The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter
By Christopher Hyde
April 20, 2004
With Tarantino’s neo-Shaws outing Kill Bill Vol. 2 hitting screens this week, now seems like a good time to look at a recent Celestial release of one of the brothers’ martial arts classics.
Opinions vary widely on whether the wanton celluloid appropriation upon which Kill Bill Vol. 2 is based is outright thievery or devoted tribute, but if all that the film does is to introduce some people to the work of the Shaw Brothers, then that in itself seems a worthwhile accomplishment. From this corner, the director’s reverence for the output of this great Hong Kong studio appears to be genuine — especially since he’s gone so far as to hire old-time Shaw’s regular Gordon Liu for a role in the project. One of the most stalwart of martial arts actors, Liu is well known all over Asia for his spectacular performances in many a Hong Kong action film. He’s also the adopted brother of Liu Chia-liang (aka Lau Kar-leung), a filmmaker who rivals Chang Cheh for the title of the top director to have emerged from the stable of this historic production house.
These two siblings quite often teamed up over the course of their careers, having made over twenty films together from the 1970s right on through the recent Drunken Monkey in 2002. Some of their collaborations are to be considered among the finest martial arts films ever made, with masterpieces like Shaolin Master Killer and The 36th Chamber of Shaolin well known to students of the Hong Kong action film. Another such brilliant joint effort is the 1983 movie The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter, a sumptuous and lively revenge epic that ranks among the top genre efforts to have emerged from what many consider the territory’s cinematic heyday.
The plot of this extraordinary picture centers on the Yang family, a large clan that is lured into a brutal ambush in the film’s action packed opening sequence. Falling prey to the shifty machinations of general Pan Mei (Ku Ming), the brothers Yang and their father are suckered into a confrontation with an army of Tartars. In a breathlessly directed and edited scene of fantastic mayhem, most of the male side of the family is cut down. The only survivors are the fifth (Gordon Liu) and the sixth (Fu Sheng, in his final role just shortly before his tragic death in an auto accident) sons, each of whom escape separately. Yang number five initially meets up with a local hunter who protects him from the villains who are on his heels, and then later hides out in a local monastery to refine his fighting skill and await his chance at retribution. Yang number six’s fate is much more ignominious; driven utterly mad by the carnage he has witnessed, he returns home to inform the family’s matriarch (played wonderfully by the great Lily Li) and his sisters (Yeung Ching-ching and the amazing Hui Ying-hung) of the terrible events which have befallen them.
Ultimately, the storyline leads up to the big payback wherein Yang number five attempts to exact reprisal from the quislings who have so traitorously decimated his family. As the film begins with a dazzling sequence of martial arts skill, you may wonder at first whether the filmmaker can even top this initial impressive scene. But rest assured - with the firm narrative hold that the director keeps over the proceedings, the rhythm gets ratcheted up beautifully right on through the final mind-blowing climactic encounter. This is not a yarn that pauses all that often, and the vibrant camerawork and breakneck cutting combine here to give the entire work a nearly nonstop sense of tension and excitement. While there are occasionally slower portions of the tale that allow the viewer to recoup from the frenetic action of the fight scenes, for the most part the movie’s dynamic sensibility charges ahead with complete abandon. Liu Chia-liang’s scintillating style features much agile cinematography and vigorous violence; and as the stages upon which the drama takes place are the typically lavish backdrop of the Shaw’s signature production design, all the elements cohere into a perfect and singular whole.
Also notable in The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter are the excellent performances of a number of the cast. Lily Li, as always, is a riveting presence in the few scenes in which she appears, and while Fu Sheng’s turn as the insane brother is just a bit over the top, he still manages to bring the correct sense of lunacy to a role that might otherwise play somewhat laughably. Hui Ying-hung’s stunning artistry here is remarkable both for her understated effectiveness as an actress as well as for the high quality of her combat abilities. Previously a dancer before her discovery for the screen, this woman’s graceful nature belies a strength that few Hong Kong actresses have ever achieved through all the industry’s years of existence. It’s a boon to cinema fans everywhere that this fine screen star continues to labor in the medium right on up to the present day. Finally, no discussion of this film would be complete without mentioning the savvy work of star Gordon Liu, whose exceptional ability lets him center every scene that he is in. This actor’s consummate expertise is what truly grounds the movie, giving the entire effort a gravity that allows it to transcend its genre trappings.
While this motion picture has been available previously to North American viewers in its incarnation as Invincible Pole Fighter, the new Celestial Region 3 release is superior to the former versions (and if you don’t have a region free solution by now, what exactly are you waiting for?). Mercifully free of a lot of the “twittering bird” audio effects that have marred some of the company’s prior releases, the new DVD gives this gem the striking full color restoration that it so richly deserves. Justly glorified as one of the true martial arts classics to have ever come out of the Shaw Brothers studio (which is quite a statement, given the long line of topnotch genre efforts put forth by the company), The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter stands up quite well today, and should be recognized as one of the many pieces of cinema that helped serve as inspiration for that Uma Thurman vehicle now playing at a theater near you. So when you’re through scoping out Quentin’s possibly ersatz interpretation of the Hong Kong genre film that’s currently at the megaplex, be sure to take some time to see the historic foundations upon which Kill Bill Vol. 2 is built. For without cornerstones such as this incredible piece of fistic celluloid, Tarantino may never have constructed the towering edifice that is right now entertaining a whole new generation of movie patrons.
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