Thursday, June 19, 2025
...and Millions will die! - Richard Basehart (1973) - Aberdeen Harbour
Wednesday, June 18, 2025
...and Millions will die! - Richard Basehart (1973) - Old Aberdeen Police Station
Finally, after all these years of this old, colonial, brick Police Station appearing in countless movies as mere background, I have finally found a film that used it as a proper location. This is where Pruit goes to consult the Chief Inspector of police about what to do about the imminent gas threat. It's a shame we only get a brief glimpse of the place from one of its verandahs. The building is still around and used as a youth club called "The Warehouse".
Tuesday, June 17, 2025
...and Millions will die! - Richard Basehart (1973) - Kai Tak Airport
As Dr Pruit arrives in Hong Kong to begin his investigation we get a nice view of a Singapore Airlines plane touching down at the old airport. Note the prominent checkerboard in the background. Not so long ago someone (I'm not sure if it was Govt sanctioned or not) went and touched up the red/white squares of the south facing checkboard so it is still very much plain to see above Kowloon Tsai Park. Well worth a visit still if you get the chance. The lower images below show the local Police Inspector waiting for Dr Pruit on the upper drop off/pick up level at the old terminal building.
Monday, June 16, 2025
...and Millions will die! - Richard Basehart (1973) - Aberdeen Praya Road
Sunday, June 15, 2025
...and Millions will die! - Richard Basehart (1973) - Gloucester Road, Wanchai
Saturday, June 14, 2025
...and Millions will die! - Richard Basehart (1973) - View from Ocean Terminal
Friday, June 13, 2025
...and Millions will die! - Richard Basehart (1973) - Rumsey Street carpark
It's a bit of a weird film that pretends several Singapore locations are actually in Hong Kong (for example, the Tiger Balm Gardens sequences were filmed at Haw Par Gardens in Singapore, not Hong Kong) but there are some interesting locations to see and I like it when obscure films like this show upon my radar, regardless of quality. It also includes Leslie Nielsen in the first of his two outings (that I know of) to Hong Kong. You may remember he was also in Blade in Hong Kong.
I've managed to get hold of a slightly better definition version from some nefarious corner of the internet and uploaded it to Youtube here, so please feel free to go and watch.
The film starts with long drawn out sequence that turns out to be a dream, as two gunmen meet in a carpark and make their way to their target. The carpark is the Rumsey Street carpark on the Sheung Wan waterfront.
Thursday, June 12, 2025
Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - O'Brien Road, Wanchai
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Winner Building, Happy Valley
Tuesday, June 10, 2025
Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Johnston Road, Wanchai
Josie waits for a tram home and is barged out of the way as she goes to get on. In the background you can see the circular front of the old Chung Wui Apartment building on the corner of Wanchai and Johnston Roads which means we are on Johnston Road in this image.
Monday, June 9, 2025
Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Gloucester Road, Wanchai
Sunday, June 8, 2025
Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Des Voeux Road Central
Saturday, June 7, 2025
Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Victoria Park
Friday, June 6, 2025
Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui
Thursday, June 5, 2025
Anak - Vilma Santos (2000) - View from The Peak
In the meantime, here is another Filipino film of more recent vintage and one that is perhaps more relatable to the many Filipino domestic helpers who work and live in Hong Kong. Anak tells the story of Josie (Vilma Santos) who leaves the Philippines to come to Hong Kong to earn more money, but it's at the expense of the relationship with her children who resent her absence and misunderstand why she has left them. Things are made worse when her husband dies and she is unable to return for his funeral - let's just say that her Hong Kong employers aren't the nicest of people. Much of the story is set back in the Philippines where Josie returns after several years to reunite with her children. However, there are still a few scenes shot in Hong Kong that make it worthy of including on the blog.
The film was available to watch on Youtube via the official channel of Star Cinema who also produced it, but since I watched it just a few weeks ago it has been removed. You may get more luck searching their channel directly.
The film opens with Josie narrating about her life in Hong Kong over a variety of images of the place starting with this one taken from Lugard Road around the top of the Peak.
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Heisser Hafen Hongkong - Horst Frank (1962) - Far East Mansion, Middle Road
