The Silver Screen Oasis

Few things will keep me away from a movie more than labelling it an "Action Movie." As a result, I had never seen a Hong Kong action movie.

Imagine my surprise when I watched THE KILLER, Douglas Sirk's remake (under the pseudonym John Woo) of MAGNIFICENT OBSESSION, simply adding a "buddy" theme, a few shootouts and a car crash or two. Woo held me captive from the get-go: assassin accidently blinding a woman and then saving her from assailants. The thoughtful ambiguity of each character -- each highly moral in his or her own fashion -- was not what I was expecting when I popped it into the DVD player.

Thank you, Dewey, for listing this gem in the "Favorite Directors" thread. Who woulda thought there are more movie categories for me to explore? Any more where this came from?

You're very welcome! Now that you've had a taste of the magnificence of John Woo's phenomenal directorial brilliance, you have to seek out (not so hard to do) the following Woo titles:
A BETTER TOMORROW (1986)
A BETTER TOMORROW II (1987)
BULLET IN THE HEAD (1990) my personal favorite of all Woo's films
and HARD BOILED (1992)
Woo takes the concept of "action" to a wholly different level than his American counterparts. I'm thrilled that you've made this discovery!

Well for John Woo, I would recommend Bullet in the Head, which takes the themes of brotherhood and betrayal to Vietnam. I think it's Woo's best film, although all his Hong Kong stuff from 1986-on is worth checking out.

You should check out Tsui Hark's work as well. I highly recommend Peking Opera Blues which is basically a hybrid of screwball comedy, crazy action, and Peking Opera.

Oh and check out Wong Kar-Wai's first movie As Tears Go By, which is pretty much his most straightforward film, as it's more or less a remake of Scorsese's Mean Streets. It tends to get a bad rap as it is radically different from everything else he's done, but it's one I am very fond of.

There is a lot of great Hong Kong stuff out there, so if you need any advice I can probably lend a hand.

Hi Myrna - Your recommendations regarding Tsui Hark are right on the mark; visually exciting films par excellence! But even more on target is your enthusiasm for Wong Kar Wai. I think of all the Hong Kong directors of the 80s and beyond, our friend ChiO would find these films to be very, very much to his liking! Good call!

Hi Bryce. Yeah, I have seen it. Not only that, it was the print we opened in San Francisco back in '92. I can't say for certain, but there must (at least) be a Region 2 DVD version of it floating around someplace; the search would definitely be worth the effort. And while based (or at least inspired) somewhat on Michael Cimino's 1978 film THE DEERHUNTER, it totally blows that over-inflated tripe off the screen.

I pay attention to you folks....

Last night, I walk into Facets to return THE KILLER, THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE and PAT GARRETT & BILLY THE KID and check out three more movies (Leconte's MONSIEUR HIRE, Tavernier's DEATH WATCH, and DePalma's SISTERS -- belated prepping for the Fall Semester), and what do I see on the $0.99 VHS table? HARD BOILED. So I got it (along with Fassbinder's BEWARE OF A HOLY WHORE after last week's purchase of Tarkovsky's THE STEAMROLLER AND THE VIOLIN and Kiarostami's CLOSE-UP -- when am I going to watch these?).

Then, as I go into the hall to proceed to the class I'm taking from Brandon on Charles Burnett and Haile Gerima, what do I see is playing on Facet's main screen? AS TEARS GO BY.

You're an education. Thanks.

I also love Woo's "Hard-Boiled" from 1992 before switching to American films. He also used Wing-Hung Wong as his Cinematographer. And it is available on DVD. With Chow Yun-Fat as Inspector Tequila. Non stop action.


Bill

Well I can't vouch for much else, but both As Tears Go By and Close-Up are absolutely fantastic(as is every other Kiarostami I've seen). Totally essential. Check them out no matter what the cost.