Shaolin Temple Against Lama: the last Shapes classic?

[falkor]

If you're intelligent enough to keep up with the undercranking then you'll notice the shapes in this film are very complex. When I first watched it I rated it 5/5, so I re-watched it a couple of weeks ago thinking "was I mad to be rating this 5/5?", but there's no mistake: I was right first time round--this is an underated classic--possibly one of the last classics of kung fu cinema! With practitioners as skillful as Lo Rei, I think the genre went out with a bang. FLK audio dubbed the French print in the early days, and I must say, they did an exceptional job--even back then.

[Kwok Choi]

It was a megahit in it's day.This was one of the movies I used to recommend to people who had reservations about Kung Fu films.The theatrical experience and audience participation was second to none;undercranking was tolerable for that period.It was a sin to miss this film.

[Kwok Choi]

..................oh I forgot.This movie was released as " Secret Rivals Of Lama " in our territory

[Tosh]

Love this movie, true classic, need to dig this one out for a watch later.

[Omni Dragon]

Shaolin Temple against Lama (1980)

English language Trailer

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[Morgoth Bauglir]

I give it a 4/5. Definite classic.

[Killer Meteor]

"intelligent to keep up with the undercranking"....Jesus, Falkor you can be a real ass at times

[ironfistedmonk]

"intelligent to keep up with the undercranking"....Jesus, Falkor you can be a real ass at times

:xd:I don't think he means it the way you are taking it, if you haven't seen very many shapes films it's easy to miss what is happening on screen, some of the action can be really intricate and I'll watch a film for a second time and spot a move I missed first time round. With undercranking the chances are if you don't watch much fu you'll miss a lot of sweet moves, kind of like people who don't watch subtitled films very often and struggle to read them and follow whats happening on screen at the same time.

The action in Shaolin Temple Against Lama is fantastic, I'm a big fan of Alan Hsu and Lo Rei is a great screen fighter but the cranking in a lot of the Lo Rei films is a bit off putting to me and the costumes in his films are really out there at times! 4 out of 5 from me.

[cooksandkungfoodle]

can you buy this on dvd? i need to buy this film!!

[silver hermit]

i remember when me and my friends saw this film back in the early 90's the tape was being played for a good 3 months. i watched again last year and i still found the film excellent. i watched shaolin vs lama to compare the 2 and i rate shaolin vs lama a 5/5 and shaolin against lama 4/5 still an excelent movie but shaolin vs lama is a true 5/5 film.

[BlackLamaFaction]

I had seen Shaolin Vs. Lama first and thought maybe Shaolin Temple Against Lama was an inferior film because it seemed to be low budget and the costumes looked a little crazy. Upon seeing it I realized i couldn't have been more incorrect. Altough I loved S vs.L, Shaolin Temple Against Lama I feel was superior in many ways. Although the fighting was a little fast it didn't take away from the fact that the choreography was excellent, the actors highly skilled, and the action non stop. I also loved the early scene of Alexander Lo walking by that huge temple.( really amazing exterior shot.) Plus the great fight with Alan Chui at the end. Classic Film.

[cooksandkungfoodle]

sorry to be a pain but is this out on dvd?

[kungfusamurai]

Falkor, undercranking is good when done well. There's no denying that in the 80s, Jackie Chan and Sammo Hung used it quite a bit. But the undercranking in this flick is like watching the many films of the silent era. It's just comes across as more comical than intense or brutal. It doesn't take much intelligence to see that. But then again, you also think of the choppy Born Invincible as the Citizen Kane of kung fu flicks, so I'll forgive your little jab.

I always thought Shaolin Temple Against Lama came out AFTER Shaolin Vs Lama, to cash in on that flick. But different sources have said it was released in 1980. Is that the actual date? Many of the cast members, including Lo Rei, appeared in both films. If it was released in 1980, then it definitely ain't the last 'shapes' classic. You've got films like Martial Arts Of Shaolin that came out in the mid 80s that would get that distinction.

KFS

[kungfusamurai]

sorry to be a pain but is this out on dvd?

Ground Zero put it out, but I think that was in full screen. I don't recall a widescreen version being released.

I see on HKFlix that the panmedia version's specs are 2.35:1. Now, I hate to support those guys, so does anyone know where they got their source print from? Was there a 2.35:1 released legitimately over in europe or asia?

KFS

[falkor]

I'd love to find out the date of this film, but I think it must be 1983-1986. So far, it's not turned up in any magazines, where so many Lo Rei films (mainly from 83), have.

[AbeRudder]

According to Hkcinemagic http://www.hkcinemagic.com/en/movie.asp?id=3132 and the Hk movie database http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/view.mhtml?id=9483&display_set=eng the movie came out in 1980 so i definitely wouldn't say its one of the last shapes classics. But yeah its a freakin awesome movie. I have no problem with the undercranking either, it was part of Tai's style and i think it adds a nice sense of rhythm to the fights.

