John Woo
Born: 1946-09-22 in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China
Known For: Directing
Biography
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.
Filmography
2024
- The Killer ... (Director)
2023
- Silent Night ... (Producer)
2022
- 大侠胡金铨 as self
- The King of Wuxia Part 1 as Self
- The King of Wuxia Part 2 as Self
2021
- Life in 24 Frames a Second as Self
2018
- A Better Tomorrow ... (Original Story)
2017
- Manhunt ... (Director)
- John Travolta, le miraculé d'Hollywood as Self - Filmmaker (archive footage)
2016
- Ken San as Self
2015
- The Crossing II ... (Director)
2014
- The Crossing I ... (Director)
- Breaking the Waves ... (Executive Producer)
2012
- Voice
- Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale ... (Producer)
2011
- Beginning of the Great Revival as Lin Sen
- Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 1: The Sun Flag ... (Producer)
- Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 2: The Rainbow Bridge ... (Producer)
- Kurosawa's Way as Self
2010
- Reign of Assassins ... (Producer)
- A Better Tomorrow ... (Executive Producer)
- Color Me Love ... (Producer)
2009
- Red Cliff II ... (Screenplay)
- The Founding of a Republic as Liu Wenhui
- How Bruce Lee Changed the World as Self
- My Fair Gentleman ... (Producer)
2008
- Red Cliff ... (Director)
- Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki
2007
- Bokura no Jidai
- Appleseed: Ex Machina ... (Producer)
- Blood Brothers ... (Producer)
- The Making of Hard Boiled
- The Making of Stranglehold
2006
- Be My Guest
- All the Invisible Children ... (Director)
2005
- A Century of Light and Shadow as Self
2004
- The Robinsons: Lost in Space ... (Director)
- Crossings: John Woo as Self
2003
- Paycheck ... (Director)
- Bulletproof Monk ... (Producer)
- Cinema Hong Kong: Kung Fu as Self
- The Master: Chang Cheh Documentary
- Cinema Hong Kong: Wu Xia as Self
- Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong as Self
- The Life and Times of Wu Zhong Xian as As himself
2002
- Windtalkers ... (Director)
- The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the Movies as Self - Interviewee
- Hostage ... (Director)
- Red Skies ... (Executive Producer)
2001
- The Hire ... (Director)
- Mission: Improbable as John Woo
2000
- Mission: Impossible II ... (Director)
1999
- Kurosawa: The Last Emperor as Self
1998
- The Replacement Killers ... (Executive Producer)
- Blackjack ... (Director)
- The Big Hit ... (Executive Producer)
- Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema as Self
1997
- Face/Off ... (Director)
- Task Force as Police Chief
1996
- Broken Arrow ... (Director)
- Once a Thief ... (Creator)
- Somebody Up There Likes Me ... (Producer)
- Once a Thief ... (Director)
1995
- Peace Hotel ... (Executive Producer)
- Don't Cry, Nanking ... (Producer)
1994
- Cinema of Vengeance as Self (uncredited)
1993
- Hard Target ... (Director)
- Film ohne Fesseln - Das neue Hongkong Kino as Self
1992
- Hard Boiled as Mr. Woo
- Twin Dragons as Priest
1991
- Once a Thief as Stanley Wu
- The Banquet as Man on Stairs
1990
- Bullet in the Head as Policeman
- Rebel from China as Kwong
1989
- The Killer ... (Director)
- Celebrity Talk Show as 吴宇森
- A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon ... (Producer)
- Just Heroes ... (Director)
- Sunset in Paris as Maggie's uncle
1988
- I Love Maria
- Starry Is the Night as Father Fan
1987
- A Better Tomorrow II ... (Director)
- The Thirty Million Dollar Rush as Ling's Husband
1986
- A Better Tomorrow as Inspector Wu
1985
- Love, Lone Flower
- Super Citizen ... (Producer)
- Run Tiger Run ... (Director)
- Ghost Bustin ... (Producer)
- Happy Union 2
1984
- Heroes Shed No Tears ... (Producer)
- The Time You Need a Friend ... (Director)
- Happy Union ... (Producer)
1982
- To Hell with the Devil ... (Director)
- Plain Jane to the Rescue as Self
1981
- The Idiot Assassin ... (Producer)
1980
- Laughing Times ... (Screenplay)
- From Riches to Rags as [cameo]
1979
- Last Hurrah for Chivalry ... (Director)
- Itchy Fingers as Triad Boss on Lorry
1978
- Follow the Star as Miss Chen's Father
- Hello, Late Homecomers ... (Director)
1977
- Money Crazy ... (Director)
1976
- Hand of Death as Zhang Yi
- The Private Eyes ... (Producer)
- Princess Chang-Ping ... (Director)
1975
- The Dragon Tamers ... (Director)
1974
- The Young Dragons as Message Deliverer
- Young Lovers on Flying Wheels as Man at Bike Reclaim Centre
1973
- Fist to Fist ... (Assistant Director)
- Blood Brothers ... (Assistant Director)
- The Devils ... (Assistant Director)
- The Mandarin
1972
- The Water Margin ... (Assistant Director)
- Four Riders ... (Assistant Director)
- The Boxer from Shantung ... (Assistant Director)
- Young People ... (Assistant Director)
1970
- The Ruthless Heart ... (Story)
- Begging ... (Thanks)
1969
- Dead Knot as Boy
1968
- Accidentally as Young Man
1962
- Golden Horse Awards as Self