Near the beginning of the Tang dynasty, in 7th century China, General Shi Yan-sheng is tricked into leaving the crown prince unguarded. The crown prince is murdered by one of his brothers ...
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The star of Straight Outta Compton and Just Mercy draws on his film school past to crown the greatest in art and entertainment.
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Title: Temptation of a Monk (1993)
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6 wins & 13 nominations.
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Cast
| Credited cast: | |||
| Joan Chen | ... | Princess Hong-e - Scarlet / Qing-shou - Violet | |
| Hsing-Kuo Wu | ... | General Shi Yan-sheng / Jing-yi | |
| Fengyi Zhang | ... | General Huo Da | |
 |
Ming-Yang Li | ... | The Abbot |
| Lisa Lu | ... | Shi's Mother | |
| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
| Teddy Robin Kwan | ... | Soldier | |
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Plot Summary
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Storyline
Near the beginning of the Tang dynasty, in 7th century China, General Shi Yan-sheng is tricked into leaving the crown prince unguarded. The crown prince is murdered by one of his brothers who then becomes emperor. Shi retreats to a monastery, perhaps to hide, perhaps to plan a coup. When his loyal troops as well as the princess he desires are slain, he seeks refuge in a remote, abandoned monastery where an aged abbot schools him with practical, earthy teachings. The emperor's forces pursue Shi: first a woman, then a general seek to overpower him with lust and might. Over the course of the film, the reds of battle give way to blues of meditation. Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
Certificate:
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Details
Country:
Hong KongRelease Date:
25 August 1995 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
Temptation of a Monk See more »Company Credits
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Technical Specs
Runtime:
Sound Mix:
DolbyColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1
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The Abbot: So noisy! Even the birds can't sleep! Didn't you want peace?
Shi Yan-sheng: I want to say the evening prayers.
The Abbot: Go sleep in your room!
Shi Yan-sheng: I can't sleep, my heart's not at peace.
The Abbot: Go find something to eat!
Shi Yan-sheng: Not hungry.
The Abbot: You don't eat, tummy's empty, heart's not!
See more »
Did You Know?
Quotes
Shi Yan-sheng: [says the evening prayer]The Abbot: So noisy! Even the birds can't sleep! Didn't you want peace?
Shi Yan-sheng: I want to say the evening prayers.
The Abbot: Go sleep in your room!
Shi Yan-sheng: I can't sleep, my heart's not at peace.
The Abbot: Go find something to eat!
Shi Yan-sheng: Not hungry.
The Abbot: You don't eat, tummy's empty, heart's not!
See more »
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Throughout, I felt that this movie had the sensibility of a comic book, but a comic book of genius. The visuals were ceaselessly stunning, every single scene change led to another beautiful surprise; both dramatically and with what we were allowed to gorge our eyes (and sometimes ears) on. Rather than call it "directing", or "photography," or "set design," I want to say that the artwork was breathtaking.
What are movies but comic books with the added dimensions of movement and sound? Both largely tell their stories with visuals, and dialog or narration. Too often I am a stickler for believability in movies but I could not help cutting this movie a lot of slack. "Yes, that is just how a comic book might treat the story but with nowhere near the impact," I found myself thinking throughout...