John Woo
1.3Directing

John Woo

Sep 22, 1946 - Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China

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.

Credits

Cast

Media
Movie1992Hard BoiledMr. Woo
Movie2001Mission: ImprobableJohn Woo
Movie2009How Bruce Lee Changed the WorldSelf
Movie1968Dead Knot
Movie1968AccidentallyYoung Man
Movie1974The Young DragonsMessage Deliverer
Movie1998Jackie Chan: My Story(archive footage)
Movie2011Beginning of the Great RevivalLin Sen
Movie1988I Love Maria
Movie1974Young Lovers on Flying WheelsMan at Bike Reclaim Centre
Movie2003The Master: Chang Cheh Documentary
Movie1991Once a ThiefStanley Wu
Movie1999Kurosawa: The Last EmperorSelf
Movie1998Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese CinemaSelf
Movie2003Cinema Hong Kong: Wu XiaSelf
Movie1989Sunset in ParisMaggie's uncle
Movie1988Starry Is the NightFather Fan
Movie1990Rebel from ChinaKwong
Movie2011Kurosawa's WaySelf
Movie1982Plain Jane to the RescueSelf
Movie1986A Better TomorrowInspector Wu
Movie1985Love, Lone Flower
Movie1985Happy Union 2
Movie1997Task ForcePolice Chief
Movie2009The Founding of a RepublicLiu Wenhui
Movie2022The King of Wuxia Part 1Self
Movie1978Follow the StarMiss Chen's Father
Movie1987The Thirty Million Dollar RushLing's Husband
Movie2016Ken SanSelf
Movie2003Cinema Hong Kong: Kung FuSelf
Movie1979Itchy FingersTriad Boss on Lorry
Movie1993Film ohne Fesseln - Das neue Hongkong KinoSelf
Movie1994Cinema of VengeanceSelf (uncredited)
Movie2002The Art of Action: Martial Arts in the MoviesSelf - Interviewee
Movie1991The BanquetMan on Stairs
Movie1973The Mandarin
Movie1990Bullet in the HeadPoliceman
Movie1980From Riches to Rags[cameo]
Movie2005A Century of Light and ShadowSelf
Movie1992Twin DragonsPriest
Movie1976Hand of DeathZhang Yi
Movie2008Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki
Movie2009The Founding of a RepublicNational Army Officers
Movie2004Crossings: John WooSelf
Movie2017John Travolta, le miraculé d'HollywoodSelf - Filmmaker (archive footage)
Movie2021Life in 24 Frames a SecondSelf
Movie2022The King of Wuxia Part 2Self
Movie2003Chop Socky: Cinema Hong KongSelf
Movie2007The Light and the Dark: The Making of 'Face/Off'Self
Movie2003The Life and Times of Wu Zhong XianAs himself
TV Show1962Golden Horse AwardsSelf1
TV Show2007Bokura no Jidai1
TV Show2012Voice1
TV Show1989Celebrity Talk Show吴宇森2

