Bullet for Hire - Simon Yam (1991) - Cumberland Road, Kowloon Tong

Shan gets involved with one of the girls at the sauna and picks her up after work after paying off her debt to a local gangster. They take a taxi to Kowloon Tong which at the time was full of "Love Motels". There are still afew around but they are not quite as prolific as they used to be. The O.MAS Hotel was still around until a few years ago. I don't think it's operating anymore but the neon sign was still there during the last Google Streetview sweep. I can't remember seeing it the last time I walked this way though.

Forced Vengeance - Chuck Norris (1982) - Olympic Bridge, Causeway Bay

Prompted by the recent news of Chuck Norris' passing, long time supporter of the blog, AP, asked me if I had ever managed to locate the place where the neon sign backlit fight scene took place during Forced Vengeance. The scene is played over the opening credits but is also part of the main story later in the film as Josh (Norris) and his two female companions are desperately trying to escape the bad guys.

I must admit I hadn't actually given it any thought at the time (back in 2014 when I first covered the film, I just assumed it was a studio set up), but a brief look at the scene has made it quite clear to me that it was filmed on what is known locally as "Olympic Bridge" in Causeway Bay. The footbridge spans Irving Street and Leighton Road and has, on the face of each step, a Summer Olympic games location followed by the year it was held. If you want to know why this was done you can read this Govt press release from 2002.

Anyway back in 1981, we see Norris and co running down Yee Wo Street towards the bridge, and then, as they walk up the bridge they are obstructed by one of the bad guys and the following fight scene is silhouetted by the bright neon Vitasoy advert on the building behind.

The neon sign was hanging on the building that used to stand right on the corner where the Causeway Bay Tram terminus loops around. It looks like the sign covered the front of #90 Yee Wo Street which has long since been replaced by the Regal Hong Kong Hotel. I haven't been able to find any 80s era images of the Vitasoy signage, but earlier versions appear to have existed since (at least) the 1960s. You can see an earlier version on this Gwulo image - it's behind the tram on the left.

Anyway, RIP to Chuck Norris.

The bridge seen from Yee Wo Street

Bullet for Hire - Simon Yam (1991) - Lan Kwai Fong, Central

The assassins' favourite sauna is a frequent location in this movie. I'm not so sure of its location at the moment, but in one of the scenes they drive their car down Lan Kwai Fong on the way (no, I don't think it was there). The signboard for Post 97, a popular bar, can be seen on the left. The wall at the back on D'Aguilar Street was later partially demolished to make way for LKF Tower.

Later in the film there is a brief glimpse of the frontage of "Scotties", another famous Lan Kwai Fong bar that operated in the 1980s and 90s (see bottom image). I believe it closed in 1993, so a couple of years after this film was released.

Bullet for Hire - Simon Yam (1991) - The Lido, Repulse Bay

The exclusive club that Han always goes to, but where Shan is initially refused entry because of his attire, was located in what was the old Lido building along the beachfront in Repulse Bay.

Information on the history of this place is a bit patchy, so I've had to guess afew things, but what is known is that it was built by the Kadoorie family in 1935 as a sort of beachside resort building containing bathing booths, a restaurant and at some point a nightclub. It was a standalone building, designed in the art-deco style that was popular at the time (and for quite a while afterwards) in Hong Kong. Located at the eastern end of the beach, it was later joined by a second, similarly low-rise, building immediately to the west. I think (I'm guessing again) that may have been built when the when the site was bought and redeveloped by the Lido Development Company circa 1976. The two buildings may or may not have been referred to as the "Lido Complex", please feel free to comment below to correct any mistakes.

You can see in the images that Han's car drives along Beach Road with a white building in the background with curved roof edge. I think this is the east tip of the later development I just mentioned. Han stops outside what was the original Lido building. The sign above the door says "Lido International Resort Club" but I have no idea if it was known by this at the time or whether it was a film prop. I suspect it was the real name though.

The Lido building(s)/complex were later bought by Emperor Group (circa mid-90s) and redeveloped into a single long mall building called "The Pulse". This new development appears to take up the same footprint as the previous two buildings combined. Apparently there were some legal issues because Emperor were only given permission to build a three-storey structure and instead they slapped an additional three floors on the top, breaking their lease conditions. They got away with it by paying an additional land premium of close to HK$800 million. In HK, all problems go away with a big bag of cash.

The area we can see on the film below is in front of a traffic island that itself sits in front of 49-53 Beach Road. Both of which can be seen in the third image.

The curved wall in the background belongs to 49-53 Beach Road

Bullet for Hire - Simon Yam (1991) - Ice House Street, Central

Later that night, Han takes Shan out to spend some of their earnings. Their car, a rather nice looking Porsche 928, can be seen driving down Lower Albert Road before turning into Ice House Street next to the Fringe Club.

Bullet for Hire - Simon Yam (1991) - Blue Pool Road, Happy Valley

On the way back from the kidnap, their car can be seen driving down Blue Pool Road in Happy Valley.

Bullet for Hire - Simon Yam (1991) - Stone Nullah Lane, Wanchai

Han and Shan are sent on their first job together, which (although Shan doesn't know it) is to kidnap the wife and daughter of one of their fellow gangsters. It turns out that boss doesn't like his hitmen to have any attachments outside of their jobs and so the loose ends must be tied up. Shan messes the kidnap up and Han finishes off the mother in a brutally comedic fashion - he shoots her in the head and her body falls back onto a hawker trolley which then rolls down the road. The large building with the red trim is the St James' Settlement building.

Bullet for Hire - Simon Yam (1991) - 50 Tin Shek Road, Sai Kung

The location of the boss's (Dick Wei) house is a rather secluded small lane in the hills above Hebe Haven in Sai Kung. I have no idea who lived there at the time but they were kind enough to let the film crew blow out the lower windows during the film's finale. It's a location the film returns to time and again as the boss meets up with the killers to give them their new instructions. To channel (now, Sir) Loyd Grossman..."Who lives in a house like this?"

Bullet for Hire - Simon Yam (1991) - Quarry Bay Park

The Elaine manages to throw herself out of the car and runs to a nearby construction site to hide from the gunmen. This is just off Lei King Road and is now the easternmost section of Quarry Bay Park. The building on the opposite side of the road in the top image is Kwun Hoi Mansion - part of the Lei King Wan development.

Bullet for Hire - Simon Yam (1991) - Tai Hong Street, Shau Kei Wan

After Lei King Street, the car - driven by the female Interpol agent Elaine (Elaine Lui) - turns onto Tai Hong Street to try and escape the assassins. The yellow bridge like road in the background was the old vehicular access ramp for the ferry pier. That particular ferry structure has since been taken over by the Marine Police and both piers here now contain their operations. One contains the Harbour Division  HQ (also seen in Black Mask a while back and can be seen in the distance of the top image) and the other (seen on the left of the lower image) is now the Regional HQ.