Sex And Zen is a period-set Hong Kong sex comedy regarding a hapless and randy young scholar having a series of sexual encounters. The early 1990’s film manages the perfect balance between wacky-at-points bizarre comedy and beautiful shot ‘n’ sizzling hot sexual encounters. Here from the fine folks at 88 Films is a new/ fully uncut Blu-Ray release of the film- taking in a buoyant and crisp 2k scan, two versions of the film, a commentary track, and a few other things.

Sex And Zen (aka Yuk Po Tuen: Tau Ching Bo Gam) is from the year 1991- been a joint release between Golden Harvest Company & Johnny Mak Productions. It was directed by Hong Kong born Michael Mak- who between the early 90’s and early 2000’s had eighteen features to his name. These go from tragic romantic drama Everlasting Love (1984), to action film regarding a armed car robbery The Shootout (1992), though to crime thriller Island Of Creed (1997).  The film is loosely based on The Carnal Prayer Mat, a Chinese erotic novel by 17th century author and playwright Li Yu.

The film is focused on Mei Yeung-Sheng (Lawrence Ng)  a lank, long-haired and fairly large-eared scholar. We first meet him climbing temple steps with his manservant to speak with the Sack Monk an ageing sage - regarding moral and sexual conduct.  With the aged and weary scholar returning  to see the monk once again in the film’s resolve

Throughout the film, Yeung-Sheng experiences a range of sexual encounters, going from awkward and amusing, to the acrobatic, bizarre, and sizzlingly sensual. Weaved through this we get a few male and female, and female-on-female encounters not featuring the scholar- but these are still decidedly steamy, and at points OTT.

So, along the way, we have a fearful of pain virgin & an accidental damaged member encounter. Onto a very hot female-on-female fleshy bounding via a flute. We have a plate smashing, room wreaking, climbing up chain’s sagging session.  Some Ink pen and paint-brush female pleasuring, and an underwater session with several shifting positions.

Weaved through the sexy stuff- we get some generally hilarious and wonderfully wacky moments- like a bubbling horse penis transplant, a chasing with a sharp chopper encounter with an angry husband, etc.

Acting wise Lawrence Ng is excellent as our hapless, bumbling, later sexually proficient hero. The surrounding cast is all decent too- with an appearance of Category III legend Amy Yip in the cast.

I’d been aware of Sex And Zen for some years now- so it’s great to finally see it, and for once it well and truly lives up to its reputation- been both very funny and very sexy.

The region B release features a new 2k scan- this is really bold in it’s colouring, with a keen crispness to the picture throughout. On the extras side we get a good mix of archive and new stuff.

So new wise we have a commentary track from East Asian film expert Frank Djeng (NY Asian Film Festival).  He begins by letting us know that film was released on the 30th of November 1991 in Hong Kong- it played for a month- taking an impressive eighteen million HK dollars, going onto be the first Chinese softcore film to show abroad.  He gives us a brief history lesson about the period the films set in the 15th century, and points out actors as they appear. He discusses the film use of colour- in particlure Red, which turns up all through out the picture.  We find out that most of the actor’s voices were dubbed over, and he touches on the original 17th century book the films based on.  He talks about the women in the film been all natural, and how it’s mainly focused towards the male hertro sexual side of things- though there are moments of same sex bounding/ kinkier S&M side of things.  Later on, he comments on the use of lighting in the picture, touches on the films sequel and more. All in all, a decent track- though Djeng does dart around a little too much at points. Otherwise on the new side we have The Master of (Sex and) Zen (54.44) filmed interview with director Michael Mak.

On the archive side we have the longer mandarin version of the film [Mono with English Subtitles]- this runs around eight minutes longer than the main version.  Amy Yip - Tempting Your Heart (54.01) which is a rather flashy edited/ showy interview/ feature about the actress.English Opening Credits. English Closing Credits. Original Hong Kong Trailer. Stills Gallery
 

The finished release comes with an illustrated booklet featuring writing from Zoe Smith, Paul Bramhall, and Dylan Cheung. With a double-sided poster.

More often than not when you hear that a film is a sex comedy- you get ready to be disappointed. Either it’s not funny or sexy, or it’s overbalanced to one side or another.  Sex And Zen truly is the prefect sex comedy- as it gets both elements of its form right, and is excellently balanced.