The Flying Guillotine 2 (1978) review

FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 1978

Ti Lung (Ma Teng), Shi Szu (Na Lan), Ku Feng (Emperor Yung Cheng), Wang Chung (Bai Tai Kuan), Lo Lieh (Bao Ying), Frankie Wei Hung (Gang Jing Fung), Fan Mei Sheng (Li Sing Nan), Shih Chung Tien (Jin Feng Chi), Liu Lu Hua (Jiang Cheung Fung), Nancy Yen (Tien Sin), Chen Szu Chia (Yu Lan), Cheng Kang Yeh, Ku Kuan Chung

Directed by Cheng Kang & Hua Shan

The Short Version: This official sequel was plagued with serious production problems from disappearing, or disgruntled cast members and a change in director. The ruptured shooting schedule is painfully noticeable in places, but there's some genuinely well done sequences here including the ferocious finale inside the Emperor's fortress. One of the most downbeat of Shaw pictures, those seeking the action lacking in the original will likely enjoy the bloody ride here.


The last remnants of the Han Dynasty gather at Dan Hsia Mountain for a last stand against the tyranny of the cruel Emperor, Yung Cheng. Outlaw, Ma Teng, formerly one of the guillotine assassins, is sought by the heroes to join their cause. Among the fighters is Na Lan, the patriotic daughter of the Emperor's military secretary, Bao Lao. Swearing revenge for the death of her mother, Na Lan devises her own means of assassination to end Yung Cheng's despotic reign.


This hyper kinetic and thoroughly delirious sequel to the Shaw Brothers' big hit, THE FLYING GUILLOTINE is the antithesis of the original. Where that picture was far more concerned with characterization and the terror wrought by the formidable head shaver, the sequel is far more concerned with heroic sword fights in a series of various assassination attempts and rescues. This Shaw production also differentiates itself from its predecessor by entrenching its framework within the Wuxia universe (swordplay films made popular again by Chu Yuan starting with KILLER CLANS in 1976); assorted weapons and slightly superhuman abilities abound. Good and bad guys alike leap through the air with the greatest of ease while sharp implements of varying shapes and sizes threaten to make shredded beef out of anyone caught in their path.


Just as Ho Meng Hua's trendsetting horror-action-thriller took nearly a year to complete, this sequel was equally problematic, even more so. Beginning production in January of 1976 under the tentative title of 'The Improved Guillotine', the film ran into numerous production wrecking obstacles before the finished picture was unveiled to modest success in February of 1978.

Production begins on FG 2. Note returning actors Chen Kuan Tai and Liu Wu Chi; Hong Kong Movie News February, 1976

Chen Kuan Tai was signed on to reprise his role as Ma Teng as was Liu Wu Chi who played his wife in the first movie. Ho Meng Hua was not returning as he was busy with other films as well as prepping the massive undertaking of THE MIGHTY PEKING MAN (1977), a troublesome film in its own right. Critically lauded director, Cheng Kang (THE 14 AMAZONS) was assigned to take up the mantle as director of FLYING GUILLOTINE 2.

A spread of Liu Wu Chi, the actress that played Chen Kuan Tai's wife in the original FLYING GUILLOTINE. She mysteriously disappeared from the set of the second film and never returned to the HK film industry; Southern Screen May, 1975

A couple months into the filming (Cheng Kang was also finishing up KING GAMBLER at the time also with Chen Kuan Tai, who was also working on Liu Chia Liang's EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN), problems began. Actress, Liu Wu Chi inexplicably disappeared. Rumors floated around that she had left for Taiwan, or Brazil and some claimed she was still in Hong Kong, but she never returned to the film industry. At Cheng Kang's request, Hsiao Yao (THE LAST TEMPEST), a discovery of famed erotic and historical film director, Li Han Hsiang, was hired to replace Liu Wu Chi. The delay reportedly cost the Shaw's HK200,000. But the problems were just beginning for this seemingly cursed production.

