John Woo - Hard Boiled

0:00 This special episode is brought to you by James Buckley. Not only is James a friend of the show, he's also one of our Patreon subscribers that gets the opportunity to select an episode of his choosing. When we asked James, he said, I want to hear you guys talk about a film by John wu his nineteen ninety two action packed classic Hard Boiled. Hello everybody, I'm Jeff Johnson. This is a film by podcast, So we're doing Hard Boil today because of our Patreon. For anyone listening wondering what Patreon is or how it works, I want to break this down for you. Our show stream's free on all platforms, but we do release exclusive episodes and content on Patreon, which is a paid subscription with several price points beginning at three dollars.

1:14 Each level gets you a film by merchandise like stickers, t shirts, and our color changing stadium cup. But at the top tier, the Producers tier, you get to direct us on which director or film we'll cover here on the a film by podcast. So if you want to call the shots like James Buckley, or you just want to check it out for a free seven day trial, head over to patreon dot com backslash a film by podcast and sign up. Now you'll find a link in the show notes. And guess what, even when you sign up for the free trial and cancel after seven days, we're still sending you some a film by swag Andy Tom is here today. If anyone has the proper pedigree to discuss a John Wu film, it's got to be you. Welcome back, man, my Gangster. Well yeah, but you know you would you you would fit right at home in a John Wu film. I feel like, you know, on on either side of the controversy, you know, uh yeah, yeah. This is one of John Wu's biggest films prior to his coming to America. Andy, for the listeners that haven't seen it, could you could you tell us a little bit about what Hard Boiled is all about. The synopsis is a tough as nails cop teams up with an undercover agent to shut down a sinister mobster and his crew. So, yeah, there you go. I did.

2:46 I did. Yeah, short and sweet. I as far as the storyline, I did get lost a little bit and I just saw it just recently. Now. I have to say that I saw this back in the early nineties, when Hong Kong films were starting to make their way over here and you could find them at these smaller rental change So I did catch this probably twenty five years ago, and I remember it being amazing, and then I watched it again here and I was getting a little lost. I'm like, wait, now, who's this? Now? Who's this? So the storyline, although it is playing kind of spelled out real really nice in that synopsis.

3:31 I did get a little lost, but it's not it's look, man, are you going there to watch a John film for a brilliant story or you know, eye Candy? So I'm watching it for the John Wuye candy. And I think there's a reason why people do get a little caught up in this film as far as what's really going on. And we'll get to that. But you talked about the Eye Candy. I want to talk about something that I feel we got to cover. We talked about this briefly. The first time we did a John wu film was back in twenty twenty one. We covered Hard Target, the Van Damn film, which is kind of like a most Dangerous game plan on Most Nagerous Game. I kind of briefly mentioned this so I do have to bring this up back up, though, I want to talk about the Tao of Wu, as I like to call it, so, listeners, Taoism is a Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao Su. The Tao meaning the Way is all about three aspects, the way of reality, the way of nature, and the way of human life. So inspired by those teachings, I'd like to offer what I call the Way of Wu, which has five aspects. So andy follow along with me, because I think you're gonna recognize these five aspects are always in a John Wu film. The Way of doves. This represents peace, you know, or rather someone or or some conflict is about to be resolved and or

5:01 put to an end. You don't get a John Wu movie without doves often. Okay, we got s. We gotta see them right. Next one the Way of Guns of Kimbo. So I'll remind listeners anyone that doesn't know that phrase guns of Kimbo. This is kind of like the art form of using two guns at once, as well as turning them into me lee weapons, which is a staple in every John Wu film. Think about was there ever a time you didn't see Chow Young fat, grab two Brettas and shoot simultaneously. It's it's you gotta see it, you know, you gotta see it. Next up the way of gun fu, so film and shootouts like a ballet or a dance. Characters are always in his movies. Characters are always jumping, they're diving, they're flailing their arms as a shoot with an artistic rhythm, and it's it's, yeah, sure it's a shootout, so it's chaotic, but it looks beautiful. It looks it looks like it was rehearsed time and time again. It's it's an art form. It's a dance gun fu, which I think that that term actually got made popular after the first Matrix film in ninety nine because they obviously took a lot of license from Wu. Number four. The way of the Standoff, also known as the Mexican standoff. Characters will engage in meaningful conversation whilst aiming guns at one another up close, sometimes separated by a wall, allowing them to talk back to back. I can't think of a John Wu movie that that didn't have this

