Guest Post : Popular U.S. Films Set In Hong Kong

With its gorgeous harbor and magnificent skyline, Hong Kong is the perfect setting for a Hollywood blockbuster. Although we mostly think of Bruce Lee's final flick Enter the Dragon or the movies of the Rush Hour franchise, a number of renowned U.S. films have been shot in Hong Kong. While action and marital arts movies are the two most typical film genres that use Hong Kong as a backdrop, there have been other types of films that have been made in the city, including dramas and comedies. As one of the world's major international financial centers and due to its massive size and urban feel, Hong Kong provides all the amenities necessary to produce a film of any nature. Here are some of the most popular U.S. films that were filmed in Hong Kong, many of which are available as on demand movie picks from PictureBox Films or for purchase via online retailers like Overstock.

The Dark Knight

Because it's a city harboring a vast amount of tall metal buildings and remarkable architecture, Hong Kong was the ideal place to shoot a few scenes for the 2008 installment of the Batman film The Dark Knight. Featuring Two International Financial Centre, which was the tallest building in the city at the time, Hong Kong was used to film a pivotal moment in the film when Batman breaks into the building and captures one of his nemeses.

Rush Hour

East meets west in this action comedy starring American comedian and actor Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan, a Hong Kong native, martial artist, and actor. Directed by Jackie Chan fan Brett Ratner, Rush Hour was Chan's first English-speaking role that didn't use dubbing. Released in the U.S. in September 1998, the New Line Cinema film grossed approximately $245 million worldwide and led to two sequels so far.

Enter the Dragon

Although he was born in San Francisco, California, Bruce Lee is a Hong Kong legend. His filmography may be short, but his final completed film, Enter the Dragon, is arguably one of the greatest martial arts films of all-time. Released in 1973, Enter the Dragon was the first Chinese martial arts film to be produced by a major Hollywood studio and was deemed "culturally significant" in the U.S. and was chosen for preservation in the National Film Registry in 2004. One of the movie's most well-known scenes was filmed in the Tsing Shan Monastery perched on the slopes of Castle Peak on the western region of the New Territories, and, due to its status as a Grade I-listed historical site, it's one of the few parts of Hong Kong that has barely been changed since the film was made.

The World of Suzy Wong

Based on the 1957 novel by Richard Mason, and starring Nancy Kwan and William Holden, this film explores the relationship between an American artist and a Hong Kong prostitute. Although it was initially received with praise, as time wore on, film critics begin to regard the film as culturally insensitive. The film was shot on location in Hong Kong and features unforgettable landmarks like the Star Ferry terminal, Aberdeen harbor, and Ferry Street in Yau Ma Tei.