Thank you for the clip, Michael. My father sailed, with his regiment, to Hong Kong in 1949, we were supposed to join him when Quarters became available, unfortunately the onset of the Korean War prevented that. He served in Korea for 16 months before returning to HK briefly, in 1952, before sailing home in time for Christmas, after an absence of over three years! I served in HK in 1965, wonderful place.
Michael, the footages you got are valuable ones. Many of the 2-storeys buildings in your footages are long gone. You have preserved some great memories and moments for that generation. I appreciate not only the images but the music you dubbed in the background, they are very appropriate for that period of time. Thank you.
Thank you Uncle Mic, I have been watching your videos since a few years back. You bring us HongKonger the most precious gift. I cried watching your old Hong Kong video. I saw some of the very last beauty of Hong Kong before China come ruin us.... Thanks for your videos.
Thank you for sharing your videos and taking the time to create such an admirable collection. I really appreciate it! They really help me understand what the world was like back then.
A very important part of Hong Kong history. This is a life time achievement. Regardless how much money anyone own, you cannot buy back this life time memories. Thank you and deeply appreciate your kindness to share this treasure from you.
Mr. Rogge, your videos of Hong Kong are just amazing. It's almost like traveling back in time and I could imagine and feel what it must be like to walk on the street in Central back in the 40's. Thank you !:)
I am very upset about whats going on in HK right now and I am sure you must be having the same feeling.... Hope we will get through this difficult situation and this video brings back a lot of good memories even I wasn't born back then.... Thanks for sharing!
Hi Mr. Rogge, your footages about HK in the 1949-50 part 1-4 are very precious, thanks for uploading them. The last part of the about footage, it captured the "Luna Park" amusement park at North Point,to my believe, this is the only surviving footage of this park ever captured.
What a great coincident that I run into this film today after seeing my Grand Aunt in another film! My mother used to work at Luna Park as a controller of the airplane ride before she got married to my father in 1950 and she just passed away peacefully two days ago, two weeks after her 80th birthday.
Michael, I just found your sight and BOY am I lucky. Love what I've seen so far and am looking forward to many more enjoyable films and clips. I was over to Hong Kong and Ganzhou close to twenty years ago ( 1 year after Tianmine Square ). I loved it .I'm 64 years old soon to be 65 ,Feb 02 2014. I hope to make it back one day. I'm currently living in Toronto,Ontario Canada.It's wonderful,I'm sure you've been here. Take care and keep up the good work. Yours truly, Patrick.
If you mean whether I stayed in the colony for two years. No, I stayed from 1949 till 1955 and visited it again in 1958, 1960 and 1989. I have many clips on YT of my life in HK.
@hkchrism Remember that this was all taken sixty years ago. I forgot most of the details. The only things left of the time are photographs, films, correspondence, books and some curios!
Awesome. The footage starting 13:14 on the Luna Park could be the only video of the Park, which operated only for a few years. Thanks Mike for your sharing.
From the movie in 1950 called " Love is a many splendored thing" The actor is Mr. William Holden. In fact, Michael Rogge (the uploader) met him in Hong Kong while he was making the movie in those days.
Another nice cut of old HK video. Thank you very much! You can also consider adding "Tai Po", "New Territories", "Kat Hing Wai walled village" to your tags.
Cool to see garden terrace in the background at 0:37. What is the road you're on at 3:11 and what is the house to right? I think that old NT village is still there. Do you still have those sunglasses? Badass.
I live in Amsterdam, Netherlands now. Yesterday had a great visit of Winnie Fu of the HK Govt. Film Archive who take an enormous interest in my old HK films and 150 HK clips.
Very special film Michael....thank you very much for sharing...I must compliment your tailor on your suit...but what happened to your jacket? You seem to have lost it somewhere between Mid-Levels and Ice House Street?
Mr. Rogge , you are very smart and young in the video. I must say to you that I enjoy this clip very much. The harbor view of Hong Kong now has been changed so ugly. While you're walking down to Central as if you're in another country, European likely. I'd rather go into the 1950's Central better than now. Thanks so much for your sharing.
