Samurai Cop (1991)

Joe Marshall and Frank Washington are two tenacious police detectives who seek at all costs to stop the Katana, a renegade Yakuza gang composed of violent and sadistic killers who want to lead the drug trade in Los Angeles.

Director:

Amir Shervan

Writer:

Amir Shervan

Stars:

Robert Z'Dar, Mathew Karedas, Janis Farley

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Robert Z'Dar	...	Yamashita
Mathew Karedas	...	Joe Marshall (as Matt Hannon)
Janis Farley	...	Jennifer (as Jannis Farley)
Mark Frazer	...	Frank Washington
Melissa Moore	...	Peggy Lee Thomas (as Melisa Moore)
Cameron	...	Female Henchwoman
Gerald Okamura	...	Okamura
Dale Cummings	...	Capt. Rohmer
Cranston Komuro	...	Fujiyama
Joselito Rescober	...	Costa Rican Waiter (as Joselito C. Rescober)
Jerry Black	...	Film Lab Henchman #2
Orlando Quijano	...	Burning Van Driver (as Ali Teymury)
James Waltz	...	Tony the Lawyer
Reginald Williams
Tom Gleason	...	Arm-Losing Henchman

Storyline

As the brutal Japanese gang known as the Katana gradually spreads its tentacles throughout sunny Los Angeles, controlling everything from drugs and gambling to prostitution, no one is safe to walk the streets. To deal with the problem, the Los Angeles Police Department enlists the help of an expert: Detective Joe Marshall, an avid Japanophile trained in the way of the sword and the ancient Bushido code of conduct. As a result, protected by the unbreakable code of silence of the feared Yakuza, Katana boss, Fuji Fujiyama, and his lethal right-hand man, Yamashita, wage war on anyone who stands in their way. Now, Joe, and his new partner, Officer Frank Washington, have no other choice but to bring out the big guns. Can Samurai Cop put an end to Fujiyama's reign of terror?

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Plot Keywords:

unsynchronized dubbing | katana | screaming in pain | frying pan | gaffer tape | 

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Taglines:

You Have the Right to Remain Silent ... Dead Silent

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Thriller

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Lead actor Mathew Karedas (credited as Matt Hannon) cut his long hair very short seven months after filming wrapped. While he was looking for more acting work, director and screenwriter Amir Shervan called him back for some re-shoots. Shervan was furious that Karedas had cut his hair and immediately went out to look for a wig. Unfortunately, Shervan was only able to find a woman's wig that looked nothing like Karedas's long hair. Karedas agreed to wear it, assuming Shervan was going to do some long-shots and pick-ups. Shervan still had half of the movie to shoot, completely out of chronological order. As a result, Karedas' character's hair alternates between his natural long hair and an obvious wig. The wig even comes off a few times, revealing Karedas's real short hair.

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Goofs

Yamashita and his henchmen stab a character wearing a white tank top. As the dying character rolls over, the too-thin fake blood gradually dyes the garment pale pink, rather than making a sharply-defined dark red stain like real blood (or more sophisticated simulated blood).

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Quotes

Yamashita: [Regarding Joe Marshall] He got his martial arts training from the masters in Japan.

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Connections

Featured in Chris Stuckmann Hilariocity Reviews: Samurai Cop (2016)

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Soundtracks

Happy Birthday
(uncredited)
Written by Mildred J. Hill and Patty S. Hill

User Reviews

Laughably inept, although not without charm

SAMURAI COP is another hilariously inept action B-movie from the guy who brought us Killing American Style. I think Amir Shervan's earlier film has the edge in terms of out-and-out cheese and comedy, but SAMURAI COP comes a close second. The title's a misnomer, brought about because there are a couple of samurai swords in the film; otherwise this is the usual cops and robbers stuff as upstanding heroes battle gun-toting criminal gang members.

This film is so much like Killing American Style it feels like they were shot back to back: the movies share cast members and look and feel exactly the same in terms of staging, fight scenes, etc. The staging is staggeringly inept, with most scenes shot in single takes, and the acting is quite horrible. The main actor, Mathew Karedas, has a long hair style that swaps from being real to a woman's wig and back again as the story goes on (the story is that he had his hair cut short halfway through the production so had to wear a wig for the rest of the filming).

SAMURAI COP is a film that nobody can take seriously, so the best thing to do is to sit back and laugh at it. In this respect it becomes something of a gem, an example of so-bad-it's-good entertainment. As with Killing American Style, Robert Z'Dar plays in support as the chief villain. Others must have enjoyed this movie, because a sequel followed in 2014 (!).

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 April 2016 (UK)

Also Known As:

Samurai Cop

Filming Locations:

Carlos And Charlie's, Sunset Blvd., Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Box Office

Gross USA:

$384,756

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$384,756

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Royal Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1