Film

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin

Name: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin
Genre: Action, Adventure
Released: 1978
Cast: Gordon Liu, Lo Lieh, John Cheung Ng-Long, Wilson Tong Wai-Shing, Wa Lun

The film that basically wrote the rulebook for the kung-fu training movie. Half its runtime is one young monk grinding through eight years of increasingly absurd, ingenious drills until his body becomes a weapon. Gordon Liu is deadpan and magnetic, the pacing is patient by design, and the final act delivers exactly what the setup promised. Essential viewing for anyone who's ever loved a montage.

TMDb rating

7.5

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