Master of the Flying Guillotine (1974)
Director - Jimmy Wang Yu
DVD Released by : Pathfinder Home Entertainment
Player reviewed with : Malata DVD-N996
Receiver reviewed with : Sony 925
 
Features:
Mandarin and English Soundtracks
English and Spanish Subtitles
Not Enhanced for 16 x 9 TVs
U.S. release and U.S. restored version Trailer
Original Trailer
Audio Commentary By Film Critics Wade Major & Andy Klein
Running Time : 93 mins.

If you are in the mood for some classic Old School Kung Fu, MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE is the way to go. When his pupils are killed, an evil blind man seeks revenge on the rebel One Armed Boxer who murdered them. Disguised as a monk, he takes with him his Flying Guillotine, a device that he throws over his enemy's head and decapitates them. When he arrives in town searching for the One Armed Boxer, he recruits some foreigners who have gathered for a tournament to help him. Along the way, he decapitates anybody who has one arm. Even though he is greatly skilled, The One Armed Boxer does not join the tournament so he doesn't bring attention to himself. Unfortunately, he attends as a spectator and is spotted. He must use his Kung Fu as well as his wits to defeat his opponents. The final showdown is a battle between THE MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE and the ONE ARMED BOXER.

It is a treat to see a movie like this presented in its original aspect ratio and original language. The music playing over the beginning credits sounds very modern but according to the commentary it was added for it's 1977 release. This is definitely a fun movie to watch. Jimmy Wang Yu is great as the One Armed Boxer. It's not because he is greatly skilled in Kung FU (he's not), but because of the ways in which he sets traps for his enemies. The movie is also funny because for being blind, the Master has no trouble aiming his flying guillotine. There also seems to be a lot of one-armed men walking around town. One of the oddest characters is the Yoga Master. He is able to extend his arms to attack his enemies. I never pictured Yoga being used to fight but it works for this guy. Other than this instance, the Kung Fu is more traditional except for Jimmy Wang Yu being able to walk up walls.

The picture quality is probably the best it can be all things considered. The movie is old and different sources were used in order to restore the print to its original running time. The movie is perfectly watchable but the print does have some damage. There are times when the picture gets very bright or a little blurry. Luckily, none of the flaws last very long. The transfer looks decent on the 47 inch screen even though its not anamorphic. The picture isn't great, but its better than most other Old School releases.

The audio is either Mandarin or English. The Mandarin is the original language that was used for the movie. According to the commentary, this film was made when Mandarin was the predominate language being used in the movies. The actors spokes different languages while making the film but the intended language was Mandarin. Once again, considering the films age, the sound quality is good. There are some minor flaws like background noise but nothing too distracting. There is also an English soundtrack that reverts to Mandarin when the soundtrack is too damaged. Subtitles appear at these times.

Speaking of subtitles, they are easy to read and I didn't catch any spelling errors. They are timed well. The lettering is in a reddish orange color so they stand out against all backgrounds. It is also possible to read them while zooming in on the picture so you won't have to worry if you have a widescreen TV.

There are some decent extras on this DVD. The commentary by Wade Major & Andy Klein is informative and gives a background of the movie and the time in which it was filmed. They give a lot of background information on Jimmy Wang Yu. Of course, nobody's perfect so they welcome e-mails telling them mistakes they may have made. There are also trailers, biographies, and a still gallery. This DVD restores 12 minutes of footage that hasn't been seen in a very long time.

If you are a fan of Old School Kung Fu movies, you know the deal. You buy a DVD and hope it's watchable. Many are pan and scanned, dubbed, and look like they came from a VHS master. That said, you will really appreciate how this DVD looks and sounds. It's not a perfect print, but it's the original aspect ratio and it's uncut. The flaws in the print are easily forgivable. The commentary is a plus. If you are a fan of this movie, the DVD is definitely worth getting. If you aren't into old style Kung Fu but like Jackie Chan's older movies, give this a shot. Jimmy Wang Yu isn't exactly Jackie Chan, but his unique way of defeating his enemies is unintentionally funny.