Hi Michael...what a treat to watch your films...did you know a Marvin Farkas in the late 40's, early 50's in HK? he's from New York and would have been working the media as a film cameraman based in Hong Kong the...he's an interesting guy, and has written a few books on his life there where I believe he still is based
I really like the Cantonese music at the end of this episode at the Luna Park and wished we knew the title. This same song was used with the supposedly oldest Chinese video footage ever made in history (1903) there is a beautiful woman improvising a fascinating choreography of movements over a minute.
Me too ! It is 'Clouds chasing the moon' very well known by chinese and composed by a famous Chinese composer during bthe last century. You may find several renditions on RUclips by searching with the title.
I remember faintly that I have been in contact with a Farkas from India who was pioneering in filmmaking in the fifties. But I forgot his first name and I assume that he is an old man as I am by now!
@ooElitaOneoo OH YES! That romantic movie (Love is a Many-Splendoured Thing) covered so many of the experiences a foreigner might have in East Asia. I'm sure I lived the fantasy of being William Holden in that film. Meeting and falling in love with a Chinese and following where that led. The pure joy of having an elegant Chinese lover.... It was great to order new suits, too. There was such a wonderful choice of cloth to select from. Like you, I looked SO smart at the age of 30 in Hong Kong.
Sadly all my colleagues in the bank have died meanwhile. Some at a young age. Of many people and characters in my films I only get responses from their children! I'm always keen to hear of their further lives and fates.
What a handsome fellow you were Michael! I only arrived in 1972 - but HK still had some of the features you record in these films. It's true we expats had a good life - all we had to do was work hard and help build up our companies' profits. For the rest of the time we could enjoy ourselves. I suppose all those men in well tailored clothes are work colleagues?
The only thing that is regrettable about this movie is that it is in black&white instead of colour. But it's no complaint because I know colour movie was very expensive and not always available in those days. It must be very strange for you to look at this movie to see a young man walking, whilst nowadays you probably will have trouble moving around. (will ultimately happen to all of us). As you know ofcourse things have changed A LOT in recent years.
I think also the hot wet weather of southern China is very bad for the shelf-life and film quality. I've seen german WW2 color footage, made with an amateur movie camera in which the colors are vivid and the picture sharp, as if the movie was yesterday, So I guess the very different weather conditions made the difference?
johnsamu, I would tend to say that once a film is processed it can stand an unlimited length of time. What you are talking about is storage before shooting and processing the film.
Indeed the humid conditions in Hong Kong were bad for storing films, although the Kodak dealer kept them in cold storage. It is remarkable how well my Kodachrome films held during the sixty years I kept them. However, other makes did not do so well and were affacted by fungus. Mind you, the amateur films you saw on TV were completely restored at high cost. During editing I cannot go further than sharpening and saturizing the colors more(and adding sound as most of them are silent) Actually there was no proper prcessing for black and white Pathescope 9,5mm films in Hong Kong. Finally I sent them to England for processing, but decided to switch to 16mm Kodachrome in 1951.
MichaelRogge Indeed the Kodak chrome film and movie kept their colors remarkably well, I guess because of the high quantity (expensive) Chrome. As I mentioned in an earlier post, there are some surviving WW2 german Kodak movies with sharp and lively colours.
Marvellous video as usual, but ... sorry for the extraordinary stupid question: do you have sons? Nephevs? Hehe ... (ok, I'm on my drunk me mode, I beg your pardon, but you're handsome)
great videos. i just enjoy reading and watching history as a hobby. tho i cant help thing "vanity of vanities.. all is vanity". there's such a sense of futility in all things, as you watch history. all is vanity without God-Jesus. all things come to an end, and the end is very real. i am so glad that i shall live on after death, because the more i watch history, the more the struggle i see, the more the hope and thus the more its all pointless, because the end is coming. its all a brief dream, fading away. holding on is like grasping a puff of very sweet smelling smoke. for the 1st time i am so glad i have a hope that cannot die.
