Customer Reviews

Diagram Pole Fighter

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a unique movie. It starts off with a very serious Lily Li getting a message in her thoughts that only 6 out of her 7 sons will return from a battle with some Mongolians. Instead, only brother #6 returns (Alexander Fu Sheng). He comes back insane after seeing all of his brothers die. It was a bit disturbing for me as well. Hsiao Ho, Lau Kar Wing, Wong Yue and 2 other Yang brothers all bite the dust before the movie ever really starts. Luckily, Yang #5 (Gordon Liu) makes it out alive and goes to study at Shaolin Temple. That is all I will tell about the story, you just have to experience it for yourself. A true Shaw Brothers classic. The use of sets only may turn some people off, but they are beautiful sets and any Shaws fan will not have a problem with this. Also, if you love hand to hand, there is a slight chance you will not like this wonderful movie. It is all pole fighting, no hand to hand. Only get this if you want to see some of the best stick work ever. Even Lily Li gets about 2 minutes to show off. And just like a lot of Lau kar Leung's other films, this is a true Shaolin movie, and the Shaolin pole techniques are on full display. Their skills in pole fighting are a big reason why the Emperor favored them and why Shaolin became what it is today.

If you are a fan of The 36th Chamber of Shaolin, you may like this movie even more. Not as many training scenes, but some awesome Gordon Liu action.

You need good villains in kung fu movies and luckily Johnny Wang Lung Wei is in this. The other 2 main baddies are acceptable. Philip Kao Fei also stars in a very memorable role as the head abbot.

Even though this movie had to be drasticly changed because of Fu Sheng's death during the time of filming, it is amazingly still a masterpiece in just about every way.

Another one of the last Shaw films, and another one of the very best. Sad to see they had to close up when they had all of these megastars on hand to make great movies like this.

One more note- I was not expecting this high of a death total in a Lau Kar Leung movie. He usually stays away from the violence. Well, "usually" is the key word here because I counted well over a 100 total deaths (you have to watch very close). The poles get very bloody. :)

Another masterpiece from Master Lau. I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this.

4.5/5

What can I say? I'm a fool thinking that I was a true fan of the old school Venom/Shaw Bros. movies without ever even seeing The Invincible Pole Fighters, until today. The Invincible Pole Fighters is hands down the definitive Shaw Bros. Kung Fu Flick. I thought the Master Killer was Gordon Liu's best movie, until today. This movie has awesome action, a cool plot, the late Fu Sheng, Gordon Liu, and a cameo by the Kung Fu King himself Liu Chia Liang(director)! Kudos to Venom Mob Films for bring this rare flick out to the public and for noting on the packaging that it's a video transfer. Ground-Zero films should take lessons from the Venom Mob. Hey any chance of this flick being released remastered and uncut?

Eight Diagram Pole Fighter is definitely one of the best of all-time. Its in my top 5. The pole fighting in this movie is spectacular. My favorite scene is when Gordon Liu fights the shaolin monk to complete his training. The choreography is amazing. $$$ well spend. You must buy this movie. It is Gordon Liu at his best.

WHY, WHY, WHY?!? Why must they edit what is quite possibly THE GREATEST MOVIE OF ALL TIME, period. I don't understand. They'll let us see a guy get half his face sliced off, but cut a very powerful scene in which the elder Yang commits suicide(by doing a 3-story-high, double flip into a flying, brain-exploding headbut on top of what I guess to be the Yang family monument, double-flips back down to the ground and dies on his feet) rather than surrender to the mongols! Despite the foul editing, this movie is so tight that it is virtually unruinable and still worthy of 5+ stars and the 12 or 13 bucks it costs.
Believe me, from the clever beginning [7 leave, 6 return(s)] to the wicked, bloody end, and excellent, intense, martial arts action from ear to ear, this flick surpasses even the Five Deadly Venoms and Master Killer.
starring Gordon "master killer" Liu, Fu Sheng, Wong Lung Wei
directed by Liu Chia Liang.
Definitely deserves your attention.

