John Woo

Birthday: 23 September 1946, Guangzhou, China

Birth Name: Yusen Wu

Height: 164 cm

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 ...Show More

[on Mean Streets (1973)] I saw this film before I directed my first movie. Even after I directed my Show more [on Mean Streets (1973)] I saw this film before I directed my first movie. Even after I directed my first movie, I didn't have much confidence. I must confess, I think I started a little too young. I should have learned more. I started with some kung-fu movies and comedies. After I watched "Mean Streets", it made me feel ashamed--"Why don't I make a movie like that? Tell a true story?" Hide

I'm not a master; I'm just a hard-working filmmaker. I would like everyone to see me as a friend rat Show more 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. Hide

[on Dolph Lundgren] Directors have generally overlooked Dolph's great sense of humor. He's very funn Show more [on Dolph Lundgren] Directors have generally overlooked Dolph's great sense of humor. He's very funny. Hide

[on his childhood living in a Hong Kong slum] I had to fight to survive. Whenever I got beat up, I g Show more [on his childhood living in a Hong Kong slum] I had to fight to survive. Whenever I got beat up, I got upset, I also ran into the theater to watch a movie. But I have a very strong character, I never surrender, I [am] never afraid, no matter how big they are, how cruel they are, they never beat me down. I didn't have money. I just sneaked in or watched the movie from the peephole. I have found my heaven in musicals. When I watch a musical, it makes me believe life is still beautiful. There are still a lot of beautiful people in the world. So I like the costumes, I love the song, I love all those smiles, I love those dance. In theater I found my heaven. Hide

[on working with Jean-Claude Van Damme] That's a long story. About five or six years ago, I got many Show more [on working with Jean-Claude Van Damme] That's a long story. About five or six years ago, I got many offers from Hollywood studios. The producer and script writers [for Hard Target (1993)] flew to Hong Kong to see me and they asked me to do the picture. [Van Damme was being considered to star.] Van Damme wanted a change, he wanted to prove himself as an actor. And he asked me to do the film. I thought I could do some magic. I know myself; I'm pretty sure of my abilities of how to make an actor look great on the screen, make him look like a hero. I thought I could do the same thing with Van Damme, like how I used to do with Yun-Fat Chow. So I wanted to help him. At the same time, I wanted a new experience, of working in Hollywood, so I took the chance and chose to do Hard Target (1993). The original script was pretty good. And I did try to do the things that I did with Yun-Fat Chow and tried to make Van Damme look different. Hide

[on working in Hollywood] Even though I enjoyed the opportunity to work in Hollywood, I never got us Show more [on working in Hollywood] Even though I enjoyed the opportunity to work in Hollywood, I never got used to their system. I didn't like much of the studio people. Well, there are too much politics and so much going on, and a lot of them have nothing to do with the movie. It's all about power, it's all about egos. Hide

I like doves. They look so beautiful, like a woman. For me they represent peace and love and purity. Show more I like doves. They look so beautiful, like a woman. For me they represent peace and love and purity. And sometimes they're seen as the messengers of God, so they're important to me because I'm a Christian. Hide

[on Akira Kurosawa] I love Kurosawa's movies, and I got so much inspiration from him. He is one of m Show more [on Akira Kurosawa] I love Kurosawa's movies, and I got so much inspiration from him. He is one of my idols and one of the great masters. Hide

[on Tom Cruise] When he talks, he has so much energy it's almost like he's dancing. So I used that t Show more [on Tom Cruise] When he talks, he has so much energy it's almost like he's dancing. So I used that to choreograph his action scenes. Hide

John Woo's FILMOGRAPHY

All as Actor (9) as Director (13) as Creator (5)

Dip huet gai tau

Hard Boiled [Sub: Eng]

Shao Lin men

The Twin Dragons (Seong lung wui) [Sub: Eng]

Bullet in the Head (Dip huet gai tau)

The Founding Of A Republic

Twin Dragons

Once a Thief

A Better Tomorrow

John Woo'S roles

Inspector Wu