@@seaweedy7091 No real backstory. My mom said my grandfather was the architect of the teahouse back when she was a young girl and when they shot the movie, it was already destined to be torn down as at the time Hong Kong was redoing many of the old neighbourhoods into highrise apartments.
A few thoughts: -Chow Yun Fat was THE icon for cool, charismatic baddass heroes in 90s East Asia. - Hard Boiled is one of those movies where multiple viewings are very rewarding. The action scenes are so intricately choreographed that you'll always see something new and the plotting is a lot more layered than you would think - Many 90s action tropes, from the dual weilding pistols, slow-mo, close quarter acrobatics, originated from john woo and this movie in particular - Like others have mentioned the hospital hallway sequence is one of the best and most iconic action sequences ever put to film - The more familiar with 80s 90s HK action cinema you are, the more you will recognise the greatness of this movie Thanks for the watchalong and glad you guys enjoyed it. Certainly bring back memories for me!
The no-cut hospital scene is iconic, one of my favorite action scenes in history. John Woo's style of action is an amazing spectacle to watch every time.
At a low point in morale for the crew, Woo needed something to fire them up and came with the idea to do this shot. It totally worked, the crew went all in to make it shine, and it galvanized them to bring the rest of the shoot in to a strong finish. Setup took the FX team a full day. They did two takes. After the first one, the rest of the crew and the cast got a break for a day while the pyro guys reset everything and then they shot it again. There actually is a cut in the middle because they did use the first half of one take and the second half of the other. The elevator is a rotating set piece. It doesn't go up or down, it just turned 180 to reveal the other "floor" of the set.
Some fun trivia: 1. Tony Leung got a piece of glass stuck in his eye in the midst of this hallway shootout @ 22:13 2. Chow Yun Fat had the back of his head singed when running away from the fire holding a baby. He got really mad at John Woo about how close the fire was, then shortly after he asked how was the shot 3. This movie's body count adds up to over 300
Glad you guys reacted to Hard Boiled. Aside from Chow Yun Fat in this film is a very young Tony Leung who later pays homage to his role here in Infernal Affairs, in which he also plays an undercover cop. Infernal Affairs then got remade in the US as The Departed.
80's and 90's HK is a trove of dynamically wild movies that most reactors aren't paying much attention to. A couple people have watched Crouching Tiger and maybe Hero but that's it. I'd love to see you guys dig in to more John Woo, Jackie Chan, Tsui Hark, Ringo Lam, Ching Siu Tung et al. Distribution was a wonky, wild West type thing back then so there's often multiple cuts of them for different markets. Avoid US dubbed versions whenever possible and always look for the longest versions available. Off the top of my head, you should check out: A Better Tomorrow I-II The Killer Bullet in the Head Full Contact Police Story I-III Project A I-II Dragons Forever Armor of God I-II Drunken Master II Once Upon A Time In China I-II Fist of Legend Chinese Ghost Story The Bride With White Hair The Storm Riders
I recall forcing my parents to watch this in the late 90s because i couldn't believe how exciting the action was. Still incredible 30 years later. The film also had a number of famous Hong Kong actors - Chow Yun Fat, Tony Leung, Anthony Wong, Teresa Mo. "A Better Tomorrow" is another such film you may wish to check out.
Exactly! Hard Boiled is John Woo's transitional movie from Hong Kong gun-play action to more Hollywood feel which you can see many similarities to his 1st Hollywood action movie Hard Target('Hard' in the title was pretty much an intentional node to Hard Boiled). As Hard Boiled is what made John Woo got noticed by the big studios in Hollywood. But The Killer has so much more depth and more of Hong Kong homegrown feel from story to action, it felt so much more grounded. And in my opinion The Killer is John Woo's best movie bar none. His movie just went downhill after that, they all became more style over substance, too many unnecessary slow mos and 'mexican stand-off' scenarios. The best or worst example of that is MI2, the story is so badly written it's gringe worth bad(the studio gave John Woo the full control from the script to direction as Tom Cruise demanded studio to hire Woo to do the MI2 and in order to do so they basically gave everything Woo asked for and more). In my opinion the praises from Hollywood everywhere just completely gone to John Woo's head and he lost his way his root, in another word the soul which made his Hong Kong movies the iconic movies that made him the folk lord of the best decade of Hong Kong movie history(early 80s to late 90s). Also if you wanted to see his equally brilliant gun-play action directing and editing it has to be , the story is not so logic almost silly as the studio didn't expect the 1st movie to be as successful as it turned out to be(it broke just about every Hong Kong box-office records), so they have to make up this ridiculous reason to bring Chow Yun Fat back as the duel guns welding lead. And in it you have some of the best and most stylish gun-play action sequences and setpieces ever created as well as the sound effect and soundtracks. A Better Tomorrow Part I doesn't have as many stylish action sequences but it made Chow Yun Fat the icon of cool around the world and no one in the world can weld duel handguns as cool as him even many had tried. Therefore, I would strongly recommend you to check these 3 movies out if you can find them! in the order of: A Better Tomorrow Part I then Part II, and finally The killer to see how John Woo has progressed from his 1st major success as director to the peak of his career with his storytelling and direction. I personally don't count any of his Hollywood movies as his best. was a successful movie in term of box-office and him getting all of the attention but it still not even near the same level of The Killer even Hard Boiled.
