Eight Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)
"Wu Lang ba gua gun" (original title)

Director:

Chia-Liang Liu

Writers:

Chia-Liang Liu, Kuang Ni

Stars:

Chia Hui Liu, Sheng Fu, Lily Li

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Chia Hui Liu	...	Yang Wu-lang
Sheng Fu	...	Yang Liu-lang
Lily Li	...	Mrs. Yang
Kara Hui	...	Yang Ba-mei (as Ying Hung Wai)
Ching-Ching Yeung	...	Yang Jiu-mei
Lung Wei Wang	...	Yelu Lin
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Chan-Peng Chang	...	Yang Qi-lang
Yung-cheng Chang
Tiet Wo Chu	...	Ying Kuei
Hou Hsiao	...	Yang Si-lang
Te Hu Hsiao
Ho Chiu Kei
Phillip Ko	...	Abbot
King Chu Lee	...	Master Zhihong
Hao-ming Liao

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

martial arts | buddhist monk | training | kung fu classic | revenge | 

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Details

Country:

Hong Kong

Language:

Cantonese Mandarin

Release Date:

17 February 1984 (Hong Kong)

Also Known As:

Invincible Pole Fighter

Filming Locations:

Hong Kong, China

Company Credits

Production Co:

Shaw Brothers

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

When Sheng Fu was killed in car crash during filming script was rewritten to make Yang No. 5 the hero.

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Goofs

In the Jinsha battle scene, just before the Yang patriarch faces the Tartars' army of archers, the golden blade of his staff is (inadvertently) hacked off by one of the Tartar soldiers. In the next shot of Yang, the blade is still attached to his staff.

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Connections

Referenced in Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (2004)

User Reviews

Vintage Kung Fu flick with very well staged scenes , colorful ambient and stunningly directed

¨The invincible pole fighters¨ , international title , seems to be one of the best Kung Fu movies , including overwhelming combats and spectacular scenarios . Exciting attacks and groundbreaking fighting perfectly staged , the result is a strong entry for action buffs . This is a Run Run Shaw Brothers vintage film and widely considered to be one of the greatest Kung Fu flicks of all time . Epic imperial and subsequent treason and upheaval during China's Ching dynasty , being marvelous and colorfully directed . The picture starts with Yang family battling a group of Mongols , showing a demonstration of splendid martial arts . Insidious Mongols want to overthrow the dynasty with the help of a traitor . As they ambush the influential Yang Family , defenders of the dynasty . The Mongols must hunt down all Yang survivors so their scheme will not be uncovered . During the cruel Mongol attack , the fifth son (Chia Hui Liu or Gordon Liu) arranges to getaway and he arrives in a temple where devotes himself to learning the martial arts at Bhuddist location in order to seek vengeance . In a short period of time he learns the art of fighting , thanks his expert Bhuddist master . When his learning is completed , he set out in pursuit his enemies .

This classic flick displays lots of violence , action filled , zooms ,thrills and fierce combats. This luxurious Kung Fu film was wonderfully filmed with good production design , glimmer cinematography , impressive combats and breathtaking scenes . This is a colourful , Hong-Kong set , mostly filmed in studio and quite budget movie ; leave no cliché untouched , though the fighting are magnificently staged . The picture is full of tumultuous sequences with frenetic action , surprises , climatic combats and groundbreaking struggles . Amid the glamour and grandeur of the scenarios is developed an intrigue about nasty Mongols or Tartars and a learning period at famous Bhuddist temple , including betrayal , crime and exploring the dark side of vengeance . Overwhelming and rousing fights with deadly use of fists , feet and palms , along with such weapons as swords, sticks , and lances . Highlights of the film are the notorious struggle between the master and his pupil and of course the breathtaking and overlong final fighting . Kung Fu training scenes are a direct reference in ¨Kill Bill¨ by Quentin Tarantino , enhanced by the fact that Gordon Liu stars in both movies . The picture is well starred by Chia Hui Liu or Gordon Liu , he is the adopted brother of the greatest Kung-Fu director , Liu Chia-Liang . He is almost always playing a bald-headed monk of some sort . He started his movie career as a stuntman and got promoted to martial arts instructor afterwards . His debut project was Shaolin Martial Arts in which he played a supporting role . In the Challenge of the master, director Liu Chia-Liang successfully moulded him to be a "Hero of Kung-Fu" and he was in the main cast for the movie , too . The 36th Chamber of Shaolin marked the success of Liu and he followed this role and made several Kung-Fu movies ; amongst those , he always portrayed himself as the "Kung-Fu Monk". He played two roles in the "Kill Bill" films . When Sheng Fu was killed in car crash during filming script was rewritten to make Yang No. 5 the hero.

"8 Diagram Pole Fighter" was compellingly directed by Chia Liang Liu and won the Best Martial Arts Award at Asian Film Festival and was the Top 10 Box Office Hits in Hong Kong . Chia Liang Liu or Lau Kar Leung made stunts and directed several Kung Fu movies as ¨Legend of drunk master¨ , "The 36th Chamber of Shaolin" , "8 Diagram Pole Fighter" , ¨Shaolin executioners¨, ¨, ¨Seven swords¨ , ¨Return to Shaolin¨ also with Gordon Liu and ¨Shaolin 3 : Martial arts of Shaolin¨ with Jet Li . Rating : Above average , well worth watching , an unforgettable martial art movie not to be missed. The tale will appeal to art martian fans , essential and indispensable seeing .