CINEMAS
Due to its huge Asian population, Sydney is an excellent place for the Hong Kong movie
fan.
Up until the closure of the twin screen Chinatown Cinema in June 1998 there was a
choice of a minimum of eight movies playing on any one day. With only the
Harbour City Cinema remaining, the selection is now rather reduced.
Harbour City Cinema (Opened 1994)
6-12 Harbour St, Haymarket, 2000
Tel (02) 9283 3633
See the Harbour City Cinema page for more
info
Sydney's only remaining Chinese cinema has not shown a new movie for a
couple of years. It now seems to get by with screenings of the latest
Korean or Indian releases.
Australia Cinema (1983-2000)
61 Goulburn St, Haymarket 2000
The Australia Cinema finally closed in 2000. Former owner
Raymond Yu now exhibits his movies in Hoyts Cinemas in Sydney. The
Australia was the place to see the latest Category 3 exploitation movie.
Unfortunately only the big Hong Kong movies seem to make it to the Hoyts
screens.
Chinatown Twin Cinema (Closed 1998)
27-33 Goulburn St, Haymarket 2000
The oldest of the three cinemas showing HK movies finally closed its doors in June
1998. Unlike the other two, which look like typical boring multiplex Cinemas, this was a
wonderful old place with loads of atmosphere. Movies were screened in double or triple
bills, which meant a choice of four or five different titles could be caught here in any
one day. The sign may still be up, but the doors are most definitely
closed.
DVD, VCD and Video.
The availability of movies on, tape, VCD and DVD is widespread. The
distribution of Chinese throughout Sydney means that most suburbs have at least somewhere
nearby to hire movies on one format or another.
The following stores mainly deal with VCD and DVD. There are many more
that are not listed that still deal only in videotapes. If
video is still your thing then these stores can usually be found in the
same areas listed below.
In brackets next to the suburbs name is the major Asian ethnic group
that lives there.
ASHFIELD (Chinese from Shanghai)
W&D Laser &Video Pty Ltd
36 Hercules St, Ashfield 2131
Tel (02) 9798 6688
VCD rental.
BANKSTOWN (Vietnamese)
There is a small Chinatown area situated along Chapel Rd.
Here you can find several places that rent tapes.
These include Vinh Xuong Video at number 286, and Du Du Video.
Bankstown Laser Centre
Shop 3, 282 Chapel Rd, Bankstown 2200
Tel (02) 9793 9739
DVD sale and rental.
BONDI JUNCTION (Japanese)
Video Ya
34 Spring St, Bondi Junction 2022
Tel (02) 9369 2677
Although this is supposed to be a list of Hong Kong stores, I thought I would
mention these Japanese video shops anyway. This is one of three linked stores, the other
two are Video Japan at Neutral Bay and Channel 11 at
Chatswood. All carry roughly the same stock, and membership allows you to rent from any
one. If more Chinese stores were like this then I'd probably rent more tapes. All movies
are available on original NTSC tapes with PAL copies for those without a multi-standard
VCR. Quality is excellent on the original NTSC tapes, and okay on the PAL copies. All the
tape boxes are on display on the shelves so choosing what you want is fairly easy. The
movies are a mixture of Japanese, American, and a few Hong Kong titles. If you like
Godzilla or want to see some of the stuff you only read about in Asian Cult Cinema,
then these are the places to go.
BURWOOD (Chinese)
Video Disc World Pty Ltd
183 Burwood Rd, Burwood 2134
Tel (02) 9744 3388
VCD rental.
CABRAMATTA (Vietnamese)
This is one of my favourite Sydney suburbs; it's always great to visit. However
due to its bad reputation as an open-air heroin store, Cabramatta is a place that many
people probably wouldn’t bother to check out. I say don't believe all you read in the
papers, and instead go and have a look yourself. With its huge Vietnamese population,
Cabramatta is the most visibly Asian suburb in Sydney. As such it has a selection of shops
only bettered by Chinatown.
The Planets Laser Centre
Shop 16, Cabramatta Plaza, Hughes St, Cabramatta
2166
Tel (02) 9725 6133
Decent size selection of Laser discs and VCDs for rent.
Laser Land
10/40 Park Rd, Cabramatta 2166
Tel/Fax (02) 9727 7733
Range of
DVDs/VCDs for sale and rent.
Cabramatta Video Rental
7/40 Park Rd, Cabramatta 2166
Tel (02) 9726 9775
Big selection of Hong Kong tapes, DVD, and VCD as well as Manga and
Australian releases. Rental only.
