Soldier of Fortune - Clark Gable (1955) - Behind the Scenes Photograph, Barker Road Peak Tram Stop

Another little picture that I found courtesy of a glossy celebratory magazine released in 1988 by the Peak Tram Company to celebrate 100 years of the Peak Tram.

The caption to the photo reads:

On location at Barker Road station for "Soldier of Fortune" in the 1950s, Clark Gable with John Arnold of the Peak Tramway Co.

The film was shot during November and December of 1954. Barker Road was seen twice in the film, once at the beginning as Gable surveys the view and once more at the end when Susan Hayward's character decides to stay with him in Hong Kong and goes to meet him there.

Hayward was famously unable to make it to Hong Kong to film her on-location scenes (her ex-husband had a court order issued preventing her from taking their children overseas) and so a double, Dale Logue, was used as her stand in. Hayward's close ups and dialogue scenes were all filmed back in the US studio.

Knock Off - Jean Claude Van Damme (1997) - Behind the Scenes photos courtesy of Jude Poyer

Well, I think that's pretty much it for Knock Off. There were a few other miscellaneous screen shots that I didn't think were worth including but rather than end on that, how about finishing off the film with some great (and never seen before) behind-the scenes pictures courtesy of stunt maestro, Jude Poyer.

Jude of course worked on the film extensively and is the unfortunate recipient of a slash to the throat in the film's soaking wet finale (apparently, he is the 142nd enemy to have died at the hands of ol' JCVD) and when he wasn't having his throat cut he was going to the odd scene and taking some opportunistic snaps of the action. You can see Jude in action (quite literally) on his website: Reel Power Stunts.

Anyway, a big thank you to Jude for sharing these pictures with us. They were taken during two key scenes; the rickshaw race and the supermarket shootout scenes. The first two pictures show the junction with High Street and Eastern Street. The top picture looking (kinda) south east towards the old community complex and the lower picture looking west along High Street with the Eastern Street Methadone Clinic back left.

The next two shots show the area around Bonham Road and St Stephen's Lane where some of the action took place - it looks as though Todd Senofonte (JCVD's stunt double) is practicing his kick off the railings. The picture underneath it shows me that Jude was standing on Centre Street looking back up towards Bonham Road with the higher terrace of St Stephen's Lane at the back.

Next we head over to Kwun Tong Ferry Pier for the supermarket scene - proof if ever you needed it about where this was actually shot. Picture 2 shows Tsui Hark sitting with his assistant director, none other than Sammo Hung, whilst Todd Senofonte relaxes behind. Is that Mars in picture 1?

Next we have the van set up. Look closely and you can see the wire under the van that was used to pull it along the ground for the sequence. The set looks like it was filmed inside an enclosed area that sits to the side of the entrance passageway at the road side front of the pier. I did go past here the other day but forget to take a picture (argh!!) and I can tell you the pier is on its last legs. I am sure it will be closed down or rebuilt/downsized sometime in the future. It's a huge place with only a small portion of the space being used at all.

Anyway, once again many thanks to Jude for sharing his memories with us.