Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976) Du bi quan wang da po xue di zi (original title)

Director:

Yu Wang

Writer:

Yu Wang (screenplay)

Release Date:

February 1977 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Fantasy

Tagline:

It's A Mean Machine - Cuts Your Head Off Clean!

Plot:

The one-armed boxer is stalked by a vengeful flying guillotine expert, after his disciples were killed in the first 'One-Armed Boxer' film...

Plot Keywords:

Guillotine | Flying Guillotine | Martial Arts | One Armed Man | Burned Alive

Cast

Yu Wang	...	Liu Ti Lung, The One-Armed Boxer
Kang Chin	...	Fung Sheng Wu Chi
Chung-erh Lung	...	Wu Shao-tieh (as Kun Yee Lung)
Chia Yung Liu	...	Chang Chia Yu (as Kar Wing Lau)
Lung Wei Wang	...	Win-Without-a-Knife Yakuma (as Lung Wang)
Chien-Po Tsen	...	Nai Men
Fei Lung	...	Win-Without-a-Knife Yakuma Jiro
Hou-Chiang Chi
Pai Cheng Hau	...	Master Wu
Ming Fei Wang
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Tak Chi Chen
Tien Wu Chu
Alan Chui Chung San		(as Chung Hei Chui)
Wai Hung Ho
Han Hsieh	...	Referee
Hsing Hsieh
Philip Kwok
Jack Long	...	Wang Chiang
Fong Lung	...	Wu Chang-sheng (as Li Chien Min)
Mao Shan
Kao Shan Shao
Ting-Ken Shih
Jung Chi Sun
Robert Tai
Kun Chang Teng
Chiang Wang
Tai-Liang Wang	...	Monkey Boxer
Wing Sheng Wang	...	Yoga Master
Sung Chao Yu

Directed by
Yu Wang		(as Jimmy Wang Yu)

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Yu Wang		screenplay (as Jimmy Wang Yu)

Produced by
Cheuk Hon Wong	....	producer

Original Music by
Frankie Chan		(as Hsun Chi Chen)

Cinematography by
Yao Hu Chiu

Film Editing by
Ting Hung Kuo

Production Design by
Kang Hsing Chao

Costume Design by
Chin Chao		(as Ken Chao)

Makeup Department
Yu Chen Chao	....	makeup artist
Yuan Chun Yu	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Hsi Fan Chan	....	production manager
Fung Wang	....	production manager

Sound Department
Su Yen Hsi	....	sound effects
Hu Kuang	....	sound recordist
Yu Ping Liang	....	sound effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Yun Lung Niu	....	assistant lighting technician
Huai Chen Pai	....	lighting technician
Chang Li Wang	....	assistant camera

Other crew
Chia Yung Liu	....	fight choreographer (as Ka Wing Lau)
Chia-Liang Liu	....	fighting choreographer (as Lau Ka Liang)
Kuang-chi Lo	....	stage supervisor
Yi Wang	....	arts

Production Companies

• First Film Organisation Ltd.

Distributors

• First Distributors (1975) (worldwide) (all media)
• In-Frame Films (1977) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Seymour Borde & Associates (1977) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• JVI (1982) (UK) (VHS) (as Master of the Flying Guillotine)
• Sinister Cinema (1993) (USA) (VHS)
• Cinema Epoch (2001) (USA) (all media) (co-distributor)
• Pathfinder Pictures (2002) (USA) (DVD)
• Pathfinder Pictures (2002) (USA) (VHS)
• Pathfinder Pictures (2004) (USA) (DVD)
• Filmax Home Video (2005) (Spain) (DVD)
• Phaedra Cinema (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Splendid Film (2005) (Germany) (DVD)

Also Known As:

"Du bi quan wang da po xue di zi" - Taiwan (original title)
"The One Armed Boxer vs. the Flying Guillotine" - Hong Kong (English title)

Runtime:

93 min | USA:81 min

Country:

Taiwan | Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

USA:R | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:R (Ontario) | UK:X (cut) (1977) | Australia:M | Portugal:M/18 | France:U

Filming Locations:

Taiwan

Company:

First Film Organisation Ltd.

Trivia:

The export trailer for the film uses Ennio Morricone's music cue "The People Revolt", from the film The Battle of Algiers.

Goofs:

Continuity: While struggling with the One-Armed Boxer in the chicken coop, Fu Sing Wu Chi's guillotine falls off its chain. However, in the next shot it appears in, it seems to have been repaired.

Quotes:

One Armed Bum:[smashes flies on table with his hand] One, two, three, four, five, six, seven... I killed seven with one blow! A new record! Hahahahahahahaaa! Hey waiter, bring me some more wine and food, would ya? Hahahaha!
Waiter:[after eating, Bum realizes he has no money to pay, gets up and tries to leave] What's this? You leaving? Without paying your bill?
One Armed Bum:And, and what if I haven't paid? Do you know who I am, huh?
Waiter:[laughs incredulously] Who are ya?
One Armed Bum:[slaps waiter's hand] Godammit! You don't know who I am? You never heard of me? Well, listen: Listen all of you! I happen to be the "One Armed Boxer!" See that? I killed seven! That should be enough for you! Yeah, I killed seven with one blow! Did you ever hear of anyone doing that?
[small crowd gathers]
Waiter:Alright, where are the seven men you killed then?
One Armed Bum:Well, they weren't exactly men... they were flies!
[everyone laughs]
Fung Sheng Wu Chi:[Fung Sheng Wu Chi throws flying guillotine at One Armed Bum, decapitating him. Everyone panics and runs. Fung Sheng approaches waiter] Was he the One Armed Boxer?
[...]

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 1 (2003)

Soundtrack:

Mitternacht

WARNING: Whirling blades may be hazardous to your life.

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!