Street Fighter: The Original Tour de Force

Putting anything “out there” in times such as these, isn’t exactly scary but seemingly futile.

I used to have anywhere from 8 to 32 professional articles published a week. I like to tell people that the industry slowed down, but really it was my passion for instantaneous gratification in that department that wound down.

I used to feel really good about putting my opinion forth in an editorial of sorts, or an article, stating the facts and nothing but. But it got to a point where fact or opinion, the result was always the same: You had your revisionists that wanted to change actual facts and deny their obvious existence, and on the other side, you had those out there that wanted only to be combative and just for the sake of argument.

I published over 2000 professional pieces of journalism over a period of five years (in both print and online), and really it got extremely old at the level I was doing it at. I had no life and was glued to the news, my phone and my computer.

Of course I still do it, but at nowhere near the same pace that I was slinging out articles a few years back.

I stumbled onto journalism after my fiction got published first, following in the footsteps of the late, great Mordecai Richler, using journalism as a platform to spread my word. But sadly it did just the opposite, and if I’m being entirely honest, outside of a few great publications that I’ve written for (and great editors), I had more fun writing and operating my own blogs (the now defunct Resonant Words and The Sunset Quill Review).

(You can find those old pieces in these books: Resonant Words: https://www.amazon.ca/Resonant-Words-articles-before-published/dp/1979682739?ref_=ast_author_dp_rw&th=1&psc=1&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cOVCMxARbgg2tu03IO-Parvvaq4s82IEQtiOkrTpQGx2Ycl5XR0_DW_MBzEt8P8JzOd3jXLTOgevswmu_9c1xGvkvi3yZEfK41uJ5ZBms_AFNC6eA7y_8uYX1NNio8CBMGYJ1iZnJG0cfbtyoah9h2nCwovvGtCtVEoQf1qEIBnfsEn4GJoq8ZGrWMRcVXmtNA11YA6syn_iJOwaUuVfu_3rZOFzrxyxJABGObFrio.7tSzGpFo4nwnCxqTv0ZBd3rFONHaYZlMKuIHfncGwfI&dib_tag=AUTHOR

Flea Market Scripture: https://www.amazon.ca/Flea-Market-Scripture-Domenic-Marinelli/dp/1727846850/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=AUTHOR&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cOVCMxARbgg2tu03IO-Parvvaq4s82IEQtiOkrTpQGx2Ycl5XR0_DW_MBzEt8P8JzOd3jXLTOgevswmu_9c1xGvkvi3yZEfK41uJ5ZBms_AFNC6eA7y_8uYX1NNio8CBMGYJ1iZnJG0cfbtyoah9h2nCwovvGtCtVEoQf1qEIBnfsEn4GJoq8ZGrWMRcVXmtNA11YA6syn_iJOwaUuVfu_3rZOFzrxyxJABGObFrio.7tSzGpFo4nwnCxqTv0ZBd3rFONHaYZlMKuIHfncGwfI Why not a shameless plug, eh?).

So why still write non-fiction and journalism? Why bother?

Both good questions.

I guess the only solid response I can offer is this: I still love getting my point across journalistically and in the realm of non-fiction as well as in the realm of fiction. So why not offer a few insights and opinions every now and again, despite the temperate and tumultuous waters the journalism world has no doubt become?

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Without books, music and movies, I don’t know where I’d be, and I used to have a wonderful time writing editorials, reviews and heck, even general interest pieces on my old favorites, so I’ve decided to give it a go once again as I toil away on my next book or project.

Why not have a wee bit of fun as opposed to meeting neighborhood informants on rooftops and in dark alleys for my next local crime or political piece? (RIP, Stavros.) I have no doubt that I will still have to do this at some point, but maybe not as regularly. Would be nice, but I digress.

For now, I’d rather get to the getting and release my fiction and a few notes of wisdom from under my old hat, reminiscing on the long lost pieces of art from way back in the annals of time…

And why not start with one of my old standbys? What I think was a tremendous film based on an even more epic video game: Street Fighter, starring none other than the ‘Muscles from Brussels’ himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Raul Julia. The film was released in 1994 and at the time, yours truly was 12. Oh, how time flies on by.

In Street Fighter, the legendary JCVD burst onto the scene incarnating Colonel Guile, and his interpretation of the character was one I loved. Being a huge Van Damme fan, there was no one else who could have played the role in my opinion.

