Plot: What’s it about?
Mako (Meiko Kaji) is the leader of a pack of schoolgirls, but these chicks aren’t the usual teen females. No, these babes are femme fatales in all respects, using violence, sex, and whatever other means needed to accomplish their goals. Even for no reason other than kicks, the ladies will take aim on an innocent local and shred them to pieces. Mako loves to fight with rival gangs too, no matter how brutal the battles can be, but she also has a softer side. When she isn’t engaged in fierce combat, she pines for The Baron (Tatsuya Fuji), who leads a vicious gang of his own, the wicked dudes known as The Eagles. There is another romance between the gangs, as one of The Baron’s main men has a crush on Mari, one of Mako’s girls. But that budding courtship is put on hold, as Mari has feelings for Ichiro, who happens to be only half Japanese. This presents a serious problem, as The Baron and his boys don’t take kindly to halfbreeds. The Baron’s past includes a horrific encounter with one, so his mind has soured on all non pure Japanese. As a result, his gang takes Mari and gives her a brutal beating. Now the tension is thick between the two gangs, despite whatever emotions were once involved. If the two violent groups face off, which one, if either, will survive the sadistic encounter?
This movie comes off as low rent exploitation, from the wild title to the low production values, but there is more than meets the eye here. You can watch Sex Hunter as straight sleaze, which it works quite well as, but you can look deeper. As with a lot of Nikkkatsu pictures from this time period, Sex Hunter buries a social message or two within the mounds of sex, violence, and youth gone wild, with effective results. I do think this film is more obvious than most, but even so, a lot of subtle stuff can be found in this movie. The disruptive presence of American culture is hammered hard, but not all of the social context is driven with that kind of intentional force. But like I said before, you don’t need to peel back the layers to have fun with Sex Hunter. No, you can be like me and just thrill to all the cool visuals, mod atmosphere, hip music, and of course, sex and violence. And with Meiko Kaji (Lady Snowblood, Female Prison Scorpion #701) in the lead, the film has an always impressive central performer that genre fans flock to see in action. She has such an intense presence, you can’t take your eyes off her, even if her performance lacks at times. Home Vision has offered up a nice edition here, with as good a technical presentation as could be expected. So for fans of cult cinema, Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter is recommended.
Video: How does it look?
Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is not a flawless visual presentation, but it is damn close and should delight fans to no end. Home Vision has given us a brand new digital transfer here and it shows, as the image is clean and very refined, despite the age and nature of the material involved. This film is about four decades old, which makes it easy to be grateful for such a clean source print. I didn’t see much in terms of grain or debris, which means the superb stylistic visuals are never hindered. The contrast holds up well also, with stark and consistent black levels throughout. I never expected this flick to look this good, but Home Vision has outdone themselves here.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original Japanese soundtrack is preserved here, via a somewhat dated, but more than acceptable mono option. This is a much cleaner, clearer presentation than I had expected, as very few age related defects can be heard. I heard a few minor pops and moments of harshness, but given the age of the material, this is a superb effort. Even the smallest sounds can be heard with ease, so nothing is ever drowned out or lost in the shuffle. This is good news, as the film uses a lot of background effects to add to the atmosphere of scenes. The musical score is simply awesome, so I was thrilled to hear it presented in such crisp, clear fashion. No worries on the dialogue front either, as all the vocals are sharp and never muffled. This disc also includes newly refined, optional English subtitles, should you need those.
Supplements: What are the extras?
This disc includes a talent file on director Yasuharu Hasebe, as well as the film’s theatrical trailer.