6:35 situation. You know, got to have it, or like three or four in those Yeah, and then Lastly, the way of the chase elaborate in nature, you could expect overwhelming obstacles involving multiple people and or vehicles, whether it's like a boat versus helicopter, or horse versus helicopter, if you're talking like a face off, or you know, something like this where it's just you know, chasing one guy through a maze of the hospital, just trying to trying to get out, trying to break free. It's it's always over the top. So these five aspects are commonly depicted in a John Wu film, and when you see them, you can be certain that you're watching a John Wu film, or that you're watching a film that was influenced by John Woo. That's that's what I like to call the way of Wu. Yeah, yeah, no, those aren't bad. Well, I I think another one would be like his. When the guns create maximum effect. I wouldn't say damage, but whenever a guns or whenever there's gun play involved, there's always a stack of papers, some sparks flying, there's always it's never just you know, it's just one shot and an adult thood it's just the most maximum carnage. Especially in this movie, when they were had to shootout in that factory and just sparks everywhere when you're shoot at in the cars. I mean, it was just outrageous, the the the the amount of damage I was doing. Also, when you mentioned the chase, I guess you're you're

8:05 you're saying in this movie with the hospital chase, but there was no car chase in this film, right in the film, this one didn't have a car chase. Yeah, yeah, most of the time they did. It wasn't match of a foot chase either. I mean, you know, there was a cat and mouse kind of thing inside the hospital. But we'll get to that then. But yeah, absolutely. Let's talk a little bit about the cast. So Chaw Young Fat as Inspector Tequila. So he's previously worked with Wu on A Better Tomorrow, The Killer and wants a thief. You gotta before we before we talk more about him, you got a favorite Chile Young Fat performance when when we're talking John Wu, what's what's your go to?

8:48 Well, we're talking John Wu The Killer, maybe probably The Killer, right right? Yeah, yeah, I as far as I like a lot of other you know, uh, Giant Fat movies besides this, besides his work with John Wu. It's funny because I when I introduced my well, I watched it with my son last night. He's he's in his twenties, and I I said, John wu is like Scorcese and and Giant Fat is like Leonardo DiCaprio kind of thing, like they're they're just symbiotic, they're they're they're So watch it with that in mind. Uh So, yeah, I don't think I as far as for me, Giant Fat's best work wasn't with uh John Woo. Unfortunately, I really like I'm a huge fan of Full Contact. If you ever saw that, that Ringo lom movie, I haven't seen that, or Gambler's kind of Gamblers is No, that's actually that's that's my favorite of Giant Fats. Actually I have to have to backtrack. Yeah, I really love that one. If you saw that one, it's been a long time. Yeah, it's I gotta rewatch on that one. Yeah.

9:56 Not a lot of gun play, I don't remember. I just remember gambling. Like I said, Now, I went through tons of these movies in the early to mid nineties, so my memory is a little foggy, but good memories. Yeah. The character Tequila, so his tough on criminal's attitude and anger was taken from an actual police detective that John Wu interviewed. And the funny thing here is that off duty, the guy found happiness as a drummer in a local band, and we love that so much he decided to make Tequila a jazz musician when he's off duty. So yeah, the idea, okay, yeah, the idea of a guy working for the law and then you know, blowing off steam as a as a drummer in a band. I dig that. I really dig that. It wasn't there a line in the movie where he said Alan was making the origami for every person he killed, and then didn't say something like every note I blow, or so he made equivalent something like every sax solo I make. Yeah, it's yeah something like that. Did you watch it before? Yeah? Real quick?

11:09 Did you watch this uh with subtitles or did you do English dub subtitles? Yeah, you can do subtitles. I watched titles today, but I did. I I'm almost positive the first time I watched it in nineties it was it was dubbed, But this one I just subtitles. Yeah, my first time watching this one definitely was dubbed. And I think it took me out of it a little bit. But because you're not you're not getting the full I don't think you're getting the full performance when you can't hear the actor's voice. So so much better with subtitles. You know, just take take the time, you know, watch it with subtitles. But uh, you mentioned Alan So uh Tony Lynn Lynn Chuai. Uh. He's the undercover cop posing as a Triad assassin and he makes these orgami cranes every time he kills someone. Uh again, this is just one of those things where Wu happened to see his daughter making him and decided it was a nice trait to add to the character. So you know, I mean, John Wu loves to just throw stuff at the screen, and he's like a heat of the moment kind of guy. You know, he's It's one thing I kind of dig about him. You know, he's he's not he's not a storyboard guy.

