The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - Portas do Cerco, Macau

I first thought this might be a replica of the border gate, but it looks as though it's the real thing. This is where Yao and May try to make a break for it after being chased by the police from the hotel. I haven't been through this border post since 1996 when it looked fairly similar to how you see. These days it's quite hard to believe how busy the border gets and the requisite infratstructure that had to be built to handle the Macau<>Zhuhai-bound foot traffic is immense. See here. I did a post a while back with some old photos from 1996.

The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - Hotel Bela Vista, Macau

Another place that has cropped up a few times on here over the years is the Bela Vista Hotel. It was a tourist favourite in the 80s and 90s and I even got a comment from the old manager many years ago on my old history blog - he tantalisingly asked me what I wanted to know about only to never return. What a pity because I'm sure he had some fantastic stories. The building is now occupied by the Portuguese Consul to Macau and has been that way since the Macau handover in 1999. Bruce Lee fans (who often read my blog) will probably remember it appearing briefly in Ahna Capri's home video shot during the filming of Enter the Dragon in 1973.

Anyway, this is where Yao and May go to celebrate Christmas before they are interrupted by the police.

The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - Cemitério São Miguel Arcanjo, Macau

We move to Macau now for Mr Kushido's funeral as a variety of people turn up to pay their respects. This was all filmed at the Cemitério São Miguel Arcanjo aka St Michael's Catholic Cemetery.

The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - No.8 Police Station, Sai Ying Pun

You may or may not remember that the police station where May is taken after the assassination at HSBC has been featured previously on the blog, although it is no longer in police hands. This is the same location that Chuck Norris is taken to in Forced Vengeance. It was one of my "pandemic finds" - those locations I found when I had very little else to do in hotel quarantine and lockdown. Anyway, as mentioned on that linked post, it is now the "David Trench Rehabilitation Centre" and has undergone some renovations including a large glass front entrance.

The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - HSBC Main Building, Central

Oops, I forgot the previous location. Mr Kushido is apparently based in the Norman Foster monstrosity otherwise known as "HSBC Main Building". Bring back the previous art-deco version of this building please because it was just so much nicer to look at.

Anyway, there are several shots of the building including the void on the ground floor. But most of the action takes place on the Queen's Road Central side (i.e. the main entrance) of the building which faces Battery Path. Look out for the old Hongkong Hilton and Beaconsfield House in the background as Yao leaps across Queen's Road Central. Both now gone of course.

Hongkong Hilton and Beaconsfield House in the background

The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - Queen's Road Central, Central

We stay on Queen's Road Central for the next location but move down to the junction with Ice House Street as Yao and Teddy make their getaway on a motorbike. The old Govt West Wing building seen in the back of the top and bottom images is still around (renamed to Justice Place West Wing) but the Sing Pao Centre, seen at the back right of the bottom image, has since been redeveloped into 8 Queen's Road Central.

The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - St John's Cathedral, Central

Yao launches his attack on Mr Kishudo from the courtyard of St John's Cathedral. There is a brief scene there as he rushes past May again and then runs down Battery Path steps before jumping across the street for his attack.

The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - Yee Wo Street, Causeway Bay

Yao is first introduced to his assisstant, Teddy (also Yuen Tak) when he is attacked by the latter as some sort of skills test. Teddy breaks into Yao's apartment, which is supposedly located in the building at 60-62 Yee Wo Street (not sure if it has a name). They jump out of the apartment window and continue their fight along the top of the famous circular pedestrian bridge that straddles Yee Wo Street. This is the same walkway that was facsimiled and used for the finale of the live action version of Ghost in the Shell. They then run into Paliburg Plaza next door and this is supposedly where the 800 Dragon's have a base.

Jumping down from 60-62 Yee Wo Street

The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - The Peninsula Hotel, Tsim Sha Tsui

Yao does his first major contract hit on a guy in Hong Kong as he is leaving the Peninsula Hotel. This is where May (Maggie Cheung) first thinks she sees him after not seeing him since he was kidnapped in Russia.

The Dragon from Russia - Sam Hui (1990) - Park Lane Shoppers Boulevard, Tsim Sha Tsui

Next up is an oldie starring Sam Hui in what is apparently a version of Crying Freeman, although I haven't read the manga, so I can't comment as to how closly it follows the story. In this film, Sam Hui is "Yao", a Manchurian (i.e Northern Chinese) living in Moscow with his girlfriend and adopted family. The leader of the "800 Dragon" assassins sees Yao's potential as a killer and kidnaps him, brainwashes him and trains him as a deadly killer.

One of the odd things about this film is the leader of the 800 Dragons is played by Yuen Tak in a very odd prosthetic face and I wonder if it has anything to do with the initial scenes being filmed on location with Yuen Wah as the character, then perhaps not being able to complete the film once back in Hong Kong? It's very odd because Yuen Tak also turns up later, minus prosthetics, as Yao's equally capable killer assistant.

Anyway, the first scene involves a fight between the 800 Dragon head (Yuen Tak) and his mortal Japanese enemy, Mr Kushida (Lau Shun). It takes place in what looks like a modern temple setting but is actually a rudimentally disguised entrance to Kowloon Park on the Nathan Road side. The famous "fight not fight" hand sculpture (actually, it's called "Please") by sculptor, Van Lau, still located along the "Park Lane Shoppers Boulevard", figures as part of the scenery. I seem to recall it being a donation from the HK Rotary Club.