The Taxi Driver - David Chiang (1975) - Oi Sen Path, Ho Man Tin

We also saw this same pathway recently in The Young Rebel as it's where Tino Wong Cheung runs after committing some robbery. Coincidentally, this is where our bad guys run after they manage to crawl out of the crashed taxi.

The Taxi Driver - David Chiang (1975) - Ho Man Tin Estate, Fat Kwong Street

A couple of the in-car shots of Chen, as he is driving the robbers, were filmed on Fat Kwong Street (driving north) with the old Ho Man Tin Estate in the background. The old estate was demolished circa 2001 and replaced by a newer version on an adjacent site. The old site of the estate is now taken up by a variety of private residential developments such as "Mantin Heights" and "One Homantin". The blocks seen in the images below were on the site where "One Homantin" now stands.

The Taxi Driver - David Chiang (1975) - Princess Margaret Road, Ho Man Tin

After the bank robbery, Chen leaps out of the taxi as it is driving along Princess Margaret Road in Ho Man Tin. This causes the car to crash into the central barriers. This was filmed at the same spot along Princess Margaret Road where The Young Rebel filmed the same year. The low building on the right (second image) is the HKSPCA building.

The Taxi Driver - David Chiang (1975) - Tsan Yung Mansions, Homantin

The film uses a real life company, The Blue Taxicabs Ltd, as the company for who Chen works for. Formerly based on Nathan Road, the company built and then moved into the Tsan Yung Mansion building in the mid-1960s. The building is still around but the company has long departed - like many other companies in Hong Kong, property development and the vast amount of money to be made doing it lured many away from their traditional industries. Anyway, if you want to read more, Huw Farmer's excellent Industrial History website has an article or two.

The Young Rebel - David Chiang (1975) - Chi Man Street, Ho Man Tin

This was almost another addition to the Princess Margaret Road post, but the sequence plays out on a smaller road nearby so it was worth creating a separate post. This scene is our first introduction to Gen Lai in his new role as a policeman. He had been mentioning his new job to Xiao Rong earlier in the film, but the latter wasn't interested, but here we see him sweep into action as a thief steals someone's handbag and Gen Lai catches him. The thief is played by Tino Wong Cheung.

The scene starts at the petrol station on Princess Margaret Road right next to Chi Man Street. The thief then runs down the latter to the start of Oi Sen Path.

Princess Margaret Road, Chi Man Street in the foreground

The Young Rebel - David Chiang (1975) - Steps between Man Wan Lane and Princess Margaret Road

During the bike chase, just after going up and down the pedestrian bridge along Princess Margaret Road (see this post for all the locations along that road), the bikes can next be seen bouncing down some concrete steps next to a granite brick retaining wall. I hadn't realised at the time, but this set of steps actually forms part of my Bruce Lee Guide to the Rest of Kowloon Part 1 self-guided walking tour (see point 4). You can see an image of the top of the steps here.

The main road at the bottom is Princess Margaret Road

The Young Rebel - David Chiang (1975) - Princess Margaret Road, Ho Man Tin

This is another road that crops up several times. Whilst on a delivery, Xiao Rong decides to save some time by grabbing on to the back of a truck along Princess Margaret Road. The building right next to the road was/is the HKSPCA, although these days that side of the building is used as a big long placeholder for a variety of advertising boards. The building is still there though, as is that great block of rock that can be seen at the side of the road in the first image - it marks a cutting made for the KCR track which is below the road there.

We go back to the same road later in the film during the bike chase as Rong tries to escape the gang on his bike and we see the group go up and down the pedestrian bridge located just before the intersection with Wylie Road. The bridge is still there and relatively unchanged although some lifts have been added on each side where there was once steps. The large building in the background of the lower images was the British Military Hospital Kowloon. It was demolished in the 90s and replaced by "Parc Palais".

The Kowloon Military Hospital is in the background

The low rise building with the pitched roof is the Diocesan Pastoral Centre.