12:18 He's not a planner. He just hey, let's let's see what happens. I think that, Yeah, I thought the symbolis. I didn't know this about seeing his daughter make those, but I I if you notice, like a lot of his films when there's there's a shootout or whatnot, there's always some type of flying, whether it's paper or doves or birds flying, you know, Like I mean the teahouse in the opening scene with the tea house and everyone's got a damn bird. I'm like, I remember this stuff, and everything goes birds go flying. So I thought that was somehow tied in, you know, with the symbolism of the orgony. But should we talk about that moment, that scene for real quick because you brought it up.

13:00 I think this this scene is crazy, man, Like, what what kind of place do you go? It's a tea house where there's a bird cage on every table. I don't I don't get it, Like I don't know if that's like a thing in Hong Kong or or what. But yeah, it's it's a wild scene to say the least. And one thing that I was doing some research on this film, this blows my mind. That's actually the tea house shootout is the first thing that they that they shoot. They've got five days to do it because I guess the place is getting demoed and Wu doesn't have a script, he doesn't have anything. He just says, hey, let's go there and just shoot up, shoot something, and they kind of on the spot, they just kind of create this, this this situation, this little story, and uh, they're shooting it with with no you know, like where we're gonna put this in the movie? How's this gonna you know, what is this going to be for the movie? And the idea that this is this becomes the genesis for the film because it's got It's not probably one of my favorite moments, and I'll get we'll get to it later, but one of my favorite moments for John wu Is is in the teahouse scene. But apparently they're getting the real Triad show up to request protection money while they're shooting. And apparently this isn't something where you just call the place and say, hey, get these guys out of here. You pay him. M hm, I mean not a Hollywood set, right, Yeah? Yeah, a little sketchy, a little bit mm hmm. Philip

14:35 Chan plays Tequila's superior, he's the boss. I immediately recognize this guy from my favorite Van Damn film, blood Sport, he because he basically plays the same guy he's in blood Sport. Wait a minute, yeah, uh he who wait? Oh wait? Who was he? He wasn't. He's he's the police inspector. Remember when the reporter she tries to to get the Kuma Tae shut down and she goes to complain to the police and he's like, hey, my hands are tied kind of a kind of a thing. Yeah yeah, yeah, okay, yeah, small a small role for him, but he's he's kind of doing the same thing, and I thought this was cool. He's actually a real life police commander in Hong Kong who happened to supervise undercover agents. That was that was his job before he you know, he kind of segued into I think he was doing like a like a consultant type role and uh in movies over there, and then he kind of just became, you know, kind of fell into the acting role. So awesome, definitely cool to see. I'll tell you when one person I was not expecting. I completely forgot that he was in the film. But John Wu is in the film. He's playing He's playing Wu, the bartender at this jazz club. Oh yeah, I didn't even wow, Okay, yeah I was. I was looking at the sign on the wall. I think it's

16:06 what is the place called jazz club? Jazz club. Yeah, so the apparently this is a like this is a late late add to the script as well. Uh, the characters created after a lot of Chilian fat scenes involving his humanity were cut, so there was there was a lot of scenes where there was a lot more of him and Teresa Chang. There was another one where Tequila plays the clarinet over his murdered partner's grave, and they you know, this movie is already to a little over two hours, so they cut a lot of that, and and Chow wasn't happy. He was, you know, he felt like his character had lost some of his love, his his depth. So he asks John Wu to write a mentor character into the film and insists that John Wu play the part himself so that they can showcase their real life friendship. So I thought, I thought that was kind of cool. Wow, Yeah, I would I think I would have liked seeing that as opposed to, you know, the stuff with the girl I say her name was Teresa in the in the because that wasn't playing for me, you know, with the flowers and that whole little back and forth between the characters. It never paid off. It never Yeah, I would have enjoyed seeing someone playing a sacks over the grave and stuff like that a little more impactful. Uh, you know, there's there's a reason the the Teresa Chain character didn't really pay off for you. And again, this this goes to the whole you know what you alluded to when we first started saying like it's

17:38 a little this plot's a little confusing, a little murky. Let's talk about who isn't in the film. So initially, Michelle Yao was in this playing one of Tequila's partners, and due to scheduling conflicts, you know, kep her out. But this was a substantial role for they had to rewrite it. It's drastically reduced, and it results in the Teresa Chang role, they kind of you know, basically chopped it down to bare bones and just said, hell, she's she'll have to just be child Young's fat's girlfriend. Did she She's Tequilla's girlfriend that works at the station. So they didn't really invest a lot into that character. They didn't really invest a lot into that that subplot because it just you know, they needed they needed that that female voice, but they didn't didn't know what to do with it, you know.

