| The Shaolin Temple | |
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| Directed by | Chang Hsin Yen |
| Starring | Jet Li Yu Hai Ding Laam Yu Cheng Hui Ji Chun Hua |
| Cinematography | Lau Fung Lam Chau Pak Ling |
| Editing by | Wong Ting Ku Chi Wai Li Yuk Wai Chang Hsin Yen |
| Running time | 95 minutes |
| Country |  Hong Kong China |
| Language | Mandarin |
| Followed by | Kids From Shaolin |
The Shaolin Temple (Chinese: 少林寺; pinyin: Shàolínsì) is a 1982 martial arts film directed by Chang Hsin Yen and starring Jet Li in his debut role. The film is based on the Shaolin Temple in China and depicts the Shaolin martial arts. The film was the first Hong Kong production to be filmed in mainland China.[1] A remake of the film is expected to be released in 2012 titled The New Shaolin Temple and will star Jackie Chan.
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Plot
The movie was set during the transition between Sui Dynasty and Tang Dynasty.
The film opens with the scene of a novice (Jet Li) about to be accepted into the Shaolin monastery. When the novice is asked about the vows of abstentions, the movie goes into a flashback showing how he came to the Shaolin Temple; the novice was a conscripted laborer who was forced, with his father, into service of the warlord Wang Shichong, who ruled from Luoyang and assigned to oversee defences at a region near Shaolin monastery against rival warlords.
Provoked into retaliating against harst treatment, father was killed by the guards, but the son managed to escape and found refuge in Shaolin Temple, and was given the name Jue Yuan. In the temple, Jue Yuan eagerly sought to learn martial arts in order to avenge his father. During a failed assassination attempt of Wang Renze, he saved a local girl, Bai, who turned out to be daughter of one of his instructors from the temple.
Later, Jue Yuan and Bai saved a man who was spying on Wang Renze's defences. The spy turned out to be Li Shimin, son of a rival warlord who founded the Tang Dynasty, Li Yuan. Li Shimin was discovered by Wang Renze's men, but managed to escape with the help of a group of martial monks from Shaolin. After Li Shimin escaped, Shaolin temple came under attack by an army for aiding Wang Shichong's enemies, but the army was defeated with the timely arrival of Tang's forces. After Wang Shichong was defeated, Li Shimin returned to the temple to reward the monks and proclaimed high honours for the temple.
Award nomination
- 2nd Hong Kong Film Awards
- Nomination: Best Action Direction (Yue Hoi, Ma Yin Tat, Pan Qingfu, Wong Seung Hoi)
References
- ^ Mannikker, Eleanor. "The Shaolin Temple". allMovie. http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:157378. Retrieved 2009-02-23.
External links
- The Shaolin Temple at Hong Kong Cinemagic
- The Shaolin Temple at the Internet Movie Database
- The Shaolin Temple at Allmovie
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