I’m a huge fan of kung fu films, and I was absolutely thrilled when I got my hands on the new “Return to the 38th Chamber” DVD. The remastered edition of the classic 1980’s Shaw Brothers film is set to release tomorrow (March 2nd), so I got a special first look at this gripping kung fu adventure.

Here’s what it says on the back of the DVD case (which, by the way, looks fabulous):

The action-packed sequel to perhaps the greatest martial arts classic of all time reunites kung fu superstar Gordon Liu and legendary director Lau Kar-leung for another unforgettable adventure. This time, Liu stars as a con man who impersonates his own character from The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, along the way to becoming an unstoppable fighting force. This Shaw Brothers classic recaptures the magic of the original, but with an inspired twist that makes it “one of the rare sequels that’s just as much fun as its predecessor” (Calvin McMillin, LoveHKFilm.com).

Starring: Gordon Liu (Kill Bill Volume 1 and 2, The 36th Chamber of Shaolin), Kara Hui (My Young Auntie, Challenge of the Masters), Hsiao Ho (The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, Heroes of the East)

Run Time: 97 minutes
Languages: English, Cantonese, Mandarin
Subtitles: English, Spanish

I’ve heard of the movie before from my parents but had never seen it before first hand. I must say, though, this movie is better than what my parents had to say about it. The star of the movie, Gordon Liu, is just flowing with energy throughout the entire films, and he makes the fight scenes absolutely stunning. I won’t comment much more on the plot, as it is already a very well established film, and I don’t want to ruin it for anybody that hasn’t seen it yet. The only thing I will say is that the final fight scene cannot be described with any word other then “epic.”

The remastering of the film is absolutely mind-blowing. I’ve seen many moves from the 80’s, and the difference in quality is like day and night. The colors are vibrant and everything is extremely clear. The voices are also very crisp-sounding. Had I not known better, I would’ve thought that this movie was recently made!

I recommend this to anybody that loves Chinese action films. And for any kung fu movie junkies out there, this is a MUST HAVE. You can purchase your copy on Amazon.