The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (a.k.a. Master Killer)

[jun_erh]

I guess there are different versions of "enter the 36 chambers" I think ranging from 90 to 120 minutes. It was just reissued as part of the Celestial/ Shaw bros massive reissue process. Ididn't buy it but I did get "return to the 36 Chambers" which I didn't know about. It's really good. Gordon Lui plays a guy who goes to Shaolin and learns kung fu by working on scaffolding while refurbishing the 36th chamber! San Te is played by someone else. It has a much much lighter tone than the first one, but some great action. I appreciated it most for it's unpretentious tone, not alot of effects and drama and so forth. There's another one called "disciples of the 36th chamber" that was reissued with alot more footage and is apparently a bit better than the bootleg version that's been floating around, which is usally dismissed as a lightweight comedy. I saw it in the store once but didn't get it. aaaiigh

[jun_erh]

disciples of.. (http://www.hkflix.com/xq/asp/qtype.all/keyword.350/qx/titles.htm)

[blooming lotus]

sounds good!

Have been in China for 1 wk and keep getting stuck behind freakin firewalls... can anybody give me a hard copy supplier or ref no. ?

[CLFNole]

I have it and its pretty good. Not as good as the first but still good. Make sure you have an all regions dvd player becuase it as are most of the Celestial releases is Region 3 (Hong Kong) and won't work with typical US dvd players.

Peace.

[jun_erh]

I have been buying the vcd's just because I'm pretty into it and have been buying alot of them, many of which I know nothing about, so it makes sense to pay less ($8). The only problem I have is tha some of them I would prefer to be dubbed, like the hardcore kung fu /action ones and the really cheesy b movies. Watching "Super Inframan" with subtitles is taking respect for the films formal integrity to far.

[Chang Style Novice]

jun-erh

I'm telling Princess Dragon Mom you said that!

[jun_erh]

chang- do you know is Ultraman Chinese? Because I recognized alot of the same sort of avante garde sound effects in inframan. It was a cool movie, especially Princess Dragon woman, but nowhere near the Ultraman stuff I've seen, like the one with the flying monkey.

[Chang Style Novice]

I'm pretty sure Infra-Man was a ripoff of Ultraman, an attempt by the Shaw Brothers to cash in on the Japanese show's popularity. I've never seen the original myself, but saw Infra-Man in the 70s when I was a little kid and have never forgotten its sublime silliness. My favorite memory is the monster that's just a pile of hair with horns and legs. I believe he shot deadly rays from his horns, too.

[jun_erh]

The Ultraman monkey was called honuman. I memorized the whole movie when I was in jr high. inframan has some classicly ****ty costumes. Another shaw vcd I got recently is "Oily Maniac" which is as good as the title indicates.

[Chang Style Novice]

Hanuman, in case you didn't know, is a Hindi monkey god. I think he's rather similar to Monkey in Journey To the West, but I'm no expert on either of those d@mn dirty apes.

[jun_erh]

I AM somewhat of an expert on those monkeys, at least as they pertain to b movies. which is a problem

[Chang Style Novice]

Ever see "Treasure of the Sierra Monkey"?


Treasure of the Sierra Monkey

Hoo-Hoo: We've wounded this anthill. It's our duty to close her wounds. It's the least we can do to show our gratitude for all the ants she's given us. If you guys don't want to help me, I'll do it alone.

Bobo: You talk about that anthill like it was a real macaque.

Fred C. Dobbs: She's been a lot better to me than any macaque I ever knew. Keep your pelt on, silverback. Sure, I'll help ya. also
Red butts? We don't got to show you no steenking red butts!I enjoy a good monkey movie myself, as you can see.

[Wil-Hung]

I just got turned on to this movie, I know I'm a late bloomer. Gordon Liu is now #2 on my list of fav MA's with Jet Li and Tony Jaa, battling for 3rd. My ?: are the 2 sequels worth purchasing, or are thy just "B" movie dreck. There's a local vid store that has just about any MA movie ever made. (he's got Ong Bak 2- will watch this w/e) I want to know if the sequels are worth it b4 purchasing them, so any feedback would be welcome. Thanks.

[MasterKiller]

Return of the MasterKiller (Return to the 36th Chambers) is not a true sequel. It has a different plot, and it has a much lighter tone. It's funny and worth the watch.

Disciples of the MasterKiller (Disciples of the 36th Chamber) features Gordon Liu as San Te again, but he is a supporting character as the movie is mostly about a rebellious Fong Sai Yuk. It's OK, but the worst of the 3.

[Su Lin]

Is the 3rd one where he kind of learns drunken fist? I would say that #2 is better than 3, but the dubbing on the 3rd one i watched was appalling, so that didnt help!

[MasterKiller]

No, "Druken MasterKiller" is not really part of the "MasterKiller" collection. They just named it that so dumb Gwai Lo would buy it.

Part 3 is about Fong Sai Yuk getting sent to Shaolin Temple for discipline. San Te takes him under his wing, and then helps him fight the local govenor who wanted to recruit Fong Sai Yuk to join his militia.

[MasterKiller]

Is the 3rd one where he kind of learns drunken fist? I would say that #2 is better than 3, but the dubbing on the 3rd one i watched was appalling, so that didnt help!


Dubbing is the devil:

http://us.yesasia.com/en/Browse/ProductGroupList.aspx/section-videos/code-c/version-all/pid-1002426052/

[Su Lin]

I've missed #2 then! Wait till Jethro hears about this!:p

[MasterKiller]

I've missed #2 then! Wait till Jethro hears about this!:p

Number 2 is where Gordon Liu fakes his way into Shaolin Temple because he wants to learn to fight the Manchus that have taken over the fabric dye factory in his village. San Te refuses to teach him and makes him build scaffolding around Shaolin Temple and fix the roof. Over the course of 2 years fixing the roof, Liu learns Shaolin Kung Fu by watching the monks practice while he works...

It has one of the best lines ever.

Gordon Liu: "My kung fu is not about fighting. It is about universal peace and harmony."

Girl: "That's a stupid kung fu!"

[Su Lin]

Right, I get it. So he isn't San Te in the second one then ?
Why must they confuse me like this!:confused: :confused:

[gwa sow]

in the version of return to 36 chambers i saw, it had a documentary kind of thing were thery talked about how the bamboo scaffolding is used today in china and how the techniques are used in kung fu :D

[Yao Sing]

That's one of the things that freaked me out my first trip to China. I couldn't believe they were still building scaffolding with bamboo. I have some pictures I took on the way to a Temple.

Yeah, number 2 was a good one. I have it on tape somewhere. That line is priceless. :)

[jethro]

I just got turned on to this movie, I know I'm a late bloomer. Gordon Liu is now #2 on my list of fav MA's with Jet Li and Tony Jaa, battling for 3rd. My ?: are the 2 sequels worth purchasing, or are thy just "B" movie dreck. There's a local vid store that has just about any MA movie ever made. (he's got Ong Bak 2- will watch this w/e) I want to know if the sequels are worth it b4 purchasing them, so any feedback would be welcome. Thanks.

Return to the 36th chamber has possibly the best final fight scene of all time. It is defintely worth checking out. Also it is genuinely funny and it is certainly one of the most enjoyable kung fu movies I have ever seen. Gordon Liu learns from San Te in this one. There are not many true 'movies' in the kung fu genre but this and the original master killer are 2 of them.

Disciples is a GREAT movie. Usually great movies have to break some sort of new ground for me to consider them great. This movie just manages to do everythign perfect. Don't expect the greatest martial arts bouts of all time, btu it is a very fun movie. Ho Hsou??? (little monkey) is my favorite fong sai yuk EVER over jet, fu sheng , mang fei, and all the rest. Disciples could have cut down on the wirework a bit and had more intense battles, but it is still a great movie. Also Li-Li-Li and Master Lau are in it. That always score extra points for me.

Also check out Shaolin Wudang, though gordon does nto play San Te, it is the closest actual 'sequel' that you will find. Though it is a horribel movie, it does have some of the absolute most beautifully choreographed fights ever, and there is a good message at the end.

