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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Wednesday, March 21, 2001


'Pearl Harbor' movie to debut here on aircraft carrier

By Derek Paiva
Advertiser Staff Writer

Touchstone Pictures' World War II epic "Pearl Harbor" will indeed have its May world premiere at Pearl Harbor.

The star-studded event will take place May 21 on the 4.5-acre flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis. The carrier will be anchored at Hotel Pier near the USS Arizona Visitors Center and Museum for the Monday evening premiere.

A fireworks show, with pyrotechnics being launched from barges surrounding Ford Island, will follow the movie.

"We are thrilled with the news that the world premiere of 'Pearl Harbor' will take place here in Hawai'i," said Donne Dawson, manager of the Hawai'i Film Office. "What an honor and how perfectly fitting it will be for this important film to make motion-picture history right where it all happened."

Lt. Cmdr. Conrad Chun of the Pacific Fleet Public Affairs office said the Navy was "working toward options (for a premiere event)."

Touchstone Pictures officials would not comment.

The movie's principal actors, including Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Cuba Gooding Jr., Kate Beckinsale, Dan Aykroyd and Alec Baldwin, are expected at the premiere, said a source at Disney.

With a record production budget estimated at $135 million, "Pearl Harbor" was partially shot at several O'ahu military installations including Pearl Harbor and Schofield Barracks last year.

The film was directed by Michael Bay ("Armageddon," "The Rock") and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer ("Top Gun," "Beverly Hills Cop").