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John Woo (I)

Director | Producer | Writer

Born in southern China, John Woo grew up in Hong Kong, where he began his film career as an assistant director in 1969, working for Shaw Brothers Studios. He directed his first feature in 1973 and has been a prolific director ever since, working in a wide variety of genres before A Better Tomorrow (aka... See full bio »

Born:

Yusen Wu
in Guangzhou, China
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John Woo John Woo at event of All the Invisible Children John Woo at event of Windtalkers John Woo at event of Mission: Impossible II On Podium, Cannes Grand Jury Includes Salma Hayek And Others Handing Out The Palme D'Or ~ Cannes Most Prestigious Prize For The Film: L'Enfants, Kaya F. Redford (Picture Right) John Woo in Windtalkers
26 photos | 23 videos | 1067 news articles »

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Related News

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21 May 2012 3:54 PM, PDT | The Guardian - Film News
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Projects In Development help

2015
Caliber
2014
Day of the Beast
2013
Ninja Gold
2012
Flying Tiger Heroes
2012
Stranglehold
The Red Circle
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Do you have a demo reel?

Add it to your IMDbPage

My Demo Reel -- No description provided.

My Demo Reel

Francine Locke Film Reel -- Family Law (Best Actress, Gideon), Stealing Home (Best Supporting Actress-nom.) 168 Project, True Tale Monster (Albert P. Weisman Award), The Discarded (2011 Feature Release).

Francine Locke Film Reel

Christopher Mann's Theatrical Demo Reel -- This reel contains Christopher performing in Film and Television. The clips included are from the following: "The Boundary", "The Wire", "Duplicity", "Law & Order(SVU)", "Michael Clayton", "Cost Of A Soul", "HEROES" and "Law & Order (CI)".

Christopher Mann's Theatrical Demo Reel

Tim Bell - SAG Stuntman -- No description provided.

Tim Bell - SAG Stuntman

Melanie Molnar - Reel -- No description provided.

Melanie Molnar - Reel


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12 wins & 14 nominations See more awards »

Known For


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Filmography

Hide HideDirector (39 titles)
2013 Love and Let Love (pre-production)
 
2009 Red Cliff II
 
2008 Red Cliff
 
2007 Stranglehold (Video Game)
 
2005 All the Invisible Children (segment "Song Song and Little Cat")
 
2004 The Robinsons: Lost in Space (TV movie)
 
2003 Paycheck
 
2002 Hostage (short)
 
2002 Windtalkers
 
2000 Mission: Impossible II
 
1998 Blackjack (TV movie)
 
1997 Face/Off
 
1996 Once a Thief (TV movie)
 
1996 Broken Arrow
 
1993 Hard Target
 
1992 Hard Boiled
 
1991 Once a Thief
 
1990 Bullet in the Head
 
1989 Yi dan qun ying
 
1989 The Killer
 
1987 A Better Tomorrow II
 
1986 A Better Tomorrow
 
1986 Ying xiong wu lei
 
1985 Xiao jiang
 
1985 Liang zhi lao hu
 
1982 Ba cai Lin Ya Zhen
 
1981 Hua ji shi dai (as Wu Hsiang-fei)
 
1981 Mo deng tian shi
 
1980 Qian zuo guai
 
1979 Last Hurrah for Chivalry
 
1978 Ha luo, ye gui ren
 
1978 Da sha xing yu xiao mei tou
 
1977 Fa qian han
 
1976 Shao Lin men (as Wu Yu Sheng)
 
1976 Dinü hua (as Yusen Wu)
 
1975 Nu zi tai quan qun ying hui (as Wu Yu-shen)
 
1974 Tie han rou qing
 
1968 Accidentaly (short)
 
1968 Sijie (short) (co-director)
 
Show ShowProducer (30 titles)
2012 The Killer (producer) (in production)
 
2011 7 Brothers (TV series) (executive producer)
 
2011 Warriors of the Rainbow: Seediq Bale (producer)
 
2010 Reign of Assassins (producer)
 
2010 A Better Tomorrow (executive producer)
 
2009 My Fair Gentleman (supervising producer)
 
2009 Red Cliff II (producer)
 
2008 Red Cliff (chief producer, producer)
 
2007 Appleseed Saga: Ex Machina (producer)
 
2007 Blood Brothers (producer)
 
2007 Stranglehold (Video Game) (producer)
 
2005 The Glass Beads (short) (producer)
 
2004 The Robinsons: Lost in Space (TV movie) (executive producer)
 
2003 Paycheck (producer)
 
2003 Bulletproof Monk (producer)
 
2002 Red Skies (TV movie) (executive producer)
 
2002 Windtalkers (producer)
 
1998 Blackjack (TV movie) (executive producer)
 
1998 The Big Hit (executive producer)
 
1998 The Replacement Killers (executive producer)
 
1997-1998 Once a Thief (TV series) (executive producer)
 
