Hong Kong 73 - Yueh Hua (1974) - Carnarvon Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

A general shot from the film (I don't remember the context) that shows a very famous junction between Carnarvon Road and Granville Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. The Kaiser Restaurant was a long standing eatery here (between 1955 - 1977) on the NE corner of the junction. The building it was on was demolished soon after and replaced by the current Taurus Buildingh. However, on the oppiste corner, containing "Heung Bun" (on the right) is one of the buildings still around. Granville Road itself has one of the greatest concentrations of 50s era tenements along both sides of the road. However, they arec all slowly being replaced one by one. 

Hong Kong Godfather - Leung Kar-yan (1985) - Granville Road, East TST

The attack on Playboy continues further along Granville Road. This section is at the end of the road next to the car park by Energy Plaza. In fact that's Energy Plaza in the background, although at the time (1985) I believe it was still going by its former name, "Great World Tower". The last image shows the view from the same place but looking towards the rear of Hilton Towers.

Hong Kong Godfather - Leung Kar-yan (1985) - Joy Coming Lounge, Granville Road

Following the funeral of Boss Han, Playboy goes to make peace with Rotten Chi at a bar he runs. The bar was a real place called "Joy Coming" and was located on the ground floor of the Harbour Crystal Centre on Granville Road. It's here where Rotten Chi's men attack him, despite him already being severely injured from the previous gang attack at the fruit market. The only mention I have found online about this club stems from a court case five years after this film was made, when a policeman confronted a knife wielding gangster who was chasing passersby - quite apt considering this scene in the film - and was apprehended after he went into the bar (read all about it here). There's a reason why many triad films in HK use East TST as a base location...it is full of triad run and protected businesses.

The English name of the bar is a play on the Cantonese pronunciation as the first two words of the Chinese name are 醉琴 (pronounced "joy kam") where "joy" (醉) is the word for being drunk. The Cantonese love their puns.

I have no idea when the place closed down but it was a long time ago. The current space is occupied by a vets/animal hospital.

Royal Warriors - Michelle Yeoh (1986) - Energy Plaza, East Tsim Sha Tsui

So, the centrepiece stunt of this film involves Michael sacrificing himself to save Michelle from the remaining baddy, Bandana (played by Pai Ying - a regular actor in many of my favourite King Hu films). Suspended from the top of Energy Plaza by a rope, the baddy attempts to lure Michelle up with the dangling victim. What follows is a slo-mo wire fall by a very awesome stuntman, but I feel it could have been made more realistic if he flailed about more slowly because his moves make the fall seem slower than intended (i.e.makes the wire use more obvious). Anyway, this was all done at the top of Energy Plaza in East Tsim Sha Tsui. Props to Michael Wong for what looks like being actually dangled  upside down from the top of the building.

We get some good high views of the surrounding area, including the plot of empty land where the Science Museum would be built. The phone box that features in the scene was located along this east section of Granville Road.

Looking down onto Granville Road, East Ocean Centre on the right

Looking from Granville Road back to Energy Plaza

The most emotion Michael Wong has ever shown on film

Fun fact: Eddie Maher (who played an arms dealer in this movie) owned a gym at the top of Energy Plaza (Energy Gym? please feel free to correct). It seems it was a bit like the Hong Kong version of Golds Gym. Instead of famous bodybuilders though, all the 80s action stars went there to workout including the likes of Sammo, Yeoh and Donnie Yen etc. It was the place to be and be seen. Maher passed away in March 2019.

Ein Sarg aus Hong Kong - Heinz Drache (1964) - Granville Road, Tsim Sha Tsui

On Heinz Drache's walkabout we also catch a brief glimpse of Granville Road in TST at the junction with Carnarvon Road.

The giveaway in this case is the sign for the Kaiser Restaurant which stood on the north east corner of the junction. On the right hand side of the film grab (on the south east corner of the junction) is a sign saying "Heung Bun". This building was still there just a few years ago and I believe was recently renovated and turned into a jewelers - but if you use Google Maps to view the same building back in 2009 you can see it was still the same (other than the signs of course).