John Woo

John Woo

Directing
Born Sep 22, 1946
From Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

John Woo Yu-Sen SBS (born September 22, 1946) is a Hong Kong film director and producer. Recognized for his stylised films of highly choreographed action sequences, Mexican standoffs, and use of slow-motion, Woo has directed several notable Hong Kong action films, among them, A Better Tomorrow, The Killer, Hard Boiled and Red Cliff. His Hollywood films include Hard Target, Broken Arrow, Face/Off and Mission: Impossible 2. He also created the comic series Seven Brothers, published by Virgin Comics. Woo was described by Dave Kehr in The Observer in 2002 as "arguably the most influential director making movies today". Woo cites his three favorite films as David Lean's Lawrence of Arabia, Akira Kurosawa's Seven Samurai, and Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samouraï.

Known For

Filmography — Acting

Twin Dragons
6.7
1992

Twin Dragons

Priest

Hard Boiled
7.5
1992

Hard Boiled

Mr. Woo

A Better Tomorrow
7.4
1986

A Better Tomorrow

Inspector Wu

The Founding of a Republic
5.3
2009

The Founding of a Republic

Liu Wenhui

The Banquet
5.6
1991

The Banquet

Man on Stairs

Bullet in the Head
7.6
1990

Bullet in the Head

Policeman

Once a Thief
6.8
1991

Once a Thief

Stanley Wu

Hand of Death
6.1
1976

Hand of Death

Zhang Yi

Beginning of the Great Revival
4.6
2011

Beginning of the Great Revival

Lin Sen

Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu
6.8
2003

Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu

Self

The Young Dragons
6.7
1974

The Young Dragons

Message Deliverer

I Love Maria
6.3
1988

I Love Maria

The Thirty Million Dollar Rush
6.9
1987

The Thirty Million Dollar Rush

Ling's Husband

Plain Jane to the Rescue
5.8
1982

Plain Jane to the Rescue

Self

Ken San
6.0
2016

Ken San

Self

Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema
4.9
1998

Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema

Self

Rebel from China
1990

Rebel from China

Kwong

How Bruce Lee Changed the World
8.0
2009

How Bruce Lee Changed the World

Self

Young Lovers on Flying Wheels
5.0
1974

Young Lovers on Flying Wheels

Man at Bike Reclaim Centre

Starry Is the Night
6.0
1988

Starry Is the Night

Father Fan

The King of Wuxia Part 1
8.7
2022

The King of Wuxia Part 1

Self

Love, Lone Flower
1985

Love, Lone Flower

Sunset in Paris
7.0
1989

Sunset in Paris

Maggie's uncle

Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong
2003

Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong

Self

Follow the Star
10.0
1978

Follow the Star

Miss Chen's Father

A Century of Light and Shadow
2005

A Century of Light and Shadow

Self

Itchy Fingers
7.2
1979

Itchy Fingers

Triad Boss on Lorry

From Riches to Rags
4.0
1980

From Riches to Rags

[cameo]

Task Force
7.0
1997

Task Force

Police Chief

Cinema of Vengeance
5.4
1994

Cinema of Vengeance

Self (uncredited)

The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies
5.7
2002

The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies

Self - Interviewee

Cinema Hong Kong: Wu Xia
6.0
2003

Cinema Hong Kong: Wu Xia

Self

Kurosawa's Way
5.8
2011

Kurosawa's Way

Self

The King of Wuxia Part 2
2022

The King of Wuxia Part 2

Self

The Life and Times of Wu Zhong Xian
2003

The Life and Times of Wu Zhong Xian

As himself

Happy Union 2
1985

Happy Union 2

The Master: Chang Cheh Documentary
2003

The Master: Chang Cheh Documentary

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
7.3
2017

John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood

Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)