[Wil-Hung]

What was the name of the "Top Student" character San Te fights at the end of his training, and what is the actors real name as well? I've seen him b4, I think in other movies. As bad as he is w/ those b-fly knives, I wonder what he can do with other weapons.

As a side note, who would like to posess the Qi/Chi/Hei the master had in the highest chamber? You would only engage if you wanted to.

[jethro]

What was the name of the "Top Student" character San Te fights at the end of his training, and what is the actors real name as well? I've seen him b4, I think in other movies. As bad as he is w/ those b-fly knives, I wonder what he can do with other weapons.

As a side note, who would like to posess the Qi/Chi/Hei the master had in the highest chamber? You would only engage if you wanted to.

His name is Hoi San Lee. He has a similiar fight with gordon in shaolin vs wudang where again he plays the senior student. He has been in literally everything over the years. The main reason for that is he had teh best ability that you could posess in fighting on screen, and never hurting the other person. Maybe it is becasue his form is so good and he is so muscualr, maybe that is why he sells it so well. But anyway, some of my favorite movies of his are his role as the White-crested crane in the Goose Boxer, the shaolin traitor in Shaolin Prince, henchman in Young Master, a great role that I can't give away in Shaolin Intruders, and of course we all remember him as black man from Enter the Fat Dragon(or at least I remember that horrible spray paint job).

He seems to be good with all weapons from what I have seen though he is not exactyl jet li when handling them.

[Jimbo]

Yup, Master Killer still is a top pick.

Lee Hoi San (aka., Li Hai-sheng) was a practitioner of Wing Chun and I think Lama or White Crane style. I had an old issue of a kung fu magazine from Hong Kong called New Martial Hero, I think, that had an article about Lee and Ti Lung being senior students of Wing Chun and helping their sifu lead classes in Hong Kong way back in the day (the mag was from about 1974). But when he fights in the movies he looks more like White Crane or Lama(?) style, or a version of it. He's been in movies with everyone, and though he was never one of the fastest guys, he's always very strong, precise and rock-solid.

The biggest waste of his career was his character getting killed off by Bill "Superfoot" Wallace in an ice factory in the Asian version of Jackie Chan's "The Protector". (1985).

[Wil-Hung]

Got another one to add to the list: "Shaolin challenges Ninja" aka "Heroes of the East" There's actually a plot you can follow and the fight scenes feature multiple syles of empty hand and weponry. My favorite scene was between G-Liu w/ 3part staff vs. japanese guy w/ nunchaku one one hand and the "billy club w/handle" (sorry, I don't know the name of it) Take my word for it, They was battlin'. Another cool message was the way "the Martial way" was depicted. No one was killed or maimed, but a victor was clear.


Any thoughts on this one?

[Laukarbo]

hi,
the guy from disciples is Siu Hou...
Heors of the east is one of the nicest ma flicks ever displaying chinese and japanese ma competing..and theres not much hatred shown against the japanese which was for that time very rare..


:D

[jethro]

Shaolin Challenges Ninja has got to be on of my 5 favorite Lau films. It's weird how we don't get like a white backround action sequence for the credits but they go right into the story. I still don't know whether I like the first half(story) or the second half(fights) more. The fights were obviously great but the whole Ninja game played by Kurata and Liu was my favorite. I always like films a lot more when they rely on honor in a story.

[Wil-Hung]

And how about stumbling on the knowledge (after the fact) that your wife is this fearsome warrior that is trained in stealth techniques, and by the way knows several time honored ways to kill you. I'm thinking arguments are minimal and I'll just become an insomniac.

[GeneChing]

THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN
Gordon Liu in “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/movies/homevideo/19dvd.html?_r=2&8dpc&oref=slogin&oref=slogin) (1978).

A frequent candidate for the finest martial arts movie ever made, “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” has at last been rescued from the video bargain bins (where it has long languished under the title “Shaolin Master Killer”) and given a first-class release by the Weinstein Company’s new Asian action label, Dragon Dynasty.

Produced by the storied Shaw Brothers studio, “36th Chamber” (1978) belongs to the second wave of the golden age of Hong Kong action filmmaking. It was released when the ground rules laid down in the mid-1960s by the genre’s pioneers, King Hu and Chang Cheh, were giving way to the harsher vision of a younger generation of directors, much as the epic westerns of John Ford and Howard Hawks led to the tighter, nervier work of Anthony Mann and Budd Boetticher.

But the western analogy goes only so far: structurally, the Hollywood genre the martial arts films most resemble is the musical. The trick in both genres is to find a plausible, unobtrusive and emotionally satisfying way to arrange a series of disconnected performance pieces, and “36th Chamber,” written by the prolific Ni Kuang and directed by Liu Chia-liang, finds an elegant solution.

Loosely based on the traditional story of San Te, the Shaolin monk who introduced the secrets of kung fu to the Chinese masses oppressed by Manchurian rule, “36th Chamber” follows San Te’s training at the legendary Shaolin temple, as he progresses from a spoiled merchant’s son to a grand master. His training takes him through a series of chambers in which he confronts different tactical and physical challenges, ranging from balancing on floating logs to head-butting his way through a corridor blocked by low-hanging sandbags.

This is, of course, the structure of practically every video game ever designed, but it makes for a beautifully paced and consistently surprising movie. Mr. Liu, directing his brother Gordon Liu as San Te, brings different styles and rhythms to each chamber, ranging from horror-movie intensity to slapstick comic relief.

Mr. Liu, who also directs and does action choreography (most recently for Tsui Hark’s ill-fated “Seven Swords”) under the Cantonese transcription of his name, Lau Kar-leung, possesses an impeccable sense of how action is amplified and energized by editing, and there are passages here that approach the purity of dance. (Gordon Liu, with his unsmiling, classical poise and clarity of line, would not seem out of place in a ballet company.)The Dragon Dynasty transfer actually improves on the Hong Kong DVD release, with a brighter, sharper image and a heap of supplementary material. The extras include an interview with Gordon Liu (recently seen in two roles in the “Kill Bill” films) and a commentary track by the musician RZA of Wu-Tang Clan (a Shaolin scholar of some standing) and the Los Angeles film critic Andy Klein. (The Weinstein Company, $19.95, R)

"a Shaolin scholar of some standing"? Good ol' RZA... (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/magazine/article.php?article=100)

[Jimbo]

I'm looking forward to buying the new remastered 36th Chamber of Shaolin and My Young Auntie. I went to Target to see if they were available there and the only one of the 4 the had was The One-Armed Swordsman (the 4th being Lo Lieh' King Boxer).

One of the things about Lau Kar-Leung's (Liu Chia-liang) self-directed movies is his infectious enthusiasm for kung fu. It's very obvious that Lau actually loves kung fu in real life; completely unlike the impression I get from, say, Jackie Chan, for example. Yes, Lau exaggerates and "movie-izes" the kung fu, but his movies and the Chang Cheh Shaolin series choreographed by him are the finest examples of movie KF, period. And when you see him personally performing in films such as:
Challenge of the Masters
Mad Monkey Kung Fu
My Young Auntie
Legendary Weapons of China
The Lady is the Boss
8-Diagram Pole Fighter
New Kids in Town
Drunken Master II
Seven Swords
etc., etc. -- it's great to see his physical precision, hand speed, and performance technique. Lau was the one who pioneered the complex use of traditional KF styles in a movie setting, as well as clear shots of very close-knit short-hand movements and 'horse positioning' cinematically.

Another thing about Lau Kar-Leung, he's directed a few films in which nobody dies; My Young Auntie, Heroes of the East, Martial Club, Lady is the Boss are good examples. Challenge of the Masters has one death, approx. half-way through the movie.

Back in '81, when I first saw Heroes of the East (Shaolin Challenges Ninja) at one of the old grindhouses, it's the first movie I sat in where the audience actually stood up and applauded at the end, and I'm talking about the rough type of audience that went to those theaters. That didn't even happen when I earlier saw the Bruce Lee films, which got loud cheers but not the standing ovation at the end. When I later saw it again in an original-language Vietnamese/Chinese theater, the same thing happened at the end of the film. So there's something to be said about a message of mutual respect and worth between individuals/cultures.

