Leofwine_draca Despite its late arrival, this can still be considered a classic Shaw Brothers movie and has remained much-loved by fans since its first release. Although there's a lowered budget – somehow, the sets aren't so impressive this time around – the film still offers solid, sometimes fantastic martial arts bouts and plenty of action to keep it moving nicely along. My only complaint is with the costumes, which thanks to the low budget now look rather tawdry and poor. I mean, some of the bad guys wear leopard skins and others wear Santa Claus costumes! As is typical for the genre, the story is nothing special but provides a nice basis for the action. The opening sequence is a confusing massacre with some really violent action in it, including a man scalped and a guy turned into a pin cushion with about two dozen arrows. From then on the film mainly charts the course of lead Gordon Liu, as he seeks solitude in a Shaolin temple and comes up against some monks who teach him the ways of wooden pole fighting. The fights are hard and fast, and include some imaginative scenes in which full-size wooden wolves are used as training devices! Liu is excellent as the lead and brings sympathy to his character despite the usual dodgy dubbing, and his scenes contrast nicely with his only other surviving brother, now turned mad.The film piles on the action with a series of minor characters (the farmer, the monk) heroically dying after facing off against tons of enemies, my favourite when a guy pulls a wall down on top of the opposition and himself. There are some strong female characters in the forms of Liu's shapely sisters who show off some mean martial arts abilities. Any fan of the Shaw Brothers will be expecting a gruesome finale and THE INVINCIBLE POLE FIGHTERS delivers on all accounts in this respect. The main bad guy gets his face shredded and smashed through a coffin, and another theme seems to be teeth-pulling as most of the villains find their gobs smashed and their teeth flying all over the place! Bloody brilliant stuff and a terrific finale to the film. Any martial arts fan should check this film out immediately just to watch the classic action, endless pole fighting and superhuman manoeuvres.

I-Sense-A-Plot For many years, 36 Chambers or "Master Killer" had been unanimously decided by fans of the classic kung fu genre to be the best kung fu movie ever made. Directed by Lau Kar Leung in 1978, 36 Chambers marked a change in how audiences viewed the genre, and during this period, Lau, who had officially severed ties with Chang Cheh as a fight choreographer was crowned the "King of Kung Fu".I've watched 36 Chambers and while a powerful movie, I would have to say 8 Pole Diagram Fighter deserves the title of 'best kung fu movie ever made'. This was one of Lau Kar Leung's final masterpieces and the movie he was dying to make Both movies star Gordon Liu as a young man who transitions from a life of political intrigue to Buddhist Monk. While both movies depict the rewards of hard work as the hero overcomes the struggles of trying to adhere to a new life, it a also doesn't shy back away from the difficulties of staying true to his new beliefs when loved ones are endangered and the same evil men continue to oppress the people a "detached" monk can't stop caring about.Emotions run incredibly high, in 8 Diagram Pole Fighter, but while a bit over-dramatic, it is sure not to disappoint fans and new comers to this genre of movies. 8 Pole Diagram Fighter is simply put, a movie you have to see to believe. Cheesy costumes an goofy set pieces doesn't distract. This is the best kung fu movie ever made.

sarastro7 I'd heard a lot of people praise this movie, so I expected a lot.What I got was a decent but overly gaudy and loud ("aaaaaaarrrrgggghhhhhh!!!" all the time) movie. Lots of cool action, and (all things considered) a fair story, but I didn't really find it either believable or particularly memorable. The bad guys' pole-snagging device was extremely silly. I thought some of the costumes were good, but the chaotic way they fought (and screamed!!!) was too over-the-top and non-stop. Not much to be taken seriously, despite this not being (intended as) a comedy. I have seen many kung fu movies much better than this; I am not a great fan of the exaggeratedly flashy type of martial arts movies.Still, this was not a bad movie, and I rate it a 7 out of 10.

InzyWimzy Gordon Liu, Alexander Fu Sheng, Venoms, Kara Hui. This movie has it all.One definite thing about the movie is it is dark. The whole mood is set from the incredible opening credits sequence and all throughout the film. Gordon Liu is Yang #6; a man bent on seeking revenge. His pole fighting is amazing in this one in both battle and training. You cannot miss the scene when he enters the Shaolin temple - classic Liu!!Alexander Fu Sheng as Yang #5 gives a great performance as man driven insane from traumatic events. Although it's english dubbing, Fu Sheng's facial expressions and acting is really great in this one...he really looks crazy!! I enjoyed seeing his panic attacks being doused by Mother Yang who's not too shabby a fighter herself. Kara Hui is Yang #8 and her fight scenes are always a sight to see! Oh, Lau Kar Leung's cameo is short, but is wickedly intense!Overall, this has become a favorite of mine. Whether it's the pole training in the wolf room, the final battle, or those deadly coiling staffs, I could watch this one again and again and...