Product Details

• Actors: Joan Chen, Hsing-kuo Wu, Fengyi Zhang, Michael Lee, Lisa Lu
• Directors: Clara Law
• Format: Color, Dolby, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
• Language: Mandarin Chinese (Dolby Digital 2.0 Surround)
• Subtitles: English
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Fox Lorber
• DVD Release Date: January 14, 1998
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 1572522224
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #74,990 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Temptation of a Monk" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Editorial Reviews

Set in 7th century China, Temptation of a Monk stars Joan Chen as a beautiful princess and destructive temptress who wreaks havoc in a young general's life. It tells the epic story of a disgraced man's journey into self-discovery.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars I liked it!, January 17, 2009

By 

Dawoud Kringle "Renegade Sufi" (New York City) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Temptation of a Monk (DVD)

Rather than engage in the back and forth of these reviews, permit me to offer one slightly different observation.

When the abbot monk is asked how he lived to be over 100, he said "I eat at the time to eat, and sleep at the time to sleep."

Later, a woman had appeared and requested to become a nun. The hero, a former warlord who was hiding from his past, shaved her head, and in doing so, became aroused.

One night, she crept into his bed chamber and said "You are not a monk". She mentioned the way he carressed her when he shaved her head, his strong shoulders, etc. Inevitabley, nature took its course. After they tickled each other's fancy, she gently and seductively tied his wrists with a piece of leather, stradled him, and introduced herself as the widow of another warlord whom he had killed. She then started biting him on the jugular vein. Our hero struggled to be free, to no avail.

Suddenly, the old monk appeared out of nowhere, did some kind fo kung fu move with his walking stick, and killed the woman by striking her at the base of her skull. Our hero lay there, amazed and shocked. The old monk shook his head and walked away, muttering "No sleep at the time to sleep."

Let's be honest; could an American have come up with this?

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Captivating, October 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Temptation of a Monk [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Joan Chen is marvelous in this feature. A delight for both the eyes and the heart. This movie is filled with beautiful sights and sounds, a wonderful script, and superb acting. END

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another beautiful movie from Sara Law, August 14, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Temptation of a Monk (DVD)

I really loved this movie. Perhaps it does owe a debt to Kurosawa's 'Ran', but is it a crime for a developing director to emulate the master? Sara Law is a superb director in her own right - she has a faultless eye, a deft wit and produces sensational erotic scenes. I am thankful we can count her as an Aussie and look forward to a great many more beautiful movies from her like 'Temptation of a Monk'.