From the 1970s to the early 1990s a patch of land in Hong Kong the size of just a few football fields was the most densely-populated area in the world – and by a longshot. Even more remarkable, it was an outlaw land that somehow formed a tight community.
AI Summary
In this fascinating episode of Stuff You Should Know, Josh and Chuck dive into the incredible true story of the Kowloon Walled City in Hong Kong - a tiny six-acre area that was once the most densely populated place on Earth with over 33,000 residents crammed into space equivalent to just a few football fields. They explore how this lawless enclave emerged from colonial treaties between Britain and China, survived as an "outlaw land" with virtually no government oversight, and somehow developed into a tight-knit community despite the seemingly impossible living conditions. Get ready to learn about one of the most unique urban experiments in human history that inspired countless movies and video games.
Blade Runner
1982
1h 58m
★ 7.9
"Comparing it to Blade Runner. Like, especially in Blade Runner when Harrison Ford is eating noodles and Edward James almost comes up to take him away. — Chuck describes the visual aesthetic of Kowloon Walled City as resembling the densely packed, neon-lit streets depicted in Blade Runner."
— Chuck
Bloodsport
1988
R
1h 32m
★ 7.1
"It's been a ton of either directly sort of been the setting for movies, like in Bloodsport. Yeah. From Jean-Claude Van Damme or been, like, heavily inspired. — Josh mentions Bloodsport as a film either directly set in or inspired by Kowloon Walled City."
— Josh
Eyes Wide Shut
1999
2h 40m
★ 7.5
"I also saw eyes wide shut in the theater and I knew all about it going into it. And so it was my birthday, so I made my whole family go watch it. — Chuck recalls seeing Eyes Wide Shut in theaters for his birthday and bringing his family along."
— Chuck
Far and Away
1992
PG-13
2h 20m
★ 6.8
"Or Far and Away with Nicole Kidman. Right. Tom Cruise, that one. I saw that in the theater for some reason. — Chuck mentions seeing Far and Away in theaters, though the connection to the main topic is not explicit."
— Chuck
Flowers for Algernon
2015
★ 8.3
"What was that movie that I told you to watch? about the cat, the animated movie about the cat, and then you said, oh, I already saw it in theaters. Was it called Flow? — Josh and Chuck discuss an animated movie about a cat that Josh had recommended to Chuck, who had already seen it in theaters."
— Josh
Howards End
1992
PG
2h 22m
★ 7.0
"The other movie that sticks out for me when I think of Calumwald City is the Merchant Ivory movie Howard's End. — Chuck mentions Howard's End as a Merchant Ivory film, though the connection to Kowloon Walled City is unclear from context."
— Chuck
Ready Player One
2018
PG-13
2h 20m
★ 7.6
"It had to be the inspiration behind the living quarters in Ready Player 1. If you've ever seen that movie or read the book. — Chuck compares the visual appearance of Kowloon Walled City to the living quarters shown in Ready Player One."
— Chuck
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