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Bodyguard (The) AKA Karate Kiba AKA Viva Chiba: The Bodyguard AKA Bodyguard Kiba AKA Bodigaado Kiba (1974)
Sonny Chiba, hired to kill... If his kick doesn't get you... his fatal fist will!Director: Ryuichi Takamori, Simon Nuchtern (US version additional scenes)
OVERALL: R1-
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Subtitles:No
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Aspect Ratio:1.33:1
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Picture Format:Non-Anamorphic
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TV System:NTSC
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Soundtrack(s):English Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
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Case type:Special Case
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Notes:This is the US version, with the introductory quote Quentin Tarantino ripped off for Pulp Fiction and a silly scene in a New York karate school inserted at the start.
Only available as part of the following box sets:
- "10 Faces Of Sonny Chiba" boxset, along with "The Bodyguard", "Dragon Princess", "Karate Warriors", "Legend Of The Eight Samurai", "Return Of The Street Fighter", "Samurai Reincarnation", "Shogun's Ninja", "The Street Fighter" and "Street Fighter's Last Revenge".
- "Sonny Chiba Greatest Hits" 4 movie set, along with "Legend Of The Eight Samurai", "Return Of The Street Fighter" and "The Street Fighter". -
Special thanks to Rewind user the13thman for providing these specifications.
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Have you spotted a mistake in these specifications? If so, let us know via our forums. -
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Subtitles:None
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Aspect Ratio:1.33:1
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Picture Format:Non-Anamorphic
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TV System:NTSC
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Soundtrack(s):English Dolby Digital 2.0 mono
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Case type:Keep Case
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Notes:Part of the Mark of the Ninja set which includes 8 films on a dual sided single DVD.
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Special thanks to Rewind user Åsmund_Utvik for providing these specifications.
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Have you spotted a mistake in these specifications? If so, let us know via our forums. -
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Extras:Bonus trailers for "Ninja Wars" and "Burnout"
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Subtitles:No
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Aspect Ratio:2.35:1
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Picture Format:Anamorphic
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TV System:NTSC
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Soundtrack(s):English Dolby Digital 2.0 Dual Mono
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Case type:Special Case
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Notes:Shares a disc with "Sister Street Fighter".
Included in The Sonny Chiba Collection: 6 Film Set with "Bullet Train" (International version), "Bullet Train" (Japanese version), "Dragon Princess", "Karate Warriors", "Golgo 13" and "Sister Street Fighter". 6-Disc Digi-pack in a cardboard slip case. -
Special thanks to Rewind user Frank_Chan for providing these specifications.
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Have you spotted a mistake in these specifications? If so, let us know via our forums. -
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OVERALL: R1
The BCI release for the anamorphic transfer.
Note none of the releases offer the original Japanese version.
GENERAL NOTES:
There are two versions in circulation:
- the original Japanese version (~88 minutes);
- the 1976 US version (~88 minutes) titled "The Bodyguard" (or "Viva Chiba: The Bodyguard" onscreen) which starts with a scrolling text and a narrator reading a passage from Ezekiel 25:17 - which directly inspired the Samuel L. Jackson scene in "Pulp Fiction" - with additional establishing shots of New York before the assassination, the replacement of the Japanese version's English-language newspaper headlines identifying the gangster phonetically as "Salbadole Lucco" (he becomes "Salvattore Rocco" in the U.S. version), and an additional scene in a New York karate school with actors Bill Louie and Aaron Banks discussing the merits of Bruce Lee and Sonny Chiba.
The character Kiba is transformed into Sonny Chiba himself in the dubbing and the dialogue is rewritten in the press conference scene, replacing Kiba's explanation of his three years in America retracing the footsteps of his mentor Tetsugen Daito - the training flashback sequence of which has been repurposed for the American version's main titles sequence (the Japanese version imposes the credits on freeze frames throughout the hijacking sequence) - with his explanation that he has been fighting drug dealers and has returned to Japan to continue his mission (in the Japanese original he explains his reasoning for fighting the hijackers as promotion for his disrespected fighting school and advertisement of his services as bodyguard). -
CUTS:
- R0 America- Brentwood Home Video - No cuts - US version.
- R0 Mark of the Ninja America- TGG Direct - No cuts - US version (87:34 NTSC).
- R1 Grindhouse Double Feature America- BCI Eclipse - No cuts - US version (88:10 NTSC).
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Do you own a release not listed? Then please visit our forums and let us know!
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Comparison added by David on 26/03/03
Comparison last updated by Eric_Cotenas on 14/03/24UPDATE LOG:
19/03/13: Added BCI release.
Please ensure you read our disclaimer.
04/03/17: Added US TGG.
04/12/22: Updated tite, director.
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