Thank you for the clip, Michael. My father sailed, with his regiment, to Hong Kong in 1949, we were supposed to join him when Quarters became available, unfortunately the onset of the Korean War prevented that. He served in Korea for 16 months before returning to HK briefly, in 1952, before sailing home in time for Christmas, after an absence of over three years! I served in HK in 1965, wonderful place.
Michael, the footages you got are valuable ones. Many of the 2-storeys buildings in your footages are long gone. You have preserved some great memories and moments for that generation. I appreciate not only the images but the music you dubbed in the background, they are very appropriate for that period of time. Thank you.
我听不懂英文，但可以用眼睛去观看这珍貴的历史影片，感恩老先生將这珍贵的历史给我記錄了，万分感恩🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏
Thank you Uncle Mic, I have been watching your videos since a few years back. You bring us HongKonger the most precious gift. I cried watching your old Hong Kong video. I saw some of the very last beauty of Hong Kong before China come ruin us.... Thanks for your videos.
Thank you for sharing your videos and taking the time to create such an admirable collection. I really appreciate it! They really help me understand what the world was like back then.
A very important part of Hong Kong history. This is a life time achievement. Regardless how much money anyone own, you cannot buy back this life time memories. Thank you and deeply appreciate your kindness to share this treasure from you.
Mr. Rogge, your videos of Hong Kong are just amazing. It's almost like traveling back in time and I could imagine and feel what it must be like to walk on the street in Central back in the 40's. Thank you !:)
I just moved to Hong Kong and it's amazing to see this footage. Many thanks Michael!
Nic
Thanks. I have some 150 clips on old Hong Kong and will upload more. Search with 'michael rogge hong kong'
Thank you so much for uploading your precious footage of old hk.
Thanks for sharing. Hong Kong at that time was so beautiful and life was so good. Unbelieveable!
Always good to know that my erstwhile movies are so much appreciated. At the time I had no inkling that my shots would be seen all the world over!
I am very upset about whats going on in HK right now and I am sure you must be having the same feeling.... Hope we will get through this difficult situation and this video brings back a lot of good memories even I wasn't born back then.... Thanks for sharing!
Hi Mr. Rogge, your footages about HK in the 1949-50 part 1-4 are very precious, thanks for uploading them. The last part of the about footage, it captured the "Luna Park" amusement park at North Point,to my believe, this is the only surviving footage of this park ever captured.
What a great coincident that I run into this film today after seeing my Grand Aunt in another film! My mother used to work at Luna Park as a controller of the airplane ride before she got married to my father in 1950 and she just passed away peacefully two days ago, two weeks after her 80th birthday.
Chau Marco I'm always glad when persons in my vids are recognized. She will be remembered now in my clip !
Michael, I just found your sight and BOY am I lucky. Love what I've seen so far and am looking forward to many more enjoyable films and clips. I was over to Hong Kong and Ganzhou close to twenty years ago ( 1 year after Tianmine Square ). I loved it .I'm 64 years old soon to be 65 ,Feb 02 2014. I hope to make it back one day. I'm currently living in Toronto,Ontario Canada.It's wonderful,I'm sure you've been here. Take care and keep up the good work. Yours truly, Patrick.
If you mean whether I stayed in the colony for two years. No, I stayed from 1949 till 1955 and visited it again in 1958, 1960 and 1989. I have many clips on YT of my life in HK.
@hkchrism Remember that this was all taken sixty years ago. I forgot most of the details. The only things left of the time are photographs, films, correspondence, books and some curios!
Thank you for the clip, Michael . The year my late mother moved to Hong Kong from Mainland China .
Awesome. The footage starting 13:14 on the Luna Park could be the only video of the Park, which operated only for a few years. Thanks Mike for your sharing.
From the movie in 1950 called " Love is a many splendored thing" The actor is Mr. William Holden. In fact, Michael Rogge (the uploader) met him in Hong Kong while he was making the movie in those days.
Another nice cut of old HK video. Thank you very much!
