Brandon's Cult Movie Reviews: 9 DEATHS OF THE NINJA

Ninja's! Nazi's! Dance sequences! It's the martial-arts action movie "9 Deaths Of The Ninja" (1985) starring Sho Kosugi!
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[@jaymartin8273]

Can we all appreciate the fact that the actress playing 'Honey Hump' delivered that introduction with a straight face? :=)

[@rubberneckinc.8937]

I don't know about everyone else but I can.

[@jaymartin8273]

@@rubberneckinc.8937 Me too :=)

[@RelativelyBest]

You know, I kinda love how in 80s action stories the military would just straight up hire actual, literal ninjas as special forces operatives. There's something equal parts awesome and adorable about that, like that was how you thought reality worked when you were a kid.

[@DeadMeat991]

It has some cartoonish sincerity to it.

[@Belgand]

As a kid in the '80s whenever we were playing something military-themed someone always got to be the ninja. There could only be one, but there was always one. We just sort of took it as accepted fact that the army had ninja.

[@RelativelyBest]

@@Belgand I love how this suggests you guys had an intuitive understanding of the Inverse Ninja Law as children.

[@paxhumana2015]

@@Belgand , in the case of G.I. Joe/Action Force, both sides had them, actually.

[@paxhumana2015]

@@RelativelyBest , fun fact, a lot of modern military techniques for Spec Ops soldiers derive from Chinese, Japanese, and Arabic types of assassins, so, technically, the top of the top Spec Ops groups like Navy SEALs, Spetsnaz, etc. are pretty much like the ninja. Moreover, quite a few of them also literally incorporate all different sorts of techniques of the ninja into what they already know as well, which makes them even more worthy of being feared, as well as respected, as opponents.

[@bohemianmonk6222]

The little kid is Sho Kosugi's son. he's rather Infamous for taking both of his boys on every single shoot he ever did. Kind of like Mel Gibson without the domestic violence.

[@robotrix]

And he's a well respected stunt coordinator now. Not sure what the younger son is doing.

[@spencermanning9994]

0:53: His Son, Kane Kosugi, also portrayed Jiraiya in "Ninja Sentai Kakuranger", which, surprise surprise, is ALSO about Ninjas (Sho played a role in the show as well).

[@nickthehatmansmoviehouse2538]

I knew it!

[@paxhumana2015]

Is that like the Japanese version of Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Ninja Storm, out of curiosity?

[@cowboyquebecanimations3068]

​@paxhumana2015 no Kakuranger was the Alien rangers mini series,

[@DeepEye1994]

4:49 What can you do, "Princess Dragon Mom" was already taken.

[@TheBlackKnight1o1]

Inframan. Lol

[@donaldpetkus1637]

Asian Pat Benatar attacks Spike. Brandon: “ why don’t you hit her with your best shot?”

[@jliller]

Spike Shinobi does sound like a GI Joe name.

[@mercentin1499]

yeah this is making me want to play with GI Joe toys

[@johnnyruttley1598]

Spike Shinobi just in case you forget title and drunk you'll have a name tag to point out he is ninja

[@randomguy2518]

Or a character from a low budget,probably unsanctioned,nintendo game, like a ninja gaiden ripoff

[@Brastius]

That name is so 80's it gave me a perm.

[@randomguy2518]

You lucked out, if you were female it would have given you a perm AND a huge bush...that also has a perm

[@therealobanir]

I think the song and intro were meant to be evocative of the Bond movie intros which were done in silhouette.

[@disneyboy3030]

That's what I was thinking.

[@BarbadosBeerFestival]

This Budget Doctor Strange Love performance killing me 🤣

[@jospi2]

5% Dr. Strangelove, 5% James Bond, 90% crap.

[@paxhumana2015]

I doubt that you could make a better film yourself.

[@vlexonkol8466]

Did you say that if you eat turd instead of food at restaurant?

[@EdgeZXY]

Revenge of the Ninja is definitelt my favorite Sho Kosugi movie. My dad was so excited to show it to me.

[@cloudtx]

The villain being such a direct and blatant ripoff of Dr. Strangelove is hilarious.

[@futuristica1710]

The Thomas Dolby joke made my day!

[@thetaconinja8941]

BrandonTenold the hostage kid is Sho's son, of course he'd be in it somwhere lol. Just like Pray for Death, also an awsome Sho ninja movie! Have you ever seen Ninja III: Domination? It has a female ninja protagonist who is possessd by an evil ninja!

