The Dragon Missile (1976)

AKA: The Guillotine

Literally: Flying Dragon Execution

Director: Hoh Mung-Wa

Producer: Runme Shaw

Cast: Lo Lieh, Nancy Yen Nan-See, Lau Wing, Ku Feng, Kong Yeung, Lau Wai-Yue, Lee Sau-Kei, Ouyang Shafei, Norman Chu Siu-Keung, Yeung Chi-Hing, Fan Mei-Sheng, Chan Mei-Hua, Kok Lee-Yan, Lai Man, Wang Han-Chen, Ko Hung

Running Time: 82 min.

Plot: Everybody's fighting for a special elixir and the title tool -- an ultra-cool flying boomerang with blades. There are double crosses and ambushes galore before the culminating clash of sizzling steel that has to be seen to be believed.

Availability: This title is available at HKflix.com

MIGHTY PEKING MAN'S REVIEW: It's been over a year since I’ve watched The Dragon Missile, so instead of writing a review based on weak memory, let me give you a quick rundown to why I think you NEED to get see this movie:

1. It’s directed by Hoh Mung Wa (Killer Darts, Vengeance Is A Golden Blade). He’s the ‘other’ Shaw Brothers filmmaker who doesn’t get as much credit as Chang Cheh and those others guys. I’ve seen a handful of his movies and he has yet to to disappoint. In some ways, it wouldn’t be totally out of line to say he’s THE most entertaining Shaw Brothers director ever. Yeah, that’s what I said.

2. It’s one whimsical film. Colorful, in more ways than one. It’s interesting and keeps you in check the whole time. The plot doesn’t take itself so seriously, yet we have no nonsense villains (Lo Lieh) doing their no nonsense, double-crossing shit. I remember the plot being something Quentin Tarantino would be proud of. Silly, yet straight to the point, crisp and brutal.

3. The weapons that are showcased are fun to watch. This shouldn’t come to any surprise, considering it’s coming from the guy who made a movie called The Flying Guillotine. Here, we get a pair razor sharp boomerangs which are impossible to escape. Effects may be cheesy, but hey, this is why I like old school Shaw Brothers shit more than James Cameron’s blue cock.

4. Features a solid cast - Lo Wei (if you don’t know who he is, then don’t even worry about it); Lau Wing (aka Tony Liu, aka the Big Boss’s son from the Bruce Lee movie of the same name), who I wish was in a lot more movies. He's a charming cat, but sadly, he's going to be stuck as “that one guy in the Bruce Lee movies” forever. There are some other recognizable cast members, but I just suck at names, so forgive me...

The Dragon Missile (what an awesome title!) is one hell of a hidden gem that shouldn’t be missed. Get off your ass and order it, you’ll thank me for it.

Well Go USA®, FUNimation®, Dragon Dynasty®, Image®... are you guys listening?

MIGHTY PEKING MAN'S RATING: 9/10