Cast Member: Keung Hon

The director has taken complicated source material and distilled it into something arresting before, but here he finds too many sub-plots to balance and too many characters to accommodate.

‘Heroes Shed No Tears’ is the kind of complex swordplay film that was attempted after the demise of the Shaw Brothers movie making empire, but often lacked the skilled control that Chor Yuen offered.

There are some plot holes that become apparent as the film continues, but good quality action and a fine cast cover a multitude of sins.

If you like seventies cheese then you might want to pick this one up. Otherwise it’s probably best to avoid unless you happen to be a hardcore Shaw Brothers or Ti Lung fan.

Liu Chia Liang’s ‘The 36th Chamber Of Shaolin’ is an important cinematic moment and remains influential not just in Hong Kong film-making, but also globally.