This is a much better than average kung fu film from Shaw Bros. and Lau Kar Leung. After an attack by the Mongols that leaves 4 of his 5 brothers dead, Yang #5 (Gordon Liu) kind of bullies his way into a Buddhist temple to train for revenge. Meanwhile Yang #6 (Alexander Fu Sheng, who died in a car crash during production) returns home with little, if any, of his sanity intact.

When the Yang mother finds out about #5's err, uh... aliveness... and monastic residence, she sends Yang sister #8 (Kara Hui) to bring him home. She is, of course, captured by the Mongols and #5 must set out to rescue her. Luckily he has been studying zoological dentistry and is up to the task.

Part of the joy in watching these films is the sheer beauty of photography, and while this is no exception, it has a few exceptions. I love the use of sets in Shaw Bros. productions, but this movie has a couple that are rather blatant. Walls painted to look like exteriors are usually placed several yards behind the actors and other props to avoid obvious detection. We're talking about .02% of the movie so the complaint is minor. The fights are all with weapons, which is slightly disappointing, but they're all very good. My only other complaint is that whoever dubbed Fu Sheng's voice as he yells a lot of incoherent psychotic ramblings is terribly annoying, but we're talking like another .02% of the flick, so, no biggie.

1984. aka: 8 Diagram Pole Fighter; Invincible Pole Fighter

I would have to say without a doubt this has got to be one of Gordon Liu's best performances. He is young, and extremely fast in this movie. Wonderful Choreography and full of action. The Plot was good, and the story line a slight confusion but all in all Magnificent. The coffin Fight Yes I said "Coffin fight" alone to save his sister was amazing. Get this one Everyone this is Awesome!

Sifu Monroe

Brilliant.

OK, I will tell you more, but there is really not much more that needs to be said. This is a unique movie. It starts off with a very serious Lily Li getting a message in her thoughts that only 6 out of her 7 sons will return from a battle with some Mongolians. Instead, only brother #6 returns(Fu Sheng). He comes back insane after seeing all of his brothers die. It was a bit disturbing for me as well. Hsiao Ho, Lau Kar Wing, Wong Yue and 2 other Yang brothers all bite the dust before the movie ever really starts. Luckily, Yang #5 (Gordon Liu) makes it out alive and goes to study at Shaolin Temple. That is all I will tell about the story, you just have to experience it for yourself. A true Shaw Brothers classic. The use of sets only may turn some people off, but they are beautiful sets and any Shaws fan will not have a problem with this. Also, if you love hand to hand, there is a slight chance you will not like this wonderful movie. It is all pole fighting, no hand to hand. Only get this if you want to see some of the best stick work ever. Even Lily Li gets about 2 minutes to show off. And just like a lot of Lau kar Leung's other films, this is a true Shaolin movie, and the Shaolin pole techniques are on full display. Their skills in pole fighting is a big reason why the Emperor favored them and why Shaolin became what it is today.

If you liked '36th Chamber of Shaolin', this is a must have in your collection. Not as many training scenes, but some awesome Gordon Liu action.

No doubt one of the greatest casts ever including Johnny Wang Lung Wei as one of the villains. You need good villains in kung fu movies and luckily Lung Wei is in it. The other 2 main baddies are acceptable. Also starring is Kara Hui and Philip Kao Fei in a very memorable role.

Even though this movie had to be drasticly changed because of Fu Sheng's death during the time of filming, it is amazingly still a masterpiece in just about every way.

Another one of the last Shaw films, and another one of the very best. Sad to see they had to close up when they had all of these megastars on hand to make great movies like this.

One more note- I was not expecting this high of a death total in a Lau Kar Leung movie. He usually stays away from the violence. Well, "usually" is the key word here because I counted well over a 100 total deaths (you have to watch very close). The poles get very bloody. :)

Another masterpiece from Master Lau. I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this. 4.5/5


As for the different versions of this movie-, I have the bootleg Red Sun version. I would recommend waiting for either Image or Dragon Dynasty to release this. There is no doubt they will. You can also get the Crash Cinema version which is sadly presented in full screen. IVL has this remastered and Red Sun obviously just stole their remastered print. That is the only way I can come up with a reason for Red Sun having it remastered. They steal their prints DIRECTLY from the IVL versions. Most of them at least. If it's not stolen from Celestial, it is probably not remastered. If people do not know about Red Sun being a bootlegging company, then DO NOT SUPPORT THEM ANYMORE. Just so you know, supporting bootleggers like Red Sun DESTROYS ANY chances for a legitimate American movie release. If you don't believe me or wish to find out more info on what I am talking about, just ask. I would be more than happy to comment on how Red Sun is absolutely heartless and tries to ruin martial arts movies for true fans. I am a true fan, and I find their DVDs disgusting. I hope that everyone realizes this.