Now same shot as above, but with Hsiao Yao playing the role of the wife; Southern Screen April, 1976

In October of 1976, Chen Kuan Tai, one of the Shaw's biggest moneymakers, abruptly left the studio, breaking his contract citing monetary differences. Leaving for presumably greener pastures on the independent circuit (he finally made his directorial dreams come true during this time), the headstrong actor was plagued with financial and female problems in the near two year interim he was gone from the Hong Kong movie scene. So now, FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 was missing its main star. To add insult to injury, Hsiao Yao, who replaced originally cast Liu Wu Chi, followed in her footsteps leaving both the film, and the Asian film industry entirely. The Shaw's had abandoned numerous productions before, but they were determined to mine a sequel out of the hit original, even if the quagmire was far from solved.


Now missing both its main star and actress, Ti Lung stepped into the shoes vacated by Chen Kuan Tai and sad eyed Chen Szu Chia (GHOST EYES) took over the role of Ma Teng's wife. But the storm wasn't over yet. With all the delays and change of cast (and no doubt a good deal of frustration), the meticulous Cheng Kang was unable to finish the picture, moving on to other projects. Hua Shan, a director with a propensity for gritty and violent crime thrillers and dark swordplay adventures, was brought on to finish the film and reshoot portions of it. All the footage with Chen Kuan Tai had to be discarded now and it's likely the script was altered as there were three writers here--I Kuang, initial director, Cheng Kang and Li Yung Chang (he also wrote and assisted direction on films for both of FG 2's directors).

FG 2 poster: Southern Screen October, 1977

Deciphering Cheng's footage from Hua's isn't too terribly difficult, but not necessarily easy, either. No doubt a lot of the scenes with Shi Szu and the heroes was Cheng's work. Those scenes possess a bit of the panache Cheng Kang was known for. The action scenes, though, have Hua Shan's stamp all over them what with the undercranked fights and quick cuts. Still, much of the chaotic editing appears to be the result of the numerous disruptions the film suffered during its two year gestation. Scenes occasionally begin and end hastily either being noticeably cut short, or appear to be chunks of a larger sequence. The film also has an episodic structure--a quarter of the film sets up the menagerie of characters and another is a series of assassination attempts and rescues.


After that, the film turns into a slightly light-hearted (very moderate) "battle of the FG sexes" between Shi Szu with her all girl guillotine squad against Lo Lieh and Wei Hung. Even with all the discrepancies and flaws, FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 manages to be an energetically bloody good time.

Behind the scenes of FLYING GUILLOTINE 2: Southern Screen May, 1976

There are definitely some impressive moments here--the intro to the Han heroes, Shi Szu being forced to kill her father to prove her loyalty to the Emperor (possibly the best scene in the picture) and the gory finale inside Yung Cheng's fortress. With the multitude of characters (there's far too many), no one particularly stands out. Had Cheng Kang, a strong writer, himself, been able to finish the film uninterrupted, this no doubt would have been rectified. As it stands, you do get a certain punch to the gut when certain characters are gruesomely killed off. Sadly, the Ma Teng character, the major holdover from the original, gets nowhere near the screen time of the first movie. Ti Lung seems to be winging it here as if he's taking this part while on vacation, or something. He does fine with what little he's given, though, and gets into the spirit of things when brandishing the improved steel umbrella.


The guillotine itself has been modified and the effects utilizing it are shown from a different perspective. Now, the killers carrying the cranium cleavers can twirl them over their heads like a lethal lasso. As opposed to the first picture, the creation of the weapon is accredited to a Tibetan lama named Kou Pin. Yong Cheng commissions him to create a new version of the guillotine to counter Ma's new and improved steel repellent. The improvement to the frisbee of death is pure comic book preposterousness. The guillotine also hides another secret which pops up at the end. This new addition prompts our heroes to steal the weapons blueprints so that Ma Teng can likewise upgrade his own weapon enhancing it with an added trick. One thing that can indisputably be said about Shaw Brothers action movies is that they came up with the most elaborately impressive caches of cutlery the film world has ever seen.

