Well, that’s one way to lose your head!
While no one knows what the weapon at the center of this classic film can tell you what it looked like, The Flying Guillotine offers one possible and completely unforgettable design that continues to cause knees to knock. It’s little wonder that the company spent another 4 or 5 years making Guillotine-themed movies!
The Flying Guillotine, directed by Ho Meng-Hwa, is a solid effort (with very little kung fu fighting in it) which is centered around the creation of an entirely new type of weapon solely for killing traitors and, well, anyone the Emperor (Yang Chiang) feels even the least bit paranoid about.
And, really, when you see this flying guillotine in action, there’s a very deadly reason why so many martial arts movies were made with the weapon at the very center of all the deadly action.
Heads will roll!
Disturbing to the final head-yanking moment in the film, this Shaw Brothers production is a headlining act showcasing their production design skills thanks to the use of setting as a new weapon, designed for the sole purpose of protecting a leader during the Qing Dynasty, is developed and then implemented. Its operation is simple enough. You have what looks like a metal hat on a chain, except when wound up with the chain by its well-trained handler and aimed at its target, the dangerous weapon is capable of coming down on your head like a large hat, dropping onto your neck, and then - when yanked by the operator - completely removing your head.
Demonstrated on a dog by its designer, the flying guillotine leaves quite the impression and soon enough, Xin Kang (Feng Ku), a loyal servant of the Emperor who originally designed the weapon, finds himself tasked with training an elite squad of soldiers on how to use it correctly as they eventually go on raids looking for traitors to the emperor.
But the emperor is very, very paranoid and, soon enough, even the team is targeted by his suspicions. Suddenly, Ma Teng (Kuan Tai Chen), the best among them, starts questioning the emperor and discovers that he, too, is a target of this elite team of killers. With few places to run to, Teng finds himself seeking solace where he can find it, until he has nowhere left to turn and a showdown is the only possibility.
This beautiful-looking Shaw Brothers production has no kung-fu elements in it whatsoever, but don’t let that be a deterrence in your journey through their filmography. The drama is high art, reaching Shakespearean heights thanks to its plotting and its use of paranoia in exposing a corrupt government.
The Flying Guillotine is now on blu-ray as part of Shout Factory’s handling of the Shaw Brothers Classics, Vol 2, which includes 12 classic martial arts films from their famous library, featuring some of their greatest stars – Cheng Pei-pei (Come Drink With Me), Lo Lieh (King Boxer), Sammo Hung (Wheels On Meals), Ti Lung (A Better Tomorrow), and David Chiang (The Boxer From Shantung). Many of these films are debuting for the first time on Blu-ray.
Get ready for some exciting thrills and chills as heroes meet villains in a duel to the death!
Home Video Distributor: Shout Factory
Available on Blu-ray - August 15, 2023
Screen Formats: 2.35:1
Subtitles: English
Audio: Mandarin: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
Discs: Blu-ray Disc; 12-disc set
Region Encoding: Locked to Region A
Director Ho Meng-hua attained cult status among Western kung fu film fans with The Flying Guillotine. One of the Shaw Brothers' biggest martial arts stars, Chen Kuan-tai, plays the leader of a group of killers, commissioned by the Ching Emperor to use a deadly, beheading weapon to assassinate dissidents. Although based on a true story, the film's weapon was a complete fabrication because in real life, no one ever survived to tell what the actual weapon really looked like.
Video
Presented in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio, The Flying Guillotine, is, like a lot of Shaw Brothers productions, very bloody. Interiors are strong. Colors pop throughout, but it is the blood effects - burning bright in the transfer - which seal the deal on this one. It’s full of great atmosphere thanks to the quick-footed script and looks visually eye-popping due to the 1080- upgrade. Black levels are strong throughout, bringing out nice details in both the loud and quiet moments of this epic adventure. The tracking shots are glorious to behold in 1080p.
Audio
The audio is presented with your choice of a clean lossless Mandarin Mono DTS-HD Master Audio With New English Subtitle Translations and an English dub.
Supplements:
Once again, Shout Factory delivers solid supplemental items designed to further your interest in Martial Arts films.
Commentary:
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There are two new commentaries included on the disc. See below for the breakdown.
Special Features:
- NEW Audio Commentary By James Mudge, Hong Kong Film Critic At easternKicks
- NEW Audio Commentary With Chris Poggiali, Co-Author Of These Fists Break Bricks And Brian Bankston (Cool Ass Cinema Blog)
- NEW Flying Without Wings – Actor Kai Kang Shares His Memories Of Working With The Studio In His First Ever On-Camera Interview
- NEW Dubbing Delirium – Joseph Ellison, Dubbing Artist On FLYING GUILLOTINE For Its U.S. Release, Reflects On The Early Kung-Fu Film Boom
- Original Theatrical Trailer
- Celestial Trailer
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Composite Blu-ray Grade
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MPAA Rating: Not rated.
Runtime: 111 mins
Director: Meng-Hua Ho
Writer: Kuang Ni
Cast: Kuan Tai Chen; Feng Ku; Hung Wei
Genre: Acttion | Drama
Tagline:
Memorable Movie Quote:
Distributor: Shaw Brothers
Official Site:
Release Date: October, 1981
DVD/Blu-ray Release Date: August 5, 2023
Synopsis: An assassin, trained in the use of a throwing weapon that can behead its victims from a distance, questions the morality of his missions and becomes a fugitive hunted by his former comrades.
