gavin6942
Gordon Liu Chia-hui reprises his famous Monk San Te role as he tries to support and protect Shaolin her Fang Shih-yu who purposely attacks corrupt Ching officials. Fights by legendary action director Liu Chia-liang are to die for.I am not knowledgeable enough to properly critique kung fu films. Many seem the same to me. I don't hold this against them, as this is really my fault and not theirs. (As a fan of the slasher film, I would not be surprised to hear someone say they're all the same... few people would want to get to know them like I have.) One thing I do know, however: this film is ground-breaking. It is a Shaw Brothers film at a time that looks to be a transitional state. We still have the great choreography and fights of the Chang Cheh films, but we have what appears to be a much higher production value, something that will really be apparent in "Martial Arts of Shaolin" a year or two later.
Masta_Ruthless
Well here we go again, another Shaw Bros production with high impact and excitement written all over it. The story as most of you already know is about Fong Sai Yuk played by Hsiao Hou, only his portrayal is very different from Jet Li's incarnation. First he is very hot-headed and a trouble maker, and here he has 2 brothers.Anyway Fong Sai Yuk gets into trouble and is sent to the Shaolin temple by his mother played by Li Li Li. Gordon Liu also returns as monk San Te. From here the movie goes from good to AWESOME. The choreography in this movie is nothing short of goodness. The end fights are always the best part, (not saying the fights in the middle were bad) plus there is always one person to watch out for to see what they can do.That person would be the Governor, his Eagles' Claw style was second to none. In the end this is a very highly recommended film especially if you are a kung fu movie fanatic like myself. Hsiao Hou is a damn good martial artist, look for him in movies like Mad Monkey Kung Fu, Legendary Weapons of China, Dirty Ho, Fist of the White Lotus (small fight scene), and My Young Auntie all very good classics. oh and this movie gets a 9.5/10, because the Governor didn't die.
Chung Mo
This is the second film where Lui Chia Hui plays San Te. He, however, is not the focus of the film. Fong Sai Yuk, played by Hsiou Hou, is the main character and occupies most of the screen time. Fong Sai Yuk is portrayed as a brash, young super fighter who can't stop getting into fights. He's a bragging, annoying character whose sole redeeming quality is that he can back up his boasts.One of the last Shaw films before they shut down the studio, the film is set bound and looks like it could have been done ten years earlier. The plot is just decent with a back story that is slightly unexplained. The actors all do a good job. The music is very canned. The highlight is the fighting and there's plenty of it. A moderate amount of wire-fu doesn't detract from some excellent choreography. Liu Chia Liang really got into mass fight scenes towards the end of his time at the Shaw Bros. The final scene at the governor's palace is a small masterpiece of mass fighting.A good kung fu film.
Stofft
This is the story of Fong Sai Yuk. I guess some of you will come to think of Jet Li now which is right, this movie is about the same guy as Jet Li plays but with one major different thing. It isn't Jet Li that plays Fong Sai Yuk its the fantastic actor Hou Hsiao which I must say kick Jet Li's butt in most areas. Hou Hsiao would probably win the vote for "best underrated martial artist of all time". You have to see this guy move to believe it! Amazing!This movie has everything a good martial arts movie shall have. Exciting fights, good acting and its fun moments as well.I guess this film is one of the best Shaw brothers movies I've seen in my life. And as even Gordon Liu is in this movie, its almost written success all over the title. And now when its digitally restored on DVD (Deltamac or IVL release) it is just even better.Fong Sai Yuk is the utterly incorrigible young troublemaker who is nearly invincible due to his martial arts abilities. His parents and teachers can't discipline him, and he continually gets into trouble; until one day he messes with the wrong people, and the local rulers decree that he be decapitated. Devastated, his parents secretly send him and his brothers to the 36th Chamber of Shaolin Temple to avoid the beheading, and his mother selflessly agrees to face the consequences of her son's actions.Once in Shaolin Temple, monk San Te works (played but Gordon Liu) to exhaust the young boy into submission. However, Sai Yuk handles his training regimen easily, and has plenty of energy to spare for his various dirty deeds. Sai Yuk gathers his fellow students in attempts to sneak out of the temple. On his night out, he visits the governor's estate to witness the lantern festival, where he gets into more trouble and earns the wrath of the governor himself. It's not long before the governor begins to plan an elaborate plot to bring down Sai Yuk and all of Shaolin's students with him!
AD
