The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, also referred to as The Master Killer and Shaolin Master Killer, can be a 1978 Shaw Brothers kung fu film directed by Liu Chia-liang and starring Gordon Liu.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin follows a extremely fictionalized version of San Te, a legendary Shaolin martial arts disciple who trained under the general Chi Shan, portrayed by the director’s adopted brother Gordon Liu.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is widely regarded as to be 1 of the greatest shaolin kung fu films plus a turning point in its director’s and star’s careers. It was followed by Return to the 36th Chamber, which was additional comedic in presentation and featured Gordon Liu as the new principal character with yet another actor in the smaller role of San Te, and Disciples of the 36th Chamber.
A young student named San Te is drawn by his activist teacher into the neighborhood rebellion against the Manchu government. The government officials suppress the uprising and liquidate the school, killing friends and family members members too. San Te seeks vengeance. Wounded in an attack by Manchu henchmen, he flees to the Shaolin temple and seeks training in kung fu. Initially the Buddhist monks reject him, due to the fact he is an outsider, but the chief abbot takes mercy on the young man and lets him remain. One year later, he begins his martial arts training in the temple’s 35 chambers and advances a lot more rapidly than any previous student. Along the way, he is depicted as inventing the three section staff.
Nonetheless, as San Te nears the finish of his education, the temple officially exiles him as a disguised technique to enable him to aid the men and women against the oppressors. He returns towards the outside world, namely to his hometown, and assists the people today by teaching them martial arts. Before the political revolution he is inspiring to complete, he is forced into conflict using the Manchu governor. Lastly, he triumphs and returns to the Shaolin temple, where he establishes the 36th chamber, a particular martial arts class for widespread men and women to understand kung fu without having to become a monk first.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin review 1
Gordon Liu (also generally known as Lau Kar Fai) stars as a young man who’s friends and family have already been killed by the new government. He wakes up in the Shaolin Temple, a spot he has only heard about a couple of instances. When he realizes he is in the most effective place attainable to master kung fu, he begs and begs to master to ensure that he can revenge his family. He does lastly get taught, but has to start out with all the fundamentals. Each and every element of his body will need to grow to be stronger in advance of he can understand how to fight. Following he finishes the initial stages of education in record time, he’s now highly respected and moves onto finding out actual fighting types. He breezes via this and becomes an incredible fighter in only five many years or so. This isn’t one of those films that has 1 or two training sequences. Gordon is shown in at least 13 on the chambers and half with the film is spent at Shaolin. So after he is now a master fighter, he is given a high honor and told that he can turn into second in charge of any of the 35 chambers. A senior monk played by the excellent Lee Hoi San objects to this and says that he can’t have this honor unless of course Gordon defeats him in a shaolin weapons duel. Lee Hoi San does not play a villain, but he will not feel that Gordon is a great sufficient fighter to acquire so considerably praise. His strategy operates improved than he could have ever imagined. He ends up helping Gordon boost as a fighter and as an individual. Gordon is told he can leave Shaolin now, and he goes to take revenge around the evil Common who killed his household.
One factor that sets this movie apart is that it tries to be a actual film, and it succeeds. Watching Gordon grow up into a man is impressive to find out. The commentators didn’t observe, but a lot of the stuff in this film is extremely real. When Gordon has to utilize the pole with the wieght around the end to hit the bell above and above yet again, that is a actual excess weight around the end in the pole! Gordon talks within the interview (incorporated on this disc) about how the sabres that Lo Lieh makes use of in the last fight are genuine, and it just makes the film that much much better. Dont count on your average tale of revenge. I was touched deeply when I 1st saw this and you’ll find not a lot of kung fu motion pictures that have as significantly meaning and feeling.
Image excellent is remastered extremely well. It does get a bit darker and lighter in some scenes, but besides slight print damage the moment or twice, the picture quality is ideal. The Mandarin, Cantonese and English tracks all sound great. In reality, I have never heard the English dub sound this good. The subtitles must happen to be written greater, and also the English dub is essentially a improved translation. They may be not horribly written, but could happen to be a whole lot better. I’m not complaining although because this can be the only fault around the DVD.
Particular functions include things like an awesome commentary from The RZA and this Andy Klein guy who isn’t going to know incredibly significantly regarding the genre. Fortunately RZA is there to assist him point out actors like Lau Kar Wing, Wilson Tong and Hsiao Hou. I found the commmentary pleasant. RZA talks about his experiences with this film, and he’s surely a 36th Chamber professional. And I located it fairly funny that he appears to assume Gordon Liu is usually a monk in true life.
The 17 minute interview with Gordon Liu is very fascinating. He talks about lots of details such as coaching day and night and how great of an honor it had been to function using a megastar like Lo Lieh. Gordon skips more than the many years like folks need to know what he’s talking about, but just in case you don’t, I will fill you in. In 1974 Lau Kar Leung was Chang Cheh’s top rated action director and Gordon Liu was cast as a villain alongside Johnny Wang Lung Wei and Leung Kar Yan in films like ‘7 Man Army’. When Lau Kar Leung split up with Chang Cheh he started out directing his own motion pictures for the Shaw Brothers, starting up with ‘Spiritual Boxer’. In his following movie ‘Challenge on the Masters’, Lau Kar Leung cast his younger adopted brother Gordon Liu because the lead. This can be what led to Gordon turning out to be the star of ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’, the greatest Shaolin Temple film ever made.
