This Special Edition Blu-ray from 88 Films is currently available for purchase.
The Shaw Brothers are a family of Hong Kong-based producers who released hundreds of films during the previous century, including famous martial arts and genre movies like The One-Armed Swordsman (1967), Five Deadly Venoms (1978) and The Flying Guillotine (1975). They had numerous hits which naturally resulted in many sequels. Flying Guillotine 2 (1978) aka Palace Carnage is something of an oddity in this department. While many sequels fail to live up to the original, many consider this effort just as good as (or perhaps even superior to) the original film… not to mention that it is one of the craziest movies ever you’re ever likely to see.
88 Films has just released a new Blu-ray of the title with a spectacular transfer. Typically, with a movie this old one expects to see a grimy and somewhat damaged print. This edition looks meticulously cleaned up. The film is sharp and arrives with new English subtitles and a few great extras to boot. It’s a wonderful-looking disc presenting one of the wildest titles to ever come out of Hong Kong.
Other than the title instrument of death, the story has practically nothing to do with the first movie in the series. The period story is set during the reign of sinister Emperor Yung Cheng (Feng Ku) who tortures and torments not only his subjects, but those who serve him. A band of rebels set out to assassinate the villain, but find it to be an extraordinarily difficult feat. This is because Emperor Cheng has supplied some of his soldiers with Flying Guillotines, deadly weapons that can be thrown from 100 paces and take off the heads of enemies. Notable members of the underground resistance include the daughter of Cheng’s Miliary Cabinet Na Lan (Szu Shih) and Ma Teng (Lung Ti) a man capable of designing instruments that can foil the Flying Guillotine apparatus. Teng is a reluctant hero who doesn’t want to endanger his family, but that soon changes when his loved ones are brutally targeted.
The movie is very fast-paced and relentlessly brutal. The antagonist is nasty in just about every way imaginable, tormenting everyone he comes across and often leaving headless bodies in the process. Truth be told, horrible things happen to most of the heroic characters in the story, which would be even more disturbing were it not for the fact that everything is presented in a consistently over-the-top manner. Dozens of heads roll left right and center (I regret not tallying the exact number of decapitations) and the action bits only cease in order to set up the next elaborate battle scene. They’re all incredibly well staged and get more and more elaborate as the story progresses. It all leads to a suicide mission in which surviving members of the team raid the emperor’s palace.
Throughout this process, we experience many rough moments. There’s a memorable attempted poisoning that goes sideways. Additionally, there is a tense, high-energy battle in which one of the leads careens down the side of an escarpment under a moving carriage, bursting through the roof and flying through the air as he squares off against the baddies. As mentioned, the climax is particularly brutal as Teng and the others must contend with a new Flying Guillotine design and take on the surprisingly well-trained and menacing Emperor Cheng (who also tends to laugh maniacally while wiping victims out).
While strikingly graphic and tonally darker than anticipated, the zippy fight scenes do make a lasting impression and the movie itself ends up being both fast-paced and memorable. And although the characters have no connection with those in the original film, this still manages to be one of the better sequels out there and certainly one of the stronger Shaw Brothers titles.
The Blu-ray itself doesn’t disappoint either. Everything looks clearer than ever, including the period costumes, sets and prop weapons. I didn’t notice a single scratch or issue with the print and was blown away by the picture quality.
There are also plenty of great bonuses included on the disc. The first is an informative booklet with information about the production that also draws connections between Hong Kong martial arts cinema and the recent trend of Marvel and DC films. While Flying Guillotine 2 gives the leads a tougher mission and grimmer fates than heroes in PG-13 rated superhero movies, all of these tales do have a similar, mythic quality to them.
An informative commentary track featuring Hong Kong movie authorities Mike Leeder and Arne Venema offers some interesting background details about the cast members and other factoids. The best bits include them giving a bit of background into the production difficulties experienced on the feature. It seems that the movie went through at least three directors who quit during production. This info makes it all the more remarkable that the finished product is as strong as it is. Who knows, maybe each individual had their own creative uses for the weapons which helped create more variety and energy to the fights?
They also discuss the reluctances of the Shaw Brothers to continue promoting these movies and the troubles they’ve had in interviewing Hong Kong stars from this era. Their comments also help explain why the studio’s output is hard to come by. Additionally, the two mention plenty of other titles in the same vein that viewers may enjoy. Overall, it’s a fun listen. A banged-up Hong Kong trailer is also featured, as well as some very high-quality, sharp production stills. The item also features some great new art that tops the original poster.
This reviewer had a fantastic time with Flying Guillotine 2. As an action movie, it’s a blast to watch. And it even manages to deliver some drama and effectively deliver darker moments involving the character backstories, not to mention the titular implements of death. If you enjoy action movies, Hong Kong cinema or Shaw Brothers productions, this Blu-ray is a must own. Pick it up as soon as you can.