Doubt cast over Hong Kong plan to turn Kowloon Walled City movie sets into exhibits, as industry veteran says few locations suitable

He said the original site of the Kowloon Walled City was unlikely to be an option as it was turned into a park in 1995, a year after the settlement was demolished.

“I can’t see that there are other convenient locations in Hong Kong. If you are talking about the West Kowloon Cultural District, then you might need to consider the weather too and the scale of the exhibits might need to be smaller,” Tin told a radio programme.

“Should the exhibits be placed indoor or outdoor? In terms of location, I am not sure where the government can display those sets,” he said.

The film is set in the 1980s inside the overpopulated and ungoverned de jure Chinese enclave that formed part of Hong Kong under colonial rule.

Both local and overseas audiences have taken to the film, making a splash at the Cannes Film Festival with a standing ovation after its screening. Latest box office figures hit HK$70 million (US$9 million) in Hong Kong and Macau since its May 1 release.

The sets recreated the crowded environment and chaotic network of overhanging electrical wires and pipes, some of the distinct features of the Walled City, which was once considered the densest settlement in the world.

Tin said the authorities would also need to consider safety and how they would present the sets to visitors.

“Filming is more about adjusting for the needs of camera – visiting movie sets is another issue. We need to consider safety for visitors,” he said.

He said there should choices over what sets to display should be carefully planned to best engage visitors.

“I’m worried that there could be differences in expectations from the public,” he said. “What ways should we choose to deliver the sense of the Walled City?”

He also raised concerns over the film quickly losing popularity and becoming outdated as other productions were released.

District councillor Lee Chiu-yu, representing the Kowloon City South constituency, struck a more positive tone and said both the original site and nearby areas could be used to display the sets.

Lee said some changes were also being made to the park as the area was undergoing redevelopment and authorities could consider earmarking a spot at the site for the exhibits.

“If the site is at a location relevant to the movie, visitors would have a stronger sense of the experience,” he said on the same radio show, adding that the nearby Kai Tak area could also be a possible option.

He added authorities could make use of the opportunity to promote distinct local culture as part of its tourism drive, such as offering workshops in making fishballs or bamboo noodles, which were part of common daily fare in the Walled City.