[jethro]

DOn't forget about Operation Scorpio. I don't know how much he choreographed, but he is brilliant in that movie. Also Master of disaster he has a great fight. And i remember him using a baseball bat in a great scene in some gangster movie. I remember it was the only fight of the movie. Lau Kar Leung is tops.

And I just watched My Young Auntie. He has an awesome short fight with Lung Wei at the end. I got a couple shivers watching that.

[Laukarbo]

I'm looking forward to buying the new remastered 36th Chamber of Shaolin and My Young Auntie. I went to Target to see if they were available there and the only one of the 4 the had was The One-Armed Swordsman (the 4th being Lo Lieh' King Boxer).

One of the things about Lau Kar-Leung's (Liu Chia-liang) self-directed movies is his infectious enthusiasm for kung fu. It's very obvious that Lau actually loves kung fu in real life; completely unlike the impression I get from, say, Jackie Chan, for example. Yes, Lau exaggerates and "movie-izes" the kung fu, but his movies and the Chang Cheh Shaolin series choreographed by him are the finest examples of movie KF, period. And when you see him personally performing in films such as:
Challenge of the Masters
Mad Monkey Kung Fu
My Young Auntie
Legendary Weapons of China
The Lady is the Boss
8-Diagram Pole Fighter
New Kids in Town
Drunken Master II
Seven Swords
etc., etc. -- it's great to see his physical precision, hand speed, and performance technique. Lau was the one who pioneered the complex use of traditional KF styles in a movie setting, as well as clear shots of very close-knit short-hand movements and 'horse positioning' cinematically.

Another thing about Lau Kar-Leung, he's directed a few films in which nobody dies; My Young Auntie, Heroes of the East, Martial Club, Lady is the Boss are good examples. Challenge of the Masters has one death, approx. half-way through the movie.

Back in '81, when I first saw Heroes of the East (Shaolin Challenges Ninja) at one of the old grindhouses, it's the first movie I sat in where the audience actually stood up and applauded at the end, and I'm talking about the rough type of audience that went to those theaters. That didn't even happen when I earlier saw the Bruce Lee films, which got loud cheers but not the standing ovation at the end. When I later saw it again in an original-language Vietnamese/Chinese theater, the same thing happened at the end of the film. So there's something to be said about a message of mutual respect and worth between individuals/cultures.



well said !
everytime I see him its like seeing kung fu pure..even when sitting in a restaurant with him he cant stop doing some movements..its really true,in the restaurant if you go to the restroom u had to open a double swing door.. he didnt just push them open ..nah he used butterfly palms...:D (no joke)

[GeneChing]

Enter to win RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER on DVD (http://www.kungfumagazine.net/index.html). Contest ends 6:00 p.m. PST on 05/13/2010. Good luck everyone!

[GeneChing]

See our Return to the 36th Chamber DVD winners (http://ezine.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?p=1014415) thread.

[SC36DC]

I just wanted to let everyone know who may be interested, that my website dedicated to classic Kung Fu films is back up after being down for a few months for renovations.

Shaolin Chamber 36 - Asian Cinematic Treasures Revisited (http://www.shaolinchamber36.com)

If you check it out, please let me know what you think.


Buddha Bless You.

[wiz cool c]

the movie,( master killer 36th chamber of shaolin) came out in 1978 or 1979? i know there are two movies with the same actor,both where he plays a monk in the Shaolin temple. the one i'm looking for is the one where he jump over the floating logs to get into the dinning hall,as the first step of his training.

[HungKuenH]

that would be 36th chamber...

[wiz cool c]

http://www.amazon.com/The-36th-Chamber-Shaolin-Gordon/dp/B000MM0LEG

right?

[HungKuenH]

yes thats the one... great movie

[GoldenBrain]

It's the same movie. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, also known as Master Killer and Shaolin Master Killer. It's definitely my favorite period Kung Fu flick.

[GeneChing]

RZA Reflects on ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ and Wu-Tang Clan at LACMA (http://variety.com/2014/scene/vpage/rza-wu-tang-clan-36th-chamber-of-shaolin-lacma-film-independent-1201313141/)
http://pmcvariety.files.wordpress.com/2014/09/rza-the-36th-chamber-of-shaolin-lacma.jpg?w=670&h=377&crop=1
Amanda Edwards/WireImage
September 24, 2014 | 03:39PM PT
Andrew Barker
Senior Features Writer @barkerrant

Welcoming producer, rapper, director and Wu-Tang Clan founder the RZA to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art on Tuesday night, the Film Independent at LACMA series scored an excellent 35mm print of Liu Chia-Liang’s 1978 kung-fu classic “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin,” presented in its original Mandarin language. In fact, it might have even been too pristine for the occasion.

As he explained in a Q&A with Elvis Mitchell, the RZA’s formative experiences with the Gordon Liu-starrer came in its dubbed, heavily expurgated form. Yet the film not only provided the Wu-Tang with its debut album title and a plethora of memorable (English language) dialogue samples, it also influenced the group’s guiding philosophy.

“I saw it when I was nine years old on Channel 5, and then again when I was 13 or 14 on 42nd St.,” RZA said, noting that the film’s story of the struggle between oppressed Chinese villagers and repressive Manchu authorities resonated particularly strongly. “Beyond the kung-fu, it was the reality of the situation that hit me. Growing up as a black kid in America, I didn’t know that that kind of story had existed anywhere else.”

Inspired by the film, RZA would eventually conceive an elaborate mythology for his own environs, recasting his Staten Island neighborhood as Shaolin, modeling his persona on that of the film’s sage Abbot (Tung-Kua Ai), finding musical parallels between the five-note Chinese scale and the minor pentatonic, and recruiting a cadre of fellow travelers with kung-fu-inspired stage-names to form Wu-Tang.

(On a less philosophical note, RZA also noted that he imported the word “chamber” into the everyday slang of his neighborhood. “Everything became a ‘chamber.’ Instead of saying a girl had big tits, we would say she was in the big titty chamber,” he recalled as Mitchell pretended to storm off the stage.)

When asked to name his favorite fight scene from the film, RZA – who had endured a failed solo rap career and legal trouble before recording “Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)” – curiously picked protagonist San Te’s battle with an antagonistic monk (Hoi Sang Lee), which he loses. “San Te had a plan to beat him, but he countered every move. A lot of times in our lives, we don’t really invest in loss, but San Te meditates on his defeat, and finds a solution.”

Asked by Mitchell if he had ever met Liu, RZA reminded him that the actor filmed a brief part in his own 2012 Shaw Brothers homage, “The Man With the Iron Fists.”

“Gordon didn’t want to do my film at first, because my budget was not really on the level of ‘Kill Bill,’ you know,” he related. “So I met with him, and said, ‘You know that scene in “36th Chamber” where you meet with the Abbot? That scene changed my life. And now you’re the Abbot, and you can bring that character to a new generation.’ Then I showed him his lines, which I just had on my Blackberry, they weren’t in the script. So he agreed… He’s a true Buddhist.”

(Pictured: RZA and Elvis Mitchell at Film Independent at LACMA’s screening of “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin”)


This is showing tonight on El Rey's Flying Five Finger One Armed Eight Pole Shaolin Exploding Death Touch Thursdays (http://www.elreynetwork.com/#/vault/kung-fu). I've been looking forward to seeing this again all week. :D

[Jimbo]

The first time I saw 36th Chamber of Shaolin was at a drive-in in 1979, a year after its original release. Of course, it went by its retitle, Master Killer. I still remember the tagline in the newspaper ad: 'He was the best; he killed the rest.' It was double-featured with Legend of the 7 Golden Vampires, which was retitled The 7 Brothers Meet Dracula.

