Le bras armé de Wang Yu contre la guillotine volante

After hearing that his two disciples have been killed by One-Armed Boxer Liu Ti Lung (Yu Wang), blind Ching master Fung Sheng Wu Chi (Kang Chin) vows to avenge their deaths. Travelling to a martial arts tournament where Liu Ti Lung is expected to attend, Fung Sheng Wu Chi proceeds to whip the head off anyone unfortunate enough to only have one arm (rather strangely, the town where the competition is being staged seems to have a surfeit of one-armed men!).

Ordinarily, a fight between a sighted one-armed man and a blind guy would be a pretty lame affair (and the outcome inevitable: in the land of the blind, the one-armed man is king!), but in the world of martial arts movies, such a battle proves less predictable and hugely entertaining, the One-Armed Boxer scooting up walls and delivering mighty blows, the blind fellow using his extra-sensory powers to fling his 'flying guillotine' with deadly accuracy.

But this isn't the only amazing duel on offer in Master of the Flying Guillotine: the tournament consists of several equally astounding one-on-one battles between a wide variety of foes, each with their own distinctive fighting style. Thai boxer Nai Men (Chien-Po Tsen) does a funny dance routine before each fight, kung fu babe Shao-Tieh (Chung-Erh Lung) uses her Eagle Claw to tear the clothes off her monkey style opponent, Daredevil Lee Sen pokes out the eyes of the resilient Iron Skin, Japanese fighter Win-Without-a-Knife Yakuma actually uses a knife to win, and Indian Yoga Tro La Seng extends his arms to incredible length. The fights are well choreographed and wonderfully vicious, with broken limbs, gougings, and impalements galore.

There are also some cool fights outside of the arena, the best being between Liu Ti Lung and Nai Men in a small hut with a searing hot floor, and Tro La Seng against Liu Ti Lung, who smashes his opponent's telescopic arms.

Eventually Fung Sheng Wu Chi tracks down Liu Ti Lung and the scene is set for the final battle, the One-Armed Boxer having laid a few traps for his bitter foe. As the pair duke it out in a coffin shop, spring loaded hatchets are activated by our one-armed hero, giving him an advantage over his head-snatching enemy. After lots of craziness, including a fun moment where Fung Sheng Wu Chi goes one better than Linda Blair by doing a 720 degree head turn, the blind man is hurled through a window to land dead in a coffin.

With so much inventive action and so many colourful characters, Master of the Flying Guillotine is a hugely entertaining old-school kung fu classic, essential viewing for any self-respecting fan of the genre.

This is a fun one. Master of the Flying Guillotine sets up the vengeance angle and then, it's pure fights from there on. Besides Flying Guillotine and the One Armed Swordsman, you've got a martial arts tournament to boot! Fights feature armed and unarmed combat and lots of styles; there's a thai boxer who makes concrete blocks cringe in fear. Plus, any gal who can bust out Eagle Claws and shred clothing or skin is awesome in my book! A more amusing fighter is the Indian whose Yoga style earns him the nickname `Extendar'. You've got guys who can fight and the enemies come one after the other and they're no pushovers.

Jimmy Wang playing the One Armed Boxer is the real deal. His movements are fluid and what he lacks in appendage, his kung fu skills more than compensate for (look at him climb those walls!). Despite all obstacles, he never panics and does what he can to survive. Even though the battle in the Hotfoot Hut seemed unfair, I guess it's no hold barred when killers are after you. On a fun note, notice the hidden arm or a hand peeking out behind the guy's back in some fight scenes?

Flying Guillotine is a cut above the rest. He won't stop till he gets his revenge. His finely toned senses make him a deadly opponent especially when his hat goes flying. It also folds up nice and neat. There's a bit of dark humor when FG's search for a one armed man leads to several victims…of which he has NO remorse for killing.

Just watch this!

This film brought a rush of half-forgotten memories...I was seven years old, living in suburban Ventura Country, California, munching on Count Chocula, and glued to the screen for Channel 7's Black Belt Theater. And that was the last time I witnessed the adventures of the One Armed Boxer and his arch-nemesis, the blind Master of the Flying Guillotine for a long, long time...

Fast forward twenty years. I stumbled across a pirated copy of this old school chop sockey classic. I couldn't believe my eyes. I had always reminisced to my friends about this flick...with its weapon that could decapitate from 40 yards, a stretchy armed Indian fakir, and perhaps the first fight between the arch-rivals Eagle Claw and Monkey Style.

