Disciples of the 36th Chamber

Disciples of the 36th Chamber is the third in a trilogy of Shaolin temple films and one of the last ever movies from the acclaimed Shaw Brothers studio. The film marks a notable move away from the blood-drenched, vengeance-fuelled Shaw classics like those directed by Chang Cheh and it's also the tamest Shaw film I've seen Gordon Liu appear in. Instead, this is a light-hearted romp, focusing on hijinks and character-building throughout. It's also a film surprisingly tame, both in the plotting and in the action sequences. I was watching this waiting for a nice fight scene to play out and I was kept waiting right up until the admittedly impressive climax.

The usual Shaw Brothers staples are present here, with no noticeable decline in quality: sumptuous sets, colourful costumes and a great supporting cast of notable faces like Lily Li and Chan Shen. My favourite character is Gordon Liu's noble monk: Liu is a real scene stealer in this film and bags the best character, too. It's also fun to see director Liu Chia-Liang in a small role as a Manchu villain. Jason Pai Piao bags the role of the chief villain and fills it with effortless ease.

Hsiao Hou is something of a disappointment. He's playing the same legendary character, Fong Sai-Yuk, that Jet Li went on to play time and again in the 1990s, but I didn't find myself warming to his portrayal as I did Li's. Sure, Hou is exceptional in the athletic fighting scenes, but I was expecting that seeing as how Shaw always got the best from their actors. I just kept waiting for Gordon Liu to appear back on screen. The plot I found overly predictable and repetitive and aside from the lavish climax, the action scenes just didn't deliver as much as in the past, although the climax at the spectacle helps to make up for earlier disappoints.