John Woo - The Films (2nd Edition)

by Kenneth E. Hall

McFarland & Company (series)

Film director John Woo achieved international recognition with such boldly crafted, symbolically textured action films as The Killer (1989) and Hard-Boiled (1992). With the recent American hits Broken Arrow (1996) and Face/Off (1997), Woo has become even more noted for his excitingly choreographed, highly kinetic action films. But the director's body of work transcends the action. Neither a superficial "action" director nor a tiresome moralizer, Woo has fashioned a surprisingly complex and articulated style, one that integrates his emphasis on ethical concerns and religious symbolism.

This book analyzes the films and career of the director from his early days in Hong Kong to his current work in Hollywood. Individual chapters are devoted to his works. The book examines Woo as a cross-cultural film artist who draws upon both Asian and Western influences. His status as an "action" director, his influence on other filmmakers and his use of symbolic material are discussed. The author uses material from numerous and extensive interviews with Woo, and with past and present colleagues.

The first edition of John Woo: The Films (McFarland, 1999) was the earliest English-language volume to address the motion picture output of the celebrated Hong Kong director. The book dealt with Woo's film career from his professional beginnings in 1968 through his first three Hollywood releases (Hard Target, Broken Arrow and Face/Off), situating his work within Asian and Western cinematic and cultural traditions. This second edition offers a wealth of additional information, including treatment of John Woo's Hollywood productions Mission: Impossible II, Windtalkers and Paycheck. Also featured is material on Woo's epic Red Cliff, filmed in China. A new foreword is provided by Tony Williams, author of John Woo's Bullet in the Head.