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(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

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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

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Box Cover

 

Distribution

88 Films
Region 'B' Blu-ray



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