Red-Barracuda You don't necessarily expect to find social undercurrents in a film entitled Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter but that is what you get here. In fact it turns out that this sensational and very cool title is pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things, as there is little evidence of sex hunters to be found here. No, the story actually considers the serious topic of racism, more specifically the effects of the occupation in Japan by American soldiers after the Second World War. This led to an increase in mixed race Japanese and it is the persecution of this ethnic minority which much of the plot is built around. A racist male gang called the Eagles, who go around in American army jeeps, terrorise anybody of mixed-race heritage. They are led by a character called the Baron whose racism stems from the knowledge that his sister was raped by black American GIs during the occupation years. This gang of thugs is opposed by a girl gang called the Alley Cats who assist a mixed race man who is trying to find his missing sister while being consistently beaten down by the Eagles.This is a film which comes under the banner of Japanese exploitation films known as Pinky Violence. These films were essentially crime films which combined elements of sex and violence with a focus on sexy leading actresses. The queen of the genre was the very alluring Meiko Kaji, who stars here as the leader of the Alley Cats. She has fantastic screen presence and is a master of the cold stare. In this one she achieves this while often sporting a fabulously enormous hat. Like in all of these films she starred in Kaji is a major reason they are so good. This one isn't too salacious to be honest, especially taking into account what you might think given its title, although it admittedly does feature the rather awful idea known as a rape party. But its appeal lies mainly in other directions such as its psychedelic musical interlude and its stylish presentation. It also has a bit of a downbeat ending which leaves us with more questions than answers, which only illustrates further that this is pretty left-of-centre stuff. If I had to criticise, it would be to say that there probably wasn't as much girl gang action as I would ideally have liked. But all-in-all, I thought this was pretty good value.

Scarecrow-88 Goofy title aside, this is essentially another Japanese gang war carried out through racial turmoil orchestrated by Baron who targets "half-breeds" due to a past traumatic experience involving his sister's rape at the hands of black attackers. Meiko Kaji, her deep, penetrating eyes peering from between her long black hair, wearing a big-ass black hat which looks to weigh a ton, is Mako, representing a female group(..I've read them referenced as "The Alley-cats")who seem sexually aligned with a hostile clan of hellraisers known as The Eagles, directed by their sadistic brooding leader Baron(Tatsuya Fuji, under dark shades, wearing colorful shirts and white pants)and his obedient lieutenant Susumu(Jiro Okazaki). A handsome foreigner enters the city looking for his sister, a "half-breed", Kazuma(Rikiya Yasuoka), finding much trouble with Baron who wants him out of their turf. Kazuma works as a mechanic and strongly desires to find his sister no matter the cost to his well being, and Baron is determined, & hell-bent on ridding his city of all those who carry Negro characteristics. Mako, attached to Baron, falls in love with Kazuma while helping him find the sister he's searching for. When she's actually a member of Mako's own sisterhood, rejecting Kazuma, he takes the resentment especially hard. When she is gang-raped by Baron's hoods, Kazuma will have it out with him once and for all in a climactic shoot-out. Mako must endure a tragic conclusion, right up close-and-personal as Baron and Kazuma square off in a duel, western style.The film features the period psychedelic bubble gum pop music club scene of the 70's, the fashion styles, drug use, criminal activity and overall rebellious youthful atmosphere of Japan, an obvious cinematic concoction designed to appeal to the target demographic attracted to these themes at that time. STRAY CAT ROCK:SEX HUNTER started out seeming rather aimless, an inside look into the culture of defiant youth, the film startled me when the very topical theme of racism is injected into the story. Baron, upon first appearance, seems little more than the head of a group of males without an identity..they merely exist to smoke dope, lounge around clubs, and stir up some trouble with anyone who dares an attempt to date their women. When one of Mako's girls, Maki, leaves Susumu for a half-breed named Ichiro, Baron hearkens back to that painful childhood memory that has left an indelible scar, resulting in a systematic hunt for those for whom he looks at as "symbols" of those that raped his sister. Scenes that emerge include Baron's setting up Mako's girls for a rape party, his constant heinous attacks on Kazumi, the Molotov cocktail revenge which sets a hotel room ablaze, and a very bizarre shooting resulting in a brother killing his sister for some unexplainable reason. Early on you even had Mako in hand-to-hand combat with one of her own girls due to a roundabout challenge. The Eagles drive around the city in army jeeps, all(..or most)wearing dark shades, and certainly reveling in their violent actions towards innocents. Baron allows his boys to play, often laughing hysterically;you come to realize that Baron is a moody psychotic, often stewing quietly until something pushes him over the edge. Kaji always holds my attention and Fuji commands the screen as her one-time-lover and eventual adversary. Yasuharu Hasebe, thanks to the typically marvelous production values of Nikkatsu studio, brings a polished look to compliment his skills at maintaining a decent pace(..which can lag due to long drawn out camera set ups capturing the intensity or sadness of faces). I think the film's most interesting feature is how Hasebe captures that particular time in Japan, and the way he lenses characters. The unpredictability might just be another asset STRAY CAT ROCK:SEX HUNTER has in it's favor. Attractive cast with interesting faces;the story could be polarizing to some. Rather depressing ending.

bensonmum2 When one of the local girls starts dating a "half-breed", the local guy gang (The Eagles) doesn't think much of it. The Eagles start of campaign of terror directed at mixed race couples and individuals they deem to be not of "pure" Japanese heritage. It's up to the leader of the local girl gang and a "half breed" named Kazuma to stand up to The Eagles – even if they have to die for what's right.While Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter is a decent enough movie, it's not the movie I was hoping for. I'm relatively new to the Japanese exploit movies of the 70s having only recently watched three of the Female Prisoner #701 movies. Since Meiko Kaji stars in both and Yasuharu Hasebe directs in both, I was hoping Stray Cat Rock: Sex Hunter would be similar in tone to Female Prisoner #701. And while it has its moments (a couple of fight scenes, the rape party, and the jeep chase for example), the movie is far too serious in its focus to be as much fun as I hoped. More girl gang action and less racial tension would have gone a long way to making this one a real winner.The highlight of the movie for me has to be Meiko Kaji. I've now seen her in five different movies (this one, the three Female Prisoner #701 movies, and Lady Snowblood) and she never fails to impress me. She's an actress I hope to see more of in the future.

EVOL666 Yasuharu Hasebe, director of my personal favorite pinku film, ASSAULT! JACK THE RIPPER and the equally sleazy but less powerful RAPE! 13TH HOUR, helms this earlier Nikkatsu entry that is far less twisted then his later films. STRAY CAT ROCK: SEX HUNTER (the third in the STRAY CAT ROCK series) is a decent film for what it is, but the lower level of sleaze knocks it down a few notches for me...Mako and her girl-gang are in a constant state of flux with the local guy-gang, The Eagles - and things get rough when the guys start targeting local mixed-race citizens for violence. A side-story about a half-breed guy looking for his long-lost sister adds another layer to the plot...The SEX HUNTER title kinda throws this one off, as there's really not all that much sex, and really no "hunting" to be had in this one - but given the 1970 date, I didn't expect this one to be quite as "rough" as some of the later pinku material. This one reminded me a bit more of the more "mainstream" Toei productions which I also dig - just not as much as some of the latter, more "twisted" Nikkatsu productions. Worth checking out for hard-core pinku fans but definitely not one of the top of the genre...7/10