# The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) — Celluloid fact sheet

Source: https://celluloidscore.com/movies/the-36th-chamber-of-shaolin-1978/
Last reviewed: 2026-08-31

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Celluloid Score | 84% |
| Editorial Rating | 94/100 |
| Audience Snapshot | 90% (excluded from composite) |
| Metascore | 82/100 |
| Letterboxd | 4.1/5 |
| IMDb | 7.6/10 |
| Director | Lau Kar-leung |
| Genres | Action, Adventure |
| Runtime | 116 min |

## Quick answer

The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) earns a 84% Celluloid Score — Recommended. The definitive training film — Gordon Liu earns every technique on screen, and half of hip-hop took its name from it. Metascore 82/100. Directed by Lau Kar-leung.

## Celluloid verdict

The definitive training film — Gordon Liu earns every technique on screen, and half of hip-hop took its name from it.

## Synopsis

During the Qing Dynasty, a fishmonger is killed by the reigning Manchu government for supporting the anti-government movement; his son manages to escape to Shaolin Temple, where he plans to learn its secretive brand of martial arts to seek revenge.

## Cast

Gordon Liu Chia-Hui, Lo Lieh, John Cheung Ng-Long, Wilson Tong Wai-Shing, Wa Lun, Hon Kwok-Choi, Lau Kar-Wing, Wai Wang

## Where to watch

Global: Prime Video
the United States: Prime Video
the United Kingdom: not currently streaming
Indonesia: Netflix
India: Netflix
South Korea: Netflix
Japan: Netflix, Prime Video, U-NEXT
the Philippines: Netflix
Pakistan: Netflix
South Africa: Prime Video
Malaysia: Netflix
Thailand: Netflix

## Critic reviews on Celluloid: 1

## Common questions

**Is The 36th Chamber of Shaolin worth watching?**
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin holds a 84% Celluloid Score. The definitive training film — Gordon Liu earns every technique on screen, and half of hip-hop took its name from it.

**What is The 36th Chamber of Shaolin about?**
During the Qing Dynasty, a fishmonger is killed by the reigning Manchu government for supporting the anti-government movement; his son manages to escape to Shaolin Temple, where he plans to learn its secretive brand of martial arts to seek revenge.

**Who directed The 36th Chamber of Shaolin?**
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978) was directed by Lau Kar-leung.

**What is the Celluloid Score of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin?**
84% — calculated from available Celluloid editorial (94/100), Metascore (82/100), Letterboxd (4.1/5), and IMDb (7.6/10) inputs. Audience sentiment is excluded.

**Where can I watch The 36th Chamber of Shaolin?**
The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is streaming on Prime Video; on Prime Video in the United States; on Netflix in Indonesia; on Netflix in India; on Netflix in South Korea; on Netflix, Prime Video, U-NEXT in Japan; on Netflix in the Philippines; on Netflix in Pakistan; on Prime Video in South Africa; on Netflix in Malaysia; on Netflix in Thailand. Availability varies by region.

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Reviewed and scored by Celluloid · Editor: Kaiser Khan (https://celluloidscore.com/author/kaiser-khan/)

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