A Better Tomorrow (1986): the Birth of John Woo's Gun-Fu and Heroic Bloodshed

Why is A Better Tomorrow a landmark film in Hong Kong Action Cinema?John Woo's A Better Tomorrow was a lightbulb moment for the filmmaker and a groundbreaking film whose influence runs strong today.The movie is a foundational work in Hong Kong Cinema that helped birth action gun-fu choreography, the heroic bloodshed genre, and the worldwide star Chow Yun-fat.John Wick, The Matrix, Max Payne, Desperado -- the lasting echoes of this film have been heard since its release across film and video games since (and probably comics).Join me for this episode as we revisit the melodrama among men, the blazing gunfire, and the ridiculous cool of Brother Mark, aka Chow Yun-fat.Directed by John Woo. Starring Ti Lung, Leslie Cheung, Chow Yun-fat, Emily Chu, Waise Lee, and Kenneth Tsang.Connect with us on Bluesky:@not-ni-theaters.bsky.socialAnd to read more of Will's writing or check out more podcast episodes, you can visit him at: willturntale.com