Saturday, October 14, 2023

Legacy of Rage - Brandon Lee (1986) - Stonecutter Island, Kowloon

Stonecutter Island (or is it Stonencutters? I never been able to determine which is correct) features extensively in this film because it was the old barracks there that stood in for the prison that Brandon is sent to after being found guilty of manslaughter. But it's not just the old Stonecutters barrack buildings that appear on film, there are a few other locations as well so I'll include them here as well.

First up is the block where Brandon is imprisoned. The building itself is still around and is located on the slope of a hill at the north west side of the island (although it's no longer an island). The best way to show this is by with a GoogleEarth link.

As you can see, when Google did their 3D rendition of Hong Kong (circa 2015 I think, it's not particularly up to date and certainly not complete) the block had lost its naked brickwork and acquired a white paint covering.


The beach cleaning scene, as Brandon ponders escaping, was filmed on the northwest coast of the island. Look closely at the background in the third image below and you'll see one of the "prison" blocks. This beach has now completely disappeared due to the reclamation and redevelopment of the north side of the former island. The GoogleEarth view here will illustrate what I mean by the development.


Next up is a quick scene as Regina is taken to see Brandon in her husband's car. The tall thin structures on the left are part of the barrack's firing range and it is still located on the east side of the island - although its wood veneer has been removed and the upright sections have now been painted white (same as the barrack block mentioned above). The road the taxi is on below is now completely out of bounds for civilians but is does run parallel to Ngon Shung Road.


Last but not least is the supposed front entrance to the prison. Again, this is now off bounds to non-military - although perhaps on the various PLA open days it is accessible? - but it is/was located at the eastern section of the island. We see it later in the film when Brandon gets out of prison and in that scene you can see one of the old Victorian towers in the background. As far as I know that structure is still there and can be seen on the left hand end of the row of trees in this GoogleEarth view.

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