Dreamy Kowloon Film Finally Found After 20 Years, With New Hampshire’s Al Kaprielian

I was first made aware of this incredibly kitschy but totally local short film while watching the news one night.

Matt Shearer, a local Boston reporter, did a short story about a long-lost film nobody could seem to locate.  It was one of those classic, but forgotten short films that was originally just a creative outlet for producer Garth Campbell.

In fact, if Matt hadn't dug up this story, we might not have access to it now, so kudos to him for finding this little gem.

Apparently, Campbell worked with Al Kaprielian in New Hampshire over 20 years ago.  You all know "Weather with Al" on WNDS, Channel 50, out of Derry, New Hampshire. Al Kaprielian is famous in the Granite State and surrounding regions for being the exuberant meteorologist on New Hampshire television.  He's a cult hero.

Twenty years ago, when Garth asked Al to star in a side project called Kowloon Castaway, Al said yes.  The short (less than nine minutes) film was recorded, edited, and locked away for 20 years.  Nobody knew where it was, until Matt came along and dug it up.

Kowloon Castaway is the simple story of a "lonely treasure hunter on a quest for love", according to Campbell YouTube page description.  It's classic and worth the watch, because now you CAN actually watch it.

The Kowloon Restaurant in Saugus, Massachusetts, is as famous as the well-loved New Hampshire weather guy.

After Shearer unearthed the story, he asked Campbell if he could post it so everyone could watch it.  New Englanders are obviously enthralled by it, because Garth Campbell's YouTube page of the film has had over 6,300 views in two weeks.

So, if you want to see a slice of New England history you probably have not seen before, check out Kowloon Castaway on YouTube below. You can watch Matt Shearer's story about Kowloon Castaway here.

Cheers.