Chamber Performance

Naturally, I felt that I needed to watch 36th Chamber of Shaolin to appreciate Enter the Wu Tang (36 Chambers). I don't think it helped. Maybe I need to actually listen to the album.

This classic Shaw Bros. kung fu movie concerns a young man named Santa (or San Te) who is working with the anti-Manchu resistance. When his whole family is murdered by the Manchus, he heads for Shaolin Temple to learn how to fight them.

He spends the first year doing chores. It turns out, he had never asked to learn kung fu. Once he asked, he is introduced to the 35 chambers: rooms or courtyards where a particular skill is taught. He asks to start at the hardest, the First Chamber. This one features monks reciting sutras. If you miss a line, you're out. Too hardcore for our hero, he drops down to the last chamber, which comes first.

What follows is more or less the standard training story, with lots of cool gadgets/gimmicks: carrying buckets with arms out at you sides, with knives under your arms to poke you if you drop them, for ex (35th chamber). Personally, I prefer actually fights, although I suppose this is more realistic.

Anyway, the guy asks the temple abbot to start a 36th chamber to train laymen, and they refuse, etc. Trains laymen anyway, leads them in battle against Manchus, justice prevails, etc.

A good story, not a great one in my view. I like Shaolin Wooden Men better.