PKL International Video
8/28 Hughes St, Cabramatta 2166
Tel/Fax (02) 9724 0929
Hiding amongst the Australian release tapes and DVDs are a nice
selection of Hong Kong titles. Rental only.
Kelvin Khoi Entertainment
Shop 21, 48 Hill Street, Cabramatta 2166
Tel/Fax (02) 9754 1627
DVD/VCD sale and rental.
Hong Video
Unit 18/48 Hill St, Cabramatta 2166
Tel (02) 9726 6556
Tape rental.
Thang Loi Video
Unit 16/48 Hill St, Cabramatta 2166
Tel (02) 9726 6556
Tape rental.
Great World Video CD Centre
Sky Centre, Shop 27/202 Railway Parade, Cabramatta
2166
Tel (02) 9755 0390
Fax (02) 9728 2667
VCD sales.
Hollywood Laser
Shop 3, 91 John St, Cabramatta 2166
Tel (02) 9727 5552
Good size selection of VCD and DVD for sale.
BKK Video
53 Park Rd, Cabramatta 2166
Tel (02) 9700 8390
Tape rental.
CAMPSIE (Korean/Chinese)
There are around half a dozen places situated along, or just off Beamish St, that
rent Asian tapes.
Mou Mou Video
32 Hill St, Campsie 2194
Tel (02) 9718 5673
Tape rental
Video Club
Shop 6, 43 North Parade, Campsie 2194
Tel (02) 9789 2672
Korean tape rental.
Kotape Video Production
110 Clissold Parade, Campsie 2194
Tel (02) 9789 6085
Korean tape rental.
CASTLE HILL
Pal Asian Grocery
Shop 122 Castle Mall Shopping Centre, 4-16 Terminus
St, Castle Hill.
Tel (02) 9894 8548
VCD rental.
CHATSWOOD (Hong Kong Chinese/Taiwanese)
Channel 11
Shop 3, 283 Penshurst St, Chatswood 2067
Tel (02) 9417 2711
See Video Ya at Bondi Junction (above) for details.
Shinseido
Shop 602a, Level 3, Westfield Shopping
Town, Chatswood 2067
Tel (02) 9884 9268 Fax (02)
9884 9269
VCD and DVDs for sale.
MMM Discount Books & CD's
Shop 23, 445 Victoria Avenue, Chatswood 2067
Tel (02) 9419 3606
VCD and DVDs for sale.
FLEMINGTON (Chinese)
The Chinatown area is situated opposite Flemington station, along, or just off
The Crescent. There are several places here that rent tapes.
HAYMARKET-Chinatown
HK-Video
Shop 6a, 405 Sussex St, Haymarket 2000
Tel (02) 9281 2519
Tape rental.
Laser City
Shop 16, Sussex Centre, 401 Sussex St, Haymarket
2000
Tel/Fax (02) 9212 1271
One of the oldest rental stores in Chinatown has one of the better
selections. All the
latest movies can be found here, along with a good choice of older titles.
Golden Winner Network P/L
Shop G-8 Citymark Building, 683-689 George St,
Haymarket 2000
Tel (02) 9281 8811
Fax (02) 9281 8211
Opening in 1997 this was the first place in Chinatown to sell DVDs. It now has a good
selection for sale, along with a large range of VCDs.
SAST (Aust) Pty Ltd
Shop G-3 Citymark Building, 683-689 George St,
Haymarket 2000
Tel (02) 9281 6833
Fax (02) 9211 6366
Directly opposite Golden Winner (see above) is this shop.
DVD and VCD for sale.
Maxims Video Co
Shop 120-121, 8 Quay St, Haymarket 2000
(This is the old address, new store is directly opposite)
Tel (02) 9211 0071
Excellent selection of older titles for rent on tape. The original boxes
are on display on the shelves, which is something you don't usually see in Chinese video
stores. Newer titles are listed in books at the counter. English titles are thoughtfully
provided for those of us who can't read Chinese, again something you don't always see. All
the tapes are copies so the quality varies. They previously had a separate laser and video
shop. The video one has now been closed so all the tapes can now be found in the laser
shop. If you are into titles from the 70's and 80's then this place can't
be beaten.
Top 10 Sound and Movie Shop
Shop 1, 741 George St, Haymarket 2000
Tel (02) 9281 7198
DVD sales.
Oriental Video Pty Ltd
27-33 Goulbourn St, (Next door to the old Chinatown
Cinema) Haymarket 2000
Tel (02) 9264 5208
Tape rental.
