2021. Dec 10, Friday 1:41 pm
| MTI
Exactly 20 years ago, on December 10, 2001, the first movie in The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit Trilogy, based on J.R. Tolkien, was shown in Odeon Leicester Square in London, introducing the world to the rolling hills and fields of New Zealand. and forests.
There will also be shows in movie theaters in Auckland and Wellington, but there will be a truly special outdoor show at Hobbiton’s sheep and cattle ranch, 160 days from Auckland, ‘the home of the hobbit’.
“It was the fastest event ever organized,” said Shane Forrest, director of Hobbiton. Fans have been making costumes for the event for nearly a year, according to Forrest, who expects guests to dress up as several of the Hobbit, Sauron, Orc and Gollam.
Restrictions due to the coronavirus pandemic have left a mark on tourism in New Zealand. Before the pandemic, Hobbiton received an average of 650,000 tourists a year, but only 90,000 have arrived in the past 12 months. The number of employees had to be reduced from 320 to 50.
However, the anniversary celebrations provide an opportunity for New Zealand to return to the forefront of tourism, Forrest said.
The hairy-legged, pointy-eared hobbit will soon reappear on widescreen, as Amazon Studios began filming The Lord of the Rings last year in New Zealand. It was speculated that this might be the most expensive TV show ever.
On the other hand, the second season of the series has already been filmed in Britain, says Amazon, leaving the scene behind New Zealand for the first time.
MTI