You can also consider adding "Tai Po", "New Territories", "Kat Hing Wai walled village" to your tags.
@Bouncybon Thanks. Nobody dared to comment on my looks then! Yes, the first visit I received in the office was the taylor who made clothes for a song!
Thanks. I love your watching them !
This video is real treasure !! Thank you for your kindest sharing
Cool to see garden terrace in the background at 0:37. What is the road you're on at 3:11 and what is the house to right?
I think that old NT village is still there. Do you still have those sunglasses? Badass.
Yes, I lost it and spent 60 years searching for it !
I live in Amsterdam, Netherlands now. Yesterday had a great visit of Winnie Fu of the HK Govt. Film Archive who take an enormous interest in my old HK films and 150 HK clips.
Very special film Michael....thank you very much for sharing...I must compliment your tailor on your suit...but what happened to your jacket? You seem to have lost it somewhere between Mid-Levels and Ice House Street?
Dear Mr. Rogge, thanks for your video and I am touched! I wish I was there.
谢谢您的分享，让我有幸看到变化进程中的珍贵影像，另外我想说历史是一个特别有趣的事物，以不同的时间跨度来看会有不一样的理解。
Oh my gosh you were a handsome young man, really up there with Gregory Peck & George Peppard in their prime. Thank you for the vid they're a treasure.
Hi Mr. Rogge, just want to say I love your video(s) so much!
@outhere0101 Thanks for the suggestion. Will do so soon.
"Love is a many-splendored thing" by Montovani orchestra
Mr. Rogge , you are very smart and young in the video. I must say to you that I enjoy this clip very much. The harbor view of Hong Kong now has been changed so ugly. While you're walking down to Central as if you're in another country, European likely. I'd rather go into the 1950's Central better than now. Thanks so much for your sharing.
thank you so much for up loading.
Thank you very much Michael for your nostalgic clips. I really love them all. Wonder where do you live now ?
The background music is "Love Is a Many Splendored Thing".
Your footage are most precious. there are very few footage filmed of the old Hong Kong.
@1978skin Your guess is as good as mine. It was not my car, but of my colleague: Are Heerding.
@fanatix2008 Thanks. I'm depending on helpful viewers like you. I have adopted your suggestions.
@roberttreboranita Thanks. I lived for many years on the Playa de San Juan (1964-85) and have also recorded my life there in clips.
Whats the first music in the video called?
Hoe heet de muziek die als eerste te horen is in de video?
Thanks. There are many Chinese viewers in Canada I notice.
That's really sad. Thanks so much for posting. Are you German?
Hi Michael...what a treat to watch your films...did you know a Marvin Farkas in the late 40's, early 50's in HK? he's from New York and would have been working the media as a film cameraman based in Hong Kong the...he's an interesting guy, and has written a few books on his life there where I believe he still is based
I really like the Cantonese music at the end of this episode at the Luna Park and wished we knew the title. This same song was used with the supposedly oldest Chinese video footage ever made in history (1903) there is a beautiful woman improvising a fascinating choreography of movements over a minute.
Me too ! It is 'Clouds chasing the moon' very well known by chinese and composed by a famous Chinese composer during bthe last century. You may find several renditions on RUclips by searching with the title.
thxxxxxxxxxxx for keeping these video and upload it.
I remember faintly that I have been in contact with a Farkas from India who was pioneering in filmmaking in the fifties. But I forgot his first name and I assume that he is an old man as I am by now!
@ooElitaOneoo OH YES! That romantic movie (Love is a Many-Splendoured Thing) covered so many of the experiences a foreigner might have in East Asia. I'm sure I lived the fantasy of being William Holden in that film. Meeting and falling in love with a Chinese and following where that led. The pure joy of having an elegant Chinese lover....
It was great to order new suits, too. There was such a wonderful choice of cloth to select from. Like you, I looked SO smart at the age of 30 in Hong Kong.
Sadly all my colleagues in the bank have died meanwhile. Some at a young age. Of many people and characters in my films I only get responses from their children! I'm always keen to hear of their further lives and fates.
