Cult Clash: Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)

by Pete Roberts

One of the best martial arts films ever made. Jimmy Wang Yu is the One Armed Boxer being tracked down by the Master of The Flying Guillotine, aka Fung Sheng Wu Chi. The film begins with an introduction to the blind, white-haired Fung (Kam Kang) as he recieves a message (by way of carrier pigeon) that his students Chow Fu and Chow Lung have both been killed by a one armed man. Fung swears to get revenge by any means necessary, grabs his weapon - the fatal flying guillotine - and practices on some dummies. His deadly skill hasn't diminished a bit.

We meet The One Armed Boxer at his school of martial arts where he teaches the mysterious arts of kung fu. His skill is second to none as he performs supernatural feats that only a kung fu veteran can know, like walking on walls, around the edge of a wicker basket, and more. When word comes that the local Eagles Claw school is holding a martial arts tournament, his students are excited and anxious to see him take part. But he has no interest in using his skills for sport, as he wants to stay true to his chi.

Meanwhile, Fung Sheng is tracking down The One Armed Boxer (OAB) and killing every one-armed man he comes across. His first victim claims to be his enemy, but he's actually just a good-for-nothing loser who can't even pay for his own dinner. Fung proceeds to throw the flying guillotine on him and lop his head clean off.

The direction by Wang Yu and creative fight choreography by the brothers Leung is wonderful. There are all kinds of martial arts fighters represented as well. From a Yoga Master with retracting arms to a Monkey Style Kung Fu fighter. Another great sequence is what I like to call the "Griddle Hut", in which the OAB and his cohorts lure one of Fung's helpers (the Thai boxer) into a small hut with a metal floor. Under the floor they light a fire, and since the Thai boxer doesn't wear any shoes, he obviously can't fight for very long. Everytime he tries to hop out a window and escape, the OAB's group block him with spears.

The climactic fight is one of my personal favorite movie endings of all time. Fung and the OAB battle it out in a coffin maker's shop, and The OAB uses his ingeniuity to get Fung to lose his concentration. By setting up some deadly spring loaded axe's, The OAB gets the best of his blind adversary. While watching this sequence, I was happy to see a different take on the epic finale showdown. Usually it's cliche and tedious, but Jimmy Wang Yu does something inventive and thrilling. Bravo!

Master of the Flying Guillotine is a great example of martial arts filmmaking at its most exciting and creative, and Jimmy Wang Yu is one of the genre's masterful directors.