Emperor Yung Cheng (Ku Feng--left) is shown the new and improved double guillotine, a weapon with an additional hidden feature.

Award winning actor, Ku Feng returns from the first movie, but takes over for Chiang Yang as the evil, and real life Emperor Yung Cheng (or Yong Zheng). Described as evil under varying degrees from different interpretations, the Emperor's death (some sources state he was assassinated by a female avenger) has been a source of mystery as much as the legendary flying guillotine, itself. Ku Feng absorbs all the malice and black-hearted cruelty he could muster for his portrayal as the infamous historical figure. He suffers from a 'Nicholsonism' at one point, but manages to create one of the more sadistic enactments of an evil oppressor in a Chinese film. At the beginning, a naked woman is brought to his chamber and he promptly slashes her throat because she's a Han Chinese!

Cheng Kang Yeh (right) aims for the Emperor, but the evil man evades death by using a concubine as a human shield

Ku Feng also partakes in the action during the bloody end fight that takes up the last ten minutes. It's an exciting sequence as the few remaining heroes take on the Emperor, his guillotine goons and a cadre of spade wielding lama's. The sequence is nicely captured on film and integrated with good use of slow motion. Up to this point, the film has assaulted the viewer with a mixture of 'zoom in's' and 'zoom outs' and frequent use of tracking shots. Scenes are allowed to "breathe" only occasionally, no doubt a result of the aforementioned production problems.


Akira Ifukube's music from the equally downbeat and somber MAJIN (1966) fits this film like a glove reiterating the 'doom & gloom' atmosphere. FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 is the BENEATH THE PLANET OF THE APES of Shaw Brothers movies. If you've seen that film, you know what I mean. The mood is thoroughly ruthless and extends to the final moments with Ifukube's music reinforcing the nihilism. Some may be taken with the fast paced aura of FG 2 as it would become 'de rigueur' by the mid 1980s through the mid 90s. Others may be intermittently confounded by its erratic nature. Nonetheless, like a sugary caramel filled quick fix, FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 satisfies.

This review is representative of the Hong Kong R3 IVL DVD (OOP)

The Flying Guillotine (1974) review

THE FLYING GUILLOTINE 1974

Chen Kuan Tai (Ma Teng), Ku Feng (Xin Kang), Frankie Wei Hung (Xu Shuang Kun), Liu Wu Chi (Ma Yu Ping), Chiang Yang (Emperor Yung Cheng), Wong Yu (Xie Tian Fu), Lin Wei Tu (Luo Peng), Ai Ti (Wan Zhu)

Directed by Ho Meng Hua

The Short Version: This Shaw Brothers classic about the creation and usage of a flying piece of killer cutlery is a favorite of 42nd street sleaze lovers. Aside from its exploitation elements, Ho Meng Hua's tale of righteousness, treachery and revenge is also one of his best directed movies and a shining, if gruesome example of Hong Kong cinema's golden age at its finest.


In an effort to maintain control over the populace and eradicate those who oppose him, Emperor Yung Cheng orders the recruitment of a secret order of assassins proficient in the use of a new terrifying weapon that can take off a man's head at a hundred yards. The most bright member of the group, Ma Teng, discovers treachery and greed among their ranks and escapes the stronghold before he, too, is targeted for assassination. On the run, Ma attempts to start a new life, but the order of secret killers are close behind.

Southern Screen July 1974

Revered Shaw Brothers director, Ho Meng Hua, spent a year working on this production before it finally saw release in the early months of 1975. All his arduous work and that of scriptwriter, I Kuang and others paid off handsomely. By taking actual historical figures, a legendary death device and weaving them around well developed characters, Ho and company created one of the most endearingly brutal HK action dramas ever made. THE FLYING GUILLOTINE went on to be a huge success around the world as well as spawning numerous imitations. Considered an "exploitation kung fu classic" in America, the film brazenly eschews kung fu movie conventions in favor of a more story oriented production. There are a few fight scenes, but these are not the typical style of HK screen fighting of the time period. The casual staging of the scant few fights appears to be intentional to maintain focus on the weapon itself and subsequent dramatic elements.



