John Woo Chinese film director, editor, screenwriter. Date of Birth: 01.05.1946 Country: China

Biography of John Woo

John Woo is a Chinese film director, editor, and screenwriter. He was born in Canton in 1946, and his parents fled communist China and settled in Hong Kong when he was only five years old. Woo's father was a researcher and philosopher who suffered from tuberculosis and spent ten years in hospitals. The responsibility of taking care of the family fell on his mother, who raised them in a poor neighborhood.

Woo grew up in a violent environment, witnessing the brutality of the Triad gang and the turmoil of the 1967 riots in Hong Kong. These experiences would later influence his films, which often depict violence and its consequences. At the age of twenty-one, he made his debut in the film industry as an assistant director and began directing his own films four years later under the names Wu Yu-sheng and John Y.C. Woo.

In 1979, his name first appeared in the credits of the film "From Riches to Rags," marking the beginning of his career as John Woo. During this time, he primarily directed standard Hong Kong cinema, mainly comedies. However, he did not achieve much success in this genre. In the early 1980s, Woo even attempted to move to Taiwan and find success there, but his Taiwanese films, such as "The Time You Need a Friend" and "Run, Tiger, Run!", also failed to gain recognition.

In 1985, Woo returned to Hong Kong and revolutionized the local film industry with his gangster film "A Better Tomorrow" in 1986. This film broke box-office records and established Woo's trademark style, characterized by balletic violence and intense action sequences. His subsequent films, such as "The Killer" (1989), "Hard Boiled" (1992), and "Face/Off" (1997), not only became commercial hits but also earned him international acclaim.

Woo was invited to Hollywood after the success of his films at international film festivals. He directed his first Hollywood film, "Hard Target," in 1993, followed by "Broken Arrow" in 1995 and "Face/Off" in 1997. Although "Hard Target" received mixed reviews, Woo continued to work in Hollywood, directing films such as "Windtalkers" (2002) and "Paycheck" (2003).

In addition to his Hollywood projects, Woo also directed low-budget telefilms for Canadian television that resembled his famous Hong Kong action films. Some of his notable works during this period include "Hostage" (2005) and the two-part "Red Cliff" (2008).

Woo's contributions to cinema extended beyond his directorial work. In 2007, he collaborated with Midway Games to develop a video game based on his film "Hard Boiled." He also participated in the anthology film "8½," which explores the history of Hong Kong from the 1940s to the present day.

Despite mixed reviews of his American period, Woo's Hong Kong films had a significant impact on the visual style of the 1990s. His influence can be observed in the works of various directors, including Luc Besson, Quentin Tarantino, and the Wachowski siblings.

In 2010, Woo directed the action film "Reign of Assassins," followed by the historical drama "The Crossing" in 2014. He is currently working on the film "Manhunt," a remake of the classic Japanese film "Youth of the Beast," and is also involved in the anthology film "8½." Although his recent projects have been met with mixed reception, audiences eagerly anticipate his upcoming releases.