The reason I remember the year, the place, and even the month, is because to me it was a watershed moment in terms of MA movies. Prior to that, all of the KF movies I had seen had been old-style 'bashers' from the early '70s, which still played a lot in the grindhouse circuit back then. 36th Chamber was the first MA movie I'd ever seen that exceeded all expectations; it had 'style', awesome set pieces, memorable characters, a solid story and training sequences, etc. It was like those moments when people say, "Do you remember where you were when...?"
:)

[mickey]

Greetings,

I saw the 36 Chamber in NYC Chinatown at the Music Palace. The year was 1978 and it was not the first time it played. I connected to the San Te character when I saw him using the long weighted pole to ring the bell, with while strengthening his grip and forearms. My jaw was on the floor when I saw that because I had taught myself how to hold a broom from one end and turn it from one side to another to strengthen my forearms.

mickey

[GeneChing]

RZA to live score inspirational kung fu film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (http://consequenceofsound.net/2016/09/rza-to-live-score-inspirational-kung-fu-film-the-36th-chamber-of-shaolin/)

Bobby Digital will revisit the album that started it all

BY COLLIN BRENNANON SEPTEMBER 08, 2016, 6:28PM

https://consequenceofsound.files.wordpress.com/2016/09/screen-shot-2016-09-08-at-3-10-09-pm.png?w=807

Anyone searching for the sources of inspiration behind the Wu-Tang Clan will quickly stumble upon The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, the 1978 kung fu film that informed much of the group’s culture and aesthetic. As part of LA’s Beyond Fest on October 10th, RZA will pay homage to that film in the coolest way possible: by live-scoring the entire film “from opening sequence to closing credit.”

According to the festival, the live score will feature “a vast array of over 40 instrumental tracks, beats, and vocals individually crafted and placed to amplify the narrative and electrifying action.” It’s a good bet that plenty of those tracks will be culled from the Wu-Tang catalog. RZA, a long-time fan of martial arts cinema, has chosen to screen a version of the film that he first saw when he was just a kid:


“RZA first saw THE 36th CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN on television when he was 12 years old and again 2 years later on the big screen of a seedy 42nd Street theater with his cousin, Unique (who went on to become Ol’ Dirty *******). Dazzled by Kar-leung’s rich kung-fu tapestry, RZA (then Robert Diggs) was most profoundly affected by something that ran much deeper: the struggle between oppressed Chinese villagers and the repressive Manchu authority. “Beyond the kung-fu, it was the reality of the situation that hit me. Growing up as a black kid in America, I didn’t know that that kind of story had existed anywhere else.”

RZA: Live From the 36th Chamber of Shaolin will be held at the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Blvd on October 10th at 7 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.

Watch a trailer for The 36th Chamber of Shaolin below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65GQtH6pzTY


I was contacted about this project earlier this year. There was talk of doing a multi-city tour and having discussion panels. I hope that comes to pass because I'd love to see this.

[GeneChing]

RZA to live-score The 36th Chamber of Shaolin at LA’s Beyond Fest (http://www.factmag.com/2016/09/08/rza-to-live-score-the-36th-chamber-of-shaolin-at-las-beyond-fest/)
BY CLAIRE LOBENFELD, SEP 8 2016

https://d235mwrq2dn9n5.cloudfront.net/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/RZA-9-8-16-616x440.jpg

A dream event for hardcore Wu-Tang fans.

Los Angeles genre film festival Beyond Fest announced their 2016 lineup today, including a huge event for Wu-Tang Clan fans: RZA will live rescore The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, a pivotal movie for both martial arts film and the culture surrounding Wu.

RZA will re-score the entire film “from opening sequence to closing credit” with an emphasis on 20 years of Wu-Tang’s catalogue. According to the festival, the “new score features a vast array of over 40 instrumental tracks, beats and vocals individually crafted and placed to amplify the narrative and electrifying action.”

A dubbed version of the film that RZA saw for the first time when he was a 12-year-old growing up in Staten Island is the version that will screen. It will be presented with all of its original dialog intact.

The screening will take place at the Egyptian Theater on Hollywood Blvd on October 10 at 7PM PST. Tickets for this and other events – including a screening of John Carpenter’s Big Trouble in Little China with a live Q&A with Kurt Russell – are on sale now.

This event really sounds like a lot of fun. Wish I could make it.

[GeneChing]

Hoping for that SF show...



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v9Zhf8s7Fls

Trailer Exclusive: RZA Will Live-Score 'The 36th Chamber of Shaolin' (http://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2016/09/rza-live-score-36th-chamber-of-shaolin-exclusive)
BY KRISTEN YOONSOO KIM
staff writer & resident horror creep. @kristenyoonsoo.
SEP 15, 2016

ATTENTION, here's something not to be missed: RZA will be live-scoring the 1978 martial arts film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin—namesake to Wu-Tang Clan and their iconic 1993 album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)—in Austin and L.A. RZA grew up obsessing over films from Shaw Brothers, the Hong Kong production studio that birthed many famous martial arts movies; most notably, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, from director Chia-Liang Liu, was particularly influential on the musician, who created his own clan in Staten Island using the movie to weave their own mythology with Enter the Wu-Tang.

Finally, RZA will have a creative input in the film most seminal to bringing up his iconic rap group. The rapper/producer/director is re-scoring the entire movie from start to finish, re-purposing Wu-Tang music, which includes 40 instrumental tracks, beats, and vocals.

Regarding why the movie was so impactful to him, RZA said, "Beyond the kung-fu, it was the reality of the situation that hit me. Growing up as a black kid in America, I didn’t know that that kind of story had existed anywhere else." He worked on the new score for a year and a half and is finally ready to bring the mother****in' ruckus at the following screenings (don't miss it):

Thursday, Sept. 29 @ 10:45 a.m.
Austin, TX
Fantastic Fest at Alamo Drafthouse S. Lamar – festival attendees

Thursday, Sept. 29 @ 7:00 p.m.
Austin, TX
Stateside Theatre at the Paramount – open to the public (Tickets)

Wednesday, Oct. 12
Los Angeles, CA
Egyptian Theatre – open to the public (Tickets on sale soon)

[GeneChing]

It all depends on how this does in L.A. & Austin. Hope you peeps from there come out and support so the rest of us can experience this.


Thursday, September 29, 2016
Gabz 36th Chamber of Shaolin Poster Release From Mondo (http://insidetherockposterframe.blogspot.com/2016/09/gabz-36th-chamber-of-shaolin-poster.html)

https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-EV1X9hNa-2w/V-ysjc_3T0I/AAAAAAABa1Y/AqBYIkUMmqcqa30wDbyrz27xayV7BWQXgCLcB/s400/Gabz-36th-Chamber-of-Shaolin-Poster-Mondo-2016.jpg

Award-winning musician and film director RZA (founder of the Wu-Tang Clan) is unleashing his hip hop genius on the mother of all martial arts masterpieces, Lau Kar-leung’s THE 36th CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN, in a live re-score for the ages.

Now touring in the US, RZA: LIVE FROM THE 36th CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN features RZA re-scoring the film from opening sequence to closing credit. Every frame of the original film has been revisited and will be re scored by RZA utilizing a Wu-Tang catalog over two decades deep. This new score features a vast array of over forty instrumental tracks, beats and vocals individually crafted and placed to amplify the narrative and electrifying action of Kar-leung’s enduring classic. A true, redefining assault on the senses, this is an experience not to be missed.

Mondo are excited to be a part of the event with a new poster by Gabz, available in multiple versions: Online, Austin and Los Angeles (Beyond Fest). Check out each poster variant here.

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (Online Version) by Gabz. 24"x36" screen print. Hand numbered. Edition of 250.

Additionally, Mondo will have two awesome t-shirts designed by Jay Shaw. The online version of the poster and both t-shirts will be available online at a random time Thursday (9/29) via mondotees.com.

[GeneChing]

RZA’s Live Score Of ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ Reveals An Artist In His Element (http://uproxx.com/music/rza-live-score-36-chambers-shaolin/)
BY: CHRISTIAN LONG 10.03.16

http://uproxx.files.wordpress.com/2016/10/rza-feat-uproxx.jpg?quality=90&w=650
GETTY IMAGE

Since their inception, Kung Fu movies have played an integral part in the sound and culture of The Wu-Tang Clan. While the film genre has had an impact on hip hop since the 1970s, The Wu-Tang Clan were the first to make it central to their group’s philosophy. The Wu-Tang’s de facto leader, RZA, cites The 36th Chamber of Shaolin as a particularly strong influence on him growing up. “Beyond the Kung-Fu, it was the reality of the situation that hit me,” he said. “Growing up as a black kid in America, I didn’t know that kind of story had existed anywhere else.”