1996 Once a Thief (TV movie) (executive producer)
 
1996 Lang man feng bao (executive producer, producer)
 
1995 Woh ping faan dim (producer)
 
1990 Bullet in the Head (producer)
 
1989 A Better Tomorrow III: Love and Death in Saigon (producer)
 
1986 A Better Tomorrow (producer)
 
1986 Ying xiong wu lei (producer)
 
1985 Gu lian hua (producer)
 
1985 Liang zhi lao hu (producer)
 
Show ShowWriter (24 titles)
2010 A Better Tomorrow (original screenplay)
 
2009 Red Cliff II (screenplay)
 
2008 Red Cliff (screenplay)
 
1992 Hard Boiled (story)
 
1991 Once a Thief (screenplay / story)
 
1990 Bullet in the Head
 
1989 The Killer (written by)
 
1987 A Better Tomorrow II
 
1986 A Better Tomorrow (written by)
 
1986 Ying xiong wu lei
 
1985 Xiao jiang (screenplay)
 
1982 Ba cai Lin Ya Zhen (screenplay)
 
1981 Hua ji shi dai
 
1981 Mo deng tian shi
 
1980 Qian zuo guai (screenplay / story)
 
1979 Last Hurrah for Chivalry
 
1978 Ha luo, ye gui ren (writer)
 
1978 Da sha xing yu xiao mei tou (writer)
 
1977 Fa qian han
 
1976 Shao Lin men
 
1976 Dinü hua (as Yusen Wu)
 
1975 Nu zi tai quan qun ying hui
 
1974 Tie han rou qing
 
1968 Sijie (short) (as Ng Yu Chen)
 
Show ShowActor (23 titles)
2011 Beginning of the Great Revival
Lin Sen
 
2009 The Founding of a Republic
Liu Wenhui (scenes deleted)
 
2008 Team-Up: John Woo and Shinji Aramaki (video short)
 
2007 Stranglehold (Video Game)
Mr. Woo (voice)
 
1997 Yit huet jui keung
Police Chief
 
1992 Hard Boiled
Mr. Woo (uncredited)
 
1992 Twin Dragons
Priest (as John Wu)
 
1991 Hao men ye yan
Man on Stairs
 
1991 Once a Thief
Stanley Wu (uncredited)
 
1990 Yong chuang tian xia
Kwong
 
1990 Bullet in the Head
Police inspector
 
1988 Gam ye sing gwong chan lan
Father Fan
 
1987 Heng cai san qian wan
Man in Bed
 
1986 A Better Tomorrow
Inspector Wu
 
1985 Gu lian hua
 
1982 Ba cai Lin Ya Zhen
John Wu
 
1979 Shen tou miao tan shou duo duo
 
1978 Da sha xing yu xiao mei tou
Miss Chen's father
 
1976 Shao Lin men
Scholar Cheng
 
1974 Tie han rou qing
 
1974 The Godfather from Hong Kong
 
1968 Accidentaly (short)
Young Man
 
1968 Sijie (short)
Young Artist
 
1974 The Godfather from Hong Kong (assistant director)
 
1973 Fists of the Double K (assistant director - as Wu Yu Shen)
 
1973 Blood Brothers (assistant director - as Wu Yu Shen)
 
1972 Si qi shi (assistant director - as Wu Yu Shen)
 
1972 Young People (assistant director)
 
1972 The Casino (assistant director - as Wu Yao Shen)
 
1972 The Water Margin (assistant director)
 
1972 Boxer from Shantung (assistant director)
 
Show ShowEditor (3 titles)
Show ShowMiscellaneous Crew (2 titles)
1998 The Replacement Killers (advisor - uncredited, technical consultant - uncredited)
 
1995 American Cinema (TV series documentary) (title designer)
 
Show ShowCamera and Electrical Department (1 title)
2009 My Fair Gentleman (camera operator)
 
Show ShowThanks (12 titles)
2011 The Suppressor (special thanks)
 
2010 Crank Up (short) (dedicatee)
 
2010 Vixen Highway 2006: It Came from Uranus! (special thanks)
 
2009 The Founding of a Republic (special thanks)
 
2009/I Little Red Riding Hood (video short) (special thanks)
 
