jboothmillard Review of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin / Master Killer

[5/10 · 3 February 2016]

I found this Cantonese / Mandarin film in the 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die book, it was a film I had heard the two titles and seen images of many times, so I hoped it would be a worthy inclusion for the book. Basically young student Liu Yude, later named San Te (Chia-Hui Liu), is drawn into the local rebellion against the Manchu government by his activist teacher, government officials oppose this uprising and liquidate the school, and friends and family members are killed. San Te decides to seek vengeance against these deaths, he flees to the Shaolin temple following wounds from an attack by Manchu henchmen, seeking Kung Fu training, San Te is initially rejected by the Buddhist monks, as an outsider, but the chief abbot allows him to stay, taking mercy. A year passes, martial arts training begins for San Te in the 35 chambers of the temple, he advances more rapidly than any student previously, he is depicted along the way as inventing the three section staff. However as San Te is nearing the end and completion of his training education, he is exiled in a secret way from the temple to go against the oppressors and aid the people. San Te returns to the outside world, specifically his hometown, and assists the people by teaching them his skills in martial arts, but he is forced into conflict with the Manchu governor, before he can complete the political revolution he was inspired to. In the end San Te triumphs in his battle and returns to the Shaolin temple, he establishes the 36th chamber of Shaolin, a special martial arts class for the ordinary people to learn the ways and skills of Kung Fu. Also starring Lieh Lo as General Tien Ta, Yue Wong as Miller Six, Chia Yung Liu as General Yin and John Cheung as Lord Cheng. The leading actor, who later in his career was cast in Kill Bill as The Bride's master Pai Mei, does very well as the dedicated fugitive turned masterful student, the simple revenge story does not stand out highly, this film is all about the inventive training sequences and fight scenes, I can see why it was considered a landmark of the genre, probably more so in its day, an interesting Kung Fu martial arts adventure. Worth watching!