This is the last film Liu Chia Liang(aka Lau Kar Leung) made for Shaw Brothers Studios and in my opinion, it is probably his best. After doing much lighter, comedic fare like My Young Auntie(of which I champion and highly recommend as well), Liu Chia Liang took this project in a darker, more violent and much more serious direction. Gordon Liu stars in this kung fu epic and is in top fighting form and gives an excellent acting performance as the lead. He plays a brother from a royal family who was betrayed and his father and brothers were slaughtered in an ambush. He finds sanctuary in a Shaolin temple and becomes a monk. As usual in a Gordon Liu/Liu Chia Liang production, the storytelling is fluent, the acting is solid and the fights are awesome. The old Shaw sets look great and there is an abundance of fights as well. They are very well choreographed, but also very brutal and bloody. Shaw Brothers is well known for having quality productions, but The 8 Diagram Polefighter is a flawless production where all the elements come together for a perfect martial arts film. Great story ,acting, direction and some of the best and most intense fight scenes ever filmed put The 8 Diagram Polefighter heads and shoulders above most other martial arts films. The 8 Diagram Polefighter is a must for any martial arts fan and this title gets my highest recommendation. On a sad note, it is unfortunate that Alexander Fu Sheng died in a car accident during the making of this film and could have had a bigger part if he was alive and well.(RIP bro)