[shapes]

The film came out in Jan 84

[Yang Wu Liang]

5/5 from me too! I absolutely love the type of action in Lo Rei's later films, it might not always be for the purists but I find it infinitely more exciting than your more 'clunky' 70's shapes.

Dunno where my copy came from (hopefully Pan media seein as I traded it!) but it's fully wide, which is the only way to view this beauty.

[Flashlegs Pete Jr]

can you buy this on dvd? i need to buy this film!!

The was never out on DVD.....My father got hold of the original French letterbox tape in 1989 in Paris and he got the English dubbed tape from Jamaica surprising enough on a visit to see family...and a collector friend in the UK dubbed the French print for him....Sadly my father gave the French original letterbox tape away......I have since then re-dubbed the tape version I had on DVD...and it looks a lot better than the TAPE DUBBED VERSION being traded....

You may never see this one with a release I afraid to say:tinysmile_angry2_t:

http://www.flkcinema.com/MorInfo.asp?FilmID=1225&Search=Search

Here it is though on FLK our slightly UPDATED Dub of the whole movie the tape version that was dubbed was out of sync big time.

I MUST SAY THIS IS MY FAVORITE Alex lou movie of all.....

[falkor]

The film came out in Jan 84

That would definitely make it the last classic shapes of the era. Very few other HK/Taiwanese kung of the same era were made afterwards except mainly other Lo Rei films like Ninja Condors + Killing in the Nude and a few others. However, I don't think there was anything that any of us would rate 5/5. Project A had already redefined what the public wanted next and Police Story was just around the corner. Not that the public ever had good exposure to Kung Fu films outside of HK (theatrical showings were confined to certain British towns or private clubs with no TV broadcasts). Mainland martial arts films had just taken off and carried on the traditional style together with Indonesian films throughout the US B-movie era starting with Seasonal Films and Kickboxer/Bloodsport. I think the Koreans only carried on producing proper kung for 1-2 years after HK stopped. What good Shaw Brothers were completed in 84/85? I know people have the tendency to overate Shaw Brothers because of the better budgets, but what post period piece of any production company can you say is on par with Shaolin Temple Against Lama?

[kungfusamurai]

What good Shaw Brothers were completed in 84/85? I know people have the tendency to overate Shaw Brothers because of the better budgets, but what post period piece of any production company can you say is on par with Shaolin Temple Against Lama?

84 was a quiet year for empty hand fighting movies for Shaw Brothers. I Will Finally Knock You Down, Dad came out. In 1985, in addition to Martial Arts of Shaolin, there were releases of Crazy Shoalin Disciples, Disciples Of the 36th Chamber, Young Vagabond, and Master Strikes Back. I haven't seen Hong Kong Godfather, so I don't know if that also had kung fu fighting.

KFS

[spearman lo tat]

this was a great film and very entertaining. a film doesn't have to necessarily be entertaining in order to be great and also vice versa, but the action and scenery is awesome. what's more i got to see Wong Chi Sang and the actor playing the Shaolin abbot double up on roles! i'm sorry i can't add on to the cipher about whether or not Shaolin Temple Versus Lama is the last great shapes film, but, with my having this screen name, i have to give two thumbs up, or two thumbs, two index fingers, and two pinky fingers to this movie!!

[jalvarez82]

Well, maybe it was the copy I bough at the time. I don't know. But I thought this movie was crap the first time I watched it. The picture quality looked like some shitty VHS to DVD transfer. I'll have to find a better copy and watch this again. Can't go wrong with Lo Rei.

[Kwok Choi]

Well, maybe it was the copy I bough at the time. I don't know. But I thought this movie was crap the first time I watched it. The picture quality looked like some shitty VHS to DVD transfer. I'll have to find a better copy and watch this again. Can't go wrong with Lo Rei.

Exactly!.Find a decent print and you wont regret it.

[Morgoth Bauglir]

this was a great film and very entertaining. a film doesn't have to necessarily be entertaining in order to be great and also vice versa, but the action and scenery is awesome. what's more i got to see Wong Chi Sang and the actor playing the Shaolin abbot double up on roles! i'm sorry i can't add on to the cipher about whether or not Shaolin Temple Versus Lama is the last great shapes film, but, with my having this screen name, i have to give two thumbs up, or two thumbs, two index fingers, and two pinky fingers to this movie!!

Also the guy with the skull headband, Lee Hoi Hing gets 2 roles.

Does anyone know any other movies the funny young monk has roles in besides Shaolin vs Ninja? This guy is always a joy to watch.