The Dragon Missile Blu-ray

(aka 'Fei lung cham" or "Flying Dragon Sword" or "The Dragon Missile")

Directed by Meng Hua Ho

Hong Kong 1976

If you loved director Meng Hua Ho's awesome game-changing martial arts masterpiece THE FLYING GUILLOTINE (1974) then you will lose your head over his decapitation-packed follow-up THE DRAGON MISSILE (1976). Headlined by the legendary kung-fu icon Lo Lieh (THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN) this brutal tale of rivalry and skullduggery in ancient China packs a potent punch from start to finish. Absolutely crammed full of carnage - the blood flies thick and fast as the 'missile' itself glides across the screen and slices limbs from bodies in this wuxia wonder that is finally on Blu-ray in all of its HD chopsocky glory! Sit down to THE DRAGON MISSILE and remind yourself why Hong Kong was once at the forefront of world action cinema - for this is a must-have motion picture that positively re-invented the excess of East Asian adventure epics!!

Poster

Theatrical Release: April 24th, 1976

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Review: 88 Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

Distribution	88 Films Region 'B' Blu-ray

Runtime	1:25:36.297
Video	Disc Size: 21,758,567,751 bytes Feature Size: 21,610,819,584 bytes Average Bitrate: 26.97 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video
Bitrate: 88 Films Blu-ray
Audio	LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit LPCM Audio Chinese 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit Commentaries: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: 88 Films Disc Size: 21,758,567,751 bytes Feature Size: 21,610,819,584 bytes Average Bitrate: 26.97 Mbps Single-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Reverse Sleeve featuring Original Hong Kong Poster Art Calum Waddell liner notes Blu-ray Release Date: July 9th, 2018 Transparent Blu-ray case inside slipcase Chapters: 8

More of the 88 Asia Collection on Blu-ray

Bewitched	Black Magic	Black Magic 2	The Bride From Hell	The Enchanting Ghost	The Ghost Lovers	HEX	The Oily Maniac	The Seeding of a Ghost

The Dragon Missile	Five Element Ninjas	The Flying Guillotine	Gifted	House of Traps	The Human Goddess

Killer Constable	The Mighty Peking Man	The One-Armed Swordsman	Sea Fog	The Spiritual Boxer	The Super Inframan

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

88 Films' transfer is on a single-layered Blu-ray with a supportive bitrate. The film has colors that can look slightly muted (not dissimilar to Hex, and Black Magic). That being said, there are definitely moments where colors do pop, specifically bloody reds and bright greens. This makes me believe that the color palette of the film is likely intentional. The 1080P presentation is fine in-motion looking thick, heavy and film-like. The detail levels can be impressive in certain still close-ups, but when there is mostly a certain waxiness to the image, likely intentional. The image is likely as good as this film has looked since its theatrical release.

The audio transfer in a linear PCM 2.0 channel (24-bit) is in 'Chinese' but I can't determine if it is original Mandarin or a Cantonese DUB. There is also a linear PCM 2.0 channel (24-bit) English DUB track that is, as is to be expected with Shaw Bros releases, enjoyably good/bad. The film has some impressive whiplash sound effects and blade noises. There is a fun score credited to Fu-Ling Wang (The Big Boss, Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story). There are optional English subtitles (see below) and the disc is a Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

Extras include two audio commentaries, the first with with acclaimed Asian Cinema expert, Bey Logan. Logan shows his typical breadth of knowledge here, and is always a welcome commentator. Thankfully, there is even more! 88 Films has included a second commentary track with movie critic (and author of Chasing Dragons: An Introduction to the Martial Arts Film), David West. This track features even more interesting information and is a fun listen. The package has a reversible sleeve featuring an alternate poster (original Hong Kong poster art) plus some liner notes by Dr. Calum Waddell (limited to 2000 copies).

Rushed into production after the success of the "Master of the Flying Guillotine" and released in theatres on the same day as a similar (though non Shaw-brothers) knock-off, this is a surprisingly enjoyable flick. Shaw Brothers genre films rarely let you down in the entertainment department. 88 Films Blu-ray package has plenty of value for fans of these martial arts films. Recommended!

- Colin Zaivitz

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

Box Cover

Distribution	88 Films Region 'B' Blu-ray

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