Audio: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin is presented in Dolby Digital mono. The disc features three language tracks--Cantonese, Mandarin and English--as well as English and Spanish subtitles. This means that you are given the option of watching the film dubbed in English (the lazy way), or as a purist, in Chinese. Some of the subtitles are a bit off, with misspelled words and few translations that don't quite seem to translate.

Extras: The 36th Chamber of Shaolin has a great selection of bonus features. First and foremost is an audio commentary by hip-hop superstar The RZA and film critic Andy Klein, an odd couple if there ever was one. Admittedly, I was not excited about listening to the commentary, but both men's love of the film and the genre comes through in this informative and entertaining track, making it one of the better commentaries in recent memory. There are also brief interviews with RZA, Klein, another critic (David Chute), and, most exciting of all, Gordon Liu himself. Shaolin: A Hero Birthplace gives a quick overview of the film's history and popularity. Also look for a collection of trailers, a gallery of stills, and a Wu-Tang concert video.

Final Thoughts: I have spent many years trying to get a decent, Region 1 copy of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin that looked good, and was subtitled (personally, I hate dubbed). I doubt I will ever find better than this. If you are a real fan, you must own this film, and shy of a superior version from overseas, you aren't going to get any better.