Actuakers One of my all time favorites.

Steineded How sad is this?

Raymond Sierra The film may be flawed, but its message is not.

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

Jackson Booth-Millard 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!

Leofwine_draca 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.

ac6676075 I first heard of this film in a RZA interview the lead rapper of one of the biggest rap group's in the world, the wu tang clan. since I love the wu tang clan I decided to have a try at watching this film. I knew that I was absolutely going to love this film within the very first 10 minutes especially after seeing the first fight scene.the movie is a classic about revenge but also discipline, motivation and learning vital lessons in life. I not going to give any spoilers about this film but one thing for sure, this movie is beyond perfect. if you have a chance to watch it, I recommend you watch it. no wonder why the Wu tang clan members love it.

bob the moo 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.