HAWAII DIVE-OH

Given the escalating cost of “Waterworld,” it would be interesting to know why and how Hawaii was chosen as the site for the on-the-water sequences. Dive operators in Hawaii traditionally try to dive in the mornings and return to dock as early as possible to avoid the strong winds that regularly spring up in the afternoons and make afternoon boat travel a jarring, uncomfortable ride. These are the same winds that plagued the “Waterworld” shooting. A couple of pre-production phone calls to any dive operator in the islands would have saved the production tens of millions of dollars.

Australia or the Caribbean would have been far more sensible places to shoot on the water . . . especially when combined with modern computer f/x.

Which is where an interesting story might begin. Why Hawaii? Who ultimately authorized shooting in the islands and why? Who owns which hotels, which catering businesses and the like that stood to profit from siting the production in Hawaii?

That’s where the real secret of the film’s burgeoning budget will lie. Not with Kevin Costner.

ALAN DEAN FOSTER

Prescott, Ariz.