[@Ariakin88]

James Bowler holy shit I actually know pray for death! Totally forgot about that one lol all I remember is it was awesome!

[@MisterTutor2010]

"Just because it's a shotgun wedding doesn't mean you have to bring firearms.". That's unless the wedding is in Texas :)

[@ZION73082]

make fun but in texas they empty their load during the wedding day and empty their load on wedding night ;-)

[@whatnotbutter7470]

No not Texa, you're thinking about Florida

[@h8rraider227]

@@whatnotbutter7470 your mistaken! its a hillbillie thang from verginie!

[@Campbellzilla]

I think the only reason the kid had his own fight scene was because the kid is Sho Kosugi's son Kane Kosugi.

[@Whitetiger770]

I'm sure you know this but the reason the kid had a fight scene was because that was Sho's real life son, Kane Kosugi.

[@Tigerfire75]

He should of told his son not to accept candy from strangers. I mean what is Spikes plan with those 3 kids?

[@afrog2666]

@@Tigerfire75 Should OF, because phonetically..

[@royshaheer]

Eventually he got to do stuff in the 90s super sentai!

[@drixg555]

The kid grows up to play Kenichi Kai in Ultraman Powered and Jiraiya/Ninja Black from Kakuranger.

[@FingerBreakerWu]

...whom he disowned.

[@lerm2866]

This played in THEATERS! I recall seeing the newspaper ad when I was eleven.

[@DeepEye1994]

Holy crap, tonight I rewatched "Lethal Weapon" after years and only now I noticed that the actor who played Alby the Cruel was in it too, at the beginning, he's the guy in red who holds Mel Gibson at gunpoint (MovieClips uploaded a video called "Crazy Cop", check that out, that's the scene where he appears). Since I know him only through this review (which I rewatch from time to time because it's one of my favorites), it was surreal to see him in a big famous movie. The way he yelled in that scene is the part where I went "Wait... is that Alby?" haha

[@wugglesx]

big rip : (. i wish the guy'd acted in more stuff. the couple things i've seen him in he gives a pretty unique and memorable performance.

[@donaldpetkus1637]

Perhaps the three dancer sequence was an attempt to create a Maurice Binder feel for the opening credits, similar to what Binder did for the James Bond films maybe they lacked the special effects expertise or resources to do a complete homage. Or maybe they had nothing in mind other than people like looking at pretty women dancing. That was enough for me.

[@Neville60001]

You got it the first time.

[@chaunceyhulbert7264]

Yeah, I think you're right with the bond explanation. And also........its 1985.

[@davehood2667]

Pretty much what I was thinking, copying the Bond gimmick.

[@mr.pavone9719]

I'm all for the theory it's all about looking at pretty women.

[@supernaut6660666]

I actually saw this in the theater when I was like 12 ( '85). It was so bad even a 12 year old recognized what a stinker this one was. My friend at the time, who drug me to it, was a Sho Kosugi groupie.

[@supernaut6660666]

@@CourtneyDaryanani lol, yes...dragged (damn auto correct)

[@mattchew6426]

Now that I've finally seen a review of this movie (thank you), I have three more movies that I need to see reviews for: 1) American Ninja 2) American Ninja 2 3) Avenging Force It's basically just the Michael Dudikoff "hat trick" of 80s action movies. The dude had a decent run, for a little while...

[@crocketgsxr6]

He is in the 4 American Ninja movie too. Plus Pat Morita is in the fifth one

[@donaldpetkus1637]

The wheelchair guy is a cross between Maximilian Scheel and Peter Strangelove Sellers

[@pauricboylan3571]

That's Anthony kedis from the Red Hot Chili Peppers Dad😃

[@lookingforlove839]

And some doofensmirtz

[@Srksius2802]

@@pauricboylan3571 Wasn't Kiedis' dad some low level drug pusher?

[@lerm2866]

@@Srksius2802 don’t know about that but he was a well known bartender in LA. and a busy character actor

[@manicpixiefangirl4189]

Ok, the lady villain is my new favorite thing. The hair...the acting...that’s grade A cheese. 👍🏽👍🏽

[@simeonellinger2064]

She actually did an excellent job.

[@comixproviderftw_02]

If this movie gets remade, the German villian should be played by Charlie Day.

