The 36th Chamber of Shaolin (1978)

Gordon Liu’s journey through all 35 training chambers delivers the most rigorous martial-arts syllabus ever filmed. The Shaolin monk’s mastery of 35 disciplines—from staff fighting to meditation—takes 2.5 hours of screen time, making it 40% longer than typical Shaw Brothers fare. This dedication to process outpaces #7 Hero in practical technique, while the film’s 92% Rotten Tomatoes rating underscores its enduring influence.