Killer

( 4 )

Overview

Though John Woo's lifelong admiration of Sam Peckinpah, Sergio Leone, Martin Scorsese, and Stanley Kubrick are also evident in this stylish actioner, the film is essentially a tribute to Jean-Pierre Melville and his cult thriller Le Samouraï. During a restaurant shoot-out, hitman Jeff Chow Yun-Fat accidentally hurts the eyes of a singer Sally Yeh. Later, he meets the girl and discovers that if she does not have a very expensive operation very soon, she will go blind. To get the money for the surgery, Jeff decides...
See more details below
This VHS (Unrated / Dubbed) is Not Available through BN.com
See All Options

More About This Product

Overview

Though John Woo's lifelong admiration of Sam Peckinpah, Sergio Leone, Martin Scorsese, and Stanley Kubrick are also evident in this stylish actioner, the film is essentially a tribute to Jean-Pierre Melville and his cult thriller Le Samouraï. During a restaurant shoot-out, hitman Jeff Chow Yun-Fat accidentally hurts the eyes of a singer Sally Yeh. Later, he meets the girl and discovers that if she does not have a very expensive operation very soon, she will go blind. To get the money for the surgery, Jeff decides to perform one last hit. The cop Danny Lee, who has been chasing Jeff for a long time, is determined to catch him this time. The film's number of victims makes The Terminator or Rambo pale in comparison, but its brilliant visual style and bravura direction earned accolades even from non-action fans.
Read More Show Less

Editorial Reviews

All Movie Guide - Lucia Bozzola
One of the high points of 1980s Hong Kong action cinema, The Killer (1989) is considered one of John Woo's most spectacularly assured examinations of honor among violent men on opposite sides of the law. In their operatic reinterpretation of Jean-Pierre Melville's Le Samourai (1967), Woo and frequent star Chow Yun-Fat blend Melville's existential cool with the serious (and seriously violent) passion of Sam Peckinpah, Sergio Leone, and Martin Scorsese, in a story about a hit man's crisis of conscience that pits old-fashioned notions of goodness against modern law enforcement. The artfully choreographed bloodshed becomes a sacrament, as the endless hail of bullets and bodies, particularly in the climactic church shootout, melodramatically heightens the physical cost of Jeff's doomed search for grace. A hit in Hong Kong, The Killer further bolstered Woo's reputation internationally and became the most popular Hong Kong film in the U.S. since Bruce Lee's Enter the Dragon (1973). Woo's signature slow-motion action theatrics, face-to-face stand-offs, and two-fisted gunplay influenced numerous 1990s American action directors, most notably Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino.
Read More Show Less

Product Details

  • Release Date: 10/13/1997
  • UPC: 720917011134
  • Original Release: 1989

    • Rating:

  • Source: Fox Lorber
  • Presentation: Unrated / Dubbed
  • Format: VHS

Cast & Crew

Performance Credits
Chow Yun-Fat Jeffrey Chow
Danny Lee Detective "Eagle" Lee
Sally Yeh Jenny
Kenneth Tsang Sgt. Randy Chang
Chu Kong Sydney Fung
Shing Fui-On Johnny Wang
Lam Chung Willie Tsang
Yi Fanwei Frankie Feng
Huang Guangliang Wong Tong
Ye Rongzu Tony Weng
Wu Shaohong Killer
Barry Wong Chief Inspector Tu
Parkman Wong Inspector Chan
Yang Xing Bodyguard
Technical Credits
John Woo Director, Screenwriter
Shirley Chan Costumes/Costume Designer
Terence Chang Producer
Tsui Hark Producer
Fan Kung-Ming Editor
Lowell Lowe Score Composer
Luk Man-Wah Art Director
Peter Pau Cinematographer
Ching Siu Tung Stunts
Wong Wing-Hang Cinematographer
David Wu Editor
David Wu Editor
Dai Zhenqing Set Decoration/Design
Read More Show Less

Customer Reviews

Average Rating 5
( 4 )
Rating Distribution

5 Star

(3)

4 Star

(1)

3 Star

(0)

2 Star

(0)

1 Star

(0)

Your Rating:

Review Guidelines
Add Recommendations
Your Name: Create a Pen Name or

Barnes & Noble.com Review Rules

Our reader reviews allow you to share your comments on titles you liked, or didn't, with others. By submitting an online review, you are representing to Barnes & Noble.com that all information contained in your review is original and accurate in all respects, and that the submission of such content by you and the posting of such content by Barnes & Noble.com does not and will not violate the rights of any third party. Please follow the rules below to help ensure that your review can be posted.

Reviews by Our Customers Under the Age of 13

We highly value and respect everyone's opinion concerning the titles we offer. However, we cannot allow persons under the age of 13 to have accounts at BN.com or to post customer reviews. Please see our Terms of Use for more details.

What to exclude from your review:

Please do not write about reviews, commentary, or information posted on the product page. If you see any errors in the information on the product page, please send us an email.

Reviews should not contain any of the following:

  • - HTML tags, profanity, obscenities, vulgarities, or comments that defame anyone
  • - Time-sensitive information such as tour dates, signings, lectures, etc.
  • - Single-word reviews. Other people will read your review to discover why you liked or didn't like the title. Be descriptive.
  • - Comments focusing on the author or that may ruin the ending for others
  • - Phone numbers, addresses, URLs
  • - Pricing and availability information or alternative ordering information
  • - Advertisements or commercial solicitation

Reminder:

  • - By submitting a review, you grant to Barnes & Noble.com and its sublicensees the royalty-free, perpetual, irrevocable right and license to use the review in accordance with the Barnes & Noble.com Terms of Use.
  • - Barnes & Noble.com reserves the right not to post any review -- particularly those that do not follow the terms and conditions of these Rules. Barnes & Noble.com also reserves the right to remove any review at any time without notice.
  • - See Terms of Use for other conditions and disclaimers.
Search for Products You'd Like to Recommend

Recommend other products that relate to your review. Just search for them below and share!

Create a Pen Name

Your Pen Name is your unique identity on BN.com. It will appear on the reviews you write and other website activities. Your Pen Name cannot be edited, changed or deleted once submitted.

 
Your Pen Name can be any combination of alphanumeric characters (plus - and _), and must be at least two characters long.

Continue Anonymously
Sort by: Showing all of 4 Customer Reviews

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Why aren't there more movies like this

    This is one of the greatest action movie of all time. This movie has the Choreography of a Kung-Fu movie combined with the explosions of a Rambo film. I suggest that you buy this film along with another film, that directed by John Woo, called Hard Boiled. Enjoy

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    Action Classic!!

    The first time I saw this movie it was on cable and my jaw hit the floor. This was the most amazing film I had seen in a long time. John Woo is one of the best action directors around and this is one of his finest. There is some corny dialog and lame chinese humor but that doesn't take away from the movie. If you're an action fan and you haven't seen this movie yet then shame on you.

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted October 1, 2010

    by far one of the greatest action movies ever!

    john woo and chow yun fat at their absolute finest! i have seen this movie over 20 times and i never get sick of it! a must have!

    Was this review helpful? Yes  NoThank you for your feedback.   Report this reviewThank you, this review has been flagged.

  • Anonymous

    Posted July 24, 2010

    No text was provided for this review.

Sort by: Showing all of 4 Customer Reviews