Friday, April 1, 2016

The Last Grenade - Stanley Baker (1969) - Queen's Road West, Sai Ying Pun

Here is one of the urban spots that was proving difficult for me to locate, that is until Thomas came along with a suggestion that was right on the nail. It was part of the scene when Baker and his motley crew are being taken from the airport after their arrival to their tumbledown base in the New Territories. I'm not sure quite how they made it onto HK Island from Kai Tak on the way to the NT but it's nice to see some real local colour from the late 60's.

I'm not sure where Sheung Wan ends and Sai Ying Pun starts but the recent opening of the western extension of the MTR's Island Line means that Sai Ying Pun station has opened pretty much underneath this area and exit A1 is further back east along Queen's Road West, just beyond the curve we can see in the upper picture. Anyway, here's the reminder.

Queen's Road West turning right into...
...Centre Street

Here are the comments and links that led to the confirmation that this was the intersection between Queen's Road West and Centre Street in Sai Ying Pun.
This might be where Queen's Road West meets Centre Street. The very curve at the back seems fit, but I am unable to match the shop fronts. Need some other old photos of the area of the time for reference...

The shape of the column of the shophouse on the left hand side seem to match this one -https://goo.gl/maps/5LLRZsSf2sp (the one with red writing above the yellow bin)
This might be a match of the blueish restaurant building -http://www.weshare.hk/uploads/12155/X_USzntYq3kmAX_K2LI6Bw.jpg
and...from the opposite point of view -http://www.weshare.hk/uploads/12155/AigUFa3WnSOi9JjlcuaQ5Q.jpg
If you click through on Thomas's first link you can see the shophouse with its specific column design. It's not the only old building in the area but it's certainly nice to see it still around whereas the opposite side of the road has been completely replaced and redeveloped over the years. Anyway, a great find by Thomas - one of many he has done for me on this blog - so a big thanks to him.

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