Director Ho is very successful in creating an atmosphere of dread brought out of the frightful nature of the flying guillotine--it can get you anywhere and nothing can stop it. Fiercely original, the weapon itself is an impressive design and thanks to the high skill level of the Shaw Brothers' props department, this imposing weapon looks like it could actually work. According to the director, the weapon did in fact exist. Apparently, something about the flying head snatcher must have been written about over the years--an Asian friend of mine said the weapon did in fact exist, but as Ho Meng Hua has pointed out, no one lived long enough to sketch what it looked like, nor have any drawings of the weapon been found. Until then, the flying guillotine will remain an enigma made larger than life by the imaginations of those interested in the subject.


Imagination was definitely a driving force in the number of movies similar to FG that were ejected onto movie screens in the wake of Ho's successful action-horror-drama. One of the first and most well known is Jimmy Wang Yu's impoverished, but heavy on outrageousness, MASTER OF THE FLYING GUILLOTINE (1976); also known as THE ONE ARMED BOXER 2 and ONE ARMED BOXER VS. THE FLYING GUILLOTINE. Not to be outdone, the Shaw Brothers started work in February of 1976 on their own sequel, FLYING GUILLOTINE 2. The Shaw's even ripped themselves off that year with DRAGON MISSILE, a 'B' actioner that featured a different type of guillotine weapon and some interesting effects for its usage. Another independent entry was THE FATAL FLYING GUILLOTINES from 1977 and starred Carter Wong, Chen Sing and Meng Hoi.


The Shaw's again showcased the flying noggin chopper during the first half of THE VENGEFUL BEAUTY (1978), one of their best 'B' action exploitation movies. The appearance of the weapon and the guillotine squad seems to take place during the same time frame of the original Shaw Brothers movie. Ho Meng Hua directs this tale of a vengeful and pregnant Chen Ping going after her husbands killers, a member of the Emperor's secret kill squad who was marked for death by his colleagues. A modified version of the weapon also appeared in Indonesian movies such as the wild and wacky Barry Prima mystical martial arts gore epic THE DEVIL'S SWORD in 1982.


THE HEROIC TRIO (1993) also had a FG weapon, designed faithfully on the Shaw Brothers version and was thrown by Anthony Wong no less. Another modification of the classic death device cropped up in the gore drenched Japanese movie, THE MACHINE GIRL (2008). Some would also credit the weapon that Chiaki Kuriyama wields in KILL BILL (2003) as a variation on the famed piece of killer cutlery.

Ku Feng (left) holds a decapitated head while Wei Hung (right) retrieves another; insert: one of the negatives of film restoration is that minor details become far more noticeable such as this manniquin head that is now visible through the mesh of the guillotine.

Translated as 'The Blood Dripper', there's plenty of the red stuff on display and what is probably a world record of decapitations on screen. Some 25 victims lose their heads before the film ends. The flying frisbee of death also contains another method of dispatch--this steel helmet is aligned with saw blades. It's used to stab one poor soul in the face, and the guillotine ends up impaling one of the men who wields the weapon (future BASTARD SWORDSMAN Tsui Siu Keung, in fact) after it pulls a spear head from an ingenious device Ma creates to combat the guillotine (more on that later). While the picture is bloody, the film doesn't wallow in gory excess. The emphasis is on both the FG device and the characters, particularly Ma Teng; ably played by fan favorite, Chen Kuan Tai. Produced at the midpoint of Ho's career, it's the bridge between his earlier, classy productions and his later more exploitation driven works. It's the last truly great movie Ho Meng Hua directed. From here on out, his resume was dominated by far less serious and sundry offerings such as trash favorites BLACK MAGIC (1975), THE OILY MANIAC (1976), THE MIGHTY PEKING MAN (1977) and SHAOLIN HANDLOCK (1978).

