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Statistics :
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John Woo

 
 
 
 
Other names : 吴宇森
Ng Yue Sam
John Y. S. Woo
John Wu Yu Sen
Wu Yao Shen
Wu Yu Sen
Wu Yu Shen
Wu Yu Sheng
Wu2 Yu3 Sen1
 
Birthdate : 1/5/1946
Nationality : China
Workplace : Hong Kong, USA
Activities : Director (38), Assistant Director (9), Producer (18), Executive producer (5), Writer (22), Art director (1), Editor (2), Actor (13), Brief appearance (8), Original Story (2), Planning (1), Presenter (1), Production Manager (3)

Biography

Born in canton in 1946, John Woo left the country with his family in 1951 to settle in HK. At 9 years, whereas his parents are in misery, John started to study thanks to American catholic families. Very quickly, he discovered the cinema and started to direct 8mm movies : Accidentally, Fast Knot, Cruel The One.

At 23 years old, John Woo became assistant of production for the Studios of Cathay. Two years later, in 1971, he joined the most significant company of production of Hong Kong, directed by the Shaw Brothers, and became the personal assistant of one of the greatest action director, Chang Cheh (Revenge, Blood Brothers). Again two years later, he directed his first movie The Young Dragons. Impressed by this movie, the boss of the Golden Harvest make him sign a contract. So he made several martial arts movies like Countdown in Kung Fu.

In 1983, he joined the Workshop, in which Tsui Hark allowed him to direct his own movie A better Tomorrow. A sequel would follow a few years later, and also The Killer, Once a Thief. John Woo left HK in 1992 to Los Angeles where he directed Hard Target with Jean-Claude Van Damme, then Brokken Arrow. His first success is Face/Off with John Travolta and Nicholas Cage. Now after M:i-2, he has directed Wintalkers, a movie about the Navajos Indians in charge of the transmissions within the American army during the WW2.

In addition to his career of director and producer, he is also actor in some of his movies and others like Rebel From China (90) where he has the first role.
 
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Filmography
 [ 2010 - 2000 - 1990 - 1980 - 1970 ] 
 Alternate lists by alpha / genre / year
 
Title    ( HK -  All )  Year Activity
 
 Breaking The Waves 2014 Producer
 Crossing, The 2014 Director, Producer
 Founding Of The Party 2011 Actor
 Seediq Bale 2011 Producer
 Reign Of Assassins 2010 Director, Producer
 Founding Of A Republic, The 2009 Actor
 My Fair Gentleman 2009 Producer
 Red Cliff - Part 2 2009 Director, Executive producer
 Red Cliff - Part 1 2008 Director, Executive producer
 Blood Brothers 2007 Producer, Original Story
 Stranglehold 2007 Producer, Writer, Art director, Presenter
 All the Invisible Children 2005 Director
 Bulletproof Monk 2003 Producer
 Paycheck 2003 Director
 Hire : Hostage, The 2002 Director
 Red Skies 2002 Executive producer
 Windtalkers 2002 Director, Producer
 Mission : Impossible II 2000 Director
 Big Hit, The 1998 Executive producer
 Blackjack 1998 Director
 Jackie Chan : My Story 1998 Actor
 Longest Nite, The 1998 Writer
 Nike : Airport 98' 1998 Director
 Replacement Killers, The 1998 Executive producer
 Face Off 1997 Director
 Task Force 1997 Producer, Brief appearance
 Broken Arrow 1996 Director
 Once A Thief 1996 Director
 Somebody Up There Likes Me 1996 Producer
 Yang ± Ying : Gender In Chinese Cinema 1996 Actor
 Don't Cry, Nanking 1995 Producer
 Peace Hotel 1995 Producer
 Hard Target 1993 Director
 Hard Boiled 1992 Director, Writer, Editor, Actor, Original Story
 Twin Dragons, The 1992 Brief appearance
 Banquet, The 1991 Brief appearance
 Once A Thief 1991 Director, Writer
 Bullet In The Head 1990 Director, Producer, Writer, Editor, Brief appearance
 Rebel From China 1990 Actor
 Just Heroes 1989 Director
 Killer, The 1989 Director, Writer, Brief appearance
 I Love Maria 1988 Brief appearance
 Starry Is The Night 1988 Actor
 Better Tomorrow II, A 1987 Director, Writer
 Better Tomorrow, A 1986 Director, Writer, Actor
 Super Citizen 1986 Producer
 Thirty Million Dollar Rush, The 1986 Brief appearance
 Time You Need A Friend, The 1985 Director, Writer
 Run Tiger Run 1984 Director, Producer
 Ghost Bustin' 1983 Producer
 Heroes Shed No Tears 1983 Director, Writer
 Plain Jane To The Rescue 1982 Director, Writer, Brief appearance
 To Hell With The Devil 1982 Director, Writer
 Laughing Times 1981 Director, Writer
 From Riches To Rags 1979 Director, Writer, Actor
 Itchy Fingers 1979 Actor
 Contract, The 1978 Production Manager
 Follow The Star 1978 Director, Writer
 Hello, Late Homecomers 1978 Director, Writer
 Last Hurrah For Chivalry 1977 Director, Producer, Writer
 Money Crazy 1977 Director, Writer
 Hand Of Death 1976 Director, Writer, Actor
 Princess Chang Ping 1976 Director, Writer
 Private Eyes, The 1976 Director, Planning, Production Manager
 Dragon Tamers 1975 Director, Writer
 Young Dragons, The 1975 Director, Writer, Actor
 Games Gamblers Play 1974 Assistant Director, Production Manager
 Blood Brothers, The 1973 Assistant Director
 Fist To Fist 1973 Assistant Director
 Mandarin, The 1973 Assistant Director, Actor
 Boxer From Shantung, The 1972 Assistant Director
 Casino, The 1972 Assistant Director
 Four Riders 1972 Assistant Director
 Water Margin, The 1972 Assistant Director
 Young People 1972 Assistant Director
 