[@xxedgy_outsiderxx9978]

Hell yeah

[@stevietonche]

Id pay money for that.

[@undeadgentalmen]

It would a Sunny in Philadelphia episode where the gang is trying make an action movie, and they would be ripping off bad comedy action movies thinking that are good action movies to steal from.

[@ZION73082]

or ryan reynolds we know he can play bat-shit crazy

[@garyhall7867]

No, they need to bring Blackie back

[@jasonpepe7617]

I wore this movie out playing my bootleg copy over and over on my RCA VHS video player (that couldn’t even record) - the 80’s were awesome. This is by far one of the best Ninja-ploytation movies ever made. Hats off to you for reviewing it. Rock on!

[@44excalibur]

Yeah, I could see Sho Kosugi playing Storm Shadow with Michael Dudikoff playing Snake Eyes.

[@henrykujawa4427]

Hey-- they were sent on their mission by James Bond's TENNIS-PRO sidekick from "Octopussy"! I'm shocked that he actually made more than just that one movie.

[@mikestansbury2510]

how can you not love an opening credit sequence with ninja training in the fog with 3 dancing babes? what more could you ask for?

[@gidkath]

Just when I think I'm becoming too jaded, you run something like this, and I end up spit-taking my milk. XD

[@ChadJonesAYelpInTheDark]

This movie makes sense if you realize it's trying to launch Sho Kasugi as a Bond character.

[@jyrilaaksonen4065]

Thanks for the review. It's been a while when I have laughed this hard. By the way my reactions for that first dancing scene was same as you when I first see this movie. Trust me, tvelwe-pack of beer went REALLY fast when I watched this

[@dinosoid2000]

One of his sons is Kane Kosugi who played Kazama in Godzilla: Final Wars, the human alter ego of Ultraman in Ultraman Powered, as well as competing alongside his brother Shane in several seasons of the original Ninja Warrior (Sasuke).

[@Buford_T_Justice1]

How do you follow up Asian Pat Benetar? With four midgets in funny hats!

[@Tareltonlives]

Spike Shinobi. That is the best ninja name ever

[@Tareltonlives]

3:11 AAAH! Japanese Bellarians!

[@tolentarpay5464]

Isn't that one of the characters from "Cowboy Bebop"?

[@44excalibur]

Actually, Rutger Hauer did the best version of the old “hand grenade in the mouth" trick in Wanted: Dead or Alive.

[@AFox739]

Alby the Cruel is what happens when you combine Dr. Strangelove and Jim Lahey.

[@TylerSkylionChilders]

Just found out that Blackie Dammett, aka John Keidis passed away on May 12 of 2021. RIP dude, that was a crazy role you played.

[@takayasu2009]

Speaking of the Ninja films, I love 'American Ninja' I and II. And my favourite Sho Kosugi Ninja film is 'Revenge of the Ninja'.

[@5TailFox]

"The tiny net is always a surefire...It is a net, and it is tiny."

[@firstelvys]

Yeah... Sho pretty much peaked at Ninja 3: The Domination for me... But this was all sorts of fun! Bought the DVD for about $2 a few years ago.

[@matewbran5951]

The part with the girls dancing is the best piece of artistic performance in the movie😀

[@kriitikko]

Did Brandon honestly ignore the scene where Sho shoots Rahji but Rahji caughts the bullet midair and stucks it up to his nostril? I know that scene exists, I've seen it.

[@carloscardona6587]

Does Brandon know that he has a son who starred in Super Sentai by the name of Kane? He's a Ninja Ranger-much better than just a ninja. Plus he could stop bears from taking a pic-a-nic basket!

[@danielfrancis3660]

Actor vijay amritaj who played rankin starred in one of the roger moore james bond movies and was once a profesional tennis player. I saw him at wimbledon

[@guillaumebabey4484]

Your snarky comment on Switzerland and Nazi money is... sadly quite accurate. Regarding the movie, I really can't decide if it was self-aware or completely serious. XD

[@RichardWatt]

I wonder if there's another movie like this with Commie bad guys rather than Nazis (the Swiss also banked money for the USSR)?

[@guillaumebabey4484]

@@RichardWatt It'd be easier to make a list of the countries we didn't bank money for!

[@Brooklyn_Bleek]

How about doing a review of Blind Fury starring Rutger Hauer as a blind swordsman. He even fights Sho Kosugi at the end of the movie.

