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Four action masterpieces from the legendary Hong Kong director John Woo are presented on ultra-rare 35mm prints, in a program exclusive to the Australian Cinémathèque.

Few filmmakers have been as influential on the genre of action cinema as Hong Kong filmmaker John Woo. Renowned for his ‘heroic bloodshed’ films – potent blends of high operatic drama and hyper-stylised gunplay – Woo integrated elements of wuxia cinema and religious iconography in his redefinition of the form. From his breakthrough A Better Tomorrow 1986 to the balletic violence of The Killer 1989, as well as the bloody melodrama of Bullet in the Head 1990 and the breathtaking transcendence of Hard Boiled 1992, Woo reached new levels of cinematic invention that inspired countless subsequent filmmakers, from Quentin Tarantino to the Wachowskis.

Tied up in legal limbo, many of the films from his key Hong Kong years have not been available to screen for many years. After the recent acquisition of the Golden Princess studio catalogue, these titles are finally re-emerging for audiences to appreciate once again. While they have recently received new digital restorations, this program screens each film from a unique 35mm print, showcasing Woo's big screen visions in a way that can only be experienced in cinema.

QAGOMA acknowledges the generous assistance of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, Canberra; the Hong Kong Film Archive, Hong Kong; and the UCLA Film & Television Archive, Los Angeles in providing materials for this program. Program curated by Robert Hughes, Australian Cinémathèque. Additional writing by Sophie Hopmeier, Australian Cinémathèque.