Flying Guillotine  (1975)

Theatrical Release Information:
Flying Guillotine

This Shaw Brothers production introduced the world to one of the most memorably bizarre weapons to ever appear in a martial arts film. Flying Guillotine was inspired by a historical account of the Manchu dynasty and revolves around the development of the title weapon, which is created by general Xin Kang (Ku Feng) to appease an emperor who requests a device that will allow him to quietly dispatch his enemies. Ma Teng (Chen Kuan-Tai) is enlisted to become part of an elite squad trained to use the weapon and quickly excels. However, he finds himself on the run when rival student Xu Shuang-kun (Frankie Wai) plots against him. Ma Teng finds happiness for a short while by living in seclusion with street performer Yu Ping (Lau Ng-Kei) but is ultimately forced to square off with the gang of killers he once belonged to. Flying Guillotine was a big hit for Shaw Brothers, inspiring two follow-ups (Flying Guillotine II and The Vengeful Beauty) as well as a slew of imitators like Master of the Flying Guillotine. It remains a cult favorite today amongst martial arts film fans and is considered by many to be one of the all-time Shaw Brothers classics. ~ Donald Guarisco, All Movie Guide