You can write, once a thief 1991 is a good movie, but it can be is a bad movie. John woo, chinese film director noted for action movies that combine copious stylized violence with lyrical melodramatic depictions of male bonding. This was intended to be an actioncomedy, but this caper movie fails miserably in both aspects. The pilot is not essential to understand the series but it. Details about john woos once a thief complete series new pal cult 8dvd set ivan sergei. Nick lea stars in a spoof of the xfiles from another series. John woos once a thief 1996 john woo cast and crew. However, i say this with the most respect possible, because this is an insanely funny and exciting heist film. Though retaining some of the director s unmistakable touches, most notably in the toneddownfortv action scenes, this semiremake of his 1991 actioncomedy lacks all of the dramatic.
The same scorn that comes with any news of a john woo title being remade was largely spared for the adventurers, most likely due to the fact that for many, once a thief was a surprisingly light and breezy effort from the master of heroic bloodshed. Once a thief also billed as john woo s once a thief is a canadian actioncomedy television series inspired by the hong kong 1991 film of the same name. Regarder john woos once a thief 1965 toutes les infos sur le film complet john woos once a thief en francais, streaming gratuit, soustitres et audio dorigine. This is john woo made for televisionthat should tell you everything. If cherie chung hadnt retired after making this movie, and maybe had gone on to star in some wong karwai movies, would she be better known. Based on the critically acclaimed movie, john woos once a thief tells the story of two young refugees from a criminal empire in hong kong. Crisscross over four seas is a 1991 hong kong caper film written and directed by john woo, starring chow yunfat, leslie cheung, cherie chung, kenneth tsang and paul chu. Email to friends share on facebook opens in a new window or tab share on twitter. Once a thief john woos once a thief john woos violent. Much like woos past films like a better tomorrow and once a thief, manhunt brings back the nittygritty hardboiled genre that populated hong kong cinema in the 80s and 90s. John woo s once a thief, john woo s violent tradition, woo s once a thief. John woos the killer, war and why masala cinema can. Sep 27, 1996 murder, revenge, doublecrosses galore. Once a thief is a remake of a 1991 film of the same name.
A first for television, it brought the unique excitement of hong kong films to the small screen, fusing romance, action and humour all in the signature style of executive producer john woo, the man who broke down. Ever have one of those days where you think youre going to watch a john woo film, only to watch a john woo film instead. There was a perfect balance of storytelling and revolutionary action in all. John woos once a thief complete series new pal cult 8. Information about this film in the internet movie database. Like br said, it is fun linking these great well made masala movies. However, it is impossible to evaluate good or bad before watch once a thief 1991 full movie. Aug 17, 2017 the adventurers remakes john woos once a thief with panache. This twohour pilot for the canadian tv series is inspired by john woos 1991 hong kong film of the same title, but the story has been altered extensively. I only give it a 4 out of 5 because its overly comedic moments and silly plot holes prevent it from being an amazing action film. He is best known for the films a better tomorrow 1986, hard boiled 1992, broken arrow 1996, and faceoff 1997. The writing is superb, the timing is masterful, the gun fights are classic woo if nothing else the gun battles alone make this a must watch. Are movies in the asian culture thought of as more disposable where people dont have an interest in watching them again once theres something new. Once a thief john woos once a thief john woos violent tradition 1996 rotten tomatoes this twohour pilot for the canadian tv series is inspired by john woos 1991 hong kong film of the.
Art meets action in john woo s once a thief a nonstop adrenaline rush of intrigue, romance and explosive danger. A first for television, it brought the unique excitement of hong kong films to the small screen, fusing romance, action and humour all in the signature style of executive producer john woo, the man who broke down the wall between the action movie and the art film. Are there good dvdbluray issues of john woos chinese. The film was released in the hong kong on 2 february 1991. Kim soohyun offered a role in john woos once a thief. In 1991, woo softened the blood letting for a light romantic comedy, once a thief. Very loosely based on his 1991 film of the same name, john woo s once a thief was produced as a pilot for a shortlived television series that was shown only in canada. Brother against brother, 1998, directed by allan kroeker, with sandrine holt, ivan sergei, nicholas lea, at turner classic movies. John woos once a thief became a series filmed in canada. If your local rental place doesnt have it, here are some places you can buy it online. From the director of faceoff, hard boiled and the killer. Woos version, retitled the red circle, will follow a thief who is released from prison the same day a murderer escapes police custody.