One night, roughly 18 months ago, the idea came about to have RZA re-score all the music for the movie that had so much of a formative impact on him, while leaving the original dialogue and sound effects intact. After a year-and-a-half of meticulous planning, the Alamo Drafthouse helped make it a reality with RZA: Live From The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin, which made its debut at the Stateside Theater in Austin, Texas, last Thursday night. For two uninterrupted hours, RZA used his 20-plus years of sound archives like an arsenal, while meticulously composing an all-new soundtrack for the film, from the first frame all the way to the last.

RZA walked onto the stage to a round of applause from a packed house of about 300 people, and took some time to explain how important the Kung Fu genre was to him, and how it was central to the inspiration for the Wu-Tang Clan. Then, just before the lights were dimmed, he declared that tonight he would give “[his] sound back to the Kung Fu movies.”

Right from the opening credits, RZA’s take on the film was apparent, as star Chia Hui-Liu’s iconic, choreographed fight sequence, which had been accompanied by a much more conventional orchestration was now adorned with a fairly sparse, infectious bass-heavy backbeat and slight, wandering piano riff that set the tone for what was to come.

While the movie began to unfold, RZA’s score was perfectly measured, weaving its way in and out of scenes, pausing on occasion just long enough to let the dialogue help punctuate the importance — or humor — of the moment, before dropping back in-step with the movie. At times the score would be so prominent it swallowed up the ambient sound of the movie, piling on layer after layer that, when stopped, would leave an almost deafening silence.

RZA himself is no stranger to music in film — he’s composed soundtracks on movies like Kill Bill Vol. 1 and Ghost Dog, along with directing and scoring his own Kung Fu odyssey, Man With The Iron Fists, and its sequel. But there’s something about seeing and hearing) the man piece together a soundtrack live on stage that helped give real insight into where his own sound came from. The movie’s natural rhythm seemed to effortlessly complement the music, while RZA would alternate between new compositions and familiar hooks from Wu-Tang classics like “Bring Da Ruckus,” “C.R.E.A.M.,” and “M.E.T.H.O.D. Man” throughout.

Most of RZA’s sonic landscape came from his personal archives, but he wasn’t afraid to throw an occasional curveball into the mix, including clips of old ’70s-era soul songs and, most surprisingly, a sizable excerpt from an old Ronettes tune, though he never left anything without an accompanying breakbeat. He’d also also throw in a handful of modern sounds, like the ****ing of a gun barrel or the blaring of a police siren, echoing his sentiments bout his connection to the story, further casting his long shadow over a film that had been so formative for him.

A few surprises aside, RZA’s score was overall pretty conventional, revisiting familiar melodies, giving characters and settings their own distinctive themes, and relying on moments within the film for cues, like quick edits or the gesture of a particular character. While most played off without a hitch, there where a few transitions that would awkwardly overlap, though as an artist who seems to embrace the untidy, it was hard to tell if this was a minor misstep, or something that he’d done intentionally.

By the time the movie reached its climactic final sequence, he was letting in fragments of the original score creep through the margins, which he would then work into the music he was making on stage. It reminded viewers of the stark contrast between the original soundtrack and the one that was being assembled onstage, even giving a sense of completion to the now-38-year-old Kung Fu classic.

After the credits began to role and the crowd stoop up in a round of enthusiastic applause, RZA said a few words about the experience.

“I’ve seen that movie about 300 times, and it never loses its magic,” he began. “Like I said, it was a privilege for me to have the Wu-Tang soundtrack as the backdrop of this film, a film which inspired us. You know, many days we cut school to smoke weed and was watching this mother****er. I hope you learned something from it. I hope you guys picked up not just the martial arts aspect of pressing things and hard training, [but] to me it was like a man with a determination, you know what I mean? He had to come back and take care of some business. This film was made in 1978, and I think it still holds its weight. Thank you gods for helping me spread the 36 chambers. I want to thank the Shaw brothers, and I look forward to coming back and get to play again. Thank you, Austin. Thank you. WU-TANG!”

RZA will be performing RZA: Live From The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin live again on October 10th at the Beyond Fest in Los Angeles.

Still hoping for more shows.

[GeneChing]

RZA live-scoring Shaw Brothers kung fu classic ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ at Town Hall (tix on sale) (http://www.brooklynvegan.com/rza-live-scoring-shaw-brothers-kung-fu-classic-the-36th-chamber-of-shaolin-at-town-hall-tix-on-sale/)
By BrooklynVegan Staff October 6, 2016 11:49 AM

http://www.brooklynvegan.com/files/2016/10/RZA-e1475699888858.jpg

Wu-Tang Clan, who just played The Roots Picnic, have kung fu films in their blood, particularly those of famed producers The Shaw Brothers. So it will be a special treat to see Shaw Brothers classic The 36th Chamber of Shoalin — a film intrinsic to the Staten Island crew’s debut album and mythology — on the big screen at Town Hall on November 10 with RZA providing a live score. “The influence of Shaw Brothers films on my work has been profound,” says RZA. “From the first time I saw their movies as a kid in Times Square I knew that this was something I had to do. For decades I’ve been dreaming of stepping into the 36th Chamber.” He’ll intertwine Wu-Tang’s catalogue with the film’s original audio track for a unique audiovisual experience. A Q&A with RZA will follow the screening.
Tickets (http://www.ticketmaster.com/alamo-drafthouse-celestial-pictures-rza-new-york-new-york-11-10-2016/event/03005145D9489E72?artistid=771348&clickid=xsy055VJU2k6xvB3%3Aj33URSfUkkUAhUEE0AXyo0&camefrom=CFC_BUYAT_259789&impradid=259789&REFERRAL_ID=tmfeedbuyat259789&wt.mc_id=aff_BUYAT_259789&utm_source=259789-BrooklynVegan&impradname=BrooklynVegan&utm_medium=affiliate&irgwc=1) for this The 36th Chamber of Shoalin live score screening, which is being presented by Alamo Drafthouse, are on sale now.
You can also catch GZA performing his classic solo LP Liquid Swords at two City Winery Shows.
RZA is currently wrapping up his tour with Banks and Steelz, his project with Interpol’s Paul Banks. There may be more of these live-score screening events to come in other cities. Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out the trailer for The 36th Chamber of Shoalin and listen to Enter the Wu-Tang: 36 Chambers (at the same time if you want), below.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=65GQtH6pzTY

Still hoping for that SF show.

[GeneChing]

THE GOLDEN DRAGON RISES (http://www.36chambers.com/)
10.19.16
______________
Rising from the ashes, the Golden Dragon is ready to take flight.

This will be more interesting tomorrow. :cool:

[GeneChing]

RZA Live-Scores Legendary Kung Fu Film ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ (http://thecreatorsproject.vice.com/blog/rza-live-score-kung-fu-film)
Nathaniel Ainley — Nov 10 2016

https://thecreatorsproject-images.vice.com/content-images/contentimage/no-slug/ca173aff6e3e6633bdb9df73fc887b03.jpg
RZA. Courtesy The Town Hall

RZA, the legendary co-founder of Wu-Tang Clan, is coming from a beat-making workshop at Williamsburg’s new Apple Store. He sounds upbeat as he describes how far music production technology has evolved since he started out. But in a throwback to the late 70s, a halcyon era for kung fu cinema more than a decade before Wu-Tang was formed, RZA is traveling the country performing a live re-scoring of classic Shaw Brothers martial arts film, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

During a live screening of the film, RZA constructs his own score from a collection of custom audio files. Growing up in Brooklyn, RZA became a sort of expert on martial arts films from the 70s and 80s. This infatuation eventually leaked into his work as a music producer where he would construct beats that incorporated movie music and dialogue. Now, armed with a Wu-Tang catalog over two decades in the making, RZA is reimagining the film’s score in real time, creating a composite audio-visual experience blending genres, cultures, and eras.

