Wellington goes Ring crazy

World premiere

For the third, and hopefully last, time, Wellington was in the grip of LoTR mania. The entire city had been decked with flags, banners and images from the films, the cinema had been refurbished, the champagne had been chilled, the red carpet was back from the laundry and everything was set for the opening night to end all opening nights.

The stars arrived one by one in the week leading up to the premiere on 1 December, and the paper hardly contained any actual news for weeks. This is the nazgul that Weta made for the Embassy theatre, the main premiere theatre - although so many guests were invited that it became necessary to hire most of the 12-screen Reading multiplex as well. (Yes, Weta promptly made another, smaller Nazgul, for them too). This one is HUGE - its wingspan is apparently the same as that of a Boeing 747, and as you can see, it has an impressive set of gnashers.

An invasion of trolls

Creatures from the movies started to turn up all over the city in the most unlikely of places. This cave troll had its picture taken at least 500 times a day in Civic Square, where I have lunch on nice days.

This boy had spent the waiting time getting face painting in the style of a traditional Maori facial tattoo, or moko

The stars got out of the open-topped cars they'd been riding in just down the street from where I was standing, and started walking up the red carpet, which stretched for most of a kilometre (!) right up to the Embassy Theatre. I was surprised how crowded that carpet became (given that there were actually only a handful of stars) once they started walking - there were media people and interviewers and camera men and functionaries and hangers-on and minders with their fingers in their ears every which way, great clusters of them around each VIP. It was really pretty difficult to get good pictures, even though I was very nearly right up at the fence. Anyway, here goes. (Note: As usual, you can click on these pictures to see them bigger, but be aware that some have been enlarged quite a bit and so do not have great resolution).

Sir Ian McKellen was on a roll, clearly having a very good time. He sported a panama hat (except in this pic) and spent lots of time talking to fans.

Orlando displays his 'I Love NZ' T-shirt (which saved him from having to say anything intelligent all day) while Billy signs.

Andy Serkis was in great demand to sign the "Gollum for PM' flyers, and looked as glam as can be in a very dapper suit - miles from Gollum's sense of style.

It was clear that the crowd *loved* Peter Jackson. He looked pleased but a little overwhelmed, and carried his own camera which he used frequently.

Viggo and Orlando ham it up for the crowds. Viggo was in Unity Books, where I work, three or four times during the last week, and proved to be a thoroughly wonderful person.

John Rhys-Davies (Gimli) wore a lovely blue garland, and spent so much time talking to fans that his minder had to pull him away.

Here's Viggo again, signing some more autographs. He delighted the crowds by saying a few words in Maori when interviewed.

Elijah, for some reason, was kept away from the carpet, spending most of his time talking to media right in front of the Embassy, and this rather crappy effort was the best picture I could get of him. (Taken while hanging by one elbow off the side of a grandstand, 2 m above the ground. Not bad, huh).

I rather liked this little moment, Viggo resting his hand on Eliajh's shoulder in a way that is at once protective and... well, I don't know. :-) I just liked it.

Elijah's suit may have been awful, but at least it fitted, which is more than can be said for Sean's. Another reasonably crap picture of Sean Astin and Elijah, during the speeches in front of the Embassy, and about 1/4 second after Elijah kissed Sean... The sight of that seems to have temporarily frozen my shutter finger. (And where the hell is Sean's hand, anyway?)

There were heaps of orcs, elves, hobbits, Gondorian soldiers, rangers and Uruk-Hai wandering about, as well. The costumes and the make-up is just as impressive up close as it was in the film.

These rangers of Ithilien patrolled the roof of the Reading Cinema.

A Southron warrior skips along the red carpet. This was one of my favourite costume designs in the movie. It must have been a mite hot for this poor guy, though.