Movies like The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984)
The best movies like The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter (1984) are Crippled Avengers (1978), Clan of the White Lotus (1980) and Shaolin Mantis (1978). If The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter hooked you with its action and drama, these 30 similar films are what to watch next, and every pick says why it matches.
Quick picks
- Highest ratedIron Monkey (1993)7.4/10 from 344 votes
- NewestAshes of Time (1994)Released 1994
Crippled Avengers (1978)
A group of martial artists seek revenge after being crippled by Tu Tin-To, a martial arts master, and his son.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisClan of the White Lotus (1980)
The Qing emperor releases all detained Shaolin disciples, but the vindictive White Lotus clan decides to exterminate all the disciples. One martial artist survives the onslaught, and constantly trains while in hiding for revenge.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisShaolin Mantis (1978)
When scholar Wei Fung is forcibly hired by the Manchu Emperor to infiltrate a clan of rebellious Ming Loyalists, his mission goes adrift when he falls in love with the clan's leader's granddaughter. Wei Fung must choose between his new love and his family, who will be put to death if he doesn't return to the palace successfully.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Shaolin Intruders (1983)
On a routine courier mission, the prestigious Chin Hu chief was murdered by four mysterious monks. When all evidence points to Ching Hua, his friend Lei Hsin is determined to clear his name by barging in the Shaolin Temple thrice, and gets intwined in an intricate web of deception!
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Executioners from Shaolin (1977)
After the destruction of the Temple, a Shaolin disciple devotes years to mastering the Tiger style in order to defeat the martial arts master who killed his teacher. His wife, a Crane style specialist, has a feeling one style won't be enough.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisHand of Death (1976)
A young monk must face the Extended Iron Claw technique of a powerful warlord seeking to destroy Shaolin.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisFive Shaolin Masters (1974)
Hu Te et al. escape the burning Shaolin temple after the Qing soldiers destroyed it in Shaolin Temple. The group of 5 decide to develop secret codes to identify fellow patriots, enlist those patriots and eventually meet up again to escape to the south away from the Qings, and also identify the traitor who sold out Shaolin temple. Ma Fu Yi, joins the Qing top fighters to eliminate the rebels but is exposed by Ma Chao-Tsing who gets captured by Ma Fu Yi. Hu meets up with a group of Shaolin men secretly posing as bandits to rescue Ma as their leader is killed in the process, thus the bandits join the rest of the Shaolin patriots.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Five Element Ninjas (1982)
A young martial artist vows to take revenge against the ninja who murdered his martial arts master and brothers. He finds a new teacher and faces, together with his new brothers, the Five Element Ninja challenge.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSnake in the Monkey's Shadow (1979)
When a poor young fishmonger is assaulted following a late delivery to a wealthy family, he attempts to join a drunken boxing school to learn self defense and befriends a monkey style kung fu artist, only to find that the family has employed two snake style kung fu experts as assassins.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Shaolin vs. Lama (1983)
A kung fu fanatic, Yu Ting (Alexander Lo Rei), searching for the ultimate master, saves a young Shaolin monk, Hsu Shi (William Yen), from a group of mobsters and sees it as a golden opportunity to enrich his kung fu skills. He persuades the young novice monk to smuggle him into Shaolin, but Ting's presence isn't welcome and he is driven out, but remains close to the temple, keeping in touch with Hsu Shi. When Ting rescues a girl from the clutches of the Flying Eagle gang, the Golden Wheel Lama and sworn enemy of Shaolin finds the perfect excuse to lead an assault on the Temple. Realizing Ting's devotion, the abbot decides to bring Ting into the Shaolin order and teach him the deadliest techniques to prepare him for the Lama's merciless fury.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
To Kill with Intrigue (1977)
Young master Cao Le chases his pregnant girlfriend away from the family castle. He does it in order to save her from vicious bandits who are going to murder his family.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
SnoozefestMovies like thisThe One-Armed Swordsman (1967)
A noble swordsman, whose arm had been chopped off, returns to his former teacher to defend him from a villainous gang of rival swordsmen.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Chinese Boxer (1970)
Lei Ming, a noble young martial arts student who doesn't know the meaning of giving up. He faces a treacherous, blood-thirsty Japanese karate expert, which leads to many memorable battles as well as several unforgettable training sequences.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Five Venoms (1978)
A dying master sends his last student to check up on five former pupils, who each know a special style of kung-fu.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisSnake in the Eagle's Shadow (1978)
Everyone abuses and humiliates a downtrodden orphan until he befriends an old man, who turns out to be the last master of the snake fist fighting style. Jackie becomes the old man's student and finds himself in battle with the master of the eagle's claw style, who has vowed to destroy the snake fist clan.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisThe Rebel Intruders (1980)
China is ripped apart by a civil war, and thousands of displaced refugees swarm into towns not yet ravaged by war. Three such refugees arrive in one town. They join forces with local rebel leaders to escape to the south before getting into trouble with Lu Feng who is out to exterminate all rebels.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action
Kid with the Golden Arm (1979)
Jin bei tong opens with a group of escort guards preparing to move a shipment of gold from the local government to an area stricken by famine... one of the very few Venom films where all six Venom actors are present within a single film.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Magnificent Ruffians (1979)
