John Woo's evolution from Hong Kong action films to Hollywood cinema

John Woo

Ng Yu-Sum, as he refers to himself in his book, "John Woo: interviews," is considered unique among directors of action films whether in his native China or in the United States.

He was born in Guangzhou, China in 1946 into a poor, and at times, homeless family whose father had tuberculosis and could not work. His family received money from charities from time-to-time, moved to the slums of Hong Kong when John was five and struggled in its housing projects where John has a vivid memory of a man killed on his family's front doorstep. Aid received from a local church impressed John and he decided he wanted to go into the priesthood, until one of the priests interviewing him told him he was too free-spirited and artistic to make it as a priest (hkfilm.net). He knew the priest was right, so he turned to movies, which took him away from the "hell" he felt he lived in.

"When I was 11, even though we were poor, my mother was a fan of movies from the west. She used to bring me to the theatre. At that time, a parent could bring a child to the theatre for free. I was fascinated by the musicals, I think they influenced me the most. Also a lot of Fred Astaire...I loved movies and I wanted to be a filmmaker some day" (hkfilm.net).

He learned about music and guitar, dancing, writing, and poetry but did not excel at them. Eventually, he decided that the only venue that could adequately bring all of them together and express his feelings and ideas were movies (Woo and Elder, p. 8).

Beginning in the 1970s, Woo began to make musicals and comedies -- the genre of movies he had enjoyed so much as a child -- and they were good, and mildly successful. Within ten years of his successes in Hong Kong and China, he moved to Hollywood, but continued to also release films of the action genre in Hong Kong.

Many of his fans favored his 1980s and early-1990s Hong Kong films such as A Better Tomorrow, A Better Tomorrow II, The Killer, and Hard-Boiled. But his 1993 movie, Hard Target, which was the first time a film by an Asian director had been released by Hollywood, brought his popularity to new levels, and the critics dubbed the movie a success (Sandell).

Style

"Known for his breathtakingly choreographed action sequences featuring balletic shoot-outs and spurting exit wounds, Woo's films are also often tragic and sentimental, engaging with themes of loyalty and honor and the place of the loner hero in a world full of corruption and violence" (Sandell).

Woo likes to pinpoint the commonalities among people in his movies. Knowing that all individuals walk their own paths generally, and that every person has their own thoughts, ideals, culture and background, he tries to show that we all also have things in common that are universal. For instance, says Woo, "the justice, love, morality, and beauty in this world." Woo is quite well-read and points to the knights of old and their gallant characteristics, as well as the loyal spirit of the Japanese Samurai, and the romance of the French. Woo's interpretation of these traits is that these are the types of persons to whom only his own actions are important.

"He will sacrifice everything, even his life, for justice, loyalty, for love and his country," says Woo. And Woo sees the beauty in the person who may live his whole life for the one beautiful moment, but to him it is worth all the rest. Then the moment is gone (Sandell).

The Woo style of film-making has been often repeated but not often duplicated. His on-screen explosion of very graceful slow-motion scenes, disconnected and abrupt edits, freeze-frames, and creative dissolves at the end of scenes did present a new genre of deep emotion and physical beauty to the standard-fare action flick. His on-film pandemonium -- almost operatic -- was always interspersed with drama, cutting wit, and many "same-sex" undercurrents (msn.com).

Comparable American Director

Though he is not usually compared to anyone, Woo does look to several American directors (and others) that influence some of the techniques he uses in his films. For instance, his use of two men shooting in unison, he claims came from watching a lot of American westerns. He points to Anthony Mann, director of Bend in the River and George Roy Hill, director of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. He has said he has used those two "delightful and elegant" characters in Hill's movie to paint the portrayals of several of his own personalities.

Martin Scorsese also comes up frequently in Woo's own influences. He says that the slow-motion sequences in many of his films came from Scorsese. He also admits to copying some of Scorsese's camera movements, and is a great admirer of Sam Peckinpah, Jean-Piere Melville, David Lean, and Kurosawa.

Films

John Woo has directed 43 films, both in China and the U.S., between 1973 and 2010. Highlights of his career include (Yahoo):

The Young Dragons, 1973 -- his first movie.

A Better Tomorrow, 1986 -- one of his best. This is the film that really established Woo as one of Hong Kong's finest action-movie directors. It was so good, even the critics loved it.

A Better Tomorrow II, 1988 -- The sequel, and some thought, even better than the first.

The Killer, 1989 - His smash hit action flick that introduced Woo's sensitive examinations of honor among violence. The influence on Woo from Peckinpah, Scorsese, and Stanley Kubrick can be seen in this film.

Bullet in the Head, 1990 -- Another hit, it was a deep, emotional study of friendship and greed and examined the depths of the "human soul."

Hard Target, 1993 -- His first Hollywood movie.

Face-off, 1997 -- John Travolta and Nicholas Cage helped create Woo's first real Hollywood blockbuster on the third try.

Mission Impossible 2, 2000 -- Tom Cruise. Pure, unadulterated action and thrills in true Woo style.

Windtalkers, 2002 -- discussed earlier. Critically excellent. Not a big box-office hit.

Red Cliff, 2009 -- his first movie back in Hong Kong after a long stay in Hollywood. Critically, perhaps his best effort ever (Yahoo).

Impact on Asian Cinema

To say that John Woo has had massive influence on Asian filmmaking would be appropriate. His thought-provoking style of making action films with a lot of blood, and yet containing them in a movie that projects humanity, chivalry, and sensitivity was unknown.

He brought dramatic, yet "poetic" action to action films and moral expression to filmmaking in Asia. The meticulous and disciplined narrative style of a Woo movie set a tone for those who followed him, and his sophistication of the "kung-foo" style that went before him set a new standard for Asian film makers.