@@williamwong1982 Agree. Its his most emotionally powerful movie, but its not easy viewing. It's also a movie that only true John Woo fans have watched lol
@@Slaphappy1975 Absolutely. Even though all of his movies are violent this one is where you truly feel the pain from it. When people say they’ve seen it you’re know they’re true cinephiles.
John Woo started off directing kung fu movies in the 70s and had more success directing comedies before moving into heroic bloodshed with A Better Tomorrow, The Killer & Hard Boiled, etc. He never storyboarded any of his action sequences, he would just direct from the ideas he had in his head. Phillip Kwok, the guy with the eye patch choreographed a lot of the action.
If you like Tony Leung Check out infernal affairs, Hero, Grand Master. If you like Chow yun fat check out the Killers, a better tomorrow and so many more.
"imagine being a 12-year old seeing this." First saw it when I was 17 or 18 and I think it's still the height of action movies. Amazing still 30 years later.
One of the movie Chow played that still lingers in my memories today is: Once A Thief (1991). Starring also the late Leslie Cheung. It was such a fun movie to watch and I still remember most part of it.
Hollywood never gives full control to Hong Kong directors b/c they tend to think that foreigners have limited understanding of what entertains American audiences. Face/Off gave him the most artistic freedom.
Stoked to see people react to this film. It never fails to blow me away. And I swooned to see Leung Chiu Wai (Alan) finally hit the big time with Shang Chi.
HB is my favourite John Woo movie. At the time, there was talk of him maybe directing an Alien sequel, though it never happened. He did go on to direct some US films, such as Face-Off with John Travolta, Hard Target with VanDamme, and Mission Impossible 2, but he was somewhat straitjacketed by Hollywood
I love Cantonese so much. Never let that language die! Hard Boiled and The Killer are spectacular and unrivalled action movies. Excellent reaction, my brothers.
Hardboiled is an amazing spectacle of bravado and mayhem, but to know what made John Woo good, you must watch A Better Tomorrow. This movie explores themes of brotherhood, humanity, and dignity before "action" as the story demanded. His films gradually included more and more action with elaborate set pieces, still with dramatic themes, but eventually his own hype got the best of him and he lost substance in favor of fanservice - see (or don't see) MI2. Maybe when that flopped he realized he was living in his own shadow of yesteryear. Face Off was his real last hurrah of gun fu.
John Woo's "The Killer" isn't as crazy, but is a much better film in my opinion. Also Ringo Lam's "Full Contact" for Chow Yun Fat in a very different (but still cool as hell) role.
Yes. However… “Bullet in the Head” is John Woos best film. “The Killer” is second best. “Full Contact” was the best CYF and Ringo Lam collaboration. “Flaming Brothers” is fantastic, but underrated.
I can't remember if I first saw this at the Great Star theater in Chinatown or at a mainstream theater. After "The Killer," John Woo was starting to be known to the general population in the U.S., so it could have been either.
Philip Kwok 郭追 from old Shaw Brothers films made a great baddy; Lo Mang 羅莽 another Shaw Brothers actor was the Character shot on the Dock. Great movie!!!
Can't believe you guys did this, as this was a lesser-known film of Woo's, albeit being a great one too. Check out "The Killer" (also starring Chow Yun Fatt) - Woo's best film
Saw this on a VHS, dubbed, back when I was 15 in '95. Me and my schoolmates pretty much wore the tape out. The dubbing was really bad too, but that somehow made it hilarious as well as thrilling. This is also the only film I've ever watched where the badass action anti-hero is named Alan. More action movies need twin-gun Jazz-clarinet heroes.
