The Premiere of LOTR: The Return of the King
Last month, when Bush visited London, approximately 100,000 protestors came from across Britain, Europe, and America to make their voices heard in opposition to the war. Today, December 1st, the crowds lining the parade route and red carpet to Embassy Theater in Wellington, New Zealand to commemorate the premiere of the last chapter in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Return of the King, were estimated at the same size, approximately a quarter of the population of this small Pacific nation.
In New Zealand, they know who and what is king. To mark this occassion, New Zealand printed special postage stamps, according to the Associated Press. Wellington lined their the parade route with posters of each of the main characters that stood some eight stories tall. Air New Zealand sported a new look on the fuselage, the face of Frodo. And Peter Jackson paid a special visit to Parliament to pay tribute to New Zealand--it's people and it's landscapes.
The countryside "made Middle Earth come to life," Jackson told lawmakers
and guests at a parliamentary reception before the premiere.
Everyone was surprised. The Associated Press reported Peter Jackson as saying:
I'm feeling incredibly humbled by this wonderful reception. You feel like you're the first people to land on the moon or something.
BBC, in their report titled, How Hobbits Took Over New Zealand Capital, Elijah Wood, who played Frodo, exclaimed:
It's amazing. I've never experienced anything like this in my life and I don't think I ever will again.
Viggo Mortenson, who played Aragon, proclaimed:
I'm definitely going to remember this. There's a voice in my head that says don't forget, don't forget.
Anyone who had anything to do with the making of the film were
present for the parade, including extras who walked the route in costumes
depicted in the film--Ox Horsemen, Elven Warriors, Orcs, Hobbits, etc.
Stars who were present for the parade and walk on the red carpet included: Sir Ian McKellen, Orlando Bloom, Viggo Mortensen,
Liv Tyler, David Wenham, Hugo Weaving, Elijah Wood, Sean Astin, Andy
Serkis, Dominic Monaghan, Billy Boyd, and John Rhys-Davies. Peter Jackson, the producer, Barrie Osborne, and special effects producer, Richard Taylor, were also present.
Regarding the film, Jackson told the AP that The Return of the King is the best film of the trilogy. I trust his judgement.
The AP article, Fans Line New Zealand Streets for 'Rings,' had this to say about the LOTR box office receipts for the first two films and projections for Return:
The trilogy's first two films The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two
Towers have grossed $2.9 billion at the box office worldwide.
New Line Cinema, a Time Warner subsidiary, is predicting at least $1.3
billion from the third film.
Two years ago, I felt that Lord of the Rings should have won the Oscar for Best Picture and director. Let's hope, if Return of the King is worthy, that this will be the year that the Academy makes up for past mistakes.
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