The Creators Project talked to RZA about his relationship to the film, his production process, and how he got into scoring cinema:

https://upload-assets.vice.com/files/2016/11/11/1478823639com_crop__1_.gif
Screenshots via

The Creators Project: What’s your live-scoring setup like? Are you playing Wu-Tang samples over the original score?

RZA: Well, check it out [on tour]. I’ve been hooked up the Shaw Brothers. They gave me the film and let me strip it down.

They let you strip down the audio?

Yeah, instead of using the original score. I mean, there’s a few pieces that I liked and kept, but the majority of it is me. There's about 90 sound cues in the film, and I’ll be manipulating those cues in real time.

Wow, that sounds like a lot to manage.

It took a minute to get it to where we got it. I had some good buddies help me on the technical side when we were putting it all together. But you know, when I was in about ninth grade, we were all DJing, battling each other, and trying to be the best. There was this one kid who couldn’t really DJ. He had the turntables, he had a system, he could mix, but he couldn't scratch. He was cool—he ran with us—but what he used to do was plug into a VCR and then dub the VCR to another tape. So, for example, you’d see Wile E. Coyote chasing The Road Runner, and then they’d fall off a cliff, and he would pause it and rewind it, like a pause tape. He was the first kid I ever seen do that. But when DVDs came out, I was like, “Wow, now we can really do the **** that he was doing.” It could physically be done.

So I started practicing that, and I was probably one of the first guys to do that. Of course, I’ll say I learned it from my man Tom Shannon when I was a kid. I saw him do it. But now technology has caught up to where they got it all inside the software. When the time came for me to do this, I called Tom and had him come help me. He helped me break it down, decide on certain things, and help me get to a point where I could sit there and just do it. It’s crazy how full circle it is: from seeing this movie as a kid, to becoming a young adult and using it as the title for my first album. You never know what part of your childhood, or of your life, will inspire something else.

https://upload-assets.vice.com/files/2016/11/11/1478823802com_crop__2_.gif

What aspect of martial arts films inspires you musically? The writing, cinematography, or the action?

The action was the first attraction. That’s a rhythm within itself. I became aware of the cinematography later on. 36th Chamber is one of the films that opened my eyes to cinematography and the vastness of what it could be. Take Into The Dragon, for example: Bruce Lee was great, and all that. But it was set way in the past, and the director happened to be considered one of the best directors of Asian cinema—of any cinema. But then the music happened. The emotions of the music started resonating with me. And for me, with hip-hop, I have to take that music and pin it to a groove—my drum pulse.

So that’s what I started doing, started plugging my VCR into my sampler. I could sample a strange part, with a vibe-heavy rhythm. Or I could just take an intro, like in the song “Da Mystery Of Chessboxin,” where he’s like, “Toad style is immensely strong and immune to nearly any weapon. When it's properly used it's almost invincible.” That felt dangerous, deadly, and that’s what Wu-Tang was bringing: rugged, raw, deadly hip hop. And thinking about martial arts movies and the ideas of swordsmen, there was no better way to make the analogy of how deadly we are than through martial arts films.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e4HDsEJfro
continued next post

[GeneChing]

What was your relationship to 36th Chamber when you were growing up in New York?

Well, I grew up in the 70s, you know. When this movie came out and I saw it, at the top ot the 80s, I was becoming conscious of oppression and the black man’s struggle in the world. It seemed similar; it felt like, “Why us?”

In the film, these people are being oppressed and are struggling. They came and killed [the main character’s] father for nothing—just stabbing people. He had to run for his life, and he was just a student, a college student, who wanted to make a change, you know? It made me think about college students in the 60s who tried to march and change the world and got fire hosed down and attacked, you know what I mean? At the time, I thought that stuff only happened in America, in this time period. But the film was one of the things that opened my mind to the fact that this happens around the world. I related to that ****. I was like, “Wow, I feel him. I understand his struggle.” I also wished there was something I could learn to help my people.

https://thecreatorsproject-images.vice.com/content-images/contentimage/no-slug/5ac0b94da90a3f037bd330db4c4a0298.jpg
Still from '36th Chamber.' Courtesy the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

How is producing a song in the studio different from producing a score for a film?

Let’s say I'm doing something for Wu-Tang: I’ll pick the music because I know the talent. When I did my first score with Jim Jarmusch for Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai, I didn't really know what I was doing. I studied Peter and the Wolf, and I understood that I could pick different instruments to represent different characters, but I didn't really understand the whole post-production process. Jim didn't force me to sit there and go through that. But on Kill Bill, Quentin Tarantino did make me sit there. I had to sit in the editing room for probably 60 days. It was cool, it was a great experience; you couldn’t beat me and Quentin in the editing room together. But at the same time, the amount of stuff I learned was wild. Instead of being the producer and the leader, I had to be more subservient to the director’s wishes.

But it still took time, you know, for me to understand that I have to deliver that vision. Now, as a person who has the capability—who has proven himself—I can approach the production of songs like I approached the score for my own film, The Man with the Iron Fist. Now, I strive to make sure the artists are embellished, and when I’m scoring a film, I also strive to make sure the emotions of my characters are being embellished.

https://upload-assets.vice.com/files/2016/11/11/1478823934com_crop__3_.gif

How does the process change when you’re doing it live, as opposed to spending, for example, 60 days in the editing room ensuring everything is perfect?

Well, it’s live in the sense that I’m doing it live, but it’s rehearsed. We’ve combed through what we think will work. This will be my fifth time doing this performance, and I think it only gets better every time, because I’ve learned what doesn’t work.

I learned that 110 cues was too much. I was overkilling it. I’ve got to let it breathe. At one moment I’m just doing me, and then I’m like, “Wait a minute, I forgot about the film.” That happened in Austin, and even though the crowd gave a standing ovation, I felt like I forgot about the film. By the time I got to LA, I kind of had a better format, I let it breathe, and I think it performed better. I think in New York, it’s going to be even better.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GA6I8FOIoSM

RZA: Live From The 36th Chamber plays at The Town Hall Thursday, November 10 at 8pm. Visit the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema website (https://drafthouse.com/event/rza-live-from-the-36th-chamber) for future performance dates.
Still hoping for more shows. Someone here has got to see this.

[GeneChing]

POP Montreal books the Dears, RZA, the Besnard Lakes (http://www.canada.com/entertainment/music/montreal+books+dears+besnard+lakes/13342721/story.html)
BY MONTREAL GAZETTE, MONTREAL GAZETTE MAY 3, 2017 10:15 AM

http://www.canada.com/entertainment/music/cms/binary/13342722.jpg

Montreal's the Besnard Lakes will perform their album The Besnard Lakes Are the Dark Horse as part of the POP Montreal festival's 16th edition.
Photograph by: John Kenney , Montreal Gazette
POP Montreal has revealed the first wave of acts scheduled to perform at the festival’s 16th edition, taking place from Sept. 13 to 17.

They include:

Tickets for the above shows are on sale now.

POP Montreal has also announced that the festival will feature performances by Wu-Tang Clan’s RZA, who will present a live score of the kung-fu film The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, and reactivated Montreal dance-pop band Think About Life.

More than 350 other acts are expected to be confirmed for POP Montreal. For more information, visit popmontreal.com. I couldn't find the direct link on the popmontreal site - that site was too artsy to be navigable and the search function wasn't working for me.

Time to split this into an indie thread - been posting it on the RZA (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?48850-Rza) thread and the The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (a.k.a. Master Killer) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?25619-The-36th-Chamber-of-Shaolin-(a-k-a-Master-Killer)) thread but now will only post on the The 36th Chamber of Shaolin RZA live score (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70256-The-36th-Chamber-of-Shaolin-RZA-live-score) thread.

[GeneChing]

Beer (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?6266-Beer&p=1303046#post1303046) & the 36 Chamber (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?25619-The-36th-Chamber-of-Shaolin-(a-k-a-Master-Killer)). Maybe we'll see the Return of the Drunken Style Championship (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68489-Drunken-Style-Championship) soon?


