I think it’s unanamous – if you’re a kiwi you love Peter Jackson and his Lord of the Rings movies. And what better way to be rewarded than have the opportunity to be the first to see a collection of original models, props, artwork, and costumes from the movies? Not to mention being able to watch video interviews with actors and staff of the films?
The Lord of the Rings exhibition premiered and opened in Wellington, New Zealand on December 19th at the National Museum of New Zealand, TePapa, to coincide with the New Zealand release of TTT.
I trudged along to this exhibition a little later (Jan 18th) – to coincide with my second viewing of TTT at the Embassy theatre. Not balking at all at the $12 adult entry, I queued up in a short queue for my ticket and payed out an additional $7 for an audio-guide to the exhibition (a $7 very very well spent).
The exhibition includes stands of most of the main characters of the movie, giving a written description of their character and a full size (probably used) example of their movie costume, and in some cases, examples of their jewellery and other accesories. Seeing this clothing and jewellery up close, it drives home to you how authentic and real everything used in the movie(s) was! The knitting and stitching of the costumes, the leatherwork, casting and design of accessories – outstanding and intricate! When you listen to Ngila Dickson (costume designer) explain some of the process in making the costumes (Arwen’s gown, and the scaling [more about that later] of Frodo’s braces!), it blows you away.
The amazing detail continues when you look at the weapons and armour on display. Richard Taylor and others describe the concepts of creating different looks for the different cultures in the films, and then you see the final products – full armour and helms of Elves and men of Gondor and Rohan. The different swords, shields, and lances are also featured, most with intricate elven enscriptions. Amazing. And listening to the audio-guide, you realise that the people involved in creating these weapons are fully aware of the historical significance of them within the context of the LOTR universe – a passage about Arwen’s sword comes to mind, and how it was the same sword that Elrond uses in the prelude sequence of FOTR. These people know their Tolkein, and I think this shows in the movies and the passion in which everything is created.
And then there are the more technical stands – one that shows the creation of Gollum, the digital effects that brought Andy Serkis to life on screen, the totally mindblowing computer programme “Massive” that controls all the “digital extras” (you have to see about it to believe it!), the scale models that were used, and the process of scaling itself, – how they got Hobbits and Dwarves to look small (did you know they needed about 36 hobbit backpacks altogether?).
This exhibition is like a real life “The making of the Lord of the Rings”. I spent a good two and a half hours there altogether, thoroughly engrossed every minute. But this is where I mention the benefit of the $7 audio-guide. The audio-guide contains about 36 clips of audio commentary to accompany certain stands, going more indepth into each topic. It includes explanations from some of the actors, conceptual artist Alan Lee, behind the scenes people like Ngila Dickson, Richard Taylor, and sword and horse trainers. I visited the exhibition with a friend and her three children (13, 13, and 15), the kids whipped through the exhibition in about half an hour, and I think this was partly due to the fact they didn’t have an audio-guide – it definitely extends the longevity and impact of the exhibition.
So it all sounds good, right? What you want to know next is who else gets to see it, right? The exhibition travels to the Science Museum, London; Science Museum, Boston; Science Museum, Singapore; and the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.
For more details on the exhibition, visit the Te Papa website: http://www.tepapa.govt.nz/rings/
And if you can get to it, enjoy the show! It’s a fantastic supplement to the trilogy.
One response to “Lord of the Rings Exhibition opens”
This was the highlight of my holiday! I went on a South Island holiday with my family, so not only did I get to see the Exhibition, but various places where the film was set.
I saw the Exhibition on the 4th of January and I went with my Step-Mother who, isn’t that much of a fan of the movies, thought it was money well spent and really enjoyed herself.
As for me, I was in heaven! Everything was so perfect and the interviews with the various actors and crew were superb, top class.
I didn’t have the audio guide, but I still thoroughly enjoyed myself. I spent about an hour and a half there – mostly looking google-eyes at the costumes trying to tell myself, “Yes, such-in-such, actually WORE that! That is THE dress/sword/whatever that you have on your video at home, that THEY were wearing!”
My favourite was Galadriel’s gown. It was THE most beautiful gown I have ever seen. All the beading was beautiful and I have decided that I want the EXACT gown if and ever I get married (I’m currently 14, so that is a long way off yet).
People must have thought I was crazy though, quoting almost every line from where each various wonder had been in the film. I did get some strange looks, but some smiles also, as there would have also been other LOTR fanatics there, who just thought I was a ‘normal’ human being.
If anyone else has the chance to go, I agree with Landscribe here, it is a FANTASTIC supplement to the trilogy, and money definately well spent.