Review of Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976) by Andrew S — 07 May 2009

A kung fu movie about a blind monk seeking revenge on the one-armed boxer who killed his disciples. The one-armed boxer is played by the film?s director, Jimmy Wang-Yu, and is technically the hero of the film.

I say ?technically? because, despite his moralizing, he uses some pretty underhanded methods in dealing with the bad guys ? like fighting the barefooted Thai boxer in a room with hot coals under the floor.

Other highlights include the Indian Yoga master, whose arms can extend to twice their normal length, and the craftily named ?Wins Without a Knife?. It was an independently made film, so it doesn?t look or feel like any of the Hong Kong martial arts films that came out of the major studios like Shaw Brothers.

All-in-all, a delirious, gonzo piece of filmmaking, featuring stolen krautrock cues from Neu! and Can, as well as one of the all-time classic English dub tracks.