Wednesday, September 23, 2020

The Black Dragon's Revenge - Ronnie Van Clief (1975) - Verbena Road, Yau Yat Chuen

Often confused with Kowloon Tong but actually developed in the 1950's, Yau Yat Chuen was also originally the location of some very large properties with private gardens but has seen most of them redeveloped into multi-apartment mansion buildings. Whereas Kowloon Tong had roads named after English counties, Yau Yat Chuen (or Tsuen, depending on how it is romanised) has roads that are named after plants.

Verbena Road runs north/south linking Peony Road at the southern end with Begonia Road at the north end and is featured during some key scenes in the film as another fight breaks out between the baddies and another group of goodies who comprise Bruce's former kung fu school brothers (and sisters).

The scene starts at the southern  end of Verbena Road as a fake rickshaw puller is spying on the two groups of good guys. The first two images show the southern end of the road, looking in each direction, then the scene cuts to the group as they pass the northern corner onto Begonia Road. The buildings may have changed but some of the external garden walls are still around today.


As they wander off, Van Clief and his buddy walk around the southern end of Verbana Road and hire the rickshaw. Then follows a bit of a silly scene as they both decide to use the occasion for some training and put the rickshaw puller in his own vehicle and run up and down the road. The white wall on the left side of the road in the third image is still around - as is the original property behind it. It's #7 Verbana Road and is a good example of the type of property, with some art-deco influences, that lined this particular part of Yau Yat Chuen.

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