero Great Battle (2011)
Sanae Kitabayashi Kino Nakano Kino Nakano See fewer	Sakariba nagashi uta: Shinjuku no onna (1970)
Akiko Mori Masako Masako See fewer	The Transgressor (1974)
Akira Ôizumi Actor Actor See fewer	Ultraman Taro (1973)
Hôsei Komatsu Sakai Osa Sakai Osa See fewer	Lady Snowblood (1973)
Kyôichi Satô Kaga Kaga See fewer	She Cat (1983)
Genji Kawai Murayama Senzo Murayama Senzo See fewer	The Resurrection of the Golden Wolf (1979)
Junichi Tatsu Miyoshi Bungo Miyoshi Bungo See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Kazuhide Haruta Michiomi Nakano Michiomi Nakano See fewer	Hadashi no Gen: Namida no bakuhatsu (1977)
Kinji Takinami Actor Actor See fewer	Kamen Rider (1971)
Rikiya Yasuoka Takehara Takehara See fewer	Black Rain (1989)
Seiya Satô Actor (as Joya Sato) Actor (as Joya Sato) See fewer	Bullet Train (1975)
Toshiyuki Tsuchiyama Koiwa Koiwa See fewer	Johnny Sokko and His Flying Robot (1967)
Midori Hoshino Murayama Noriko Murayama Noriko See fewer	Denjin Zaborger (1974)
Toshihiko Sawada Kawai Kawai See fewer	Sister Street Fighter: Hanging by a Thread (1974)
Makoto Wada Ishihara Ishihara See fewer	All About Our House (2001)
Shunsuke Kariya Matsunaga Gunji Matsunaga Gunji See fewer	Legend of the Eight Samurai (1983)
Giichi Sugi Actor Actor See fewer	Prince of Space (1959)
Sami Suzuki Actor Actor See fewer	Gakusei yakuza (1974)
Gôzô Sôma Actor Actor See fewer	Bullet Train (1975)
Akira Kuji Actor Actor See fewer	Wandering Ginza Butterfly 2: She-Cat Gambler (1972)
Tadashi Takatsuki Actor Actor See fewer	Denji Sentai Megaranger (1997)
Masao Hiraishi Actor Actor See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Teruo Shimizu Actor Actor See fewer	Dekotora no Shu: Koino hanasaku shimizuko (2006)
Miru Rado Actress Actress See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Teinosu Aru Actor Actor See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Taiko Rin Horse thief Horse thief See fewer	Ninja Captor (1976)
Shigeru Yokoyama Tachibana Mitsuo Tachibana Mitsuo See fewer	Bullet Train (1975)
Kôji Miemachi Actor Actor See fewer	Tôkyô-wan enjô (1975)
Megumi Jô Actress Actress See fewer	Truck Rascals (1975)
Fumie Shô Actress Actress See fewer	Zenka onna: Koroshi-bushi (1973)
Kimie Matsui Actress Actress See fewer	Kamen Rider (1971)
Yuko Toshima Actress Actress See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Hitoki Iizuka Actor Actor See fewer	Kamen Rider (1971)
Norihiko Umeji Actor Actor See fewer	Hitokiri kannon-uta (1970)
Naoyuki Tsuji Actor Actor See fewer	Kamen Rider (1971)
Eiji Iwabuchi Actor Actor See fewer	Aoi sei (1975)
Mieko Muramatsu Actress Actress See fewer	Kamen Rider (1971)
Osamu Yamanouchi Actor Actor See fewer	Zoku soshiki bôryoku (1967)
Jirô Sagawa Actor Actor See fewer	Bullet Train (1975)
Kôji Sawada Kimura Kimura See fewer	Invasion of the Neptune Men (1961)
Ryôjirô Nishimoto Actor Actor See fewer	The Man Who Stole the Sun (1979)
Sakae Yamaura Actor Actor See fewer	Choujin Sentai Jetman (1991)
Misao Haruda Actor Actor See fewer	The Bodyguard (1973)
Toshimichi Takahashi Actor Actor See fewer	Kamen Rider Black (1987)
Osamu Kimura Actor Actor See fewer	Ninja Sentai Kakuranger (1994)
Shoji Matsushita Actor Actor See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Fukunosuke Izumi Actor Actor See fewer	Choujin Sentai Jetman (1991)
Kengo Miyaji Mitsui Mitsui See fewer	Bullet Train (1975)
Kôichi Yamada Actor Actor See fewer	Bullet Train (1975)
Kenji Gotô Actor Actor See fewer	Prisoners of the Ghostland (2021)
Masumi Osaki Actor Actor See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Yumi Sumika Chieko Nakano Chieko Nakano See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Yasushi Esaki Actor Actor See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Masako Kuchitori Actress Actress See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Akemi Koike Toshie Nakano Toshie Nakano See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Homare Hasegawa Actor Actor See fewer	Kamen Rider W (2009)
Yasuto Sugawara Actor Actor See fewer	Bullet Train (1975)
Kazuki Onoda Actor Actor See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Yoichi Nanya Actor Actor See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Kojun Ikuta Actor Actor See fewer	The Killing Machine (1975)
Asao Koike Sakae Akamatsu Sakae Akamatsu See fewer	Throne of Blood (1957)
Hiroshi Nawa Tanosuke Iwasa Tanosuke Iwasa See fewer	Three Seconds Before the Explosion (1967)
Hideo Murota Horse thief's division head Horse thief's division head See fewer	Kagemusha: The Shadow Warrior (1980)
Etsuko Shihomi Miho Tomoda Miho Tomoda See fewer	Shanghai Rhapsody (1984)
Tetsurô Tanba Nobuyuki Kobayakawa Nobuyuki Kobayakawa See fewer	You Only Live Twice (1967)
Naomi Katô Hase Hase See fewer	RoboGeisha (2009)
Yukio Someno Actor Actor See fewer	Five Fingers of Death (1972)