Shao Lin ying xiong bang (1979)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Meng Hua Ho

Writer:

Kuang Ni (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 July 1979 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Action | Adventure

Plot Keywords:

Shaolin

Cast

David Chiang	...	Chi San
Lieh Lo	...	Pai Mei
Lily Li	...	Wu Mei
Norman Chu	...	Chi-lung (as Norman Tsui Sui-Keung)
Kuan-chung Ku
Wei Szu	...	(Guest star)
Helen Poon	...	(Guest star)
Yung Henry Yu	...	(Guest star)
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Shen Chan	...	Dan Tian Gang
Han Chiang
Nan Chiang
Tao Chiang
Miao Ching
Ging Man Fung
En-chi Kuo
Sau Kei Lee
Jamie Luk	...	Lin
Lao Shen
Gwan Tak Tai
Yan Tsan Tang
Ching Ho Wang
Han Chen Wang
Hang-Sheng Wu
Chih-Ching Yang

Also Known As:

Abbot of Shaolin (Hong Kong: English title)
Shaolin Abbot (International: English title)
Slice of Death (USA) (dubbed version)

Runtime:

Hong Kong:84 min

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

Shaw Brothers

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

Semi-remake of 36th Chamber of Shaolin

A late film from the Shaw studios. This time David Chiang gets to shave his head.

An abbot from Shaolin, Chi San, is sent to learn the secrets of firearms from Er Mei, a Taoist priest in southern China. This is so the Shaolin monks can have a better method to fight the Manchu invaders. While there, the abbot learns soft kung fu from the elderly Er Mei and meets his daughter (?) Wu Mei. Spies hiding in the bushes learn about Shaolin's plans to build their own firearms and the Manchu/Tartar rulers send an army to destroy Shaolin. Returning to Shaolin, Chi San arrives too late to save the monks but the dying head abbot sends him back south to build a new Shaolin temple in southern China. There he comes into conflict with the evil brother to Er Mei, Pak Mei. Pak Mei supports the Manchus. There is also a Tibetian monk helping the Manchus. And so it goes....

While lively and competently directed by Meng Hua Ho, this film is very derivative of previous Shaw productions. The scenes where Chi San searches the town for students is very similar to the same scenes in "36th Chamber" and actually uses some of the same actors. A lot of the production panders to the HK audience by making bad guys of northern Chinese, Tibetians and anyone who studies Pak Mei kung fu. There are a number of lines praising the virtues of the southern Chinese. Kung fu students might want to see the film since a number of legendary kung fu instructors are characters but I assure you nothing is done with the characters. The martial arts are absurd at times but overall it delivers some above average choreography.

It's a short film at 78 minutes but you might find it fun. The ending is very abrupt.