Yes, the master of action cinema from hong kong, john woo, actually put his name on this piece of crap. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Art meets action in john woos once a thief a tale of intrigue. Im frankly kind of stunned that a movie with this big a budget and this many bonafied movie stars could look so badbut i guess its the kind of thing that hollywood does on the regular, heh. John woos once a thief anyone whose appetite for john woos electric filmmaking was whetted by this summers terrific faceoff will still want to keep their distance from this woo vehicle, a video repackaging of a failed fox pilot. John woos once a thief pazsaz entertainment network. With sandrine holt, ivan sergei, nicholas lea, robert ito. It is hard to know if fox is putting the name of the director of its sunday movie, john woos once a thief 8 p. Upon first glimpse, john woos cinema became a pandoras box of wonder for me. Woo and his longtime partner, terence chang, know well. I must confess, i think i started a little too young. Once a thief john woo, 1991 the chinese cinema medium. John woo is gearing up manhunt, a return to the crime genre that made him famous in hong kong and around the world with such hits as a better tomorrow, the killer, once a thief, bullet in the head, and hard boiled.
John woo and the art of the action movie hong kong movie. The movie is about three art thieves that want to still just one more picture before they retire. References to samuel becketts work appear frequently in once a thief. John woo will direct a remake of the french action film le cercle rouge for paramount. Kong trailer hd 1080 hk neo film shop chow yun fat john woo. Are there good dvdblu ray issues of john woos chinese films. Mac and li ann find michael michael wong, but their reunion is shortlived when the godfather robert ito is assassinated by one of his own men. As children, joe chow yun fat, james leslie chuenng, who quite sadly committed suicide last month and cherie cherie chung were orphans taken in by a thief and taught the ways of the thieving underworld.
But it certainly is a oneofakind television movie these days. The movie was also made into a 1997 television series also of. First is a title that was good for the pilot, but not so accurate for the tv series. John woo had very little to do with john woo s once a thief. John woo remade his own once a thief movie in a bit of a sanitized version made for tv, but what it lacks in blood spray it makes up for with some amazing stunts a motorcycle stunt is jaw dropping, lots of action and explosions, pretty what you want in a woo film. Once a thief is the first collaboration between john woo and chow yunfat after their hugely successful the killer. Find movie and film cast and crew information for john woos once a thief 1996 john woo on allmovie. Brother against brother was the twopart series finale, family reunion and endgame with a different. A first for television, it brought the unique excitement of hong kong films to the small screen, fusing romance, action and humour all in the signature style of executive producer john woo, the man who broke down the wall.
John woos career has had so many ups and downs that weve lost track where he stands at the moment. Around 89 or 90, as a teenager, in a fanzine or magazine, i read an article on woos the killer 1989 that described the film as hyperviolent, kinetic, and unlike any action movie that had come before it. But seriously, the man is a legend just for the hongkong streak he had going between 19861992 a better tomorrow, the killer, once a thief, bullet in the head, and hard boiled. But you dont have to be an action lover to be captured by john woos once a thief, because it has so many more elements that make this show one of the.
Art meets action in john woos once a thief a nonstop adrenaline rush of intrigue, romance and explosive danger. Once a thief 1991 zongsheng sihai literally, crisscross over four seas this film is proof that even john woo can make a really bad movie. Rumored to star in the film are a flock of white doves. As a tv movie, it doesnt have the polished production values and special effects of even woos hong kong films, but its a. John woo set in hong kong and vancouver, the story follows mac ramsey and li ann tsei, lovers and professional thieves who are separated while fleeing the powerful hong kong underworld crime lord who raised and trained them. Aug 15, 2017 instead, director stephen fungs latest production is a reimagining of john woos once a thief. Overview of john woos once a thief, 1996, directed by john woo, with sandrine holt, ivan sergei, nicholas lea, at turner classic movies. The second is the main characters are rather bland.