[@craigh5236]

15:56 That sounds like the Unas language from Stargate Sg1

[@Mattteus]

3:05 O_O oh, oh my... It's like the video for The Number One Song in Heaven and the audition scene in Flashdance had a ninja baby

[@neilbrown9922]

Just re-watching this review, and at about 11:15, in the office I swear that is an Osborne 1 microcomputer on the desk, which came out in April of 1981. It had a 3 inch monitor built in.

[@satanclause1]

I'm so glad someone finally reviewed this movie.

[@tolentarpay5464]

Technically I think it should be "Viewed this movie..."; saying that someone "Re-viewed" it takes my mind to a place it truly doesn't want to go...

[@keithc904]

Great work again, however Bob Ross hated his hair, he grew it out to save money on hair cuts, but by the time he had become rich it had become an iconic part of his look he new he was stuck with it.

[@tylerskiss]

I know I saw this- I remember the box, I remember waiting for it to be in to rent it and, well, as a kid I never missed a Sho Kosugi film, but I have absolutely no memory of ANY of this.

[@Jolar70]

I don't remember the box, but I know it was one of those large, oversized, "clamshell" boxes with the plastic insert inside, favored by the likes of Wizard Video, or ANY porn company at the time!

[@tokuwriter2872]

For some weird reason, I can’t stop rewatching this review.

[@Scott_Burton]

17:20 "did we really need the little kid to have his own fight scene?" Actually, yes, it was part of Sho Kosugi's standard practice that his kids got parts, to launch their future careers (you will find both Shane and Kane Kosugi are in several of the movies he stars in) Oddly Shane and Kane routinely played characters named Shane and Kane respectively, often as the sons of Sho's character.

[@mogensschmidt2498]

yeah you right

[@jetfire851]

So is Steve Gordon related to Douglas Gordon from Godzilla: Final Wars and/or Captain Gordon DEFENDER OF EARTH?

[@philipmonihan8222]

Sure, that movie's a bit of a mess but his character was awesome.

[@frozenscargaming5657]

This movie sums up to the phrase-“There’s no way this could get any weirder…and I spoke to soon.”

[@bloodrunsclear]

'Madam Whoopie's floating boat palace!' Goldberg had to make her money somehow I suppose...

[@UltimateThanos]

God, this movie was abysmally bad. I rented it from Netflix a while back and all I could focus on was Not-David Cross doing a pitiful excuse for a German accent. If anyone thinks this is par for the course for Sho Kosugi films, you are sorely mistaken! Please check out the Cannon Films ninja trilogy, and Pray for Death. All of which are excellent martial arts films, and in Pray for Death's case, a hybrid of martial arts and revenge film with a kick ass 80's synthesizer theme song!

[@larrykawano9626]

The guy playing with the balls (11:20) -- the ambassador -- is Vijay Amritraj, a tennis player famous in his day....

[@hauntedbear8764]

Spike shinobi sounds like a star wars character and bad guy sounds like freakazoid

[@wrath2501]

Before I found this channel I had no idea there were so many WTF movies out there.

[@j.e.pouccoui3]

17:22 Fun Fact: The Guy Who Directed The North Korean Godzilla Rip-off "Pulgasari" Also Worked On The '3 Ninjas' Series.

[@edenwayne8407]

15:56 "gago"/"gaga" are Filipino words that means "jackass" (it's a gendered word so "gago" refers to men and "gaga" refers to women), and I think he also said "Baka-tare" which is Japanese for "idiot". so his multilingual-ness might be the reason for his nonsensical mish-mash of accents.

[@Sword-Breaker]

Wheelchair guy sounds like he might be the father of Skwisgaar Skwigelf!

[@ramonantoniobennett-ryuuke6301]

He is Skwisgasar's father- so his father was not a god, just a Swedish paraplegic with a pseudo-German accent that's a lame ass terrorist! Total bomber!

[@Pensive_Scarlet]

I just have to believe "Blackie Dammett" is that actor's real name. Could you imagine if he'd joined the military? The phrase "damn it" is the basic punctuation of a drill sergeant's vocabulary. Guy would have gotten so much punishment exercise they'd just have him shot-putting mortars by the time he went into combat.

[@markcarpenter6020]

Naaa they don't do that as much these days. I was surprised when I saw a documentary of modern training. I think if some of those recruits were quarter decked as much I was they would die.

