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.
Awards & recognition
- Golden Horse Award — Best Director · 1986
- Bronze Bauhinia Star
- Hong Kong Film Award — Best Director
- Silver Bauhinia Star
Filmography38 titles
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale II
Bullet in the Head
The Killer
Hard Boiled
A Better Tomorrow
Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale I
Red Cliff II
Red Cliff
Face/Off
A Better Tomorrow II
Last Hurrah for Chivalry
Reign of Assassins
Once a Thief
The Water Margin
The Boxer from Shantung
Twin Dragons
Fist to Fist
Hard Target
Heroes Shed No Tears
A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon
I Love Maria
Dynasty of Blood
The Killer
Windtalkers
The Replacement Killers
Paycheck
Cinema of Vengeance
Silent Night
Mission: Impossible II
Broken Arrow
Four Riders
A Better Tomorrow
The Big Hit
Dead Knot
Peace Hotel
Manhunt
Bulletproof Monk
Laughing Times