18:29 Yeah, and I'm trying Oh, I'm trying. I'm looking up what Teresa was in before, what I might have known her from, because I didn't. I didn't recognize it her at all. It's not that I mean, that doesn't mean anything that's over here in America, or at least for me. Yeah, she wasn't entered The Fat Dragon. I think that was entered the Fat Dragon. Is that I've seen that, but yeah, she I don't know. Yeah, I think that was probably wise of Michelle to not take that part as well. I mean, they were it maybe maybe it was. But at the same time, you remember when Michelle's involved, it's not it's not the girlfriend role. She's she's a cop, she's you know, she's she's on the case with with Tekuila. So I don't know, we you know, we can. It's uh, it's sad to think of what could have been. I mean, the movie is awesome, but it would I think it would have been substantially better with Michelle Yao. It's funny too, because I don't know about Uh, I've heard I've heard somewhere that a lot of Hong Kong cinema, Chinese cinema, Uh, they're really not big on the love uh interests. Uh kind of shy away from it because you know, they say, like how Jackie Chan never really is he's never run around with a girlfriend. It's never deep emotional stuff with women. Uh.

19:48 So you know the way this is glossed over, it's already a secondhand thought, like she really had no no chance she does. So. Yeah, well, let's take a quick break when we get back. We're gonna talk a little bit about the film's background. We're back any Tom and myself talking about John Wu's Hard Boiled. So Wu based the Inspector Tequila character off of two of his favorite fictional cops, and he and he guesses Andy because these are these are movies that I gotta believe in your in your collection. I know this. Ihoot, it wasn't. I've read this, I swear I have. Was it dirty? It wasn't dirty Harry? Was it?

20:37 It was? Was it? It was dirty? Harry? Was one I can't remember. You can tell me, well, you had you had the first one, Clint Easwoods Dirty Harry, Dirty Harry Callahan And Steve McQueen's Frank Bullet. Oh I didn't know that one. Okay, Yeah. The interesting thing. Yeah, they said the scene was yeah, bullet right, right right, Okay, gotcha. Yeah. The interesting thing is that both of those characters were based off of real life San Francisco PD detective David Tashi. And you know, Tashi was famous for investigating the Zodiac serial killer. So in a way, you know, Tequila is kind of like another another Tashi. I like to think. Let's talk about why this plot is a little murky. So the original story, the original plot of the film is famously cut a month into production. So if you're slightly confused as to why there's a lot of time spent in and around the hospital, it's because initially Tequila is hunting down a psychopath that's killing infants with poison in the maternity wing of the hospital. Yeah, unbelievable. Everyone's a little uncomfortable with this this storyline, and as Wu's agents are are trying to court Hollywood and get him get him over to America, everyone is frowning at the idea of a guy killing babies in the hospital, so they halt production for a solid month. They

22:08 pull in a screen ride. I want to say, his name is Barry Wong. He goes starts slashing the script rewriting it. He passes away unfortunately before he can finish it. So a lot of what we see is is Wu jumping back in and saying, all right, we're gonna turn this character into this We're gonna we're gonna make this situation happen over here. You know. It's actually it's Alan who we know as the the undercover guy. He was the psychopath that was murdering infants. So that whole thing changed. Michelle Yao's gone, let's turn the the female cop into just the girlfriend character.

22:48 A lot's going on. And so while Hardboard is one, it's I mean it's a classic, it is a cult classic. It's one of Wu's best movies. I think the idea that they're just throwing ideas out daily and rewriting the script as they go, it blows my mind. Yeah, man, that's a way to piece together a film. I mean, I'm actually now I'm pleasantly surprised, prized how coherent the story was. Yeah, it sounds like they had a lot of obstacles to overcome. So yeah, yeah, we kind of talked about the jazz aspect. Wu is a big jazz fan and he actually wanted a jazz soundtrack for The Killer, and when he was turned down, when the producers were like absolutely not, he ensured he'd get his way at Hard Boiled by making tequila jazz musician and making the jazz bar a setting for the movie. So if you're wondering, like because jazz does feel a little displaced in this film, but you know, if you know John Wu, then it makes sense. I guess what was that song that when Teresa and the Superintendent, Well, it was a song going on, remember that, Yeah, Like I was, yeah, I was waiting for it to go. Oh, I recognize that song because they were there spinning lyrics and I'm like, oh, it's gonna click in. It's like and I didn't know the song and then uh, they were uncoated. They were it was some code. It was almost like the I'm not a musician,

