Why do older movies (not the silent movies which are intentionally sped up) look like they’re fast paced when characters move across the screen?

Question

Like Hard-Boiled by John woo for instance. The characters move quickly and recklessly across different points in the screen. The same is for other movies before 2000s. Is it cinematography or did the actors used to move really fast?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Action scenes are sped up to make it more spectacular. It’s a signature technique used in Kung-Fu movies.

[7. Sped-up film stock](https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/08/10-enduringly-silly-kung-fu-movie-tropes.html)

In Hard-Boiled, John Woo not only uses speeding, but also a lot of slow-motion for dramatic impact.