While Jackie Chan was trying to break the mold of what was considered a traditional martial arts film, Shaw Brothers were still pushing forward with what they were best known for. Director Lau Kar-leung was considered by many to be one of the best in the business and he most certainly was. He jumped behind the camera for their 1984 film, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, which is an exemplary example of a martial arts film. Despite the tragedy that would befall the production, he and his team managed to pull everything together and deliver an exciting picture that would eventually withstand the test of time.
The film, which is loosely based on true events, follows the Yang family as they’re slaughtered by their enemies for political reasons. The evil Pan Mei (Lam Hak-ming) makes sure the patriarch of the family witnesses the slaughter of five of his sons. The surviving sons, the 5th and 6th (Gordon Liu and Alexander Fu-Sheng), took different paths after the tragedy. One disappears after losing his mind from the trauma, while the other throws himself deep into Buddhist teachings, which will eventually lead him down a path of revenge.
RELATED: BLU-RAY REVIEW: ARROW’S ‘YŌKAI MONSTERS COLLECTION’ IS A BLAST FROM START TO FINISH
During production, the film was partially re-written after the tragic death of the film’s lead, Alexander Fu-Sheng. He would succumb to the injuries he sustained in a car accident. His character was written out and Gordon Liu’s was expanded. Regardless of the hardships behind the scenes, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter is a classic for a reason. From the opening fight to the final battle, there’s never a wasted frame. The fight choreography is superb and filled with a ferociousness rarely seen during the Shaw Brothers’ cinematic reign. It’s been called Lau Kar-leung’s masterpiece by critics around the world; they may be right.
Arrow Video has delivered the quintessential package for the martial arts classic. It features both the original Cantonese language version along with the English dub. It contains a brand new commentary track from author Jonathan Clements; an appreciation by critic and historian Tony Rayns, and interviews filmed in 2004 with Gordon Liu, Yeung Ching-ching, and Lily Li. Most interesting, was the inclusion of A Tribute to Fu Sheng, a short that would celebrate the actor that was shown before screenings of the film. Housed in a slipcase with reversible artwork, The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter is a down-and dirty martial arts masterpiece and Arrow has delivered a package worthy of the movie’s reputation.
