John Woo
John Woo Yu-Sen SBS 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 | Directing |
|---|---|
| Most Rating | 8.75 |
| Birthday | 1946-09-22 |
| Place of Birth | Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China |
| Also Known As | Wu Yu-Sheng, Wu Yu-Shen, Wu Yao-Shen, John Y. S. Woo, John Y. Woo, Ng Yue-Sum, |
1992
Hard Boiled
7.526/775
A cop who loses his partner in a shoot-out with gun smugglers goes on a mission to catch them. In order to get closer to the leaders of the ring he jo...
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Hard Boiled
2001
Mission: Improbable
7.529/18
A behind the scenes look at the stunt work of "Mission: Impossible 2", told through one stunt man who looks like a certain superstar, who's got his lo...
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Mission: Improbable
2009
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
7.983/30
More than just a biography, this film explores Bruce Lee's global impact to see how he has influenced all areas of popular culture including fitness,...
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How Bruce Lee Changed the World
1968
Dead Knot
0/0
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Dead Knot
1968
Accidentally
4.2/3
John Woo's experimental short film, made during his time in college. The line between genuine love and violent obsession is blurred when a man falls f...
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Accidentally
1974
The Young Dragons
6.5/2
The powerful mobster Leung, who is protected by the dangerous and wicked Huan Fai, sells two hundred Japanese weapons and ammunition to a Chinese gang...
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The Young Dragons
1998
Jackie Chan: My Story
6.3/35
Jackie Chan is one of the world's biggest action stars, famed for his wacky sense of humor, remarkable martial arts techniques, and willingness to per...
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Jackie Chan: My Story
2011
Beginning of the Great Revival
4.7/35
A chronicle of the events that led to the founding of the Chinese Communist Party.
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Beginning of the Great Revival
1988
I Love Maria
6.118/17
RoboCop as a woman... The Hero Gang is a nasty group of thugs terrorizing Hong Kong with their killer robots, Pioneers 1 and 2. While Pioneer 1 looks...
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I Love Maria
1974
Young Lovers on Flying Wheels
5/1
Forced to choose between the woman he loves and the dangerous, fast-paced life of motorcycles, what will our hero do? Will he toss the bike aside and...
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Young Lovers on Flying Wheels
2003
The Master: Chang Cheh Documentary
0/0
One of the greatest, prolific and most influential action directors in history Chang Cheh! Documentary about the Shaw Brother's most prolific directo...
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The Master: Chang Cheh Documentary
1991
Once a Thief
6.694/142
Three orphans grow up to become art thieves under the tutelage of a crime boss. Romance complicates matters when the trio are double-crossed.
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Once a Thief
1999
Kurosawa: The Last Emperor
5.5/4
A profile and history of film director Akira Kurosawa.
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Kurosawa: The Last Emperor
1998
Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema
5.4/7
An exploration of Chinese cinema and its relationships with gender and sexuality, which the film argues has been more frankly and provocatively explor...
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Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema
2003
Cinema Hong Kong: Wu Xia
6/2
A full journey from the beginning of "Swordplay" movies in Shanghai, growth in Hong Kong cinemas in the 60's and 70's and Ang Lee's epic "Crouching Ti...
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Cinema Hong Kong: Wu Xia
1989
Sunset in Paris
7/2
The story of "Sunset Paris" tells that Leslie Cheung, who plays Leslie, and Maggie Cheung, who plays Maggie, are a couple. Leslie gets an opportunity...
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Sunset in Paris
1988
Starry Is the Night
6/3
As Cai Mei, a single 40 year old woman and a social worker starts a relationship with a teen-ager Tian-Ah, she remembers her relationship when she was...
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Starry Is the Night
1990
Rebel from China
0/0
Prolific action director Woo proves his thespian mettle on screen as a destitute, desperate Chinese defector who, with his brother in tow, tries to fi...
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Rebel from China
2011
Kurosawa's Way
5.4/11
Eleven major film makers from Europe, America and Asia talk about Akira Kurosawa and discover surprising influences on their own work.
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Kurosawa's Way
1982
Plain Jane to the Rescue
5/3
Jane, with plain looks but a heart of gold, is always in between jobs. Once she gets a job, her knack for creating awkward situations immediately lose...
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Plain Jane to the Rescue
1986
A Better Tomorrow
7.408/500
A reforming ex-gangster tries to reconcile with his estranged policeman brother, but the ties to his former gang are difficult to break.
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A Better Tomorrow
1985
Love, Lone Flower
0/0
Wau Fong and Pak Yuk are attractive hostesses in a cabaret with a great following. One of Wan's suitors, Or Ah Chun is a powerful and prominent figure...
