Nomination Year: 1992

SYNOPSIS: Dateline: China, sometime in the 19th century. In a small village, many Cantonese are executed by the tyrannical Manchus in retaliation for a minor student prank. One student won't take it anymore and travels to the fabled Shao-Lin temple to learn Kung Fu. At first, he's a total screw-up. But by persevering, he's finally accepted into the brutally torturous training program and, with Herculean will, he becomes a Kung Fu master in record time, developing his own innovative fighting style. He returns to the village and kicks major ass, freeing his people from persecution. He eventually returns to Shao-Lin and becomes the teacher of his own "36th Chamber" style.

Smithee Award Nominations

Best One-Liner
Might Makes Right, After All A group of Cantonese philosophy students are moaning and crying over their families' deaths at the hands of the oppressive Manchurian government. One student is particularly grieved. Student: "My family, too, were all killed." He slams his fist against the wall. "If only I had learned Kung Fu instead of Ethics...!"	Sorry, this clip has not yet been made available!

"Cutting Butter With A Chainsaw"

How Are They Expected To Remember the Lessons? It's difficult to become a Shao-Lin monk. Talk about tough initiations. The scene we chose was only one example of the arduous training exercises -- tortures, more like -- that our poor hero has to endure. A series of bags filled with rocks and sand are strung from the ceiling of one room. Initiates must simply walk from one end of the room to the other with their lighted incense. Oh, and along the way, they must head-butt each bag as hard as they can, being careful not to trip over the unconscious bodies of their fellow students. This is all done on a shallow stairway, and if an acolyte should pause or falter, he gets whacked in the temple (not the Buddhist temple -- the side of his head) by the watching master, who has a hand-on-a-pole ready for just that purpose.

Sorry, this clip has not yet been made available!

Directors

Director	Claim to Fame
Chia-Liang Liu

Cast

Actor	Character	Claim to Fame
Chia Hui Liu	<Not Yet in Database>	Famous in China as the "Master Killer"
Lieh Lo	<Not Yet in Database>	A very long and distinguished career in kung fu movies--almost 250 of them--spanning from the '60s to the year before his death in 2002.
Norman Chu	<Not Yet in Database>	Known for The 36th Chamber of Shao Lin and Duel to the Death, as well as MANY other chop-sockey flicks.
Casanova Wong	<Not Yet in Database>

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