He has directed two pilots for television, john woos once a thief based on the hong kong movie and blackjack, and has become an executive producer, lending his name to the replacement killers which was chow yunfats american debut and the big hit. Consequently, the action sequences one might expect from a john woo project were lacking which is actually no surprise considering the constraints of a television shooting schedule. The films of john woo and the art of heroic bloodshed by. Once a thief also billed as john woos once a thief is a canadian actioncomedy television series inspired by the hong kong 1991 film of the same name. Family business was that old gang of mine and the last temptation of vic, edited together. Once a thief 1996, a canadian television film remake starring with nicholas lea and ivan sergei that was later spun off into a television series of the same name which ran from 1997 to 1998. Set in hong kong and vancouver, the story follows mac ramsey and li ann tsei, lovers and professional thieves who are separated while fleeing the powerful hong kong underworld crime lord who raised and trained them. Once a thief is a 1991 hong kong caper film written and directed by john woo, starring chow yunfat, leslie cheung, cherie chung, kenneth tsang and paul. John woos once a thief ign boards didnt like it, it was a slow moviedir. Once a thief is an action packed comedic caper that really is an absolute blast to watch.
Mac ivan sergei and li ann sandrine holt are the foster children of a powerful crime boss. The movie store claims to be the largest movie store on the planet. John woo would eventually learn how to correctly combine his bullethell style action with rewarding comedy in hard boiled he had to lean into it. Bullets, fists and punch lines flew in this campy crime caper about three martialarts experts working together for a secret government organization.
The bandits are as sexy and debonair as the trio of art thieves in john woos 1991 once a thief, which the adventurers very freely remakes. There s a few extra scenes to link the two episodes, but nick isnt in any of the new scenes. Murphy and camier are named for becketts book mercier et camier for example, and a subplot in which they are both made to wait for a fellow assassin beside a tree and they contemplate hanging him is a parody of becketts play waiting for godot. John woos 1994 action comedy, with the emphasis on comedy, remains an odd and annoyingly silly entry during his most creative period.
A couple working for the triad boss tang decides to leaveflee the triad and. Always remember dont trust the opinion of once a thief 1991 on the internet because the authors paid to write a comment. Buy online, pick up in store is currently unavailable, but this item may be available for instore purchase. And thats as much a warning as an inducement to watch. Perhaps destined to be the lost john woo film, once a thief is a tv movie woo directed for the fox network between working on broken arrow and faceoff. Once a thief subtitles 9 subtitles download movie and.
The adventurers remakes john woos once a thief with. Zhang is tracked by pierre jean reno, a french policeman who like most of the movies europeans speaks english. A couple working for the triad boss tang decides to leaveflee the triad and hong kong. Li ann has nightmares about michaels whereabouts as the team learns of a meeting with all of the crime families. Bullet in the head is gripping and with once a thief he gave a lighthearted fun action movie.
Once a thief is more a bythenumbers job than a rembrandt. Murder and revenge, the usual stuff the new york times. Those looking for headspinning, hightech shootouts that the killer and hardboiled made him famous for will be disappointed. As mentioned above, better off tomorrow 1 and 2, bullet in the head, the killer, hard boiled, and even once a thief. Tsang please check with your airline on this movies availability on. Once a thief is a stepping stone in that direction, most exemplified by the astonishing final action sequence. The film is set to premiere at the venice film festival next month and then screening at tiff the following week. John woos once a thief premiered in the us in syndication in april 28, 2007002, after airing on ctv in canada beginning on september 29, 1996. Anyone whose appetite for john woo s electric filmmaking was whetted by this summer s terrific faceoff will still want to keep their distance from this woo vehicle, a video repackaging of a failed fox pilot. The tang triad comes to vancouver to do weapons business.
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