Rock ‘em! Woo ‘em!

The otherwise informative cover story about Hong Kong movie-maker Woo unfortunately omits two crucial factors in his invasion of Hollywood:

First, the typical made-in-HK action movie gets made by often as many as seven first-unit directors all working at the same time. Thus there is the quite solid probability that even Woo himself did not personally direct the majority of any “John Woo film.” Despite credits on both “Gone With the Wind” and “The Wizard of Oz,” Victor Fleming today is but an answer in Trivial Pursuit.

Next, the real dynamics that make HK movies popular in Asia itself are on-screen performers’ daredevil skill and international charm--not monotonous “Woo-Woo choo-choo” camera frippery but sheer physical grace a la Jackie Chan and undeniable personal charisma a la Chow Yun-Fat.

Hollywood already has way too many overrated home-grown directors without creating unrealistic hype for imports.

S. C. DACY

Los Angeles