There is certainly a 17 minute documentary on Shaolin that is definitely in essence yet another 17 minutes of magnificent information from Gordon Liu.
The eight minute interview with film critic/scholars Andy Klein and David Shute is a quite great description of how fantastic of a movie this is.
The RZA gets a 10 minute interview wherever he talks about exactly where he initial began watching these motion pictures and also offers his thoughts around the Shaw Brothers and explains why the Master Killer in his rap group took that name.
The trailers are the top exclusive attribute. The trailer for ‘Shaolin Mantis’ is very exceptional. As an alternative of displaying clips from the film, the actors introduce what sort of kung fu styles are going to become made use of (be sure to look for Lily Li!). Lau Kar Leung would be the director of ‘Shaolin Mantis’ and doesn’t even possess a function within the movie, but he gets to show off his ultra amazing kung fu expertise very a little inside the trailer. I consider I have watched this trailer about 50 occasions, and I’ll eventually master that Shadow style!
Also integrated are ORIGINAL trailers for ‘The 36th Chamber’, ‘Return for the 36th Chamber’, ‘Disciples of your 36th Chamber’, ‘8 Diagram Pole Fighter’, ‘My Young Auntie’, ‘shaolin spade’, ‘One Armed Swordsman’,‘shaolin 2011’,’Infernal Affairs 3′ along with the original Master Killer US Television commercial.
The final unique feature is usually a gallery of original film posters and movie stills.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin review 2
Dude, I was so stoked when I saw this was readily available on DVD! I don’t forget staying up late inside the mid-eighties to catch this flick on Kung-Fu Theater. The original title was “Master Killer”. Why they decided to add “Shaolin” towards the DVD release title is past me. I wasn’t even certain it had been precisely the same film when I ordered it, but when I saw the opening credits I knew I had struck gold! It was a stand out then and nonetheless is nowadays. All the fighting sequences are magnificent, and the coaching sequences will probably in no way be matched. The acting, directing, cinematography, and battle choreography are all 1st rate. This Kung-Fu film has it all! I don’t comprehend why Gordon Liu will not be widely acknowledged as one from the greats. His speed and skill are as impressive as anybody around nowadays. I’m truly looking forward to a lot more of his motion pictures becoming released on DVD. Don’t count on high-flying Hong Kong action; this really is strictly old school Shaolin ass-kicking action. The down side: I’d have given this DVD five stars except for one particular issue: Harm to the original print employed to make this DVD is pretty bad in some areas; with dirt and “hair” on the frames, and many of the evening scenes just a little as well dark because of the age with the print. It does not interfere using the action sequences, and was only actually distracting two occasions all through the entire film. The owner of the distribution rights to this movie requires do it justice and have it digitally remastered frame by frame. A classic like this need to be cleaned up and released as gorgeous as the day it graced the screen. The sound for your dailogue can be a little also soft inside a couple of areas, but overall it is okey as well as the musical score is extremely great. The punching and kicking sounds don’t endure a single bit. The “bonus feature” interview with an actual 34th generation Shaolin monk was boring and completely worthless- skip streight for the movie. I Highly recomend this DVD The 36th Chamber of Shaolin review for any Kung Fu movie lover. You won’t be disappointed. With a operating time of an hour and 55 minutes this Kung-Fu masterpiece is worth each and every penny.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin review 3
That is a great old school kung-fu flick. It is somewhat slow at the beginning (hence my four stars as an alternative to 5) but by the halfway point you just cannot take your eyes off the tv. Fantastic training sequences, many of the best I’ve ever witnessed anywhere. And by the finish on the film, Gordon Liu is often a strong fighter. His kung-fu is superb and there is some excellent background within the shaolin education approaches. There could have already been a little bit much more in the fight scene department, but definetly a classic for the training scenes alone. The fight scenes are wonderful, it really is just that they’re just a little brief. Gordon Liu has become one of my favorite martial artists and when you really desire to see him shine, choose up: “Fists with the White Lotus” and “Shaolin Challenges Ninja” 5 stars every single and two of your greatest kung-fu films ever. This one is actually a have to have as well for any genuine kung-fu fan.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin review 4
What can I say about this film that hasn’t been mentioned in advance of? A classic. Yes. Influential? Definitely. Entertaining? Most definitely. This movie is as very good a spot to start out as any if you’re thinking about the Kung Fu cinema. And if you’re already into Kung Fu, you have most likely heard of this in the least, and I can’t think about why you haven’t seen it. As to this release, really the very best I’ve noticed. The picture and sound are excellent, and the language choice is good. Nearly all of the features are nice too. Though I don’t know how beneficial the Wu-tang clan video was. Nevertheless…a worthy DVD The 36th Chamber of Shaolin review to a terrific movie.
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin review 5
Awesome movie…this was one of the regulars on Channel 26 Kung Fu Theater here in Houston. Fight scenes can in some cases get somewhat slow, but the Shaolin training facet of it was really cool. Main hero’s father and organization are destroyed by bloodthirsty Manchus. Hero escapes and joins Shaolin Temple…he completes all 35 chambers of Shaolin coaching and produces the 36th to educate Shaolin fighting techniques for the prevalent man to ensure that they could drive the Manchus from China. The guy who wrote the previous overview was right, tho, you have to crank the volume to hear what they’re saying…fortunately, the sound effects are mixed at the identical low volume…sound nevertheless is not really crisp. Sadly, this is probably the only DVD version that will be released.