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Love, Lone Flower
1985
Happy Union 2
0/0
Taiwanese comedy.
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Happy Union 2
1997
Task Force
7/3
Lin is a plain-clothes cop in the crime-riddled district of Mongkok who bungles a vice operation directed at mainland prostitues. He falls for a ditsy...
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Task Force
2009
The Founding of a Republic
5.316/57
The tale of one man who fought against the tyranny of a ruler and led his people in battle in the ultimate sacrifice for his country.
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The Founding of a Republic
2022
The King of Wuxia
8.7/3
The life of the epoch-making master of martial arts cinema, King Hu.
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The King of Wuxia
1978
Follow the Star
10/1
On that side of the track is Ah Sing (Roy Chiao), uncouth, unkempt, a garage repairman, a bravado with plenty of tricks up his overall sleeve. And on...
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Follow the Star
1987
The Thirty Million Dollar Rush
6.857/7
Treasury employee Fatty (Eric Tsang) discovered that bags of used 30 million in Hong Kong Dollars have not been incinerated due to a system error; the...
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The Thirty Million Dollar Rush
2016
Ken San
6/2
KEN SAN pieces together the puzzle of the life and legacy of Japan's mythical acting icon, Ken Takakura. Collaborators, friends and family tell intima...
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Ken San
2003
Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu
6.8/6
Filmmaker Ian Taylor examines the impressive legacy of Hong Kong cinema -- specifically, how martial arts crossed borders and become an international...
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Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu
1979
Itchy Fingers
6.3/3
Biggie (Roy Chiao) and Tiny (Richard Ng) grow up together. They fight all the time. Biggie is a detective and Tiny is a thief. Biggie has the satisfac...
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Itchy Fingers
1993
Film ohne Fesseln - Das neue Hongkong Kino
7.3/3
A German documentary on Hong Kong cinema.
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Film ohne Fesseln - Das neue Hongkong Kino
1994
Cinema of Vengeance
5.4/5
A documentary study of martial arts films and their leading protagonists. Included are profiles of such artists as Bruce Lee, Cynthia Rothrock, Jackie...
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Cinema of Vengeance
2002
The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies
5.7/11
Hosted by Samuel L. Jackson, this in-depth documentary offers viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the history of the martial arts film -- from the gen...
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The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies
1991
The Banquet
5.545/12
Developer Tsang Siu-Chi and his agent have bought two of a group of four properties. Rival developer, Boss Hung has secured the other two properties....
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The Banquet
1973
The Mandarin
7/2
A detective and wanderer called Man Tshu comes to town and challenges the crime family that owns it, burning their opium and taking away one of their...
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The Mandarin
1990
Bullet in the Head
7.574/258
Three childhood friends from the slums of Hong Kong flee to war-time Saigon after accidentally murdering a gang leader, but their troubles only escala...
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Bullet in the Head
1980
From Riches to Rags
4/4
Ricky and Fatso are friends in need. They are in dire need of money since they are only paid slave wages at the bottling factory. However, they become...
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From Riches to Rags
2005
A Century of Light and Shadow
0/0
Revisit 100 years of Chinese cinema through the RTHK TV program A Century of Light and Shadow. Aired in 2005, this interesting and informative documen...
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A Century of Light and Shadow
1992
Twin Dragons
6.742/374
Twins, separated at birth, end up as a Hong Kong gangster and a New York concert pianist. When the pianist travels to Hong Kong for a concert, the two...
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Twin Dragons
1976
Hand of Death
5.9/55
A young monk must face the Extended Iron Claw technique of a powerful warlord seeking to destroy Shaolin.
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Hand of Death
2008
Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki
0/0
Short focusing on the collaboration between John Woo and Shinji Aramaki in Appleseed Ex Machina.
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Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki
2009
The Founding of a Republic
5.316/57
The tale of one man who fought against the tyranny of a ruler and led his people in battle in the ultimate sacrifice for his country.
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The Founding of a Republic
2004
Crossings: John Woo
0/0
Crossings: John Woo starts with Woo's emotional homecoming to Hong Kong in 2004 to promote his latest blockbuster Paycheck. It leads you through his t...
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Crossings: John Woo
2017
John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
7.3/6
The gripping story of legendary American actor John Travolta: his rise to stardom in the 1970s; his agonizing fall in disgrace in the 1980s; and his s...
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John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood
2021
Life in 24 Frames a Second
0/0
"Life in 24 Frames a Second" is a film about hardship, misfortune, perseverance and triumph. The personal stories of John Woo (The Killer), Anurag Kas...
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