2008 Heroic Bloodshed (short) (in tribute to)
 
2008 Ten Dead Men (inspiration, thanks and love to the works of)
 
2007 Wings of Defeat (documentary) (special thanks)
 
2003 Street of Pain (short) (special thanks)
 
2001 Chow Yun-Fat Goes Hollywood (video documentary short) (special thanks)
 
1998 Psycho (special thanks)
 
1996 Diablo (Video Game) (thanks)
 
Show ShowSelf (31 titles)
2011 Kurosawa's Way (documentary)
Himself
 
2009 Secret's Out (TV series)
Himself - Guest
– Red Cliff (2009) … Himself - Guest
 
2009 Charlie Rose (TV series)
Himself - Guest
– Episode dated 27 November 2009 (2009) … Himself - Guest
 
2009 The Rotten Tomatoes Show (TV series)
Himself - Director
– 2012/The Messenger/Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009) … Himself - Director
 
2009 How Bruce Lee Changed the World (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2009 World Film Report (TV series)
Himself
– Zhong guo dian ying huo jiang zhi lv zong shu: Wen ding tian xia (2009) … Himself
 
2008 Bokura no jidai (TV series)
Himself
– John Woo, Takeshi Kaneshiro and Tony Leung (2008) … Himself
 
2007 The Light and the Dark: The Making of 'Face/Off' (video documentary)
Himself
 
2005 Chang Cheh & le sabreur manchot (video documentary short)
Himself
 
2004 L'art de la guerre (video documentary short)
Himself
 
2004 Remembering the Future: Paycheck & the Worlds of Philip K. Dick (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2004 From Hong Kong to Hollywood: The Making of John Woo (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2003 Tinseltown TV (TV series)
Himself
– Episode dated 13 December 2003 (2003) … Himself
 
2003 The Code Talkers: A Secret Code of Honor (video documentary short)
Himself
 
2003 Cinema Hong Kong: Wu Xia (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2003 Chop Socky: Cinema Hong Kong (TV documentary)
Himself
 
2003 Biography (TV series documentary)
Himself
– John Travolta (2003) … Himself
 
2002 The Art of Action: Martial Arts in Motion Picture (TV documentary)
Himself - Interviewee
 
2002 John Woo: Bullet in the Plate (documentary)
Himself
 
2001 2001 ABC World Stunt Awards (TV special)
Himself
 
2000 Behind the Mission: The Making of 'M:I-2' (video documentary short)
Himself
 
2000 2000 MTV Movie Awards (TV special documentary)
Himself
 
2000 The RDA (TV series)
Himself
– Episode #1.2 (2000) … Himself
 
2000 Mission: Improbable (TV short)
Himself
 
1999 Kurosawa: The Last Emperor (TV documentary)
Himself
 
1998 Making of 'Blackjack' (video short)
Himself
 
1998 Jackie Chan: My Story (video documentary)
Himself
 
1998 Yang ± Yin: Gender in Chinese Cinema (documentary)
 
1998 The 50th Annual Directors Guild of America Awards (TV movie)
Himself
 
1996 HBO First Look (TV series documentary)
Himself
– Broken Arrow (1996) … Himself
 
1994 Cinema of Vengeance (documentary)
Himself (uncredited)
 
Show ShowArchive Footage (1 title)
2002 Jackie Chan: Fast, Funny and Furious (video documentary)
Himself
 

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Personal Details

Other Works:

Commercial: Nike Brazilian Football Commercial (1998) See more »

Publicity Listings:

3 Biographical Movies  | 3 Print Biographies  | 10 Interviews  | 17 Articles  | 1 Magazine Cover Photo  | See more »

Alternate Names:

Ng Yu Chen | Wu Hsiang-fei | Yu Chen Ng | Yu-Sam Ng | Wu Yao Shen | Wu Yu Shen | Wu Yu Sheng | John Wu | Yao Shen Wu | Yu-Sheng Wu | Yu-Shen Wu | Yusen Wu | Wu Yu-shen

Height:

5' 4½" (1.64 m)
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Did You Know?

Personal Quote:

I'm not a master; I'm just a hard-working filmmaker. I would like everyone to see me as a friend rather than a master. See more »

Trivia:

His film The Killer ("The Killer") (alongside City on Fire (City on Fire) by Ringo Lam) was one of the inspirations for Quentin Tarantino's Reservoir Dogs. Although the plot came from "City on Fire", a lot of the style of "Reservoir Dogs" (e.g., the suits, the Mexican standoffs, the double guns) came from "The Killer" as well as Woo's work in general. See more »

Trademark:

Uses pleasant music that heavily contrasts with some of the more violent action on screen. See more »

Star Sign:

Libra