Le Monocle Rit Jaune - Paul Meurisse (1964) - Tiger Balm Gardens, Tai Hang

Tiger Balm Gardens is an old favourite for film makers in Hong Kong but I guess its visual impact is lessened in black and white. Never mind, it's always nice to see it, especially now that it has been redeveloped - especially with the nice open view in the first picture.

Five Golden Dragons - Bob Cummings (1967) - Tiger Balm Gardens, Tai Hang

The baddies (the 'Five Golden Dragons' of the title) have their base in the Haw Par Mansion inside Tiger Balm Gardens. As a result we get some nice shots of the place when it was in its heyday. Sadly, a large section of action occurs at night but people familiar with the place will recognise it nonetheless.

Some later action was set during the day though with some much better views of the gardens including the front gate (top picture below) which, other than the mansion itself, is the only remaining thing following the redevelopment.

Roaring Fire - Hiroyuki Sanada (1982) - Tiger Balm Mansion, Tai Hang

It's not been such a popular location for the films and shows I've covered on this blog (only I Spy has directly used it previously), but here is the Tiger Balm Mansion (a.k.a Haw Par Mansion) standing in as the evil guy's HK HQ.

Sadly no vast shots of it from a distance because in this film the building is supposedly in the middle of nowhere, so all we get are a couple of close angles as Joji runs through the garden.

Actually, even a close up shot like this wouldn't be enough to hide its surroundings these days because the grassy slope behind the mansion has been completely replaced by Cheung Kong's The Legend. Yes, another cheesy OTT name for a residential complex.

But luckily for us, the mansion was preserved when the redevelopment was done and the Govt are currently deciding what to use it for. Personally I think it would make a great location for a school, but that's just me.

And so ends our look at this film for now until I can get some of the more difficult places identified.

I Spy (TV Series) - Robert Culp (1965) - Tiger Balm Gardens, Tai Hang

Once one of HK's most popular attractions, it was sold to Cheung Kong Holdings (aka Li Ka Shing) a while ago and has subsequently been turned into a highrise development called "The Legend". Luckily for us the centrepiece, Haw Par Mansion, was preserved and is currently undergoing the process in which it will be decided how it can be used.

Anyway, another part of the Affair in T'sien Cha sees our intrepid duo here as well wandering around not only the gardens but also the terrace and swimming pool that were adjacent to the mansion.

Lots of snaps but all worthy of inclusion I feel simply because this place has gone and won't be back. I think that there should have been efforts to preserve the pagoda as well but it wasn't to be. I will head back there at some point and show you all what's left.