[@phantasm8180]

Watching 'Nine Deaths of a Ninja' is like finding a hidden treasure chest full of hilariously martial arts moves and cheesy dialogue! 🥋😆...

[@clarkkent4734]

Honey Hump might just be my favourite bat shit performance of all time

[@captainjackharkness2136]

It seems like Spike does all the fighting and Steve gets all the women. So they're basically the main characters in Challenge of the Tiger.

[@strangebeer]

That opening sequence was giving me serious Buck Rogers opening sequence vibes.

[@TitanosaurusFan75]

Manilla... Manila... *Minilla* Jesus, I'm having flashbacks from the earlier days of the channel

[@OmarBhoo]

Love this movie, all of Sho Kusagi's movie really. I got my outdoor tv/stereo setup in my back deck to chill with my bros cuz corona. One of his movies always gets in the rotation.

[@Fulgrim2]

Well this does make monday that much better.

[@spencermanning9994]

4:32: I also would have gone with "but then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked"

[@alexthelizardking]

I knew there was something the godfather 2 lacked, ninjas!

[@Nestalgba92023]

For me, they're lacked in The Godfather Part 3.

[@BillyTheBigKid82]

The intro would have been better if the ninja just went batshit crazy and sliced those three girls to bits. xD

[@donlebo6824]

3:05 Sho wanders onto a "Solid Gold" episode.

[@joelellis7035]

Looks like they took their cue for the opening titles from the Bond movies at the time.

[@vemonist79]

Growing up in the 80 I was and still a huge sho kusugi fan and hope you review the other 4 80s ninja movies he started in

[@ethansmith2942]

I love how the look out areas in the beginning were made from cardboard

[@hal900x]

Awesome, didn't know about Alby. Ive met Anthony several times and I can totally see where he got his weird energy. His dad is great in this.

[@Brooklyn_Bleek]

Oh shit, is Capt. Steve Gordon Gary Daniels? You should do reviews of some of his movies. (Blood Moon, Cold Harvest, etc...)

[@BranRidire]

"AkShUlLy bOb rOsS HaTeD HiS PeRm!" Also, slow dance at a wedding, lol, sounds like a rejected Bond theme from the 70's.

[@drixg555]

8:26. Why am I reminded of that one stage in the video game God Hand?

[@troyschulz2318]

BTW, the pervy Ambassador is played by tennis legend Vijay Amritraj. I have no clue why or how he appeared in this.

[@godlessgoth213]

I remember this movie from a LONG time ago but it's been so long since I saw it. I saw this on video in the 80's.

[@midnitepagan9118]

I remember hiring this on vhs... like every other movie with "ninja" in the title.... It was the style at the time, like making your own ninja stars out sheet metal and tinsnips lol

[@mrrictus]

I have watched this movie so many times that I have damn near total recall of it from start to finish.

[@imtiazfromthehouseofthesea6849]

I CAN SEE WHERE OBEY HUAN GOT HIS CHARACTER IDEAS FROM FOR ZE BIRDS OF PREY MOVIE

[@f.d.3289]

12:10 "My girls are sterilized, sanitized, and lobotomized" epic

[@dev6rehab666]

The little girl on the bus at 4:30 is the blind girl from the fist of the north star movie you reviewed.

[@Boinky8]

Having a ninja named Spike Shinobi is like having a Green Beret named Shin Soldier.

[@sigmacademy]

11:04. Yes. It most certainly is.

[@CD-Gaming]

Well, when that opening starts, you certainly can't accuse the film of lying! At all! Even they don't know... anything at all, come to think of it... New Drinking Game: Take a drink every time I start laughing cuz "what am I seeing?"

[@Tareltonlives]

"Hi! I'm Spike Shinobi!" "My name's Gendo Spy!"

[@jamesgagnon6230]

😂 your commentary had me in tears!!! I remember this movie from when I was a kid ! Lol

[@Cybjon]

Wait, wait, wait! Brent Huff??? From *Gwendoline*???

[@s.nifrum4580]

7:56 no one will be seated during the ever so fucking thrilling art gallery scene!

[@FreihEitner]

Hmm, 9 Deaths Of The Ninja looks like it just might be the inspiration for 2014's Kingsman, or more correctly it's 2017 sequel.

[@nine_tails137]

DAMN! And here I thought this was where that song: "Dance the Ninja" originated from?