Chen Kuan Tai (left) and Run Run Shaw (right) leaving an awards ceremony

Chen Kuan Tai does a great deal with his characterization of Ma Teng, a loyal follower to his country and Emperor who questions the motives of his superiors and even some of his compatriots when it becomes glaringly obvious that innocents are being slaughtered, and not rebels. The polar opposite to Chen's stoic turns as both Ma Yung Chen (THE BOXER FROM SHANTUNG) and Hung Hsi Kwan (HEROES TWO), Ma Teng is about as human a character as Chen has ever played. He displays fear, hesitates before killing those in pursuit of him and generally just wants to be left alone and forgotten about. Frankie Wei Hung delivers one of those slimy roles he was so good at essaying in his portrayal of the greedy and deceitful Xu Shuang Kun. Wei was never a huge star, but carved an indelible image in exploitation movies when a certain role was required in numerous Shaw sex and sadism movies.

Frankie Wei Hung in the type of roles he was born to play

Ku Feng smells a rat

The celebrated and award winning actor, Ku Feng plays the ill fated creator of the flying guillotine, Xin Kang. A man unquestionably loyal to the Emperor, but not above suspicion. His part in this picture ends in an ironic bit of guilefulness on the part of one of the very men he trained. The scenes where he is engulfed in thought in designing the weapon and how it will work gives levity to the weapon once we see it. It isn't like he has an epiphany then in the next scene, the creation is revealed. The unveiling of the guillotine involves one of the most oft remembered shots from the film; some who have seen the film at some point in their life seem to always recall when the dog is decapitated in a gruesome display of the weapons capabilities. A real dog doesn't have his head severed, but the scene is still effective.

Wong Yu (left); insert: Ai Ti in a state of undress

Later to become a minor kung fu star in his own right is a young Wong Yu, who, in 1975 would star in Liu Chia Liang's directorial debut hit, THE SPIRITUAL BOXER. He has a minor supporting role in FG as a much too green member of the guillotine squad who finds he doesn't want to kill in the name of the Emperor and ultimately becomes a target, himself. Ai Ti, a major Shaw sex starlet during the 70s and early 80s also has a minor supporting role as one of the Emperor's concubines given to Wong Yu's character as a present.


Ho Meng Hua's THE FLYING GUILLOTINE remains a classic in Hong Kong cinema and a favorite among fans. Part of its appeal lies in its non-conformance to genre conventions. It transcends the classical essence of the kung fu genre through its righteous and despicable characters without the use of fists and feet--the training and use of the lethal yo yo-like implement is a substitute for any number of animal styles that dominate the traditional kung fu flick. As with most movies where a counter style is learned to repel another, so another steel device is created to combat the dreaded guillotine. Ma Teng devises a steel umbrella, a rudimentary, but intimidating weapon in its own right. It works well for a brief time before it's surmised that only a flying guillotine can stop another flying guillotine. This occurs during the third act--the first being the build-up of the group and their motivations, the second act is the chase and pursuit of Ma and the third is Ma Teng, with no other option, finally fighting back against his former brothers.


One of the most original films of its kind and one of the most accomplished, THE FLYING GUILLOTINE is a grand achievement of the director and one of the most well known productions that exploded from the famed Shaw Brothers studio in Hong Kong. It has had a lasting impression on numerous filmmakers, both in Asia and abroad and its influence is undeniable. Those expecting lots of action will instead find many heads being torn asunder amidst an oppressively grim atmosphere, but Ho's movie has much more going for it than that. Fans of Chen Kuan Tai will see the diversity of this actor in a role devoid of the near invincibility of his larger than life Chang Cheh portrayals. Hold onto your heads, THE FLYING GUILLOTINE is a highly recommended movie.

This review is representative of the IVL R3 DVD from Hong Kong (OOP).