Posted on: Friday, May 25, 2001

Hawai'i moviegoers turn out early for 'Pearl Harbor'

Associated Press

About 200 people lined up at Signature Theatre's Dole Cannery 18 this morning for the 7:55 a.m. showing of the movie "Pearl Harbor." Joining the crowd, from left, are Kirby Jahnke, April Nimmons and Navy corpsman Bryan McMurry, who served as an extra in the film. McMurry hopes his scene survived the cut . Richard Ambo • The Honolulu Advertiser • 'Pearl Harbor' fails to hit critical target • What'd you think of the movie? Vote in our informal survey • Advertiser special report: "The Pearl Harbor Story"

In openings timed to match the minute of the attack nearly 60 years ago, moviegoers turned out at several O'ahu movie houses at dawn today for the first showings of "Pearl Harbor."

Fans began lining up around 5 a.m. at Consolidated Amusement's new multiplex at the Ward Entertainment Center for 7:55 a.m. showings on five screens. The public opening of the film also marked the opening of the 16-screen theater complex.

On Windward O'ahu, another theater complex, also celebrating its grand opening, started "Pearl Harbor" a few minutes earlier, because Japanese bombers hit there first.

The first showing at Signature Theaters in Windward Mall was at 7:49 a.m., the minute the Dec. 7, 1941, attack was ordered. Japanese fighter planes passed over Oahu's North Shore, some of them heading down the island's windward side to bomb the Kaneohe Marine Base.

The Disney blockbuster also had early morning showings at the Dole Cannery and Pearl Highland complexes. Each theater devoted several screens to the three-hour film, which premiered on Monday aboard the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis in Pearl Harbor.

At the Ward complex in Honolulu, patrons were given a free bag of popcorn with each ticket, and the complex was giving away a car, trips to Hollywood and Las Vegas and other prizes.