The last view of Princess Margaret Road is this one looking north next to the - then - turn off to Hung Hom. The building work going on behind the retaining wall is where Yu Chun Keung Memorial College is now located. The area behind the truck on the left hand side is now the Pui Ching Road Rest Garden.

Inter-Pol - Tang Ching (1967) - Princess Margaret Road, Ho Man Tin

We continue along Princess Margaret Road and in the background is a building still around - the "Maryknoll Sisters Centre". You can just about make out the large cross that has been shaped into the window aperture above the main entrance.

Killer Angels - Moon Lee (1989) - Soares Avenue, Ho Man Tin

We stay in Ho Man Tin, and on Soares Avenue, as one of the club girls, coerced into being an escort, has made a plan to escape with the help of one of her friends. However, they are caught by Michael just as they are about to drive off. This sequence was filmed on Soares Avenue. This is the street we see in the first image as the girl crosses the road to her waiting friend. The car is parked on Emma Avenue.

Soares Avenue, looking south east. Pentecostal Tabernacle just behind her.

The junction with Emma Avenue

Looking east along Emma Avenue as the car drives off

Killer Angels - Moon Lee (1989) - San Francisco Path, Ho Man Tin

The gang finally catch up with her in San Francisco Path, just off Soares Avenue, and a fight ensues. I've tried to pin the path for the location at the bottom of the post, but in case it snaps to nearby buildings, the path is easily viewed on Streetview because someone went down there with a camera. 

Killer Angels - Moon Lee (1989) - Julia Avenue, Ho Man Tin

Despite the club front being located in Wanchai on Tonnochy Road, the rear of the club appears to be located in Ho Man Tin. Quite impressive. The newest member of the Blue Angels, passing herself off as a man, is caught snooping in the manager's office and is chased away, first down Julia Avenue, and then along Soares Avenue. That 7-11 was still there until around 2009.

Looking at Julia Avenue from Soares Avenue

Soares Avenue

Dallas - Victoria Principal (1985) - British Military Hospital Kowloon, Wylie Road

The clinic where "Mr Swanson" is being treated was in reality the British Military Hospital in Kowloon. We've seen this place before on the blog a few times, but this time we see the north side of the main building as the womens' car pulls up and Pam gets out to be met by Mr Wong. The location where the car stops is now occupied by the swimming pool/clubhouse of Parc Palais (the name of the residential development built on the site).

Hitman - Jet Li (1998) - Happy Court, Man Fuk Road

Lo's apartment is located in Happy Court in Homantin. Just around the corner from Bruce Lee's old apartment at Sunlight Garden in fact. I'm fairly certain the interior and exteriors were filmed at this location, although whichever apartment was being used has since been renovated and the stained glass juliet balcony windows and iron railings have been removed.

The Magic Crystal - Andy Lau (1986) - Girl Guide Headquarters, Gascoigne Road

Andy goes to find the younger sister of his friend who asked Andy to meet him in Greece. She is at a gymnastics class in town. Part of the exterior of this scene - particularly the part where Andy jumps from the balcony to rescue her from kidnappers - was filmed at the Girl Guides Headquarters in Homantin.

Shek Ku Street - Now and Then

A few years ago I did some Jackie Chan Police Story posts (much to the chagrin of a variety of JC haters here in Hong Kong) and one of them is a car parking sequence shot along Shek Ku Street in Ho Man Tin. Anyway, I was in the area earlier and took some comparison shots. As you can see it hasn't changed much. The first three images below are the full images I took trying to match the screen shots from this post.

And here are the cropped versions for a better comparison with the screencaps. Bearing in mind that this film will be 40 years old next year (it's towards the end of 2024 that I am writing this), then not much has changed. This is quite surprising given how quickly Hong Kong in general has changed.

Jackie's car driving out of King Tak Street

Shek Ku Street, I should've crouched a bit more for a better match.

OK, this last one I should have moved left, to the middle of the road.

Never mind, it's close enough.