John Woo
The filmmaker at the crest of the cinematic tidal wave
crashing upon American shores from points east in the last few years
Is John Woo, the undisputed godfather of Hong Kong cinema and now one
of Hollywood's most sought-after directors. With an incredible flair
for highty stylized action and dramatics, Woo's full power has finally
ben seen to its best advantage in his third American film
(following HardTarget and Broken Arrow), Face/Off, which featured two
stunning leading performances by Nicolas Cage and John Travolta.
Woo's best films-which often seem as influenced by such
archetypal American directors as Peckingpah and Hawks as they are by
Chinese traditions and mores-have explored moral duality, honor among
thieves, retribution and redemption, set against backdrops of beauty
and violence.
But even more extraordinary than john Woo's movies is his life
story, which combines Dickens, Alger, and Angels With Dirty Faces,
roiling them together and re-setting them on a Hong Kong backdrop.
Transcending almost unbelievable odds, with a poverty-stricken childhood
and zero prospects, Woo has either achieved every goal he pitched for himself,
or fully intends to. With partner Terence Chang, Woo has helped open the floodgates
not only for other talented Hong Kong filmmakers eager to work in a freer marked,
but home grown directors as well. Together , they've become a powerful force icon
Hollywood that, for a change, works for the common good rather than hoarding all
of the goods for themselves.
"Inspirational" is a word that's freely thrown around, but
in Woo's case, it's the only one to describe the contents for the
following interview:
Interview with John Woo by Michael Singer, author of
A Cut Above 50 directors talk about their craft
published by Lone Eagle company.
His more noticeable Hong Kong efforts-A better Tomorrow
(parts one and two), The Killer, Bullet in the Head, Once a Thief,
and Hard-Boiled-influenced not only other filmmakers there, but in the
U.S. as well, impressed by the sheer power of Woo's poeticized,
choreographed imagery. Woo's first two U.S. entries were just warm-ups
for Face/Off, which was hugely successful both critically and at the
box office.
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