Image via Cult Spark

The film comes to mind because a new Street Fighter movie is set to hit theaters sometime soon, and really it rubbed me the wrong way when I heard about it; much in the same way that the new terrible Star Trek show did, Star Trek: Starfleet Academy. It just misses the mark on so many levels. (It has been cancelled as of this edit.)

I have no hopes that this new Street Fighter film is going to hit the mark in the same way that the old one did… Sorry to jump the gun, but that’s how I feel. And that isn’t because of the cast, but rather is because of the ‘new.’ I have no faith in the ‘new.’

This new world?

Please!

Look where we are people.

However I will say that new independent work is better than the mass produced new work. And that runs the gamut for music, books and film. Trust me. Just do some digging. There are great independent artists out there.

(Pssst! Maybe you don’t have to look all that far. Maybe just scroll up to the top of the page after you finish reading this article and, I don’t know, maybe take a gander at the WORKS section of this here site. That’s if you’re into reading good books, or course. Wink, wink.)

Anyways, these days, it’s the big leagues we have to watch out for, and sadly the big leagues are responsible for these aforementioned new offerings that are only spitting on the memory of some really great past work, if you ask this writer.

Not to sound too curmudgeonly here, dear readers, but really, there are plenty of books to base films on and plenty of scripts sitting in the eerily haunted catacombs of Hollywood that have gone unproduced.

I want these new filmmakers to do a little of the old grit work and come up with something original and don’t take a load of AI to produce and bring to the screen.

I mean, I’ve got 20 books out, as of this writing, and dozens of short stories and plays that I would gladly sell the rights to for a film. Just slide into my DMs on any one of my social media platforms if you’re interested (and are a serious filmmaker, or if you’re putting on a legitimate play), people. We can work something out, I’m sure.

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I know what you’re thinking: The original Street Fighter had tons of CGI and/or special effects.

Yeah, maybe a little, but not nearly as much as there is today. And those fight scenes were all done by actors and stuntmen alike and not avatars created at some computer desk.

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The 1994 version of Street Fighter should have gone untouched and should have rather been given a rerelease in 2024—an anniversary deal if you will. But instead we get a whole new film with way too many effects, as stated, and an empty overall feeling washing over us by the time the credits roll, which is by the way, the way I almost always feel after watching a new big budget Hollywood film these days: Empty and uninspired.

I have no doubt this will be the case here, but time will tell, I guess. But just think about the innumerable Avengers and Star Wars films… The issues those characters had to deal with, or rather their respective plights, have gotten so watered down and manipulated, and all to extend the given franchises further and further with sequel after sequel, the end result being: Most people don’t care anymore. At least I don’t. And they’re a perfect example of what big budget Hollywood is capable of, and what they’re churning out as of late.

Talk about uninspired.

And again, no, I haven’t watched the new Street Fighter yet, but mark my words, it will be disappointing. I saw it in my crystal ball. A few of us OGs have them locked away somewhere.

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Born in October of 1960, Jean-Claude Van Varenberg (Van Damme), rose to stardom in seemingly low budget martial arts films like Bloodsport and Kickboxer. These films set the tone for his now four-decade-long career.

He has a plethora of films under his second degree black belt, and those first few movies, low budget or not, are now regarded as classics in the martial arts film genre.

Mr. Van Damme was also responsible for getting incredible amounts of people into dojos all over the world, inspiring the multitudes of loyal followers with his on-camera fighting skills. His fights—especially his kicks—were, and still are, fascinating to look at, and after the world had already seen the likes of Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris, to have yet a third influencer in the realm of martial arts was indeed special; especially one as influential as Van Damme, and his big break came in 1988, which is rather late in terms of martial arts films, or rather the advent of them. But perfect the genre, Jean–Claude most certainly did.

Image via IMDB

Later movies like Timecop (1994) and Hard Target (1993) set the tone for him playing Guile in this first production of the film based on the very popular video game, and most people were more than excited to see him star as the larger than life military leader, and of course, in the eyes of many loyal fans, he didn’t disappoint.

He has always been scrutinized for being more of an on-camera fighter but these criticisms were debunked after his full contact karate record came to the attention of some curious minds. In Karate he has 44 wins and only 4 losses. In kickboxing his record includes 18 total wins and only a single loss (which came by way of disqualification). Speaks for itself, doesn’t it?

The original Street Fighter film also included the incomparable Raul Julia. For modern audiences, Julia will be remembered perhaps for portraying the patriarch in the Addams Family films as well as this role here as General Bison, but his list of accolades is indeed a long one and his portrayal of Óscar Arnulfo Romero y Galdámez in the film, Romero will go down in history as being one of his best performances according to some, this writer included.