This Thursday, Lompoc Brewing Pairs Classic Kung Fu Movies with Kung Fu Inspired IPAs (http://www.wweek.com/arts/movies/2017/05/22/this-thursday-lompoc-brewing-pairs-classic-kung-fu-movies-with-kung-fu-inspired-ipas/)
They're playing "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin" and serving a new series of IPAs including "Enter the Dank" and "5 Hops of Death" at Lompoc Fifth Quadrant.

http://www.wweek.com/resizer/4JMF8Z0ecgX58VegzZML_iXZ5qI=/1200x0/filters:quality(100)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-wordpress-client-uploads/wweek/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/22120033/36th-Chamber.jpg
Gordon Liu (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin)
By Walker MacMurdo | May 22 at 12:07 PM

Lompoc Brewing is known in Portland's beer scene for their frequent IPA series, which have been inspired by everything from baseball to science fiction and hip hop.

This time, Lompoc head brewer Bryan Kielty is taking his inspiration for his current Kung Fu-inspired series of brews one step further: he's pairing them with Chia-Liang Liu's legendary Kung Fu classic The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

Portland beer blog New School Beer reported that on Thursday, May 25 at North Williams' Lompoc Fifth Quadrant, Lompoc will host Kung Fu IPA Night: Flights of Fury. From 4 pm until 11:30 pm, you will be able to order taster trays of six Kung Fu-inspired IPAs for $8. And at 7 pm, the bar will be screening the genre-defining classic in their Sidebar area.

Produced by Hong Kong studio Shaw Brothers, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin follows the journey of San Te (Gordon Liu), a young student drawn into a rebellion against the evil Manchu government. When General Tien Ta (Lo Lieh) burns his village to the ground, San Te heads to the Shaolin Temple to learn Kung Fu and rally his people against Tien Ta.

The "Flights of Fury" taster tray has tasters of beers including Drunken Panda IPA, a collaboration with EaT: An Oyster Bar, citrus-heavy Enter the Dank IPA, 5 Hops of Death, which is brewed with five varieties of hops and, of course, The 36th Chamber of IPA, brewed with 36 pounds of hops. Not bad for eight bones!

GO: Kung Fu IPA Night: Flights of Fury begins 4 pm, Thursday, May 25 at Lompoc Fifth Quadrant, 3901 N Williams Ave. The 36th Chamber of Shaolin screens at 7 pm.

[GeneChing]

https://scontent.fsnc1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-0/p480x480/19029551_1089438377827257_6491900744677528864_n.jp g?oh=2ecaddd23e3064efa1de41125e2e940d&oe=599EC3B2

TONIGHT! The 36th Chamber brings our Kung Fu classics to their new night - It's Flying Five Finger One Armed Eight Pole Shaolin Exploding Death Touch TUESDAY! 6p ET only on El Rey Network! (https://www.facebook.com/ElReyNetwork/photos/a.275702175867552.51807.255001614604275/1089438377827257/?type=3&theater)


SCHEDULE ALL TIMES ET
6:00 PM THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN
8:30 PM RETURN TO THE 36TH CHAMBER
10:30 PM DISCIPLES OF THE 36TH CHAMBER

I've been wondering what would happen to Flying Five Finger One Armed Eight Pole Shaolin Exploding Death Touch Thursdays (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?68210-El-Rey-Network-and-Shaw-Brothers&p=1277335#post1277335) with Man At Arms: Art of War (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70140-Man-at-Arms-Art-of-War-New-Original-Series-from-EL-REY-Network) taking the Thursday slot. Last night was Ilya & Matt hosting Last Action Hero. Will tonight be my hosting of THE 36TH CHAMBER OF SHAOLIN (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?25619-The-36th-Chamber-of-Shaolin-(a-k-a-Master-Killer))? It starts in a less than an hour.

And if it is, I will only be able to watch a little of it because I have an appointment.

[Jimbo]

Gene:

You're the abbot of the Nacho Cheese Chamber.

:p

[GeneChing]

Alas. It's the old RZA one. False alarm.

[Jimbo]

Hope the Manchus are hungry enough to pig out on nachos and are lactose intolerant(?). Which might leave them more vulnerable to the spear and broadsword chambers.

[GeneChing]

RZA Scores a Martial Arts Showdown at the The Opening Ceremony Fall 2017 Show (http://www.complex.com/style/2017/06/rza-performs-at-opening-ceremony-fall-2017-fashion-show)
BY ERIN HANSEN
JUN 11, 2017

http://images.complex.com/complex/images/c_limit,w_680/fl_lossy,pg_1,q_auto/ivpsgaa8rb9zikpvwxlf/rza-opening-ceremony-show
Image via Opening Ceremony

For their Fall 2017 collection, Opening Ceremony designers and founders Humberto Leon and Carol Lim returned to their native Los Angeles roots. The comeback was in part a love letter to their L.A. store, which is celebrating its tenth anniversary in the location of Charlie Chaplin’s former dance studio.

Their new collection, “A Modern Western,” shares an affection for the “west” in many ways too: The fashion show, which took place during Made L.A. on Friday night, was set in a theatrical indoor desert of cartoonish cacti.

Models paraded along the perimeter of the cacti in studded western wear, ruched skirts and pants, asymmetrical knits, velour tracksuits, and thigh-high pink velvet boots that could flag legs at a city block’s distance. The styles were infused with western elements, yes, but punk, goth, and sportswear styles could not go unnoticed.

http://images.complex.com/complex/images/fl_lossy,q_auto/v1/fw1nr4u5ac9jx3tgjptt/rza-opening-ceremony-show
Image via Opening Ceremony

Lim told Complex the collection was heavily influenced by artists of the Southwest–the bulbous New Mexican sculptures of Ken Price and bold paintings of Georgia O’Keeffe. She cites the presentation of O’Keeffe’s style at the Brooklyn Museum’s Georgia O’Keeffe: Modern Living exhibit as having a particular influence.

Lim echoed the nomadic nature of the collection with the production of their first show in L.A. “It was a journey westward to be able to do the show here on the tenth anniversary of our store,” she said after the show.

The designs are something of an ode to their native L.A. upbringing. Leon and Lim give credence to this in a statement about their collection: “The city’s bricolage aesthetic, its natural landscape, and its wholly modern attitude continue to shape not only our design but our outlook.” When asked about the city’s influence on her, Lim spoke about, well, the weather. “I think it is just the versatility of needing a lot of transitional things,” she said. L.A. is commonly warm in the day and chilly at night. Layering, knits, and outerwear took center stage on the runway.

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Image via Opening Ceremony

But the true spotlight is given to cinema. The collection statement prefaces “A Modern Western” as an imagining of what “silver-screen outlaws would look like today, as real women who bring adventure wherever they go, from desert canyon to city street.”

Like their previous shows, Opening Ceremony didn’t just parade models down a runway, they also put on an explosive western showdown of the martial arts variety.

The brand collaborated with the legendary rapper and Wu-Tang Clan member RZA—whose love for martial arts brought him to the project—and New Zealander choreographer, actress, and stuntwoman, Zoë Bell. Post-runway, the tale of two sisters began. One was born with “the glow,” one was not. And so they fought. A standoff ensued between models clothed in the Fall 2017 collection. The tension was palpable. RZA, who played the piano, narrated and orchestrated. Bell performed and choreographed the dramatic movements. Arms swung, legs kicked, and bodies rolled.

"He scored everything," Lim said about RZA, who also performed after the show. "[RZA and Bell] worked very closely together on the fight sequences, what the movements were, so he knew what kind of music to make for it." This was RZA's first foray into scoring, composing, and performing for a fashion designer.

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Image via Opening Ceremony

Movies like Kill Bill and House of Flying Daggers helped ignite the collaboration with RZA and Bell. “The nod to martial arts and just watching that kind of film and cinema is something that we have always been fans of and watched growing up,” said Lim. And it’s true for the collection. The clothing gives the modern woman room to breath, easing the journey as she makes her way through the acrobatic movements of daily life. There are elements of nature—a western kimono jacket in a scorpion print—and practicality.

Opening Ceremony continues to impress. “We always like to celebrate the strength of women,” Lim said. “There was kind of this narrative of sisters having this argument and in the end they came together. And it showcases this amazing movement.”

http://images.complex.com/complex/images/fl_lossy,q_auto/v1/rwzq8tjidrsrhpb1yl5r/opening-ceremony-made-la-show
Image via Opening Ceremony


I read where RZA is doing something similar with the S.F. Asian Art Museum. I'm a member there and will follow up on it when it gets closer.


