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The Shaolin Temple DVD Region All

Jet Li (Actor) | Zhang Xin Yan (Director)
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The Shaolin Temple
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Customer Rating: Customer Review Rated Bad 8 - 8.3 out of 10 (6)

YesAsia Editorial Description

International martial arts superstar Jet Li got his start in The Shaolin Temple, a rousing kung-fu picture about the famed martial arts sanctuary! Jet Li is Chueh Yuan, who is orphaned when his father is killed by a cruel warlord. Yuan escapes, and is taken in by the Shaolin Temple, who nurse him back to health. The young monks befriend Yuan, who begins to learn the ways of Shaolin. But Yuan attempts revenge all too soon, and fails in his attempt. He does earn the favor of a rival warlord, who becomes a potential ally. But his involvement has implicated the Shaolin Temple, who could be targets for retribution. Can the group band together to fight off the bad guys and protect the Shaolin Temple? Thanks to a compelling storyline, entertaining kung-fu sequences, and actual location footage of the Shaolin Temple, The Shaolin Temple ranks as must-see martial arts cinema. It also made Jet Li an overnight film star, and is a fine way to catch a glimpse of the future superstar's undeniable talent.
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Technical Information

Product Title: The Shaolin Temple 少林寺 少林寺 少林寺 （香港版） The Shaolin Temple
Artist Name(s): Jet Li (Actor) 李連杰 (Actor) 李连杰 (Actor) 李連杰（ジェット・リー） (Actor) 이연걸 (Actor)
Director: Zhang Xin Yan 張鑫炎 张鑫炎 Ｚｈａｎｇ Ｘｉｎ　Ｙａｎ Zhang Xin Yan
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Release Date: 2003-08-11
Language: Cantonese, Mandarin
Subtitles: English, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese
Country of Origin: Hong Kong, China
Picture Format: NTSC What is it?
Aspect Ratio: 1.77 : 1
Widescreen Anamorphic: Yes
Sound Information: Dolby Digital 5.1, DTS Digital Surround
Disc Format(s): DVD-9, DVD
Region Code: All Region What is it?
Rating: II
Duration: 92 (mins)
Publisher: Mei Ah (HK)
Package Weight: 130 (g)
Shipment Unit: 1 What is it?
YesAsia Catalog No.: 1002861177

Product Information



導演︰張鑫炎
Director: Chang Hsin Yen

　　《少林寺》由大導張鑫炎執導，全片於河南嵩山少林寺實地拍攝。由連續五年奪得全能武術金牌，時年十七的李連杰擔綱主演。在片中李連杰的驕健身手得以自由發揮，再加上冠軍級人馬螳螂拳冠軍于海、青島市武術全能冠軍于承惠、浙江武術全能冠軍胡堅強、山東隊刀術冠軍、浙江武術名家計春華、山東隊全國繩鏢冠軍劉懷良的精湛武藝配合，上映後，技驚四座，李連杰一炮而紅，開啟搖身一變功夫巨星的機會。本片風靡一時，成為八十年代的經典代表作品。

　　This movie, directed by Chang Hsin Yen and released in 1982, has the highest reputation among the movies concerning the Shaolin temple. It is the first Wusha movie produced in Mainland China in more than thiry years after Wusia movies were banned in 1949. This movie was filmed in the real location of the Shaolin temple on the Songshan Mountains. The roles were all played by famous martial arts masters and mistresses in Main land Chan including Jet Li, Yu Hai, Yu Cheng Hui, Hu Jian Chiang. With a very strong working team, this movie became one of the most important movies in the 80s.

* Dolby Digital 5.1
* Dts Digital Surround
* DVD-9
* 16:9 Anamophic Widescreen
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Professional Review of "The Shaolin Temple"

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October 31, 2007
Chung Yuan Film Company proudly presents with thousands of horses and men...a film from another dimension. Jet Li is 18 in this, his first film, a mind-boggling mix of King Hu epic, Shaw Brothers revenge saga, pastoral musical, Chang Cheh gore-fest, Chinese travelogue and kung fu demonstration film. Shot over the course of a year by director Chang Hsin-yen at the Shaolin Temple itself, this film manages to inject adrenalized new life into the martial arts genre.

Jet Li plays Chu Yuan, son of a martial artist murdered by the evil Wang Jen-tse. Rescued by Shaolin monks, he trains with them, and eventually exacts vengeance. In the process he falls in love with a shepherdess, the Shaolin temple is almost destroyed, dogs are eaten, songs are sung, and there’s much frenzied horseback riding and last-minute rescuing.

Featuring a cast stuffed to bursting with the most talented martial artists in China (famous Mantis Boxer, Yu Hoi; founder of Two Handed Sword, Yu Cheng-hui; Drunk Stick Expert, Sun Sing-kwan; and five times national Wushu Champion, Jet Li), the director let his actors spend months designing and executing their own fight scenes, resulting in a home-grown action choreography that has only a passing acquaintance with the limits of the human body. The technology can barely keep up with the wushu, resulting in moves too fast for the eye to follow, and combatants that occasionally press past the edges of the frame.

This was Jet Li's first film, and already he seems like one of the biggest stars in Asia. In a film suffused with good-natured charm, he out-charms them all. A testament to Chinese pride ("No special effects! No comical fighting!" screams the trailer), Li is an A-OK comrade, idealistic, but not religious. Abstinent, but not suspiciously so, and a true People's Hero from his first line to his last.

During the Cultural Revolution, kung fu was banned, and the Shaolin Temple fell into such a state of neglect that by the time these film makers showed up in 1982 there was only one monk in residence. Shaolin Temple revived Shaolin Temple, and the previously censorious Chinese government soon found itself pleading with kids not to run away to join the ranks of Shaolin's martial monks after viewing this film.