This movie was fantastic. I am a person who was not allowed to watch a lot of kung fu movies, and fighting as a kid but I am diving head first back into this fun realm.

The movie starts and ends with action, has a fantastic plot, and has fairly believable acting throughout. Gordon Liu (Brother #5) was excellent as a young warrior that had to swallow his pride, and instincts of revenge long enough to attack in the end. The only reasons why it was not a five-star movie was because the other brothers who got ambushed and killed were on so briefly, that their actual number of birth did not even matter. In addition, it was hard to figure out who was good, and evil but at the same time that part was a strength of the movie. A major reason for this was because the Yang family was well known throughout the area as upholders of the law, but the evil general was trying to kill all of the brothers, and end their faithful rebellious following. In reality he had them set up, and then tried to find the remaining two brothers and charge them for treason.
Good questions to ask yourself when watching this movie are:

If the head monk of the Buddhist temple was such a great fighter, then why would a Mongel ambush pose even the smallest threat?

If Brother #5 knew that the anti-pole weapons used by the general's men were what killed his brothers, then why did he not train to nullify their ability?

Why did Brother #4 really go crazy, and how were they going to have him cured?

This is a must have movie with actors that are in many of the good Shaw Brothers/ Wu-Tang/ Shaolin movies. The fighting skills were very good, and there wasn't much use of the "fake receeding hairline shoguns" of other movies which mostly has you laughing instead of paying attention to the plot.

This DVD is one of the best Kunf Fu flicks around. If you only own 2 Gorden Liu DVDs, it should be this one and Master Killer.

This film is a pleasure to watch from start to finish, having superb action, a good story, great costumes, and women who can fight as well. Gorden Liu's superb skills show, especailly while he trains in the pond at Wu-Tang mountain.

The costumes and sets give this film a higher visual standard, putting it a different arena than other old school Kung Fu films.
The fights in this film are designed beautifully, filled with plenty of traditional kung fu, incredible staff(pole) handling, and a few wire tricks as well.

There's even a fight where Gorden Liu takes on a dozen spearmen while his sister is tied to his back. Sounds almost hokey, but its done in a flawless fashion. The final battle is truly phenominal, but I don't want to give a way the ending...go see it for yourself, for the 14 bucks you'll spend, this one's a must buy.

I bought the 8 Diagram Pole Fighter not expecting much. It has shown on a few enthusiasts lists, but its limited availability left many newer kung fu enthusiasts not knowing its splendor. I literally tacked it onto my Amazon order as an afterthought from a marketplace vendor cheap.

What I was treated to was a super fast paced, superbly choreographed spear and pole movie that kept me absorbed until the last frame. The fights in this movie were like nothing I have seen. And it has a darker feel to it than most Shaw Bros. films (largely attributed to Fu Sheng's death during filming). It has battlefield spear fighting, fighting on a horse (that's two people, one horse), a fight on stacked coffins (has to be seen), and a one on one pole fight with the head monk that is among the best pole fights I have ever seen on film.

The acting is a bit melodramatic. Which works with Gordon Liu, but not some of the other characters. I think that is mainly because Liu has a great intense look, so he can pull off the quiet, intense, melodramatic. The particular edition I got (I believe a Red Sun edition) is ok, but not great. And it is in English dub only, even though it has an 'original language' option on the DVD. It's still English.

If you want this movie, have a bit more money to spend, and have a region free dvd player, expand your search. There are some remastered, original language versions out there. Otherwise, if you want to only spend a few bucks on this edition, go for it. It is definitely worth the money either route you go. This ranks as one of my favorite Shaw Bros., one of my favorite Gordon Liu, and heck, one of my favorite... period.