I think John Woo deserves his own topic and poll. Great action movies director, who made what is, in my opinion a trilogy of the best action movies ever - The Killer, Bullet In The Head and Hard-Boiled. He was also clearly influenced by the directorial style of master Leone. It’s sad that after he went to USA he wasn’t able to come up with great movies like his HK ones. Anyway, my list of fav Woo’s movies:
1)The Killer
2)A Bullet In The Head
3)Hard-Boiled
4)A Better Tomorrow
5)A Better Tomorrow II
Haven’t seen Once A thief yet.
Anyway, discuss 
Nice to see you mentioned his films from Hong Hong as most people I speak to prefer his work from here.
My personal fav is Hard-Boiled as very intense film and his last great film, closely followed by The Killer though !
It’s just a shame he does not make films like this now.
I will repeat my posting from an earlier thread then.
My personal John Woo favourites.
- A bullet in the head
- The Killer
- Hard boiled
- A better tomorrow
- A better tomorrow 2
Woo was clearly inspired by Enzo Castellari’s action scenes and by jean-pierre melville’s stylish settings.
I even liked HARD TARGET
Haen’t seen that one yet, but “Face/off” was ok, but it’s still lame compared to his stuff from HK.
Unfortunately you are not allowed to make the kind of films that Woo was renowned for in his Hong Kong days when you make films for the big film industry in Hollywood.
That’s the reason why every thing he has made since he moved to Hollywood pales in comparison with his earlier work his hands are simply tied.
[quote=“Dorado, post:6, topic:687”]Unfortunately you are not allowed to make the kind of films that Woo was renowned for in his Hong Kong days when you make films for the big film industry in Hollywood.
That’s the reason why every thing he has made since he moved to Hollywood pales in comparison with his earlier work his hands are simply tied.[/quote]
I agree. I think it’s a shame. Woo should return to Hong Kong and start working with Chow-Yun Fat again
Great thread!
I love John Woo’s HK films!!!
It was tough picking a favorite.
I ended up voting for BULLET IN THE HEAD just because I figured most people would put THE KILLER or HARD-BOILED.
My favorite Woo films are:
- THE KILLER
- BULLET IN THE HEAD
- BETTER TOMORROW
- BETTER TOMORROW II
- JUST HEROES (co-directed with Wu Ma, Woo spoofs himself nicely in the action scenes!)
- HARD-BOILED
- ONCE A THIEF (the one with Chow Yun-Fat…not the TV movie thing Woo did in the 90’s)
I am sure you all know that Woo was heavily influenced by the Italian Western films.
When a friend of mine interviewed him back in the early 90’s, Woo mentioned by name Lucio Fulci’s MASSACRE TIME as having a profound influence on him!
If you watch the ending gun battle in MASSACRE TIME…you can definitely see some things Woo picked up on, I think!
Woo also mentioned being influenced by the films of Sergio Leone and the Valerii film DAY OF ANGER.
Viva John Woo!!
Let’s just hope he works with my man Chow Yun-Fat again…SOON!!!
1.hard boiled
2.just heroes
3.bullet in the head
Call me a heretic, but I had much more fun watching Hard Target than The Killer. The action scenes in The Killer seemed to go on forever and looked all the same. I should give it another try though, the first time I watched it I didn’t like either Chow Yun-Fat or Danny Lee, but I’ve grown to like them a lot (they were fantastic in City on Fire). Sally Yeh is also much better in Tsui Hark’s movies.
Yep give it another try for sure 
.
I am a massive fan of God of Gamblers. I think Chow Yun-Fat is awesome in that film.
This topic is making me want to watch and re-watch a bunch of Hong Kong flicks.
Bullet in the Head is by far his best film IMO.
Haven’t seen Red Cliff yet…
- Hardboiled
- Bullet in the Head
- A Better Tomorrow
- Once a Thief (1991)
- Heroes Shed No Tears
- A Better Tomorrow 2
- Face/Off
- Hard Target
- Last Hurrah For Chivalry
- Broken Arrow
- The Killer (just the melodrama in this is slightly annoying now, I loved it when I first saw it though)
- Just Heroes
- Mission Impossible 2
- Paycheck
- Windtalkers
Amen to that
Last Hurrah for Chivalry #1!!! Great old school Kung fu. Also loved Appleseed Ex Machina…
I just saw Bullet in the Head and I liked it a lot better than The Killer, but I wouldn’t call it a masterpiece. Don’t get me wrong, though, it’s great. I guess that John Woo just isn’t my style, which doesn’t mean I don’t like some of his movies, I just don’t like them as much as a lot of people do. Back to Bullet in the Head, I’m glad I watched the longest version available because I’m wondering what the hell did they cut in the shorter versions, there isn’t a single moment were I thought “this scene could go”. Also, I hope that the alternate ending (the one that ends in the office) is the one that Woo prefers, honestly, I thought that the other one was awful. My only real problem with the film is the music, which I thought was so-so and this is just the kind of film that would benefit from a really good, really fitting soundtrack.
And my God, the POW sequence was really rough. A lot of strong moments in this film.
the fans who like john woo must see PHANTOM SOLDIERS 1987, non stop action in the style of john woo films
the cover of this it’s in my small photo, if you find it see it really awesome movie!
the first 10 minutes ore the most explosive action i ever seen in my life!! the bodycount very high
and the explosions sooo many!!! also in my top 10 action movies don’t miss it! 
Great topic. It’s so sad that there’s a serious lack of quality blu rays in the heroic bloodshed genre…
I have both The Killer and Hard Boiled from Vivendi… but quality isn’t optimal.
I’d give a lot for quality releases for:
- A Better Tomorrow 1 and 2
- The Killer
- Hard Boiled
- Bullet in the Head
- City on Fire (Ringo Lam)
- Full Contact (Ringo Lam)