Crew

Media
Movie1997Face/OffDirectorDirecting
Movie2000Mission: Impossible IIDirectorDirecting
Movie1993Hard TargetDirectorDirecting
Movie1989The KillerDirectorDirecting
Movie1980Laughing TimesWriterWriting
Movie1986A Better TomorrowDirectorDirecting
Movie2005All the Invisible ChildrenDirectorDirecting
Movie1990Bullet in the HeadProducerProduction
Movie1990Bullet in the HeadDirectorDirecting
Movie1990Bullet in the HeadEditorEditing
Movie2008Red CliffDirectorDirecting
Movie2008Red CliffScreenplayWriting
Movie2008Red CliffProducerProduction
Movie1992Hard BoiledDirectorDirecting
Movie1992Hard BoiledEditorEditing
Movie1996Broken ArrowDirectorDirecting
Movie2003Bulletproof MonkProducerProduction
Movie2002WindtalkersProducerProduction
Movie2002WindtalkersDirectorDirecting
Movie1998The Big HitExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie1984Heroes Shed No TearsProducerProduction
Movie2003PaycheckDirectorDirecting
Movie1979Last Hurrah for ChivalryDirectorDirecting
Movie1979Last Hurrah for ChivalryWriterWriting
Movie1995Don't Cry, NankingProducerProduction
Movie2007Appleseed: Ex MachinaProducerProduction
Movie1974The Young DragonsWriterWriting
Movie1968Dead KnotWriterWriting
Movie1968AccidentallyDirectorDirecting
Movie1974The Young DragonsDirectorDirecting
Movie1975The Dragon TamersDirectorDirecting
Movie1977Money CrazyDirectorDirecting
Movie1976Hand of DeathDirectorDirecting
Movie2002HostageDirectorDirecting
Movie2009Red Cliff IIScreenplayWriting
Movie2009Red Cliff IIDirectorDirecting
Movie1998BlackjackDirectorDirecting
Movie1996Once a ThiefDirectorDirecting
Movie1976Princess Chang-PingDirectorDirecting
Movie2010Reign of AssassinsProducerProduction
Movie1991Once a ThiefDirectorDirecting
Movie1991Once a ThiefScreenplayWriting
Movie1987A Better Tomorrow IIDirectorDirecting
Movie1987A Better Tomorrow IIWriterWriting
Movie1984Heroes Shed No TearsDirectorDirecting
Movie1984Heroes Shed No TearsWriterWriting
Movie1989Just HeroesDirectorDirecting
Movie1998BlackjackProducerProduction
Movie1985Happy Union 2ProducerProduction
Movie1973The MandarinSecond UnitCrew
Movie2010Reign of AssassinsCo-DirectorDirecting
Movie1982To Hell with the DevilDirectorDirecting
Movie1982To Hell with the DevilWriterWriting
Movie2024The KillerDirectorDirecting
Movie2004The Robinsons: Lost in SpaceDirectorDirecting
Movie1980Laughing TimesScreenplayWriting
Movie1985Run Tiger RunDirectorDirecting
Movie2003PaycheckProducerProduction
Movie2014The Crossing IDirectorDirecting
Movie2023Silent NightProducerProduction
Movie1980From Riches to RagsDirectorDirecting
Movie1980Laughing TimesDirectorDirecting
Movie1978Hello, Late HomecomersDirectorDirecting
Movie1985The Time You Need a FriendDirectorDirecting
Movie1978Follow the StarDirectorDirecting
Movie1982Plain Jane to the RescueDirectorDirecting
Movie2024The KillerProducerProduction
Movie2023Silent NightDirectorDirecting
Movie2015The Crossing IIDirectorDirecting
Movie1978Follow the StarWriterWriting
Movie1982Plain Jane to the RescueScreenplayWriting
Movie1985Super CitizenProducerProduction
Movie2017ManhuntDirectorDirecting
Movie2002Red SkiesExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie1976Princess Chang-PingScreenplayWriting
Movie1985Love, Lone FlowerProducerProduction
Movie2007The Making of StrangleholdProducerProduction
Movie1992Hard BoiledStoryWriting
Movie1998The Replacement KillersChoreographerCrew
Movie1998The Replacement KillersExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie1972The Boxer from ShantungAssistant DirectorDirecting
Movie2012Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq BaleProducerProduction
Movie2017ManhuntWriterWriting
Movie1989The KillerScreenplayWriting
Movie1973Fist to FistAssistant DirectorDirecting
Movie1976Hand of DeathScreenplayWriting
Movie1975The Dragon TamersWriterWriting
Movie1996Somebody Up There Likes MeProducerProduction
Movie2009Red Cliff IIProducerProduction
Movie2010A Better TomorrowExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie1989A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in SaigonProducerProduction
Movie1985Run Tiger RunProducerProduction
Movie1978Hello, Late HomecomersScreenplayWriting
Movie1990Bullet in the HeadWriterWriting
Movie1980From Riches to RagsWriterWriting
Movie2024The KillerOriginal Film WriterWriting
Movie1995Peace HotelExecutive ProducerProduction
Movie1977Money CrazyScreenplayWriting
Movie2011Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 1: The Sun FlagProducerProduction
Movie2011Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale - Part 2: The Rainbow BridgeProducerProduction
Movie2010A Better TomorrowScreenplayWriting
Movie2007Blood BrothersProducerProduction
Movie2014Breaking the WavesExecutive ProducerProduction
MovieN/AX-CruciorDirectorDirecting
Movie1991Once a ThiefStoryWriting
Movie1973Blood BrothersAssistant DirectorDirecting
Movie1978Follow the StarScreenplayWriting
Movie1976The Private EyesProducerProduction
Movie1985Ghost BustinProducerProduction
Movie1984Happy UnionProducerProduction
Movie2009My Fair GentlemanProducerProduction
Movie2010Color Me LoveProducerProduction
Movie1972The Water MarginAssistant DirectorDirecting
Movie1972Four RidersAssistant DirectorDirecting
Movie1972Young PeopleAssistant DirectorDirecting
Movie1981The Idiot AssassinProducerProduction
Movie1973The DevilsAssistant DirectorDirecting
Movie1970The Ruthless HeartStoryWriting
Movie1986A Better TomorrowWriterWriting
Movie1968Dead KnotProducerProduction
TV Show2001The HireDirectorDirecting
TV Show1996Once a ThiefCreatorCreator