Hi Michael! I love your fantastic videos and I love you!
I love you for loving me ! I feel great !
MichaelRogge thank you! You're so sweet!
Hello Michael, would you mind telling us how old are you now? (2017)
What a handsome fellow you were Michael! I only arrived in 1972 - but HK still had some of the features you record in these films. It's true we expats had a good life - all we had to do was work hard and help build up our companies' profits. For the rest of the time we could enjoy ourselves. I suppose all those men in well tailored clothes are work colleagues?
these must be some memorable adventures! What a great life you led!
See my many vids on RUclips by searching with 'Michael rogge'
Ok i will definitely do that!
Are the other young men in the film still alive?
was there a big Dutch community there in those days?
This is not some video that I have seen, although I live in Hong Kong.
thank you
@kosmeticman No, Dutch !
brings back memories...
You can sell your videos to the museum!
MichaelRogge, what's your nationality? I'm Italian living & working in Singapore. I love your videos, you were such a good looking boy back then
+vino peroni I'm Dutch, living in Amsterdam, Netherlands
No, a Dutch bank officer
Thanks,
Nice background music
Thanks for the info. Did you see my clip about the British army in Fanling? ruclips.net/video/3bHaIziY5Hk/видео.html
Amazing video...part of your life in hong kong 1950...you must be british~~ god bless you...thanks for upload!
only 2 year ??????
I think it's the village in Kam Tin, near Yuen Long. The old ladies still ask for money!
The only thing that is regrettable about this movie is that it is in black&white instead of colour. But it's no complaint because I know colour movie was very expensive and not always available in those days. It must be very strange for you to look at this movie to see a young man walking, whilst nowadays you probably will have trouble moving around. (will ultimately happen to all of us). As you know ofcourse things have changed A LOT in recent years.
You must also take into account that it was filmed in Pathescope 9,5mm film which had no Kodachrome film available in 1949.
I think also the hot wet weather of southern China is very bad for the shelf-life and film quality. I've seen german WW2 color footage, made with an amateur movie camera in which the colors are vivid and the picture sharp, as if the movie was yesterday, So I guess the very different weather conditions made the difference?
johnsamu, I would tend to say that once a film is processed it can stand an unlimited length of time. What you are talking about is storage before shooting and processing the film.
Indeed the humid conditions in Hong Kong were bad for storing films, although the Kodak dealer kept them in cold storage. It is remarkable how well my Kodachrome films held during the sixty years I kept them. However, other makes did not do so well and were affacted by fungus.
Mind you, the amateur films you saw on TV were completely restored at high cost. During editing I cannot go further than sharpening and saturizing the colors more(and adding sound as most of them are silent) Actually there was no proper prcessing for black and white Pathescope 9,5mm films in Hong Kong. Finally I sent them to England for processing, but decided to switch to 16mm Kodachrome in 1951.
MichaelRogge Indeed the Kodak chrome film and movie kept their colors remarkably well, I guess because of the high quantity (expensive) Chrome. As I mentioned in an earlier post, there are some surviving WW2 german Kodak movies with sharp and lively colours.
Marvellous video as usual, but ... sorry for the extraordinary stupid question: do you have sons? Nephevs? Hehe ... (ok, I'm on my drunk me mode, I beg your pardon, but you're handsome)
No, I have had no children - never been married. I do have nephews, from my brothers marriage and other family members who I see regularly.
good~~同是香港人
Dutch
Tai Po! A big difference now.
great videos. i just enjoy reading and watching history as a hobby. tho i cant help thing "vanity of vanities.. all is vanity". there's such a sense of futility in all things, as you watch history. all is vanity without God-Jesus. all things come to an end, and the end is very real. i am so glad that i shall live on after death, because the more i watch history, the more the struggle i see, the more the hope and thus the more its all pointless, because the end is coming. its all a brief dream, fading away. holding on is like grasping a puff of very sweet smelling smoke. for the 1st time i am so glad i have a hope that cannot die.
handsomeeee
英國佬真on 9