Kurosawa: The Last Emperor
5.4
1999

Kurosawa: The Last Emperor

Self

Dead Knot
5.7
1969

Dead Knot

Boy

Mission: Improbable
7.5
2001

Mission: Improbable

John Woo

Film ohne Fesseln - Das neue Hongkong Kino
7.3
1993

Film ohne Fesseln - Das neue Hongkong Kino

Self

Crossings: John Woo
2004

Crossings: John Woo

Self

The Making of Hard Boiled
2007

The Making of Hard Boiled

The Mandarin
7.0
1973

The Mandarin

Life in 24 Frames a Second
2021

Life in 24 Frames a Second

Self

Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki
2008

Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki

Accidentally
4.4
1968

Accidentally

Young Man

Filmography — Crew

The Killer

The Killer

Director

Face/Off

Face/Off

Director

Mission: Impossible II

Mission: Impossible II

Director

Hard Boiled

Hard Boiled

Director

Hard Target

Hard Target

Director

A Better Tomorrow

A Better Tomorrow

Director

Broken Arrow

Broken Arrow

Director

Red Cliff II

Red Cliff II

Screenplay

Windtalkers

Windtalkers

Director

The Killer

The Killer

Director

Red Cliff

Red Cliff

Director

Reign of Assassins

Reign of Assassins

Producer

Paycheck

Paycheck

Director

Bullet in the Head

Bullet in the Head

Director

Once a Thief

Once a Thief

Director

Hand of Death

Hand of Death

Director

Manhunt

Manhunt

Director

Just Heroes

Just Heroes

Director

A Better Tomorrow II

A Better Tomorrow II

Director

Silent Night

Silent Night

Producer

The Crossing I

The Crossing I

Director

A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon

A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon

Producer

Appleseed: Ex Machina

Appleseed: Ex Machina

Producer

Bulletproof Monk

Bulletproof Monk

Producer

The Crossing II

The Crossing II

Director

The Young Dragons

The Young Dragons

Director

Heroes Shed No Tears

Heroes Shed No Tears

Producer

Somebody Up There Likes Me

Somebody Up There Likes Me

Producer

The Private Eyes

The Private Eyes

Producer

Blood Brothers

Blood Brothers

Producer

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 1: The Sun Flag

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 1: The Sun Flag

Producer

Plain Jane to the Rescue

Plain Jane to the Rescue

Director

Last Hurrah for Chivalry

Last Hurrah for Chivalry

Director

Money Crazy

Money Crazy

Director

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 2: The Rainbow Bridge

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 2: The Rainbow Bridge

Producer

A Better Tomorrow

A Better Tomorrow

Screenplay

Laughing Times

Laughing Times

Screenplay

The Dragon Tamers

The Dragon Tamers

Director

To Hell with the Devil

To Hell with the Devil

Director

My Fair Gentleman

My Fair Gentleman

Producer

Love, Lone Flower

Love, Lone Flower

Producer

Blackjack

Blackjack

Director

Color Me Love

Color Me Love

Producer

The Time You Need a Friend

The Time You Need a Friend

Director

Princess Chang-Ping

Princess Chang-Ping

Director

Run Tiger Run

Run Tiger Run

Director

Follow the Star

Follow the Star

Director

Hostage

Hostage

Director

All the Invisible Children

All the Invisible Children

Director

From Riches to Rags

From Riches to Rags

Director

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale

Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale

Producer

Don't Cry, Nanking

Don't Cry, Nanking

Producer

Ghost Bustin

Ghost Bustin

Producer

Once a Thief

Once a Thief

Director

The Robinsons: Lost in Space

The Robinsons: Lost in Space

Director

Happy Union 2

Happy Union 2

Producer

The Idiot Assassin

Producer

Super Citizen

Super Citizen

Producer

Happy Union

Happy Union

Producer

Hello, Late Homecomers

Hello, Late Homecomers

Director

Dead Knot

Dead Knot

Writer

Gambino

Director

X-Crucior

Director

The Making of Stranglehold

The Making of Stranglehold

Producer

Accidentally

Accidentally

Director