I am convinced that this is the Movie that Launched a Thousand Video Games. The resemblance to Streetfighter is obvious, but this movie's whole-setup must have inspired countless button-pushin' fisticuffs that would dominate our leisure time in the following decades.

But if you go beyond the nostalgia factor and the video game inspirations, you'll find a finely-crafted, well-acted, and genuinely exciting film. Jimmy Wang Yu reprises his role as the One Armed Boxer, a thinking man's kung-fu hero. (I believe this film was third in a series of One Armed Boxer flicks). The hated Qing regime has sent the notorious (and blind) Master of the Flying Guillotine to snuff out all those pesky Ming sympathizers, and the One Armed Boxer is on top of the hitlist. (Yeah, yeah, I know I've just described the premise of five million other kung fu flicks, but stay with me). Not only that, but the Boxer had the gall to kill two other assassins who happened to be the blind man's disciples!

The Master of the Flying Guillotine is sheer evil itself. He launches into a killing spree, murdering every poor slob in the province who happens to sport only one arm. (Along with anybody foolish enough to get in his way). After being informed that he didn't kill the One Armed Boxer in his lastest decapitation, the blind assassin utters what is perhaps the coldest line in cinematic history--"I don't care who he was." Yikes.

Of course, the Boxer and the Blind Killer have the Final Throw Down Show Down...in perhaps one of the most beautifully shot fight scenes I've ever witnessed. True to form, Jimmy uses his brain as much as his fists when it comes to taking down his enemies...but I don't want to give anymore of this wonderful lost classic away.

Also of note is the music for the film...the opening titles is a veritable punk/thrash classic, and the the Flying Guillotine's theme music lets you know Evil is Afoot. I love it.

So..if you can find it, check this flick out...and then you'll see where Namco and Jet Li got it all from. It's time to go back to Old School.

First seen in a Shaw Bros. pic, the re-modeled flying guillotine returns in this superb fighting fantasy that is also titled MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE VERSUS THE ONE-ARMED BOXER.

A non-Shaw, independently-produced production, this delivers everything a martial arts fan could want.

Director Jimmy Wang Wu, who also stars as the One-Armed Boxer, gives the fight sequences enormous energy and invention and layers in a little sadism when necessary.

The electronic, 70's-style score brings a surreal quality to the film.

Kang Kam as the bushy-browed "Master" is superb, making us believe that he is an old man with a lethal handicap.

Numerous other Shaw and Wang Yu regulars pop up, too.

The flying guillotine itself is more functional and exciting to watch than before. The head-ripping it performs is adroitly staged.

Although BEACH OF THE WAR GODS is my favorite pic of Jimmy's, this is, nevertheless, perfect.

A justly famous martial arts epic from the post-Bruce Lee, pre-Jackie Chan period, "Master of the Flying Guillotine" knows how to satisfy its audience. Writer / director / star Jimmy Wang Yu delivers tons of violent action at a breakneck pace; once his film has reached its fever pitch, he simply does not allow you to catch your breath.

The story takes place against a historical backdrop. Set in 1730, it tells us that Han revolutionaries are rebelling against the tyranny of their Manchurian oppressors. One such revolutionary is "The Teacher", or "The One-Armed Boxer", played by our star / director. Presiding over a martial arts school, he incurs the wrath of a demented, aged "monk" (Kang Chin) who seeks revenge for The Teachers' killing of his disciples.

However, not all that much time is devoted to story. Instead, Jimmy concentrates on his set pieces, and they truly are invigorating. One major sequence of the film focuses on a tournament that is observed by The Teacher, who declines to participate himself. Meanwhile the blind monk goes around killing *anybody* he runs into that has only one arm, creating some priceless black comedy. He is truly psychotic, and an extremely formidable opponent. His killing device of the title is quite an inventive touch, and it's a hoot to watch this thing decapitate its victims. One of the handful of villains giving our hero trouble is an Indian with extendable arms (I kid you not). This is a VERY amusing sight gag.

"Master of the Flying Guillotine" begins on a very atmospheric note, features a highly enjoyable music score, parcels out its gore carefully, and also has a disarming sense of humour to let you know that it's never taking itself too, too seriously. The performances are right on the money and effective, with Chin stealing the show as the main villain. This is a true tour de force for Jimmy as a filmmaker and fighter.

Eight out of 10.