There are many films based on video games currently in the works, but this is really nothing new. Since video games became hot commodities in the entertainment industry, films have been made off of the major gaming franchises. On December 23, 1994, one of the more notorious of these films released – Street Fighter.
Though the goal in Street Fighter has tended to be “punch the other guy until you win,” the games do have a story to them, making the film an interesting watch. The plot of the film focuses on a military force known as the Allied Nations as they try to combat the army of General M. Bison; Bison has captured humanitarian workers and has threatened to kill them if the Allied Nations’ leader, William F. Guile, doesn’t produce a $20 billion ransom in three days.
Guile ends up enlisting the assistance of con artists Ryu and Ken, as well as news reporter Chun-Li, sumo wrestler E. Honda, and boxer Balrog, among others. Together, they are able to take down Bison’s base, rescue the hostages, and make off with Bison’s money (which turns out to be worthless “Bison Dollars”).
The film was written and directed by Steven E. de Souza, who had previously worked as a producer on shows such as The Six Million Dollar Man, Knight Rider, and Tales from the Crypt. Though it did not receive much in the way of critical praise at the time, it has since amassed a lasting cult following. There were few big names featured in the film, though it did star Jean-Claude Van Damme as Guile, Ming-Na Wen as Chun-Li, and Kylie Minogue as Cammy. Street Fighter ended up bringing in almost $100 million at the box office on just a $35 million budget.
The film also happened to be one of Raúl Juliá’s last films before his death – he played Bison himself and his performance has been noted as one of the strongest in the movie. His portrayal of Bison is often quoted, particularly his confrontation with Chun Li, where he says, “For you, the day Bison graced your village was the most important day of your life. But for me, it was Tuesday.”
Street Fighter also had an impact on other aspects of the franchise, with a one-shot comic book by DC and a video game by Capcom both based on the film being produced around that time. Story elements were also reused in the cartoon series, which ran from 1995 to 1997.
