Disciples of the 36th Chamber (1985)

True: It ain't bragging if you can do it. -Dizzy Dean
Also True: It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt. -Mark Twain

The young fighter of this film, folk hero Fong Sai Yuk, is a super-fighter whose ego is bigger than his back flips. He's described as incorrigible by several characters but I would suggest the word insufferable describes him better instead. Though capable of performing almost any kung fu move or task and able to defeat any opponent, his rash actions and loose lips put everyone around him in danger. Foolhardy and gullible, he betrays everyone who sacrifices for him and believes in him.

Hsiao Hou who plays Fong Sai Yuk, has a great screen presence and is likeable enough even if his character can be grating. His moves are lightning quick and he's lighter than air on his feet even without wire-fu. Gordon Liu, in a supporting role, returns as Monk San Te. As always, his agility is fascinating to watch. And you know when he tears off his shirt he means business. Lau Kar Leung directed and choreographed the fights and Shaolin training. As always, he is one of my favorite fight choreographers. His fights are smooth, fast, and creative. The wire action is kept to a minimum and used well. There is a grand fight at the end that is quite spectacular.

The story is fairly simple, the Hans are being oppressed by the Manchus and Fong Sai Yuk runs afoul of the local leaders causing trouble and of course, fights, wherever he goes. His mother (the great Lily Li) who trained him in kung fu drops him off at the Shaolin temple to keep him from being beheaded and also hoping the monks can teach him some discipline, if not humility. This fast talking, fast kicking kid has no intention of learning either. The story is kept light and there are no Buckets 'O Blood or deaths though there is non-stop action. It's a kung fu film that is safe for almost anyone.

This was one of the last Shaw Brothers' kung fu films. A 1985 film, it looked like it could have been shot in 1975. The sets are nearly entirely indoors, though some are well done. In 1985 as audience tastes were changing and Jackie Chan was forging a new path for action films this had to have felt like a throw-back movie even then to audiences.

I enjoyed the talented martial artists and whirlwind fights. If Fong Sai Yuk hadn't been annoying to the end credits I would have scored this movie higher. Fong Sai Yuk wouldn't have heard of Mark Twain's words, but maybe Confucius would have hit closer to home, "A superior man is modest in his speech but exceeds in his actions." Nah, if he didn't listen to his mama or the monk who gave him a second chance at life he'd have ignored Confucius' warning and just headed straight into the next fight without thinking of the consequences-again.

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Tired and stagnant

On paper, the premise for Disciples of the 36th Chamber probably sounded promising, sadly this is a disappointing finale to the 36th Chamber trilogy. There's little of the inventiveness and vitality that figured so heavily in the previous films, instead, we're given a sub-standard kung-fu revenge plot tinged with the occasional comedic beats. It feels like a product of yesteryear, marking the passing of the torch when it comes to populist Hong Kong action cinema. One that relegates Gordon Liu to a mere supporting role and focuses on the most annoying Fong Sai-Yuk in the history of Hong Kong cinema as played by Hsiao Ho. That being said, Lau Kar-Leung's direction remains particularly strong but it's his script where the film falls apart, with a few tweaks here and there, it could have been a winner. The usual production values that so epitomise a Shaw Brothers production are all here but ultimately it's at the expense of awfully sluggish pacing, this is the shortest film of the trilogy and yet it feels the longest to the point at which I felt I was zoning out. Sadly, there's not a lot to distinguish Disciples of the 36th Chamber as its own unique experience. It feels tired and stagnant, even with all its traditional Shaw Brothers style, signifying a changing tide for audiences.

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