ACF 1255: FLYING GUILLOTINE 1 and 2 coming at you on Tuesday

Arc Entertainment & Dragon Dynasty are releasing two more classic Shaw Brothers films that represent the absolute cream of the crop of Kung Fu cinema. FLYING GUILLOTINE and FLYING GUILLOTINE II hit retail stores this coming Tuesday, November 29th and will be available at Wal Mart, on Amazon and from other retailers. Both films have been beautifully re-mastered and include both Chinese and English audio tracks. 

These are the last two of 10 Shaw Brothers classics released by Arc/Dragon Dynasty this year, which also included AVENGING EAGLE, BLOOD BROTHERS, EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN, FIVE SHAOLIN MASTERS, GOLDEN SWALLOW, KILLER CLAN, MAD MONKEY KUNG FU and MARTIAL ARTS OF SHAOLIN. 

FLYING GUILLOTINE
"The wonderfully outlandish title weapon is irresistible...” -Hong Kong Digital
"Pure camp fun" -City on Fire 

The film that started it all! Hong Kong kung fu cinema is filled with all types of inventive weaponry, but few are as original, iconic or over-the-top as THE FLYING GUILLOTINE, and this was the first film to use it. The corrupt Emperor wants to dispatch of subordinates who dare disagree with his evil rule. Unable to publicly execute popular and decent officials, he commissions a new deadly weapon to clandestinely carry out these killings.

Enter the Flying Guillotine and the elite squad trained to use the new, seemingly invincible weapon. When top squad member Ma Teng (Chen Kuan Tai, EXECUTIONERS FROM SHAOLIN) can no longer stomach these immoral killings, he goes on the run, pursued by his former comrades. Now our hero must protect his family and create a counter-weapon that can defeat THE FLYING GUILLOTINE! 

FLYING GUILLOTINE 2
“FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 is one sequel worthy of its predecessor” –Kung Fu Cinema 

Few sequels match the original, especially one that brought us a weapon as iconic as THE FLYING GUILLOTINE, but FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 ramps up the action to a new level. The heroic Ma Teng (Ti Lung, AVENGING EAGLE) has developed a counter to the Flying Guillotines attack, but when word reaches The Emperor, who is more bloodthirsty than ever, he creates a new deadlier version and trains a squad of female assassins to use it!

Now Ma must help the gang of rebels trying to overthrow the evil tyrant and create a new counter-weapon to defeat the improved Guillotine. With frantic martial arts action and weapons that “...would be the envy of James Bond for their ingenuity” (KungFuCinema.com). FLYING GUILLOTINE 2 is bloody good fun for kung fu fans!

ACF 135: Human Lanterns DVD out today!

Human Lanterns / Ren pi deng long

Directed by Sun Chung

Hong Kong, 1982, 95 min

Hong Kong has produced many kung fu movies and horror movies over the years. Human Lanterns (a.k.a. Human Skin Lanterns), which comes out on a single disc DVD today courtesy of Image Enterrtainment, is a cross of the two genres. It's certainly one of the best kung fu horror films every to come out, and a pretty solid offering on any terms.

Lung Shu-ai (Tony Liu, billed as Liu Yung) is a rich and arrogant man who has a serious rivalry with Tan Fu (Kuan Tai Chen). Lung has a beautiful wife (Ni Tien), but also a special relationship with a particular prostitute, Yen-chu. When Tan parades her at a gathering, Lung is outraged and challenges Tan to a contest. The challenge: who will have the best lantern at an upcoming festival.


Naturally, being gentry not artisans, neither actually make the lanterns. Lung learns that the fantastic lanterns of Old Man Tsui actually have been fashioned by Chao Chun-Fang (martial arts star Lieh Lo, who later directed such fare as Black Magic With Butchery and Summons to Death) Seven years earlier Lung and Chao were rivals for the affection of the woman Lung later married. Lung defeated Chao, who harbors major anger at having been humiliated.

Chao accepts Lung's commission to make a magnificent lantern, but utilizes the opportunity to set in motion a dastardly plan of revenge. Women start disappearing, and both Lung and his rival Tan fall under suspicion. From the title, you can easily guess what the kidnapped women are going to be used for.


Human Lanterns may not be top drawer Shaw Brothers product, but it's a terrific film B-film that works pretty damn well as a horror tale and has some quite decent kung fu fighting sequences. Image Entertainment has done better here than they have on some other releases in terms of the Special Features offered. I give it a 3 out of 4 star rating; solidly recommended.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Shaw's Baby Doll: An Interview with Shawn Yin Yin
- The Skin Peel Scene (Alternate Take)
- Production Stills Gallery
- Shaw Brothers Trailers

Check out the Human Lanterns trailer!

Buy Human Lanterns @ Amazon.com.
[Ths link provided as a convenient service to readers. AsianCineFest does not make anything if you chose to use this link.]

ACF 133: Shaw Brothers' Human Lanterns on DVD

Human Lanterns / Ren pi deng long

Directed by Sun Chung

Hong Kong, 1982, 95 min

Recently received word of this Image Entertainment release of another Shaw Brothers' classic on DVD. I haven't seen it yet, but hope to get a screener soon and put up a full review.

Meanwhile here's the description from the press materials I received:

Swordplay, savagery and blood-chilling thrills reign supreme in this outrageous mixture of martial arts and the macabre from Shaw Brothers! Two rivals, one rich and the other poor, enter an unholy pact to win an annual lantern-creating contest in their village; however, the terrifying secret behind their remarkable creations lies within the supple flesh of local maidens, who are disappearing at the hands of a demonic assailant! Now featuring shocking scenes too extreme for its Asian DVD release, this unflinching action-horror masterpiece is now finally available to American audiences to enjoy full strength and full throttle!

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Shaw's Baby Doll: An Interview with Shawn Yin Yin
- Extended Scene
- Shaw Brothers Trailers
- Production Stills Gallery

Check out the Human Lanterns trailer!

Buy Human Lanterns @ Amazon.com.
[Ths link provided as a convenient service to readers. AsianCineFest does not make anything if you chose to use this link.]