One of the best movies I saw with the sheer amazing action. The shot in corridors was done in a single take and was amazing (before they get in lift and through to when they get one, you can really appreciate that amazing scene). FYI: more than 200 guns (all real) were used and more than 100,000 rounds of blank ammo. :O Another great movie to check out (where guns replace fists) is The Raid and The Raid 2.
White is actually the colour of mourning in China, so Chow Yun Fat when covered in flour is like an Angel of Death. Also Philip Chan, the Police Chief, was a Police Officer IRL.
Both were popular but This movie made chow yun fat and John woo household names. It was also the definitive birth of gunfu and the woo slow motion and doves trope. Kind of like John woo’s 300.
The first iconic Woo-Chow pairing is A Better Tomorrow, from a few years before this one. It's melodramatic, but it lays out all the style for future films.
Anthony Wong, the main villain was born in HK but lived in England until he started acting. He speaks complete english. Btw..Wong is one of the most iconic HK Villians of all time in the late 80s, early 90s movies. He eventually became the hero in the last 25 years of his career.
Yea this movie inspired terminator with the gun in rose box they just put a shotgun in rose box in terminator and this has one of if not the longest uncut action shots when they going down hospital corridors and eleavator its one of the greatest action movies in my opinion
I see this is two years ago but I'll add my bit anyway. I saw "Hard Boiled" in a cinema in '92 or '93. The impact on seeing the action on a big screen was mind-blowing. Hong Kong action movies had really hit their stride by this time. Plus crime thrillers and heroic fantasy. Even if some of them were less than stellar, they were still great fun. And way better than most of the Hollywood action fodder (which ripped off numerous HK productions - badly). Hong Kong hit a slump for awhile but seems to have rebounded today. John Woo went on to make the epic "Red Cliff". Johnny To seems to have somewhat inherited Woo's mantle with movies like "Exiled", "Life Without Principle" "Sparrow" and "Election". Other more recent films, of varying quality, but still worth a look are "SPL", "Accident", "Overheard" 1 & 2, "Firestorm", "Flaming Brothers", "Drug War", "Murderer", "Confession of Pain" "Sniper", "Triad", "The Viral Factor" and of course the "Infernal Affairs" trilogy.
If you two like Hard Boiled check out the John Woo movie The Killer also starring Chow Yun-Fat. Before Hard Boiled came out and was a success in Hong Kong, Chow Yun-Fat was known has box office poison, because most of the movies he had been the main star in up until that point did not perform well at the box office.
@@JnEricsonx A Better Tomorrow is excellent as well and Chow Yun-fat is one of the stars but he really isn't the main star of the movie. It wasn't really till Hardboiled where he was considering a solo star.
@@thepayne7862 A Better Tomorrow launched a fashion craze of black Trenchcoats back in the 80's, which Matrix ripped off. It was the film that launched Chow Yun Fat as a movie star and was so successful they knew the sequel wouldn't work without him which is why they came up with the "twin brother" gimmick. I think Chow Yun Fat also knew this was his big break, which is why he over acted the utter f**k out of every scene he had in that film. Seriously, go back and watch his every scene. The man is chewing scenery with every word.
Thumbs up guys well done this film is bonkers. FYI gunplay in hospital on your rewatch there was a really long take must of been like 5 muns. Just found awesome. The preperation and choreography that went behind it. Also in that scene I'm referring to there's a bit when our two heroes go in an elavator and come on to a "next floor". They had to quickly sweep up the mess for when the elevator opened. It was one take. Awesome
I do remember the English dub for this actually being quite good at the time. Most English dubs for Hong Kong cinema used to be garbage. Tequila should ditch those pistols for an ax. Have at it old boy!
Tony Leung is playing the Mandarin in the new Marvel film Shang Chi by the way. Go and watch Infernal Affairs btw - Martin Scorcese remade that film with 'The Departed'
Nice and great to see you guys doing another HK movie . U guys do know that Tony keung is in the one that plays the villain in the latest marvel movie Shang Chi yea ?
I want to give you 2 likes for this. 1 for watching hard boiled and one for not reacting to the same 20 or so movies that every single other reactor watches
Hong Kong's underworld-themed and police bandit-themed films accompany my whole childhood. My favorite one is called Infernal Affairs, which was remade by Hollywood in 2006 called the departed, starring Leonardo DiCaprio. The film won many awards in the 79th Academy Awards, but in my opinion, Infernal Affairs is much better than the departed.
the main character in this movie inspired modern pistol gun play on movies not the first one but he made so much impact too bad he did not get attention as other famous martial artist actor