24:18 so you know, I was I was gonna lean on you. I was hoping that you might have found out because I couldn't figure this out. But it's almost like they're they're using the harmony to yeah and then yeah, And there was a number of I get that. I get yeah, but I don't I don't understand the the I don't understand why it's there though. I I I can't figure out what they were doing with it because it wasn't like a fun little thing that he was doing with Teresa. It was like he was sitting at to Teresa and then she's giving it to the captain and then he's he's uncoding, like he's putting it into the computer and then it's giving out like a spit out like a fortune cookie saying every time. So I didn't know what was going on there, man, I need someone to explain that to me. Well, he's dead, so it's the writer who died, probably, I get Yeah, it dies with him. Unfortunately, the secret went with him. I think that's it. Never know. One thing I did find out. I was happy to learn this though. Yeah.

25:19 You remember the scene in the police station where everyone's kind of taking a moment to to show respector or prey to this little, strange little statue. Yeah. So the statue is called guan Yu, also known as General General Kwan, that the Daoist god of War. He was a real general turned emperor turned deity during the Sioux dynasty, and he represents bravery, righteousness, leadership, protection, and triumph to this day, it's commonly worshiped by Chinese law enforcement agencies. Oh no, way, okay, it's pretty badass. Like I'm a I'm a fan. I'm a fan of General quand like we I need I need one of these statues. You know, Joe they did they did mention him by name too, which was interistic. Yeah, I didn't know that. That's great. So let's let's call some stuff out here, you know, whether it's memorable moments, favorite scenes like what do you what are you thinking? Andy? Because you know we could talk, we could talk at at length about some of these impressive shootouts. But does something stand out for you? Uh? Impressive shootouts, I mean they're always Here's here's the thing where I think John will he gets it right, because when you have long shootout, you know who else gets it right is John Wick.

26:44 John Wick films long shootouts. It's just shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting, shooting, and then you can I tune out, right, I go, all right, I get it. There's a gun. But he's he's got an operatic way to film these, uh, and it's beautiful. It's like a ballet, and it's it's so each one has its own moments. You know, you can't go this shootout in the factory is greater the shootout because they're all like, really well done. It's not. I think he really helped American cinema too. In that American cinema when they just have a shootout, they just guys shoot guns at each other and don't give it really an artistic thought, where he did, and he really leaned into it heavily, you know, and he made it a work of art. So the guns, yeah, exactly. And I don't think any particular one was better than the other. They were all really great. There's all great moments. Then there's always a moment where you go, oh, what the hell? Yeah, and I'm trying all right, So if I had to pick a moment when giant fact comes down out of the ceiling and he's fine, he's firing and he seems to be going on an angle which makes no sense and no sense in the world. Yeah, the laws of physics didn't work that way, but it was still fun. Same thing with the baby with the jumping out the window. None of it makes sense, but it's so beautiful to watch. So yeah, all those moments are wonderful.

28:17 I don't think there's a real human moment where I go, oh, that was really a nice human moment where they're just talking. I think it was just all the action. For me, I'm gonna I want to I want to point something out that you just said. You said, none of it makes sense, but it's fun to watch, and I want our listeners to remember that you said that, because when we talk about John Wu, I've got a quote from John Wu that that just pairs perfectly with what you just said. But before we get to that, I'll tell you one of my favorite moments in this film. It's it's it's not a moment but a shot. Okay. When I when James Buckley first said, hey, you know, I'd love to hear you guys do Hard Boiled, the first thing that popped in my mind is the tea house scene at the end when he executes the gang member and he's covered in that white flower, and we get the close up execution headshot, and then that that that bright red blood splatters all over his his white face because he's covered in that that that that flower.

29:23 That is what I like to call beautiful violence at its best, because it's just it's so cinematic, and I mean, you know, they shot that like two or three times, and it was the last take where Chili and Fat said, hey, I got an idea. What if I dive this way through this, through this this flower bag and I get covered and then you see the red blood splatter all over me and they were just like, that's that's it. That's that's the keeper. So a lot of a lot of ad libbing on a set, well, you have to do ad lib on a set like this, because I feel like with with this, with this script specifically, we don't know what we're shooting today because we're kind of making it up as we go along. So absolutely love that the baby in his arms is it's ridiculous, but it works. I don't care what you say. It's it's fantastic. Yeah, it's funny because once again, I the last time I saw this was probably nineteen ninety four. Yeah, and I didn't remember hardly a thing. I just remembered there was a big shootout in a hospital and he called the baby a little piss pot, and that's how I went in with my son. I'm like, he's holding this baby and he calls him a little piss pot, and I was right.

