Stars come out for Hawai'i premiere of 'Lilo & Stitch'
By Curtis Lum
Advertiser Staff Writer
Never has the arrival of an alien created so much excitement and hoopla as it did last night in Waikiki.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
The red carpet was rolled out at Consolidated's Waikiki Twin theaters for a little girl named Lilo and her creature-from-outer-space-friend, Stitch.
Daveigh Chase, the voice of Lilo, and Tia Carrere, the voice of Lilo's sister, Nani, were among the stars at last night's Hawai'i premiere of "Lilo & Stitch."
Local dignitaries joined regular folks for the Hawai'i premiere of Disney's new anima-ted movie "Lilo & Stitch."
Dozens of people lined Seaside Ave-nue to get a glimpse of some of the movie's stars, including Tia Carrere, Jason Scott Lee, and child actress Daveigh Chase, the voice of Lilo.
Richard Cook, chairman of Walt Disney Studios, said he was thrilled by the reception and outpouring of support for the film.
"Everything we have done here has been just terrific," Cook said. "The reaction by everyone has really been overwhelming. Everyone has had a really wonderful time."
"Lilo & Stitch" opens nationwide Friday, but a few lucky guests were invited to last night's sneak preview.
The movie is about a little Hawaiian girl who is raised by her older sister on Kaua'i. Carrere is the voice of the sister, Nani, who is struggling to keep the family together.
Stitch, a mischievous creature, lands his spaceship on the island and Lilo, thinking Stitch is a dog, adopts him. Stitch gets into constant trouble, but with love and an unwavering belief in 'ohana, Lilo gives Stitch the one thing he never had — the ability to care for someone else.
Carrere said the film's creators did a good job of capturing the meaning of 'ohana and she believes viewers on the Mainland will understand the idea.
Gregory Yamamoto • The Honolulu Advertiser
"They really spent time and care in translating the reality of Hawai'i," Carrere said. "I know that when people see this film with their family, they're going to think, 'We have to go to Hawai'i. We want to continue this feeling that we have inside us. We have to be a part of that 'ohana.' "
Jason Scott Lee and his nephew, Kanoa, 3, flash the shaka sign to fans. The two were joined by Lee's mother, Sylvia.
Said Lee: "There's so much heart in it. They authenticated it really well."
Writer and co-director Chris Sanders, who does the voice of Stitch, said he and co-director Dean DeBlois struggled with what would cause Stitch to transform from a rascal to a loving character. But once they understood the true meaning of 'ohana, their problems were solved.
"It really began with the hula," said Sanders, who was invited to a hula event in California before beginning "Lilo & Stitch." "Just seeing the hula, this was a dance of incredible cultural depth. It was there where we realized that we have to be very, very careful to be true to this culture and to give it its due and respect."
The movie received good reviews last night from most in the crowd.
Theresa Warren said Lilo and Stitch reminded her of her two children, Tiara and Stan.
"It taught so many lessons," Warren said. "I loved what they had to say about 'ohana. I thought the spirit of Hawai'i really came through."
Mary Smith said she grew up watching Disney movies and said this wasn't one of its best. Still, Smith said, she enjoyed the movie.
"I think it's mostly for adults," she said. "Some of the language and some of the things they talk about were a little heavy."
After last night's showing, the party moved to the Hilton Hawaiian Village, where the Kamehameha Schools Children's Chorus performed two songs featured in the film.
Staff writer Michael Tsai contributed to this report.