TAKEOVER: RZA AND 36 CHAMBERS (http://www.asianart.org/events/1201?starttime=1494288000)
Part of TAKEOVER, Thursday Nights
SEP 21
6—9 PM
Museum wide

[GeneChing]

There are 23 pix in the gallery but i'm only posting the lead pic.


'Shaolin' at Snug: Examining rap's cultural impact on Staten Island 25 years later (http://www.silive.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2018/03/shaolin_at_snug_examining_raps_cultural_impact_on_ staten_island.html)
Updated Mar 10; Posted Mar 10

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By Victoria Priola vpriola@siadvance.com

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.-- Snug Harbor got the Shaolin treatment Saturday, when more than 300 people united on the historic Livingston campus to celebrate the work of dozens of Islanders at the Newhouse Center of Contemporary Art.

"Shaolin: Into the 36 Chambers" highlights hip-hop imagery inspired by and commenting on the modern music genre for which the borough is legendary. (Yes, it also pays homage to the formative years of Wu-Tang Clan.)

"I felt it was important for me to create a collection that embraces our borough by reflecting our community's narratives through the eyes of creatives' who call this place home," said exhibit curator Jahtiek Long.

"My intention is to create an experience that displays a representation of Staten Island in a space where we can get lost in its art," Long said. "It's crucial that we start a dialogue that invites diversity but is grounded in a culture of inclusivity and unification."

Attendance at the opening reception was impressive. Longtime Islanders openly commented on how great it was to witness a crowd this size show up for a local art show.

"Shaolin: Into the 36 Chambers" is up at the Newhouse through May 6 at 1000 Richmond Terrace in Livingston. A curator's talkback -- dubbed "Shaolin Narratives: The Power of Representation" -- takes place from 7 to 9 p.m. April 7. This event is free with $5 museum admission.

Featured artists include: Hidden Grid by Kevin Barker, Raul Barquet, Ashley Benedict, HH Coatl, Christine Cruz , Chelsea Rae Fioravanti, Goyart, Stephanie Kosinski, Emily Long, Harry Magzul, Chris Malfi, Liz Manzolini, Shawn McArthur, J. Montana, Emily Perina, Gina Policastro, Tony Quera, Chris RWK, Katinka Sattar, Jay Sayers, Lawerence Schau Jr., Search and Rescue Productions, Keri Sheheen, Tabitha Lee Turchio, Gene Wagner and Wann.

Note that we have a West Coast museum retrospective coming up too. RESPECT: Hip-Hop Style & Wisdom (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?41817-Hip-Hop-Chess-Federation&p=1303862#post1303862) opens at the Oakland Museum next weekend.

[GeneChing]

40th anniversary of martial arts classic ‘The 36th Chamber of Shaolin’ at Alamo (https://www.sfgate.com/movies/article/40th-anniversary-of-martial-arts-classic-The-12799722.php)
By G. Allen Johnson Published 12:57 pm, Monday, April 2, 2018

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Photo: Celestial Pictures Ltd. 1978
Gordon Liu in “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin” (1978)

Forty years ago, director Liu Chia-ling and star Gordon Liu burst into the cultural consciousness in Asia with one of the greatest and most transcending martial arts films, “The 36th Chamber of Shaolin,” based on the legend of the 18th century Shaolin monk San Te.

It took a while for the West to catch on, but in Asia, this was a watershed moment in the post-Bruce Lee, pre-Jackie Chan martial arts landscape.

Many Americans first became aware of the film as one of the many chopped-up and badly dubbed kung fu movies that appeared on late-night shows such as “Kung Fu Theater” in the 1980s. Now restored for its 40th, it plays at the Alamo Drafthouse’s New Mission.

Also, hip-hop artist RZA has written a score for the film and plans to premiere it live at the Castro Theatre on April 26.

— G. Allen Johnson

“36th Chamber of Shaolin”: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, April 8. $11. Alamo Drafthouse’s New Mission, 2550 Mission St., S.F. (415) 549-5959. www.drafthouse.com/sf

THREADS:
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (a.k.a. Master Killer) (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?25619-The-36th-Chamber-of-Shaolin-(a-k-a-Master-Killer))
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin RZA live score (http://www.kungfumagazine.com/forum/showthread.php?70256-The-36th-Chamber-of-Shaolin-RZA-live-score)

[GeneChing]

Hong Kong martial arts cinema: some of the best kung fu scenes ever filmed, in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/entertainment/article/3042993/hong-kong-martial-arts-cinema-some-best-kung-fu-scenes-ever)
Lau Kar-leung persuaded Gordon Liu, who learned kung fu from his father Lau Charn, to go into films. His scenes in The 36th Chamber of Shaolin were memorable
Liu plays a mythical monk, a graduate of the Shaolin Temple who passes through its 35 chambers before becoming a roving martial arts teacher
Richard James Havis
Published: 8:00am, 22 Dec, 2019

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Gordon Liu in a still from the 36th Chamber of Shaolin, in which he plays a mythical martial arts teacher in ancient China. The Lau Kar-leung-directed film contains some of the best kung fu scenes ever filmed.
In this regular feature series on the best of Hong Kong martial arts cinema, we examine the legacy of classic films, re-evaluate the career of its greatest stars, and revisit some of the lesser-known aspects of the beloved genre.
The entire middle section of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978), a classic kung fu movie by a master martial arts director, is devoted to the training of the hero as he works his way up from novice to master.
Director Lau Kar-leung (also known as Liu Chia-liang) trained in southern martial arts styles – the lineage of his instructors can be traced back to Cantonese hero Wong Fei-hung himself – and has said that the main reason that he made movies was to “exalt the martial arts”.
The exceptionally talented Gordon Liu, the star of the film, studied the hung ga fighting style under Lau Kar-leung’s father, Lau Charn, and moved into films at the director’s behest. In The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Lau and Gordon Liu deliver some of the most powerful and elegantly choreographed kung fu scenes of the genre.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e4HDsEJfro

The story, set during the early 18th century when China was ruled by the Manchus, is loosely rooted in history and legend. Gordon Liu plays Liu Yude, a student whose parents are killed by the Manchus because he dares to speak out against their rule. Fleeing for his life, Liu Yude heads for a Shaolin Temple because he has heard the monks possess powerful kung fu skills which he can use to avenge his parents.
Liu Yude is accepted into the temple as a novice, and begins the arduous task of learning kung fu. This entails working his way through 35 chambers, each of which teaches a different skill. Nine training chambers are shown in the film, including balance, wrist strength, head strength, and visual attention.

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Gordon Liu in a still from The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

Liu Yude is a star student, and when he completes the 35 chambers – changing his name to San Te, or “Three Virtues”, on completion – he asks if he can return to life outside the monastery to teach the anti-Manchu rebels Shaolin kung fu. San Te’s roaming martial arts school becomes known as the 36th Chamber of Shaolin.
The Shaolin Temple is based on a real monastery which still exists. The Buddhist monastery was founded in AD495 in the Songshan mountain range 80 kilometres (50 miles) from Luoyang in Henan province. The monks trained in martial arts, and developed the Shaolin kung fu styles around AD700.
The monks used their skills to defend the monastery from bandits, and fought in military battles. Martial arts became integrated with Buddhist practice at Shaolin, and Shaolin kung fu became well known in the 16th and 17th centuries. Shaolin kung fu is commonly regarded as the greatest of all the Chinese martial arts styles. The monk San Te may also have existed.

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A still from The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.
In The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Gordon Liu uses the powerful hung ga style of kung fu, a southern form which, according to legend, was developed by a Shaolin monk at the “Southern” Shaolin Temple in Fujian, although the southern temple is generally considered to be a myth.
Gordon Liu has said in interviews that he sustained injuries while shooting the film. A sequel, Return to the 36th Chamber, was released in 1980.

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A still from The 36th Chamber of Shaolin.

Wait now...what chamber is that 2nd to last pic from? ;)