The deadliest weapon the martial arts world had ever seen: we look back at the Flying Guillotine movies… As far as Im concerned, theres no cooler weapon than the Flying Guillotine.
It looks kind of like a domed beekeepers hat on a chain.
A second yank triggers blades in the rim that lock shut and chop the head clean off.
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There is much intrigue afoot in the Emperors palace though.
Petty jealousies, strategic betrayals, mistrust everywhere.
Whos killing whom and why?
This sets the scene for an almost Shakespearian power struggle.
The script is loaded with political parallels and complex characters.
On a technical level, the film is fantastic; among the most vibrant-looking Shaw films of its time.
To confuse matters further, he made it as a sequel to his ownOne-Armed Boxer(1971).
Both have their merits but theyre poles apart in terms of content.
It is, of course, a Flying Guillotine by any other name.
Predictably, heads roll.
As youd expect, it all leads to an almighty duff-up at the end.
For fans of grindhouse martial arts,Fatal Flying Guillotineticks almost all the boxes.
Its gory, campy, fast and dumb in the sweetest way.
How come two completely unofficialGuillotinemovies came out before the Shaws first sequel?
Hang on to your heads, lads.
The plot moves at an obscene pace.
It possesses a fierce energy and way more onscreen violence than the other films in the series.
Its only real flaw is that the Flying Guillotine itself is so underused here.
You dont get a lot of blade for your buck.
Still, well always have the old days.
