Filming of Willis movie to affect downtown traffic
By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer
Bruce Willis' search-and-rescue war movie is winding up production in downtown Honolulu, forcing some streets to be closed and bus routes to be detoured, but Willis will be nowhere in sight.
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Camera work takes place tomorrow and Saturday at the downtown post office, which is doubling as the interior and exterior of the Nigerian presidential palace.
Movie magic — in the form of a newly constructed fence — transforms the downtown judiciary building into Nigeria's presidential palace for Bruce Willis' latest project.
At the nearby Ali'iolani Hale, the downtown judiciary building, a fence has been built to create the impression that these are presidential grounds.
Though the King Kamehameha statue in front of Ali'iolani Hale stands prominently behind the fence, film crews won't be touching — or filming — the statue, said Tom Hrupcho, the set's paint foreman.
Scenes with the statue in the background will be filmed from across the street at 'Iolani Palace, Hrupcho said. A newly constructed gate post or a burning truck most likely will be used to hide the statue.
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Donne Dawson, manager of the Hawai'i Film Office, said the moviemakers worked with the King Kamehameha Celebration Commission to be sure they did not violate any protocol.
Bruce Willis has already wrapped up his on-camera work here.
Footage shot this weekend will be used in an opening scene for the movie, said Ernie Malik, publicist for Revolution Studios.
Both the set and evidence of Hollywood types around Hawai'i's royal landmarks will be fleeting.
"We'll be shooting it Saturday evening," Hrupcho said. "And by Monday, it will be gone."
The Willis movie, now being called "Tears of the Sun," is in its final phase of filming on O'ahu.
Downtown roads will be closed tomorrow through midnight Monday for filming of the Bruce Willis movie, now called "Tears of the Sun." The affected streets: • The mauka 'ewa-bound lane on Queen Street, between Punchbowl and Richards, closed from 6 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) through midnight Monday. • King Street (including sidewalks), between Punchbowl and Richards streets, closed all day Saturday. • Mililani Street, between Queen and Merchant streets, closed from 1 p.m. tomorrow (Friday) through midnight Monday. Bus routes also will be adjusted: • The stop at King and Punchbowl streets will be moved across the street on the Kawaiaha'o Church corner on Saturday. • Buses on King and Hotel streets will be detoured between Alakea and Punchbowl streets during affected times. Access to the Supreme Court offices, the Judiciary History Center and the main post office during normal weekday hours will be possible.
Willis already has completed his on-camera work, Malik said. Shooting wraps up next week at Waikane and Waialua locations.
Street closures
"We've been here more than four months and are slightly over schedule," Malik said. The movie is expected to arrive in theaters in mid-2003.
In the film, Willis portrays a Navy SEAL-type sent to a West African village to retrieve an American doctor, portrayed by Monica Bellucci. Hawai'i locations are serving as stand-ins for Nigeria.
The movie's opening scenes are among the last to be shot by director Antoine Fuqua, whose last movie, "Training Day," earned a Best Oscar win for Denzel Washington.
"This production, in which Hawai'i doubles for West Africa, has been extremely important for the state," said Walea Constantinau, director of the Honolulu Film Office. "Revolution has shot nearly the entire film in various locations on O'ahu, pumping tens of millions of dollars into the state's economy and generating a significant amount of business for more than 250 local companies."
The movie, with an estimated $70 million budget, has had a succession of titles, including "Man of War" and "Hostile Rescue."
Advertiser staff writer Tanya Bricking contributed to this story.
