# The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter

The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter is a 1984 Hong Kong film by Shaw Brothers, directed by Lau Kar-leung and starring Gordon Liu, Kara Hui and Alexander Fu (in his final film appearance). It was released as The Invincible Pole Fighters outside of Hong Kong and Invincible Pole Fighter in North America.
Alexander Fu died in a car accident before the filming of The Eight Diagram Pole Fighter was finished. The script was partly re-written after his death and Fu's character does not appear in the final showdown as originally written in the script.
The film is based on the Generals of the Yang Family (Yeung family in Cantonese) legends.

## Plot

With help from the treacherous Song dynasty general Pun Mei, the Khitan-ruled Liao dynasty army succeeded in trapping the loyal Song general Yeung Yip and his seven sons at Golden Beach. Yeung Yip and his sons were all killed or captured in the ambush, except for the 5th son and the 6th son, who managed to escape. The 6th son returned home, but was severely traumatised by the events resulting in tantrums. Meanwhile, the 5th son sought refuge in a monastery in Mount Wutai, but the monastery leaders initially did not consider him calm enough to be a Buddhist monk. As blades were not allowed inside a monastery, he used his training in spears to practice with a pole, eventually developing the unique eight diagram pole fighting technique. When he finally appeared to have put his anger and past behind him, news broke that the Khitans had captured his younger sister, Yeung Baat-mui, who was looking for him. Now he must break his Buddhist vows, which include not killing any living being and not being bothered by worldly affairs, to save Baat-mui and exact his revenge.

## Cast

    Note: The characters' names are in Cantonese romanisation.
| Cast | Role | Description |
| Lily Li | Se Choi-fa | "Taai-gwan", Yeung Yip's wife |
| Wong Yue | Yeung Ping | "Daai-long", Yeung Yip's 1st son |
| Lau Kar-wing | Yeung Ding | "Yi-long", Yeung Yip's 2nd son |
| Mak Tak-law | Yeung On | "Saam-long", Yeung Yip's 3rd son |
| Hsiao Ho | Yeung Fai | "Sei-long", Yeung Yip's 4th son |
| Gordon Liu | Yeung Dak | "Ng-long", Yeung Yip's 5th son |
| Alexander Fu | Yeung Chiu | "Luk-long", Yeung Yip's 6th son |
| David Cheung Chin-pang | Yeung Zi | "Chat-long", Yeung Yip's 7th son |
| Kara Hui | Yeung Kei | "Baat-mui", Yeung Yip's daughter and 8th child |
| Yeung Jing-jing | Yeung Ying | "Gau-mui", Yeung Yip's daughter and 9th child |
| Lam Hak-ming | Pun Mei | Song dynasty general |
| Wang Lung-wei | Ye-leut Lin | Liao dynasty prince |
| Chu Tiet-woh | Gun Kwai | Liao dynasty general |
| Ko Fei | | abbot of the Ching-leung Monastery |
| Ching Chu | Master Ji-hung | senior monk at the Ching-leung Monastery |
| Yuen Tak | | Yang Loyalist with the golden blade |
| Lau Kar-leung | | hunter |

## Production

Actors Alexander Fu Sheng, his younger brother David Cheung Chin-pang and Wong Yue were involved in an automobile accident in which Fu Sheng died. At the time of his death, he had not finished filming his role, after which the director rewrote Fu's parts for Kara Wai's 8th child character.

## Awards and nominations

1985 – 4th Hong Kong Film Awards
* Nominated – Lau Kar-leung, Best Action Choreography