There's little doubt that this is one of the weirdest kung-fu films I've ever seen. Made in that period when Wang Yu was clearly in command of considerable production resources (this was produced independently but looks better than Shaw Bros. films of the same era), which also saw "Return of the Chinese Boxer" and "One-Armed Swordsmen" w/ David Chiang. But "MFG" stands out as something somehow special, because of an obsessed commitment to making the wholly irrational violence of the main opponents of the film, and the superhuman fighting skills necessary to perpetrate this, make sense. These people aren't simply living in some "mythical time" as many kung-fu heros can be found to inhabit - they belong in an entirely different universe. And they know it, and so easily take command of a bizarre and always ominous landscape that easily molds itself to their every contortion. I've watched it 3 times - I still don't believe I'm watching this! Which is exactly why I started watching 'fu films in the first place.
Review of Master of the Flying Guillotine
