The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1979)

Fantastic!

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

One of the worst ways to make a cult movie is to set out to make a cult movie.

THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN is a straightforward Shaw Brothers kung fu outing, well remembered by many fans. It's not one of my favourite of the studio's films - I always prefer the work of director Chang Cheh, who I think it's tough to beat - but it's easy to see why this is such a beloved movie. Much of the running time consists of elaborate training rituals which as any kung fu fan knows are always entertaining to watch.The film is bookended by a typical revenge storyline which doesn't disappoint and boasts Wilson Tong and Lo Lieh on top form as some hissable villains. Gordon Liu isn't my favourite martial artist but he acquits himself very well here and totally convinces throughout his gradual transformation from novice to expert. The early scenes involving water are very funny and the undercurrent of humour which runs throughout the movie makes it likable and an easy watch despite the lengthy running time.As for the fights, well they're above average for the genre which you'd expect when Liu Chia-Liang is handling the choreography. As is usual for the Shaw Brothers, a colourful palette and sumptuous production values make this an effortless watch throughout.

Just to begin I've seen some of the Jackie Chan, Bruce lee and tony jaa films, but after watching this film it totally changed my mind on martial arts movies. the 36th chamber of shaolin has to go down has one of the most inspirational movies, im totally serious, its surprising that people go on constantly about enter the dragon but don't even know this movie. this movie needs to be known. the main actor may not be as skilled as Bruce lee or Jackie chan but he defiantly would have to be in the top 15 martial artists. the fight scenes are well coordinated and well planned. words just cannot explain this ladies and gentleman, Watch it!!!!!!!!!! this movie is a classic.

The 36th Chamber or Shaolin is the way martial arts movies are meant to be made.No cheap hang wires stunt doubles or computer generation effect, just pure skill in a classic old school Kung Fu film. Chia Hui Liu is phenomenal as both an actor and kung fu expert. The moves and tasks he performs in the film are all just examples of pure skill in martial arts. 36th Chamber of Shaolin is both a great story and a perfect example of a Kung Fu movie. not to forget this movie was released in the 70s a perfect time for the Hong Kong Kung Fu film industry which produced many classic films along the way and one thing for sure this movie has to be one of them. The sound, quality and audio is perfect, the script is well written for a kung Fu movie and the acting is also perfect.

Although it would be great to present myself as some sort of martial arts aficionado and, although I have been watching quite a few Shaw Brothers' films recently, the truth is that I know of this film thanks to the Wu-Tang Clan. I had tried to watch it once but for some reason the overly earnest credit sequence put me off, but the second time I was more in the mood and I enjoyed it a great deal. The film opens with San Te caught up in an act of rebellion which sees his family and friends killed and him on the run. Barely surviving the escape, he seeks out a Shaolin temple in order to train up through the many chambers on his way to being a master.Although essentially the film is mostly San Te training and getting better, I did like the structure as it takes its time and builds well. We have plenty of good action along the way, whether it be fights or training sessions and it held my attention really easily. The one disappointment is that the final fight(s) were very short and not what I had hoped they would be; the film felt like it was headed towards more of an epic finish and, while the final fight was good, it was over too quickly. Outside of the action the film also benefits from some good humor; I should say that perhaps this was in the dubbed version that I saw rather than the original script, but there were some funny lines in there.It was not something I noticed during the film, but there is an almost total lack of female characters – so much so that it almost feels like a conscious decision to do it to the extent that they did. In a way I was grateful that the film didn't take up time with a romantic subplot – the film didn't need it nor have the time for it. The performances were mostly solid but Liu Chiahui in the lead was really good – he is as convincing as a weak student at the start of the film as he is as a master by the end. I didn't think the villains of the piece really stuck in my mind, but the various trainers at the temple were good.Overall this is a strong film from the Shaw Brothers. A good plot and a good running time that works – so often their films are 90 minutes and still feel too long for their plots, but not here. The action is very well done and the whole film is well worth a look.