"Bloodsport" Was Entirely Filmed in Hong Kong

On January 26, 1988, the movie Bloodsport was released, featuring Belgian martial artist and actor Jean-Claude Van Damme in his first lead role.

The story revolves around a ninjutsu practitioner who participates in a full-contact tournament known as the Kumite, which takes place in the infamous Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong.

The reason the tournament is held deep inside the Kowloon Walled City aligns perfectly with the city's real-life history, as police forces dared not venture beyond a few streets inside the crime-ridden maze—making it the ideal location for an illegal tournament.

Although Bloodsport is an American film, it was entirely filmed in Hong Kong. Various landmarks of the city can be recognized in the movie, such as the Peninsula Hotel, Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Trail, Hanoi Road, Stanley Fort, and many more.

Most notably, perhaps, Bloodsport is one of the very few films to feature scenes shot inside the actual Kowloon Walled City before its demolition in 1993.