Movielogr
Shaolin Temple (1976)
Directed by Chang Cheh
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Overview
There is no place more hallowed in the martial art world than China’s Shaolin Temple. This special place deserves a special epic, which is what the martial arts maestro delivers in this battle between a brave brand of Chinese boxers and literally thousands of Qing troops - complete with betrayals, intrigues, and such novel fighting machines as 108 wooden robots. The conflicts grow in complexity, intensity and even suspense as monks struggle to stay alive in the face of overwhelming odds.
Length 126 minutes
Actors
Alexander Fu Sheng | Chi Kuan-Chun | Wai Wang | David Chiang | Ti Lung | Johnny Wang Lung-Wei | Elliot Ngok | Wong Chung | Tony Liu | Bruce Tong Yim-Chaan | Philip Kwok Chun-Fung | Li Yi-Min | Shih Szu | Ku Wen-Chung | Shan Mao | Chiang Sheng | Ku Feng | Lu Feng | Wong Ching | Tsai Hung | Chiang Nan | Shum Lo | Wang Han-Chen | Lee Sau-Kei | Liu Wai | Hao Li-Jen | Shih Chung-Tien | Stephan Yip | Lam Fai-Wong | Kang Kai | Jamie Luk Kim-Ming | Chiu Wai | Cheung Hei | Siu Yuk-Lung | Tony Tam Chun-To | Cheung Sek-Aau | Suen Shu-Pau | Shih Ting-Ken | Robert Tai | Yao Wang | Hou Po-Wei | Suen San-Cheung | Yu Tai-Ping | Wang Chih-Sheng | Lai Yau-Hing | Wang Ching-Liang | Lau Fong-Sai | Wai Pak | Robert Mak | Lo Meng | Yeung Hung
Viewing History (seen 2 times)
| Date Viewed | Device | Format | Source | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 07/27/2022 | Home Theater | Blu-ray | Owned | 7.5 stars |
| 10/22/2014 | Movie Screen | Film | Theater | 8 stars |
| (Average) 7.75 stars |
Viewing Notes
I took a break from horror for the evening and drove down to the Alamo Drafthouse in Littleton for the inaugural film of The 37th Chamber, their local martial arts series that will be playing the first Wednesday of every month from here on out. I’m super excited for this because it means I’ll have a regular outlet for 35mm prints of martial arts films.
The guy running it admitted that they had actually received the wrong print as they’d intended to get the Jet Li movie The Shaolin Temple from 1982. I’m pretty happy they mixed them up as I think this is the rarer movie as evidenced by the show of hands of people in the audience who’d never seen it before.
This is, to my knowledge, the first, and one of the few, films from the Shaw Brothers that actually shows the destruction of the Shaolin Temple. Most of their movies related to this event depict happenings after the destruction of the temple.
As with many Shaw Brothers films there’s plenty of unintentional comedy that happens. The first two-thirds of the film focus on the various aspects of training a group of outsiders in the ways of Shaolin martial arts. The last third of the film is all-out action and a hell of a lot of fun.
Glad I got to see this in 35mm in a theater for the first time and I’m looking forward to catching more.
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