Entertaining chopsocky about a young man who must master thirty-five different kung fu techniques, each taught in a different chamber at the local Shaolin monastery, before he can establish the titular thirty-sixth chamber, share his knowledge with the people, and liberate them from the oppressive yoke of their Manchu overlords. Hardly "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon," but impressive in its B-movie brio; each training technique resembles a cross between "The Perils of Pauline" and Rube Goldberg. Apparently the rap group Wu-Tang Clan was greatly influenced by this piece of cinema. The indefatigable Shaw Brothers produced dozens of flicks like this in their heyday, and I bet Quentin Tarantino saw every single one of them and took notes.
Review of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
