Rent Return to the 36th Chamber / Disciples of the 36th Chamber (1985)
3.4 of 5 from 45 ratings
3h 9min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Two more films from the final years of the Shaw Brothers studio, proving that while the end was nigh, these merchants of martial arts mayhem weren't going to go out without a fight!
Return to the 36th Chamber (1980)During the Qing Dynasty, the unscrupulous Wang Gaofeng owns a dye mill, and engages Manchu thugs to persecute his employees. The workers engage a friend skilled in impersonation to avenge them with threats of Shaolin kung fu. But his bluff is called, and Zhou Renjie decides to set off for Shaolin to learn their skills in earnest. Entering Shaolin is difficult. Zhou somehow manages to sneak in, but soon faces eviction. However the Abbot is moved by Zhou's earnest attitude, and permits him to remain at the temple as a scaffolder. Zhou is thus able in the course of his work to observe the secret training of the 36th Shaolin Chamber and absorb its skills. The scaffolding is finally completed, and Zhou must leave the temple, disappointed that, after all this time, he has still not officially mastered the skills of Shaolin. But when he returns to his home and again takes up the cause of his friends, he produces a most unusual and effective style of kung fu and throws the Manchus out of the mill.
Disciples of the 36th Chamber (1985)
Fang Shiyu, a radical student from a kung fu family, is heavily punished for teasing a Manchu education officer. When chastised by his mother Miao Cuihua for continuingly teasing other Manchu officers, Fang takes offence to priest San De who helps him get out of trouble. Mistaking him for a Manchu monk, he storms the Qing Martial Arts Club and wounds many pupils. The Head of the Club demands delivery of Fang by threatening to close the Kwangtung Gym. While playing along with him to stall for time, Miao arranges with San De to admit Fang and her two other sons into the Shaolin Temple. Fang is disobedient and arrogant at Shaolin and is often reprimanded by San De. Fed up with the dreary temple life, Fang sneaks out one Lantern Festival night to create turmoil. The Manchu Governor, impressed by his excellent kung fu, lures him into revealing the secret of Shaolin and offers him a reward. When the Temple later expels Fang, he defects to the Governor. He and nine classmates are subsequently all invited to attend a Royal wedding banquet and martial arts tournament. San De knows his disciples have fallen into a trap. With Miao posing as the bride, San De and Miao break into the party to stop them from drinking the poisoned wine. But Fang insists on drinking it, and when he finds himself poisoned, he spits it over the Governor to ruin him. The Shaolin men are surrounded by Manchu troops, but they use their Shaolin skills to break out and eventually return safely to continue their training.- Actors:
- Hou Hsiao, Chia-Hui Liu, Lily Li, Jason Pai Piao, Chia-Liang Liu, Jimmy Au, Kwok Keung Chan, Shen Chan, Yung Chan, Lien-Ping Chang, Hung Chen, Ming-Wei Chen, Chok Chow Cheung, Wing-Cheung Cheung, Tien-Chu Chin, Miao Ching, Kwok-Keung Choi, Ming Fung, Yung-chang Ho, Shu-Kuang Huang
- Directors:
- Chia-Liang Liu
- Producers:
- Mona Fong, Ka Hee Wong
- Writers:
- Chia-Liang Liu, Kuang Ni
- Aka:
- Shao Lin da peng da shi (Master Killer II) / Pi li shi jie (Master Killer III)
- Genres:
- Action & Adventure, Classics, Comedy, Drama
- Countries:
- Hong Kong
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 21/11/2022
- Run Time:
- 194 minutes
- Languages:
- Cantonese LPCM Mono, Dubbed, English LPCM Mono, Mandarin LPCM Mono
- Subtitles:
- English, English Hard of Hearing
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 2.35:1
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Interview with star Gordon Liu, filmed in 2003
- Citizen Shaw, a French TV documentary from 1980 directed by Maurice Frydland, in which Sir Run Run Shaw gives an all-access tour of the Shaw Brothers backlot (including behind-the-scenes footage from Return to the 36th Chamber), remastered in high definition
- Hero on the Scaffolding, an archive featurette produced by Celestial Pictures in 2003
- Alternate opening credits sequences for both films
- Hong Kong theatrical trailers for both films
- Image galleries for both films