30:37 I remembered it. It was a hospital and that is one of my favorite when on the fire puts out the fire. Yeah, I puts out the fire. That's awesome. Man, you have to love it. It's this. If this movie was made in America at the same time, it would have been a Cannon film and it would have worked even on even that way too. But I'm glad. I'm glad we got John Wu doing Wu. Speaking of John Wu, so one thing we kind of been doing lately is you know, two things you might not know about him, and then and then a quote. So uh for those that don't know. John Wu began his career as an assistant director in nineteen sixty nine working for Shaw Brothers Studios, who I'll remind everyone we did. We actually did a Shaw Brothers film, a film at forty five. Our limited series covered five deadly venoms.

31:34 But man, I don't know about Andy. I could I could just sit down on a Sunday and do like a Shaw Brother's marathon and just not get bored, how about you? Well see, yeah, I just saw that in a Wow I should just probably about two years ago, I saw that in the theaters out here five Deadly Devenoms. But yeah, well where I where I grew up was I live right between Philly and New York, so I got out of New York. Every Sunday they'd play it was called Driving Driving Theater, but it was it was in the afternoon, and and they played two back to back kung fu films. So I think that's what started my just infatuation with the martial arts. So it was just Shaw Brother, Shaw Brother, the Shaw Brother every weekend double feature. I mean not saying I sat through him all all the time, but I was always you know, the Flying Guillotine and Master Killer, thirty six, Chamber Chalette, I mean everything. I was just enamored with it. So it wasn't uh Sunny Chiba his his street Fighter films. They were they were Shaw Brothers, weren't they. Oh No, So what's weird because yeah, he's he's Japanese, so he was doing karate, which is I didn't see those until much later, because you know, Chinese is kung fu and it's got a totally different look, uh, And I always gravitated to that. I mean that was my first martial art I studied. Was back in like you know, a white dragon kong Fu was and it's very flowery and but sunny cheaba. If

33:08 you watch his films, they're very stiff and very you know, tempo karate stiff, and it's hard style. So that's Japanese. His stuff was all Japanese, all the sudden chieve of stuff, so that was far removed from any Chinese cinema. Another thing about John Wu. You may not know, and this blows my mind. The man has never owned a car. That's I don't even know that's how that works. Man, like never I get if you're like, hey, I was, I was forty before I got my first car. But he has never owned one. I don't don't know if and I couldn't find out if it's a choice like he does it he refuses to drive, or he doesn't like him or I don't know what's going on there. But man doesn't own a car. I mean I'm looking because all right, so I can, okay. So as he grew up in Hong Kong, so that man sense because it if you if you grew up in Hong Kong, I'm I'm assuming Hong Kong is very similar to New York City and New York City. Nobody has cars. You don't really need, okay, you know, publication and whatnot. So I guess that would make sense. I wouldn't have if I if I was raised in New York City, I wouldn't. I wouldn't have a car. So I can. But I mean, if he goes to mainland China, you know, and it's pretty spread out, I don't know he I mean Andy, you're you know he he currently he lives in Pacific Palisades out there in California. Okay, yeah, so you're the one. You know, you're you're in burd Bank, like he's Yeah, you know, last I check, people are driving

34:39 cars in La So yeah, yeah, it's a weird one. Uh. I got a quote for you. So as you said a little bit ago, we're talking about the film itself, and in some of the scenes, you said, uh, nothing makes sense, but it's fun to watch. I almost feel like John John WUIs talking to you specifically with this quote. He says, and I quote, logic is very boring. When I'm shooting, I do what I feel. I'm free and open, so beautiful. You can add that to the dow of Wu. As far as I'm concerned. You know, it's fun. It's funny because like I hear that from John Wu. I'm like, that's beautiful. Do what you want, brother, But then you'll have some brand new film school student. Here's that I can just shoot on this cellya Lloyd. It's gonna be great because it's just what I want to do. I mean, there are certain rules he's probably learned, and then it's kind of like gi Kundo, like Bruce Lee's Jacundo.