By Grady Hendrix

December 23, 2005

This professional review refers to The Shaolin Temple

Fresh as a peach, and twice as good SHAOLIN TEMPLE (1982)


VCD version

Directed by: Chang Hsin-yen

Starring: Jet Li, Yu Hoi

“Chung Yuan Film Company proudly presents, with thousands of horses and men...” a film from another dimension. Jet Li is 18 in this, his first film, a mind-boggling mix of King Hu epic, Shaw Brothers revenge saga, pastoral musical, Chang Cheh gore-fest, Chinese travelogue and kung fu demonstration film. Shot over the course of a year by director Chang Hsin-yen at the Shaolin Temple itself, this film manages to inject adrenalized new life into the martial arts genre.

Jet Li plays Chu Yuan, son of a martial artist murdered by the evil Wang Jen-tse. Rescued by Shaolin monks, he trains with them, and eventually exacts vengeance. The standard-issue plot is more than redeemed by the self-deprecating humor of the film (when you see a dog, you know it won’t be long before it’s eaten), as well as its distinct regional style, and its fresh-faced cast of enthusiastic martial artists.

Stuffed to bursting with the most talented martial artists in China (famous Mantis Boxer, Yu Hoi; founder of Two Handed Sword, Yu Cheng-hui; Drunk Stick Expert, Sun Sing-kwan; and five times national Wu Shu Champion, Jet Li Lian-jie) the director let his actors spend months designing and executing their own fight scenes, finalizing their moves weeks before shooting began. The technology can barely keep up with the wu shu, resulting in moves too fast for the eye to follow, and combatants that occasionally press past the edges of the frame. At one point, narrative takes a back seat to theatrics as a chase scene is interrupted for a gorgeous, studio-bound, ten-minute-long training montage.

This was Jet Li’s first film, and already he seems like one of the biggest stars in Asia. In a film suffused with good-natured charm, he out-charms them all. A testament to Chinese pride (“No special effects! No comical fighting!” screams the trailer) Li is an A-OK comrade, idealistic, but not religious. Abstinent, but not suspiciously so, and a true People’s Hero from his first line to his last.

This VCD has slightly muted colors, but otherwise looks quite good. It comes with Cantonese on one audio track, and Mandarin on the other, as well as a letterboxed picture. Unfortunately, there are no subtitles, English or otherwise, on this disc.

Reviewer : Grady Hendrix (USA)

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This original content has been created by or licensed to YesAsia.com, and cannot be copied or republished in any medium without the express written permission of YesAsia.com.

Customer Review of "The Shaolin Temple"

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Average Customer Rating for this Edition: Customer Review Rated Bad 8 - 8.3 out of 10 (6)

Kevin Kennedy
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December 4, 2007
A star is born Customer Review Rated Bad 9 - 9 out of 10
Jet Li explodes upon the film world in "The Shaolin Temple". Based upon this evidence, it appears that Li was born to be a charisma-drenched martial arts star. It is amazing that a raw 18 year old commands the screen as Li does here.

Li is not the only pleasure on offer in this film. "The Shaolin Temple" serves up startlingly beautiful cinematography, stirring songs, a whole host of great wuxia fighters, and, as if that weren't enough, romance.

No, the film's story scores no points for originality, but it functions as a serviceable framework for loads of eye-popping action ... and that's the whole point, isn't it? This is a terrific film and I recommend it highly for all martial arts fans.
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Phoenix Lin
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March 26, 2007
Jet Li at his prime Customer Review Rated Bad 8 - 8 out of 10
You can definately tell why Jet Li became as big as he did, his character exudes charisma. Everything about this film spells out Chinese pride & glorification of Wushu as an art style. The best & most memorable scenes for me are the four seasons that Jet's character is shown training or more like exhibiting some champion winning forms. An ever present classic in the martial arts movie world.
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Anonymous

March 23, 2005
Excellent kung fu movie Customer Review Rated Bad 10 - 10 out of 10
It is ( I think ) best Jet Li's kung fu movie. Beautiful kung fu scenes and excellent picture and sound quality. Buy it - it is most beautiful kung fu movie I ever saw ...
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Anonymous

January 19, 2005
a.k.a. Shaolin Temple I Customer Review Rated Bad 10 - 10 out of 10
This is the first movie in what eventually became the Shaolin Temple Trilogy and also the movie that caused the Songshan Shaolin Temple to become the tourist attraction it now is with more than a million visitors a year. It was filmed on location at the Temple and in several other locations throughout China.

The original cast was fired by the investors (except for Ding Lan and a couple of others) because of their lack of martial skills. The top martial arts champions of the day were hired in their place, including All Around Chinese National Champions Jet Li and Hu Jianqiang. This title is rarely achieved due to the competition requirements (5 first place wins against the best in China).

The film took over 2 years to complete due to the many injuries the cast received. The contact was real. The cast had already been trained to take full contact strikes because that's the way they trained in those days. The comment about the fight speed by another reviewer is irrelevant in light of the reality of the contact. All choreography was done by the cast (not by Pan Qingfu as the credits say).

Some interesting notes:

1) According to both Jet Li and Hu Jianqiang, there were no martial monks living at the Temple when the film was made, but there were some meditative monks there, a few of whom appeared in the film.

2) There are still no authentic Shaolin martial monks living at the Temple. It's a museum.

3) The dog was not killed. The young monks did not eat the dog. It was one of Ding Lan's goats.
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funaisa
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September 14, 2004
dun know why it shined Customer Review Rated Bad 3 - 3 out of 10
a typical kung fu movie in ex-traditional style, nothing like those 'once upon in china' series, every move looked a bit slower than the movies nowaday. And I also found my complain in all these fights looks more pretensing, they look more like exercising than really killing eaching other. sorry to say that to a popular classic.
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