May 4, 2001. Copyright, 2001, Graphic News. All rights reserved

Pearl Harbour aims to tug patriotic heartstrings
by Mark Samms

Stars: Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale, Jon Voight, Cuba Gooding Jr, Alec Baldwin. Director: Michael Bay

LONDON: May 4, Graphic News: TAKE a momentous backcloth from history and superimpose upon it a love story full of passion and heartbreak. Sound familiar? Well, it worked for Titanic, and the producers of Pearl Harbour are aiming unashamedly for the same audience.

The similarities do not end there. With a budget of $140m, Pearl Harbour is the most expensive movie of all time and is set to make stars of young performers Ben Affleck (Shakespeare in Love, Good Will Hunting) and Kate Beckinsale (Haunted, Shooting Fish) who have established themselves in the industry without yet breaking through to superstardom.

Most of the budget has been spent on the special effects that replicate the notorious Japanese attack on the Pacific naval base which brought America into World War II. As you would expect, when those sort of resources are placed at the disposal of a director like Michael Bay (Armageddon, The Rock) the results are stunning.

There are no punches pulled either when it comes to depicting the full horror of war, with the remorseless candour of the attack scenes already being compared to the opening half-hour of Saving Private Ryan.

By scheduling the movieÕs release for the start of the Memorial Day holiday weekend in the States, the producers are clearly hoping that American audiences will find the combination of patriotism and romance irresistible.

On May 21, however, four days before the official release in the U.S., 2,000 invited guests will attend the world premiere on the deck of the nuclear aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis at Pearl Harbour itself.
/ENDS


Release dates
May 24: Malaysia, Singapore
May 25: United States
Jun 1: UK, Brazil, Italy
Jun 6: France
Jun 7: Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Israel
Jun 8: Iceland June 8
Jun 14: Argentina
Jun 15: Taiwan
Jun 21: Hong Kong
Jun 28: Netherlands, Peru
Jul 6: Spain
Jul 14: Japan
Aug 9: Hungary
Aug 17: Estonia
Aug 24: Denmark
Sep 6: Czech Republic

Sources: www.imdb.com; www.antzone.com; www.upcomingmovies.com