35:42 You got to learn a certain and then you can kind of start forgetting and doing your own thing. But there is a certain parameters you have to follow. I can handy, I can yeah, I can imagine. I can imagine an animator walks in to your office and you're like, all right, let's talk about your work, and he says, you know, I'm free. I just like to do what I feel and I'm open and right. No, you're like, kid, give me the storyboards or get out of my office, you know, waste my time. I remember I was a young art student and a guy who's I won't mention his name, but he's now as a really great comic book artist. In fact, he won an iSER Award, which is like an Emmy for comic books, and we had to do this. We had to draw a comic page that had a three point perspective, which is a different way of drawing a landscape with buildings and whatnot. And he didn't get it right. He fucked it all up and it just looked terrible. His perspective was all wrong and he and he says, well, I did that because I wanted the viewer to feel a little uneasy. And I was like, no, you didn't, you fucked it up. You just you just did it wrong. But he tried to bullshit his way through it. No, man, everybody got him about it, you know, and he, you know, later he admits he's bullshitting.

37:04 But yeah, you can't bullshit your way if you're John you know he's not bullshitting. You know, you can't bullshit it a bullshitter. So anyway, well, this is usually about this time we would we'd would get into the filmography of the director. But uh, you could say this special episode is supplemental to our Hard Target episode from twenty twenty one, so please check that episode out for our take on John Wu's phomography. But Andy, I would like to hear if you have, whether it's a favorite John wu film or one that you suggest people see. What do you what do you think? I mean? Killer is his like Godfather? I guess you know the killer I did? I did? I did like a hard Target. I thought that was I think that was fun and face Off. Oh and I have to add listen, I just heard this rumor this morning, and I don't know if it's true that they're looking to do another Face Off and they're bringing back Travolta and Cage. Yeah, so I didn't. My friend just told me this morning. So yeah, so it's it's Adam Wingert is the director who's been who's been attached this for a little bit. And it started off as like a continuation and then it was like, hey, we're bringing Travolta back, which I thought I was on board. It made sense.

38:31 But then here recently they're talking about how Nicholas Cage is coming back, and I'm like, how do how do you do that? Because Casher Troy dies at the end of it, but they're saying they're saying he didn't die, So you gotta wonder what are they going to do with these two guys Because it's been what like twenty five years since we've seen Face Off. Yeah, oh my god, nineteen ninety seven, ninety seven. Yeah, I'll be I'll be the first in line for the buying a ticket, I'll tell you that. But I mean I could see those old guys. Hey man, you can rip off someone's face and put it on another body who knows nobody.

39:14 I don't think anybody can die, you know, you can always have the guy's dead body owned and then just a handcomer and rip his face off and then I guess question. Yeah, well, that's what's next for one of his films. But let's talk about what's next for John Wu. And this one also shocks me. Andy. He's already in post production on an English language remake of The Killer, which kind of feel like your favorite WU film, my favorite WU film. It's starring Natalie Emmanuel from Game of Thrones and Sam Worthington, who's Natalie Emmanuel in Game of She was remember Kalisi's like lady in Waye who uh, very stunning. Yeah, she's gorgeous, very very talented young actress. I'm assuming she's the she's the character that gets blinded.

40:12 And Sam Worthington is playing the Chilean Fat role. Okay, I don't know how I feel about this man, because the killer is so good. I don't feel like you can remake it like you called it. You said it it's it's Chile. It's uh, it's it's John Wu's godfather. So how do how do you how do you do this? Why do you do this well? And I and I was anticipating you kind of asking if you get a prequel, remake or uh sequel? And I was thinking if they've remade it, like I wonder if he would carry his his sensibilities from those the nineties films where you know, it's you know a little cheesy with the slow mo and the you know the like how should I say, it's kind of like a little cringey watching it now, you're right, haanding, So so would he abandon those you know what like there? He would do this one thing? And I noticed it as an animation director, where the the camera there's a scene there's a close up on Chaian Fat and then it freezes and then it fades and then it crosses off to the next shot. Yeah, and it was always weird and it's funny because in the program that we use in the industry, it's it's Tone Boom Storyboard Pro where we do our storyboards, and it has this like glitch in it where like, let's say you have a panning background and say you want to cross us off to something, it can't. As soon as you start the crosses off, everything stops in the shot. So it's kind of like a giant I'm like, he's

41:44 got this storyboard glitch that we have to deal with, like it he'll he'll freeze that and then dissolve out of it, and it's kind of jarring. It's very weird to see. So anyway, those little earmarks that John wu does, I'm one. And if he does remake something like that, would he still do that type of stuff? I'm hoping he doesn't. Yeah, yeah, me too. And not to say that, I'm not saying it's bad, don't get me wrong, It's just it seems dated. Yeah, and I like to see, you know, I mean, it would be balls if he did and he had he had the characters with those pleaded, big fat pleated pants with their big dumb jackets like x x L jacket.