 Article    Review    Poster/Gallery    DVD Captures    Trailer    DVD Captures/Trailer  
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Gallery
 
 John Woo pictures :  (Hide)
The Twin Dragons
Rebel From China
A Better Tomorrow
A Better Tomorrow
Plain Jane To The Rescue
Hand Of Death
The Young Dragons
 
 Other John Woo pictures :  (Hide)
All the Invisible Children (2)
Windtalkers (1)
Hard Boiled (1)
Bullet In The Head (1)
Rebel From China (3)
A Better Tomorrow (1)
The Thirty Million Dollar Rush (1)
Plain Jane To The Rescue (1)
Hand Of Death (3)
Other pictures (14)
 
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Article Links
 Secondary Article Links   (Show)

 
Article Links (French only)   (Show)  
 Secondary Article Links (French only)   (Show)

 
Interview Links   (Hide)  
 
 Conversations with Peter Chan Ho Sun (preview)
HK talents > Film directors > Other directors
Author(s) : Thomas Podvin
Date : 27/10/2008
Type(s) : Interview
Page(s) : 1  2  6  - index
 
 Interview with a new John Woo (preview)
HK talents > Film directors > Other directors
Author(s) : Thomas Podvin
Date : 7/4/2007
Type(s) : Interview
Page(s) : 1  - index
 
 An interview with Terence Chang, The Man in the Shadow (preview)
HK talents > Producers > Front running producers
Author(s) : Thomas Podvin
Date : 1/1/2007
Type(s) : Interview
Page(s) : 1  - index
 
 Interview Gordon Chan, from The Big Heat to A-1 (preview)
HK talents > Film directors > Other directors
Author(s) : Thomas Podvin, David Vivier
Date : 13/1/2005
Type(s) : Interview
Page(s) : 5  6  - index
 
 
 Secondary Interview Links   (Show)

 
Interview Links (French only)   (Show)  
 Secondary Interview Links (French only)   (Show)

 
DVD Review Links   (Hide)  
 
 Test DVD Optimum : A Better Tomorrow Ultimate Edition (preview)
Guide > DVD Tests > Optimum
Author(s) : Arnaud Lanuque
Date : 16/6/2006
Type(s) : DVD Review
Page(s) : 1  - index
   
 

 
DVD Review Links (French only)   (Show)  
 Secondary DVD Review Links (French only)   (Show)
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