Disney shoots the works with 'Pearl Harbor' premiere

May 22, 2001
By Mary Kaye Ritz

HONOLULU -- Disney's $5 million premiere of "Pearl Harbor" was lavish even by director-producer Michael Bay's standards.

He said at Monday night's gala aboard the USS Stennis nuclear aircraft carrier that he could have done with a tad fewer patriotic songs punctuating the fireworks display that clocked in at about 15 minutes. Still, he said, it all made for a better party for the octogenarian Pearl Harbor survivors who were among 1,500 of Disney's closest friends (not to mention another 500 international media types) in attendance.

This from the man whose "Armageddon," another collaboration with uber-producer Jerry Bruckheimer, premiered at Kennedy Space Center; their "The Rock" made its debut at Alcatraz.

"The next one will have to be in outer space," joked actor Tom Sizemore, whose impromptu musical set with new pal Dan Aykroyd was the highlight of the after-party. The pair played "Mustang Sally" as Aykroyd's children did backup duties. (No, Sizemore said, they hadn't jammed beforehand. The Blues Brother, however, gave Sizemore one tip: Just repeat back whatever he sings.)

The juggernaut that is "Pearl Harbor," the most anticipated movie of the summer, was launched at Hawaii's namesake mooring in a celeb-studded affair. It began at 5 p.m. with guests strolling down a red carpet that ran nearly the length of the carrier, which end to end could fit three football fields, as sailors saluted the passing military guests in their pressed and polished dress uniforms. Civilians were requested to dress in "aloha crisp," which the locals dubbed "Hawaiian Hollywood," though one can be sure Courtney Love's three-inch spike heels were not Navy issue.

Making the stroll in the blazing Oahu sun were "Pearl" stars Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, Cuba Gooding Jr., Alec Baldwin, Colm Feore, Ewen Bremmner , as were Bruckheimer, Disney executives and armed forces types with more stars and stripes than a flag factory. While President Bush had been rumored to be considering a visit, there was no use for Secret Service after all, though former secretary of defense William Cohen was on the distinguished guest list.

However, it wasn't until singer Faith Hill passed by the end of the gauntlet that you could nearly hear the sailors' necks nearly crack. Her skintight white pantsuit was the hit of their party. Hill also came center stage later, during the preshow activities, to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner."