The Flying Guillotine Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Flying Guillotine Blu-ray Movie Review

The Flying Guillotine is an exceptional action-packed adventure with plenty of blood and mayhem to whet the appetite of any martial arts gorehound. Produced by Runme Shaw (Five Deadly Venoms, Haunted Tales), The Flying Guillotine is an adrenaline-rush with non-stop action and plenty of epic beheadings – flying guillotine style. Starring Kuan Tai Chen. Co-starring Feng Ku, Hung Wei, Wu Chi Liu, Ti Ai, and Wei-Tu Lin.

Ma Teng (Kuan Tai Chen) is a deadly assassin. Ma Teng has been trained in the art of wielding a deadly weapon that can slice off any human head. The weapon quickly slices off heads with a toss from Ma Teng. As one of the members of a group of killer assassins, Ma Teng has been well trained in the art of the weapon. The weapon can even be used from a far distance to chop off the opponents heads.

Despite being an expert in wielding the beheading weapon, Ma Teng soon is pondering the use of the weapon as such an easy killing device. Ma Teng finds himself on the run, escaping the wrath of his former assassin team, and hunted by the deadly killers. Yet the skills Ma Teng learned have not been forgotten – and Ma Teng is a master of using the beheading weapon. Can Ma Teng emerge the victor?

Kuan Tai Chen is excellent in the leading role. Chen carries himself as the wielder of the mighty flying guillotine. The role is more nuanced than expected and the actor enjoys the role – both the dramatic moments and the sequences of slice-and-dice action. An action epic like The Flying Guillotine needed someone who could carry a film like this one in order to succeed.

The action and stunts performed in The Flying Guillotine are impressive. The stunts are coordinated and choreographed by Simon Hsu (The Golden Lion, The Shadow Whip). The stunts flow with a wonderful sense of energy – bursting with creativity. The staging of the sequences showcasing the guillotine impress, with the guillotine flying through the sky – sometimes with a zip- bang speed.

The production has a number of impressive attributes including the superb art direction by Johnson Tsao (Five Elements Ninjas, Legendary Weapons of China). The art direction in The Flying Guillotine is first rate throughout and has an element of spectacle that is outstanding to see unfold. The costumes designed by Chi-Yu Liu (The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, Fists of the White Lotus) are also perfectly done for the cast of characters.

The score composed by Fu-Ling Wang (King Eagle, Lady of Steel) is energetic and exciting. The score is a wonderful backdrop to the spectacle. The action staging is far more intense and exhilarating because composer Wang understood the stakes of the story. Wang is a gifted composer and the music is an incredible part of the film.

The cinematography by Hui-Chi Tsao (Lightning Fists of Shaolin, Shaolin Intruders) is one of the areas of the film that shines the most. The cinematography by Tsao adds to the epic sense of scope and scale. The Flying Guillotine is an impressive Shaw Brothers visual extravaganza and the cinematographer understood how to highlight the action visuals in a compelling way.

Written by Kuang Ni (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, The Singing Killer), The Flying Guillotine is a fun and entertaining film. The storytelling is tense and well-done. There are some nice character moments to carry the film. The emphasis is on the action but the script allows moments for the story to be interesting and contemplative at times, too.

Directed by Meng-Hua Ho (The Jade Raksha, The Long Chase), The Flying Guillotine is certainly an engaging thrilling ride. Ho is a talented filmmaker and a creative artist. The directing is exciting – providing a sense of urgency to each action sequence. Ho goes over-the-top at times with the beheadings and gore-hounds may appreciate this Shaw Brothers epic more than most.

The Flying Guillotine Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Shout Factory, The Flying Guillotine is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The high-definition transfer appears pleasing and crisp on the whole. There are some scenes and shots with a softer appearance. However, the majority of the transfer has a nice level of detail and the transfer shines. Colors are pleasing and the transfer is free from blemishes like egregious scratches or dirt. A solid encode.

The Flying Guillotine Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes a selection of lossless audio options: Mandarin DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (with English subtitles) and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. The lossless audio quality is a wonderful component of the release. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The score is well reproduced. The English subtitles are well-done and are free from any egregious spelling or grammatical errors.  

The Flying Guillotine Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary with Film Critic James Mudge

Audio Commentary with Author Chris Poggiali and Film Historian Brian Bankston

Flying Without Wings – Interview with Actor Kai Kang (HD, 28:20)

Dubbing Delirium – Interview with Dubbing Artist Joseph Ellison (HD, 15:00)

Original Theatrical Trailer (HD, 3:47)

Celestial Trailer (HD, 1:05)

The Flying Guillotine Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Flying Guillotine is an entertaining action-adventure epic. The action in The Flying Guillotine is spectacular and the fight scenes are going to have audiences on edge. The deadly weapon in the feature-film is one of the most lethal in the Shaw Brothers films – capable of quickly beheading opponents. The Flying Guillotine is gorier than many Shaw Brothers productions – in fact, The Flying Guillotine feels like a film that Fangoria (the gorehound horror film publication) might even discuss – considering the onslaught of beheadings.   

The Blu-ray release features a solid high-definition transfer and lossless audio presentation. The release also comes jam-packed with bonus features – including multiple audio commentaries and interviews. Recommended.