When I think of a well-known public event, I can't help but reminisce on the 3 years of celebration and excitement that was the Lord Of The Rings trilogy - the films that later became iconic for New Zealand identity. Even though it only feels like yesterday, it was ten years ago this December that the first part of what was to become the highest grossing trilogy of all time, was being released. As a 13 year old sci-fi fantasy fan I was simply over-joyed, this was really a dream come true. The whole of New Zealand had been chosen by the kiwi director Peter Jackson to be the setting. These films would not only showcase New Zealand to the rest of the world, boost the tourism industry, and invest hugely into the local economy, but more importantly would really instill New Zealand with a sense of unity and pride, together as a nation flying under the banner that was the journey of a little hairy footed Hobbit.
The excitement was not limited to just New Zealand however, the whole world had developed a passion for the films and throughout the world and thousands were flocking to premiers in London and New York. Different media outlets took hold and further promoted the brand; hundreds of articles from major publications like the 'Premiere' and 'Entertainment' magazines began circulating. |
| The covers from the 'Lord Of The Rings' trilogy I own |
From a young age I had a developed a love for Tolkien's work after my Father read 'The Hobbit' to me as a bed time story, and from that cherished memory I developed an urge to explore the realm of infinite fantastic beauty that was Tolkien's imagination. I managed to unearth some dusty and tattered volumes of one of the original 'The Lord Of The Rings' and never looked back.
I would be foolish to think that I was alone in having such a passionate love, dare I say 'obsession', for Peter Jackson's masterpiece. The whole nation was alive with the 'ring fever' and I was not any different. My Father and I decided we should make the trip down to Wellington; the 'middle earth' of New Zealand, for the Premier of 'The Fellowship Of The Ring'. I remember the buzzing of anticipation as we got off the plane and into town, watching in awe at the official looking people with ear pieces dashing in and out of the labyrinth of elves, dwarves, and various other beasts who had dressed up for the occasion. At the red carpet due to access restrictions and the sheer weight of the crowd my Father and I could only sneak a quick look at the front of the crowd, just in time to see Liv Tyler, in all her glory, drive past.
When it came time to watching the actual film we were lucky enough to have tickets reserved for two days after the red carpet premier. The whole day we were quizzing each other on the finer details of Tolkien's work, and finally the time arrived where we had to contain our excitement long enough to take our seats in the cinema. For a long time we had been teased with trailers and exclusive previews on television and on the internet, but I don't think people really could have ever been prepared for what a masterpiece it was. The sheer enormity of the film 'The Fellowship Of The Ring' completely blew us away. It was as if Jackson had managed to capture screen shots of Tolkien's imagination and put them to film. The attention to detail was incredible, down to the very last boot on the very last Ork, everything was better than we could have imagined.
Today my Father and I still exchange fond memories of our trip, he is getting a older now but still possesses the bright spark of adventure in his eyes. I can only look forward to our next journey to middle earth in December 2012, where Peter Jackson will no doubt again leave us in awe with his next installment of Tolkien; The Hobbit.
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