36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN
Title: Shao Lin san shi liu fang / 36th Chamber of Shaolin a.k.a. The Shaolin Master Killer
Release Date: 1978
Genre: Kung fu
Director: Liu Chia-liang a.k.a. Lau Kar-leung
Cast:
Godron Liu as San Te
Lo Lieh as General Tien
Liu Chia-yung as General Yin
Norman Chu as Liu Tsai
Summary
San Te, a student of the local ethics school, escapes to a nearby Shaolin temple after his friends, family, and classmates are murdered by the Manchus after they are caught conspiring with rebels. San Te begs the monks to teach him Shaolin Kung fu, and to spread the discipline to the commoners to allow them to fight against the evils of the Manchu. He is accepted into the monastery, where he must complete his training and conquer the 35 Chambers before he sets out to seek revenge against the corrupt government. “Even Buddha punished evil!”
Review
More than just your average “dude learns kung fu to seek revenge” story, 36th Chamber of Shaolin tells the story of righteousness. San Te starts out seeking only revenge for the wrongs done to him by the government, but through his training in the Shaolin temple, he eventually realizes that more than revenge, he must use his newly-attained skills to help the innocent and punish evil.
The plot's backbone is a familiar one: the government is corrupt and the people are oppressed, in need of a hero to fight off the bad guys. The hero begins with little or no ability to fight against these evils, but after a difficult ordeal, trains to become the flag-bearer (or more appropriately, the pole-bearer) of justice. Nothing groundbreaking by today's standards, but it is still effective. Gordon Liu puts in a good performance; both his kung-fu-less ethics student and learned Shaolin monk are both believable, though never award-worthy.
In terms of kung fu badassness, there aren't many elaborate fight sequences, as the film focuses on San Te's training and subsequent enlightenment. The eponymous chambers, the real stars of the movie, however, are all distinct–fascinating for both the spiritual and physical lessons they provide–and would seem realistic to even the most avid martial arts hobbyists. The ending feels a little abrupt however (which seems to be a characteristic of most Shaw Bros. films), but perhaps the act of restraint in providing a bloody and satisfying ending only strengthens the ethical undertones of the film.
There is a reason this film is usually hailed as a landmark or classic in kung fu cinema, and it may not necessarily be because of the kung fu.
Best Part of the Movie: The Chambers! They are more than enough reason to see this movie.