42:28 Yeah, yeah, I don't know. Yeah, it's you know, he he uh, he just came back, you know. He after after you know, he's in America for a little while, he goes back to Hong Kong. He did like the Red Cliff movies, a couple others. He just came back last year for that film he did at Christmas time called Silent Night with Joe Kinneman, which I didn't see it. It's I'd say it's it's in your wheelhouse because it's a it's an interesting concept. It's it's got it like a death wish vibe to it because, uh, drive by shooters inadvertently kill Joel kim AND's son and they shoot him in the throat so he can't speak, and then he goes full on punisher and like goes after him.

43:19 So it's called it's Silent Night because it's a Christmas movie, but it's also kim And for the pretty much the whole thing doesn't talk. I think I saw it a cool gimmick movie. You know, Yeah, I might have seen it. I liked the title, and yeah, it didn't make a lot of It didn't make a lot of money, you know, and I think it's just people weren't ready for it, or people didn't expect it. I don't know what the situation was. But John Wu fans, well we'll appreciate it. I can't say that much. I liked it as a John Wu movie. Yeah, okay, well if I I'll check it out and see if I did see it, it sounds very familiar. Yeah, anyway, Yeah, I love those revenge stories like that. But Andy, your your thoughts on on hard Boil. Sadly you can't. You can't stream this one anywhere. If you're gonna watch it, you gotta you gotta spend three bucks on Prime or or Google or whatever. Yeah. Worth a watch though, right, Oh yeah, definitely definitely. I mean, if I was gonna out of ten, i'd give it a eight point seven or something.

44:24 And you know, it's it's really it's really well done. I mean it's you could if you argue that it's his best work, I wouldn't argue back. You know, there's there's a lot there. And then hearing what you're you're telling me all the obstacles that they had to overcome, I mean, come on, and he deserves another point for just that, for making a decent film out of it. Well, you know, you're not alone. I'm right there with you. I agree and so so good. In fact, there's actually there's a Criterion collection version of this film i'd love to get my hands on. Last I checked, it's going for upwards like seventy bucks on Amazon and eBay, So I don't. I don't know if I'm ready for that, but uh, I am ready for more John Wu.

45:07 So I hope he's he's got. I look forward seeing what he's gonna do with this Killer remake? But is he producing? I'm sorry, sorry to drag it back, but I know I think he's directing. If I'm not, if I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's in post gotcha. Yeah, I think I was looking strange, strange situation, you know, I think. I don't think it's often that a director will remake one of his own films. So unless you're George Lucas and you're just tinkering Wet Star Wars for thirty years. But anyways, listeners, what do you think of John Wu and his action classic hard Boiled? You can let us know on social media. We're on Facebook, Instagram, x. You can check out a film by podcast dot com for all of our episodes that are streaming free. The entire library is there.

45:59 We've got some fun articles as well for you to for you to check out. You can write to us at a film By Podcast at gmail dot com with your questions, comments and concerns. We may just read your response on the show and send you some a Film By swag. Join us tomorrow for our Star Trek themed series Phaser Set the Stunt Wayne. David and Scott are continuing their recap of Discovery's final season on Friday. Our limited series A Film at forty five is heading to summer camp because David and Scott will be celebrating the forty fifth anniversary of the Bill Murray classic Meatballs and next time on a Film By, we'll hit the waves when we talk about a film by John Malius, his nineteen seventy eight surf classic Big Wednesday. Andy, it's always a great conversation when you join us. Thanks for talking John will with me.

46:58 I'm hoping you'll come back more often, you know, Yeah, Man, you got you gotta let me know. Man, if there's a if there's a director we need to talk about. You know, you're in the business, so if you if there's someone that you want to talk about, you gotta tell me so we can. We can get this set up. Man. Yeah, we got some stuff cooking. We'll get we'll get something coming up soon. Hopefully good deal, good deal. Uh. Definitely want to thank James Buckley for putting us to work on this one, and as one of our Patreon producers, I'm excited to see what he'll choose for us next. James, we appreciate your support, man, and as always, for those of you out there listening to us every week, liking, sharing, following, and subscribing on your streaming app of choice as well as our Patreon, we thank you