Image via WhatCulture.com

According to multiple reports, he took the role of General Bison for his children, who were admirers of the video game, and of course he had loads of fun with it, spending a great deal of time with his beloved kids, despite already being severely ill at the time of filming. The end result is the magic the viewer is presented with onscreen as his scenes unfold. Julia would sadly pass away before the film was released, suffering from a stroke.

The cast was indeed a star-studded one, with up-and-comers from the era, as well as a few OGs like Wes Studi (Sagat), Kylie Minogue (Cammy White), as well as many others, and they all played their parts exceptionally well. And as stated, the martial arts fight sequences didn’t at all disappoint, even with the other characters in the film. After all, it is a martial arts fighting game.

The brawl between Bison and Guile at the climax/ending of the film was the perfect medley between fantasy and realistic martial arts sequences, which was very nineties and very Van Damme when you look back on it.

Image via IMDB

The film was written and directed by Steven E de Souza (48 Hrs, Commando, Die Hard).

Of course the film was treated harshly by critics and hardcore fans of the game, but it tripled the money it cost to make the film and that’s saying something for 1994.

At the end of the day, the film left its mark on legions of fans and Julia was praised for his performance as the evil General Bison.

Overall, the film’s legacy is one that should live on, and if you ask this writer, it should be at the forefront of everyone’s mind when the new version makes its way to whatever platform people will be watching it on. (And most importantly, be honest when comparing the new version to the old. HONEST.)

There’s something to be said about these nineties action films—specifically martial arts films—that were produced at a time when AI and special effects were in their infancy and actors, directors, and everyone else on set had to reach down to deliver something on screen that was indeed quite special, and it wasn’t easy.

Street Fighter ’94, the film, should remain a cornerstone of those original video game adaptations that delivered action, laughs and inspired a need in fans like yours truly to watch again and again and be a tad wary about forthcoming adaptations of a film that, in our eyes, hit its mark enough for us to hold it so dear. And if you don’t believe me, go and watch that ’94 version again. You won’t regret it.

Because loyalty to art matters, folks. That’s how the Mona Lisa outlived other paintings painted in single room tenements right next door to where Da Vinci painted his… Because something about the piece called forth a special kind of loyalty and admiration, which is something truly profound that maybe so many out there can’t easily understand.

Call it nostalgia for simpler times; call it a young writer passing to the realm of tired and aging writer. Let’s just say I understand those old John Wayne fans a heck of a lot more now that my own heroes are aging and moving on to the twilight of their careers, if not the ends of them.

Hold on to what influenced you. Hold on to it tightly… Because just around the corner, there’s a revisionist historian preparing to take away all you held dear and treasured and rip away all that influenced you to be who you are today, or for you younger ones out there, who you’ll be tomorrow, accomplishing this by spreading lies and defaming what was once great and sacred in your eyes. And rest assured, like now, even then, there will be a multitude of young brains ready to accept those lies with open arms.

So here we raise a glass to what came before. Never forgotten, always cherished, and forever loyal we shall remain. Or else why should anyone leave behind great art if it isn’t meant to last and be cherished by future generations, like the aforementioned Mon Lisa, that sick album at the back of your dad’s closet, or even that classic martial arts saga that had the whole family on the edge of their seat? Because for that hour and a half, all problems were forgotten about. Now that was a beautiful thing, and perhaps in the end, that’s what’s missing today.

So let’s fight for past art, dear readers. In the end, we’ll be fighting for future art as well, even if these kids don’t know it yet. So let’s fight.

Fight!

And so I guess I’ll let Guile finish this one; albeit with a charming as hell Belgian/French accent to boot: “Now who wants to go home? And who wants to go with me!?”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CffYJD7WbOI

Video via YouTube/LostHopeFate

All Rights Reserved © Domenic Marinelli

Domenic Marinelli is a writer, poet, playwright, and blogger, based out of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Some of his work has been published at Guilty Eats, Hot Cars, The Travel, CFL News Hub, Parc Extension News, Steel Notes Magazine, Slam Wrestling, Lombardi Ave, Last word On Sports (LWOS), and at so many other print and online publications. He is the author of Weathered Tracks, Where It Lay Hidden, Generic V, 13 Years of Lamentation, Ancient Credos in Sanskrit Moderna, An Open Letter To Arthur Pond, Summer of the Great White Wolf, Anger Cube, and so many others.

Check out his Linktree for his official website, socials, and other places where you can find his books: https://linktr.ee/AuthorDomenicMarinelli