Just Heroes - David Chiang (1989) - Port Shelter, Sai Kung

Wai (David Chiang) has retired from the gangster life and earns his living as a fish farmer. His floating farm is located in Port Shelter at the north end of Sharp Island.

Just Heroes - David Chiang (1989) - Salisbury Road, East Tsim Sha Tsui

There's a quick in-car driving scene between Jacky (Stephen Chow) and Tai (Chen Kuen Tai) as they discuss the fact that Sou has been given the leadership of the organisation. The scene starts with an overhead view taken from a pedestrian bridge spanning Salisbury Road.

Just Heroes - David Chiang (1989) - Chik Wan Street,Tai Wai

Wai (David Chiang) needs to deliver his fish to a restaurant, but he's late because he stopped off at the cemetery. By the time he arrives at his destination the fish are a bit worse for wear and the restaurant owner (played by Bill Tung) doesn't want them anymore. This scene was filmed at a well-known restaurant in Tai Wai that looks to still be operating. The restaurant is called 新強記 and many years ago was famous for its roast goose and had a big neon sign on the roof which read "新強記燒鵝大王" (basically saying "roast goose king"). You can see the sign in the first image below. That massive bright sign could be seen from the KCR train as it trundled into Tai Wai from Kowloon and at night was like a  beacon letting you know the train had exited the tunnel.

I don't remember ever eating here, although I have been inside to use the toilets (I used to pass by every day for a few years when taking my kids to school up the road) and the stench in there was enough to put me off ever wanting to try the food. I'm sure they have since cleaned up ther act (and toilets).

Just Heroes - David Chiang (1989) - Hung Mui Kuk Road,Tai Wai

On their way to the restaurant, the truck passes under the KCR railway track at Tai Wai. These days the buildings in the background haven't changed, but the area immediately around the railway bridge is virtually unrecognisable following the redevelopment of Tai Wai station.

Just Heroes - David Chiang (1989) - Tai Chung Kiu Road, Shatin

Following the boss's funeral (the location of this is causing me problems because I thought it was Wo Hop Shek but am having difficulty matching the terrain - watch this space), Wai (David Chiang) is late for a delivery to one of his restaurant customers. The highway driving scene, as he weaves his truck in and out of traffic on the way to the restaurant was filmed on the northbound section of Tai Chung Kiu Road. In the far background you can see the Chun Shek Estate.

Just Heroes - David Chiang (1989) - Caltex Garage, Clearwater Bay Road

It seems to be a month for including petrol stations on the blog. This one, where the gang boss is executed along with his bodyguards, is located right outside the old Shaw Movietown complex in Clearwater Bay. It's still a Caltex outlet.

Just Heroes - David Chiang (1989) - Shatin Town Hall

The venue where the gang is watching Cantonese opera with the big boss is Shatin Town Hall. It's still a popular venue for opera performances even today. At the end of this scene, the boss and his entourage walk down the steps in front of the building before he gets into his ill-fated limousine.

Just Heroes - David Chiang (1989) - Sai Kung Waterfront

Just Heroes is a 1989 gun-fu triad story directed by John Woo and Wu Ma (and an uncredited David Chiang). It was a charitable production done for the HK Screen Directors Guild in support of Chang Cheh, who wanted money to make a new film. 

As you would expect, a large number of his former proteges, such as David Chiang, Ti Lung, Chen Kuen Tai and the like, provided their services and the cast is really a who's who of 1970s era actors and crew filling multiple cameo roles. It even has a serious role played by Stephen Chow as the crazy, but loyal to the end, Jacky.

The story revolves around the assassination of a beloved triad boss (because triad bosses are nice? Yeah right) and the election of his successor. But first the culprit(s) must be found and brought to justice. But who could be responsible?

The film opens on the Sai Kung waterfront as the gang turn up to destroy the smuggling operation of some rivals. The location was a piece of newly reclaimed land on which now stands the Marine Police East Division base.

A Lotus for Miss Quon - Lang Jeffries (1967) - Tung Lok Theatre, Yuen Long

Although I covered this surprisingly good film several years ago (six to be precise), like many movies I cover I didn't get all the locations I was looking for. Sometimes it takes me years to get back around to them and then have another attempt at tracking them down, case in point. In hindsight, I should have started my search in Yuen Long earlier given the fact that the film was shot mostly in the general area. It turns out this was the Tung Lok Theatre (同樂戲院) on Castle Peak Road - Yuen Long. 

Anyway, this is the cinema that Mark Jason (Lang Jeffries) ducks into to avoid the police. He stands in the lobby for a short while - spot the posters advertising the local Cantonese films 神劍魔簫 (Powerful Sword, Magical Flute - not sure if it's part 1 or 2 though), and 濟公大鬧公堂 (Trouble in Court). Both films were released in 1965 and so were most likely on the latter of multiple runs. Either that or the cinema just couldn't be bothered to take the posters down.

As Jeffries moves over to the ticket office we see the same two posters plus an extra one on the left which is for 火龍神珠 (The Dragon Flag and the Sacred Pearl) released in October 1966.

Here's some images of what was on the theatre marquee.

The top image shows artwork for 鐵扇公主 (Princess Iron Fan) although the artist has used a weird Trad/simplified hybrid character for 鐵. Anyway, it was a Shaw movie release in Aug 1966 and the actor playing Sun Wu Kong was Yueh Hua (previously seen on the blog for Come Drink with Me). In the lower image, the right hand side is for a film called 冷月離魂 (Bitter Fear), released in November 1966, and on the left is 姑娘十八一朵花 (Girls are Flowers) released at the same time. Hidden on the far left is a partial poster for 莫忘今宵 (Forget Not Tonight) released Oct '66.

Anyway, this is apropos of nothing much other than for me to be able the narrow the possible filming date of this movie as sometime around November/December of 1966.

The cinema lasted until the late 80s before being demolished and replaced by the current Yuen Long Landmark building. The building in the background of the image of Jeffries smoking is Kwok Wah Mansion.It's the only building still around from this little sequence and is located at 142 CastlePeak Road - Yuen Long.

The Ghost - Julie Lee Wah-yuet (2001) - Kai Tak Airport

When the main, supposedly Hong Kong-based, characters eventually leave for Los Angeles, the movie gives us some footage of a Dragon Air plane taking off from Kai Tak airport. Another big clue that we are watching library footage because the old airport had closed down two years prior to this movie being made. What happened to Dragon Air? Well, it was taken over by Cathay Pacific and rebranded to Cathay Dragon, and then the Covid pandemic saw a complete end to its operations in October 2020 when Cathay restructed their services following what was essentially the closing down of Hong Kong that year.