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Cast:
Chia
Ling
Carter
Wong
Chang
Yi
Yee
Yuen
Kam
Kong
Chan
Siu Pang
Producer:
Joseph
Kuo
Director:
Joseph
Kuo
Score:
  
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THE
BLAZING TEMPLE
AKA:
N/A
Year:
1976 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
Although
his name has never been said with the kind of reverence
reserved for Liu Chia Liang, King Hu and Chang Cheh, Joseph
Kuo deserves an honourable mention in the annuls of kung-fu
cinema. Perhaps his films haven't always had the polish or
substance of the aforementioned auteurs, but he's certainly
been responsible for some genre classics. Fans of independent
martial arts cinema will doubtless know his many significant
efforts, including 'Mystery
Of Chess Boxing', 'Seven
Grandmasters' and 'Eagle's
Claw'
to name but a few. With such a pedigree it was therefore
obvious that Kuo would also have utilised one of the genres
constant themes: the destruction of the Shaolin temple and the
eventual fightback by the fighting monks.
'The
Blazing Temple' opens with the emperor being informed of
supposed events within Shaolin. According to his source, the
religious order is training anti-Manchu forces to overthrow
the unpopular monarchy. With this in mind he plots a vicious
attack on the temple and the elimination of all of the monks
therein. Within Shaolin the assembled order are unaware of
what awaits them and concentrate on their training to pass the
test of the Bronzemen. In fearsome manner the Manchu forces
attack the temple and bombard it with constant cannon fire.
Most of the monks are killed in the relentless attack, but a
band of them manage to escape via a forgotten tunnel out of
the grounds. Now the survivors must plan their revenge and
their proposed assassination of the ruthless emperor. However
this is brought into question when they find themselves hunted
by their enemies and must also face the prospect of having a
traitor in their ranks.
There's
much to enjoy in this entertaining kung-fu drama, though it
can hardly be ranked among the director's best. It is
certainly absorbing to see a narrative that takes in the
actual destruction of the temple rather than use it as the
catalyst for the rest of the storyline. The lengthy middle
section that actually features this is in fact the
production's major strength as Kuo manages to make a modest
budget look impressive. 'The Blazing Temple' also features a
number of kung-fu cinema's bit-part players giving good
performances, namely Kam Kong and Chan Siu Pang. Working
against these virtues is a few factors which mean that this is
good rather than above average. Importantly the choreography
is not too impressive, especially when one looks at some of
the films that came out in the same year. The fight scenes,
with the exception of the excellent finale, tend to
concentrate too much on gimmicky jumping and flipping rather
than the actual skill of the protagonist. Another thing that
quickly comes across is that the Shaolin monks - who are the
heroes of the piece - are not averse to some harsh actions
themselves. Instead of simply leaving the temple when the
bombardment begins, the students still have to overcome a
final test with the threat of death looming should they fail.
Overall then 'The Blazing Temple' is not Joseph Kuo's best nor
is it near his very pinnacle. It does, though, offer some
solid enjoyment for patient viewers.
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