Shun Fai Modern AV Co
3A/410 Sussex St, Haymarket 2000
Tel (02) 9212 3636
Small selection of VCD’s for sale.
Auscolor Disk Electric Equipment P/L
Level 1, 410 Sussex St, Haymarket 2000
Tel (02) 9280 4551
This is one of the better VCD/DVD stores. They have another store in
Hurstville (see listing for details).
VCD Rental
422 Sussex St, Haymarket 2000
Just along from Auscolor and down a corridor is this new
VCD rental store. The name is in Chinese, so just follow the sign for
VCD's.
Rong Bao Tung
50 Dixon St, Haymarket 2000
Tel (02) 9281 2355
The original store, around the corner in Goulburn St, has now closed and
they've now moved into this prime location in Dixon St. If you only visit one store in Sydney then
this would have to be it. Prices are cheap and the selection is the best
in town. DVD and VCD sales.
Po Hong Company
419 Sussex St, Haymarket.2000
Tel (02) 9281 6101
Mainly known for there range of music CDs, although lately they have began to stock a
small range of films on VCD.
Windfair Co
389 Sussex St, Haymarket, 2000
Tel (02) 9212 1608
Like Po Hong, this is another magazine and CD store. Recently though, they
have began to stock DVDs and VCDs.
HORNSBY
Pal Asian Grocery
8 Florence St, Hornsby 2077
Tel (02) 9477 5786
As its name says, this is primarily a grocery store. They do however have
a selection of VCDs and DVDs for rent. They also have a second
shop at Castle Hill (see listing for details)
HURSTVILLE (Chinese)
The Chinatown area is situated along Forest Rd.
Broadway Video and Audio Pty Ltd
2/153 Forest Rd, Hurstville 2200
Tel (02) 9586 2160
Fax (02) 9586 2161
VCD and DVD rental.
Auscolor Disk Electric Equipment P/L
338 Forest Rd, Hurstville 2220
Tel (02) 9585 2097
Fax (02) 9585 2694
Like their original store in Haymarket (see listing for details)
this also carries DVDs and VCDs.
Music Lover Disc Centre
Shop 4, 127-135 Forest Rd, Hurstville 2200
VCD and DVD sales.
Colour City Internet Cafe
Shop 4, 182 Forest Rd, Hurstville 2200
Tel (02) 9585 2822
Fax (02) 9585 2944
Selection of R3 Hong Kong DVD's for rent.
KINGSFORD (Indonesian)
Wide Sight
518 Anzac Parade, Kingsford, 2032
Tel (02) 9663 1711
VCD sales and rental.
MARRICKVILLE (Vietnamese)
Most of the stores of interest are on Illawarra Rd. You can find several places
that rent tapes in this area.
Edo Digital Vision
Shop3/292-294 Marrickville Rd Cnr Illawarra Rd,
Marrickville, 2204
Tel (02) 9560 5622
Fax (02) 9560 5266
Formerly known as Fame Laser Vision, this has a decent selection
of VCD and DVD for rent.
NEUTRAL BAY (Japanese)
Video Japan
Suite 4, Ground Floor, 20 Young St, Neutral Bay 2089
Tel (02) 9953 9700
See Video Ya at Bondi Junction for details.
PARRAMATTA (Chinese)
The Chinatown area is situated along Church St
Parramatta Chinese Video
Shop 2/110 Church St, Parramatta 2150
Tel/Fax (02) 9891 3990
Tape rental
Sunshine Laser Disc
120 Church St, Parramatta 2150
Tel (02) 9635 8693
Fax (02) 9687 0974
VCD rental.
The Rocks
Nippon Ya
Shop2, 111 Harrington St, Sydney, 2000
Tel (02) 9251 7911
Fax (02) 9251 7735
A decent Japanese video store, catering to the tourists in the area.
Selection is pretty good, a few HK films (mostly Jackie Chan), and lots
of Japanese and American movies. Membership is $10, and movies are PAL dupes, with full
colour covers. Not sure if they stock NTSC originals.
Thanks to Andrew and Reg Mu Sung for pointing out some of the above
stores.
ON THE WEB
For more information on what's happening in Sydney, check out Chinatown.com.au - available in both English and
Chinese versions.
This list of HK-related stores in Sydney has been compiled by
Ian at the request of Ryan for inclusion in the Hong Kong Movie Resource, a list of places to
find HK film worldwide. Check it out, and contribute if you can. Currently Brisbane,
Melbourne and Sydney are represented.
To print out this guide, remember to set your Page Setup options to
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