Venom regulars Philip Kwok, Chiang Sheng, and Sun Chien star as a gang of unemployed martial artists who spend their days stuffing their faces at local restaurants and letting the staff beat them up instead of paying the bill. Their fortunes appear to improve when the head of a local security agency hires them to take out the competition, who their new employer insists is up to no good. But the boys are being played for fools, and after an unfortunate misunderstanding, they unite with their former adversary to take out the true villain.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Return of Bastard Swordsman (1984)
Wudang is in trouble again, with both Dugu Wu Di planning to attack the Wudang temple and an interloping group of martial artists from Japan waiting in the background.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action
Invincible Shaolin (1978)
Three North Shaolin teachers are called on by the Manchus to teach their soldiers and are urged to challenge the current South Shaolin teachers. They defeat the South Shaolin teachers and, that night, the head general kills the South Shaolin teachers and blames their death on the North Shaolin teachers. The South Shaolin master sends more of his pupils, who are killed accidentally by the North Shaolin teachers. He finally sends two more of his students to train with old masters and trains one student himself with the goal of finally defeating the North Shaolin experts.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Victim (1980)
Chung Yao, a martial arts expert, has long been on the run from his stepbrother, who he caught trying to rape his wife on their wedding night. His brother has never given up the chase however, and Chung Yao live in constant fear that the vengeful stepbrother will murder him and his wife.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Legend of the Fox (1980)
Chin Siu Ho plays a young man who believes himself to be an orphan. Until one rainy night when he and three different men find themselves taking shelter from the storm in the same place. Here the man who raised him tells him at last the story of who his parents were. His father (Lu Feng) was a great swordsman trying to dispel rumors of a wrongdoing and return a lost sword to its rightful owner. Kuo Choi and Chiang Sheng (also master swordsmen) are the parties that Lu Feng is trying to rectify things with. Through cowardly trickery on Chiang's part, a duel ensues and it all winds up with Lu's death. His son is taken to safety by a servant (the man who since raised him). Now with the truth told, Chin Siu Ho seeks out Kuo Choi's aid and seeks vengeance for the wrongful death of his father.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Masked Avengers (1981)
Philip Kwok plays a repentant killer who vows to destroy the masked gang of which he was a member. A young fighter and his martial arts brothers come to the town to catch the killers, but one of them is not to be trusted!
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Once Upon a Time in China (1991)
In late 19th-century Canton, legendary hero Wong Fei-Hung battles foreign forces' (English, French and American) plundering of China. When Aunt Yee returns from America totally westernised, Wong assumes the role of protector. This proves difficult when his martial arts school and local militia become involved in fierce battles with foreign and local governments. As violence escalates, even Aunt Yee has to question her new western ideals, but is it possible to fight guns with Kung Fu?
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisIron Monkey (1993)
In this Hong Kong variation of Robin Hood, corrupt officials of a Chinese village are robbed by a masked bandit known as "Iron Monkey", named after a benevolent deity. When all else fails, the Governor forces a traveling physician into finding the bandit.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Worth the HypeMovies like thisAshes of Time (1994)
Ouyang Feng is a heartbroken and cynical man who spends his days in the desert, connecting expert swordsmen with those seeking revenge and willing to pay for it. Throughout five seasons in exile, Ouyang spins tales of his clients' unrequited loves and unusual acts of bravery.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both drama & action
Worth the HypeMovies like thisDragon Fist (1979)
After the death of his master, martial arts student Tong Huo-wan travels with his adoptive family to seek redress from the man responsible but finds himself torn between righteousness and filial piety after becoming entangled in a feud between a local clan and gangsters.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action
Popcorn FlickMovies like thisThe Mystery of Chess Boxing (1979)
A young orphan, Ah Pao wants to learn kung fu in order to avenge his father, who was murdered by the infamous Ghost Face Killer - an overwhelming force of destruction and master of the death-dealing Five Element Fist.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
The Avenging Eagle (1978)
Eagle Chief Yoh Xi-hung raises orphans to be his personal killers. One such is Chik Ming-sing who now wants to put his killer life behind him. When the Eagle Clan come after him, a stranger called Cheuk comes to his assistance It turns out that Cheuk is the son of a family who were robbed and murdered by the Eagles. Now they will team up to destroy the evil clan.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action
Duel to the Death (1983)
In 16th century, during the Ming dynasty era, every ten years the greatest swordsman from Japan faces the greatest swordsman from China in a duel to the death for their nation's honor. As a duel approaches, Chinese champion Bo Ching-Wan and Japanese champion Miyamoto uncover a plot to rig the fight.
Why it matches: Fans watch both · both action & drama
Popcorn FlickMovies like this
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Frequently asked questions
What are the best movies like The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter?
The closest matches to The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter are Crippled Avengers (1978), Clan of the White Lotus (1980) and Shaolin Mantis (1978). Below are 27 more, each with the reason it matches.
What should I watch after The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter?
People who watched The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter most often go on to Crippled Avengers (1978), Clan of the White Lotus (1980) and Shaolin Mantis (1978).
What is the highest-rated movie like The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter?
Iron Monkey (1993), rated 7.4/10 by 344 TMDB users.
What is the newest movie like The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter?
Ashes of Time (1994) is the most recent release on this list.
How are movies similar to The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter chosen?
First come films that Trakt’s viewers watch alongside The 8 Diagram Pole Fighter, then TMDB’s recommendations and films it rates as similar in story and genre. Each pick says which signal put it there.