Shao Lin si (1976)

The Shaolin Temple is the last place to resist defeat by the Manchu Dynasty, mostly because of their unique fighting style. Men from far and wide come to wait outside the temple, hoping ... See full summary »

Director:

Cheh Chang

Writers:

Cheh Chang, Kuang Ni

Stars:

Sheng Fu, Kuan-Chun Chi, Lung Ti

Cast

Credited cast:
Sheng Fu	...	Fang Shih Yu
Kuan-Chun Chi	...	Hu Hui Chien
Lung Ti	...	Tsai Te-cheng
David Chiang	...	Hu Te-ti
Philip Kwok	...	Lin Kwong-yao (as Kuo Chui)
Lung Wei Wang	...	Ma Fu Yi
Szu Shih	...	Yen Yung-chun
Sheng Chiang	...	Men Yu
Feng Lu	...	Prince Hoo (as Chao Kuo-sheng)
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Kuo Sheng Chao
Wei Chao
Nan Chiang
Li Jen Ho
Kai Kang	...	Manchu Officer
Feng Ku	...	Man Kuei

Storyline

The Shaolin Temple is the last place to resist defeat by the Manchu Dynasty, mostly because of their unique fighting style. Men from far and wide come to wait outside the temple, hoping that they will be admitted as pupils. As the Abbot becomes older, he realizes that the Manchus are determined to destroy the temple and eradicate the Shaolin fighting techniques. To this end, he decides that it is time at last to admit worthy men into the temple as students, to learn the way of Shaolin.

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Plot Keywords:

shaolin | manchu dynasty | violence | kung fu | martial arts | 

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Taglines:

They endure every savage torture known to mankind.

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Genres:

Action | History

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Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Release Date:

22 December 1976 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Death Chamber

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shaw Brothers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

126 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

User Reviews

I'm trapped. Let's die together!

An entertaining kung fu film, with acting, plot and fight scenes a cut above the average chop socky. All of the cast are likeable characters and skilled martial artists. Alexander Fu-Sheng's proto-Jackie Chan comedy antics are fun to watch, and his austere companion shows particularly impressive skills. For me, the film's only glaring flaw is the size of the cast -- at times, things get a little confused as the film chops and changes between various subplots, and some of the characters are not as fully fleshed-out as one might wish.

But a kung fu film should be judged first and foremost on the quality of the action, and Shaolin Temple definitely delivers on that count. The film climaxes with a high-bodycount battle that allows each character to show off his skills against a worthy opponent.

Overall, Shaolin Temple is an enjoyable low-budget kung fu movie. Not up to the quality of a good Jet Li film, but definitely worth a look for fans of the genre. My rating: 8/10.

Misc notes: The 1987 Warner Home Video release I saw was (predictably) poorly dubbed, and lacked full cast & crew credits.