Weta Helm
The Lord of the Rings: Finding Middle Earth in New Zealand
The Lord of the Rings story has captured the imagination of millions of people around the world. New Zealand has been lucky enough to be involved in this global phenomena thanks to Peter Jackson's critically acclaimed Lord of the Rings movie trilogy. The wide-open spaces, diverse landscapes and spectacular scenery of New Zealand were the best place to film the movies, allowing New Zealanders to showcase their country and create a growing Lord of the Rings tourism industry.
The Lord of the Rings back-story
When J.R.R. Tolkien wrote the original Lord of the Rings novels between 1937 and 1949, he would have had no idea of the huge impact they would have on future generations throughout the world. The stories have had a massive influence on pop culture and you come across many Lord of the Rings references in songs, movies and other literature.
Tolkien had earlier written a book called The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings novels followed as sequels and continued the epic fantasy theme and have since been reprinted into over 30 languages, making it one of the most popular franchises of the 20th century.
The Lord of the Rings story is based around human like creatures such as Elves, Hobbits, Wizards, Dwarves, Orcs and Men. They live in a sprawling world named Middle Earth, home to mysterious beings, magical rings, the devious Gollum, huge battles, the dark realm of Mordor and much, much more.
Part of the success of the Lord of the Rings can be put down to its complexity and Tolkien's endless work in developing a credible and highly detailed back-story. This back-story is brilliantly revealed as the story progresses, filling in important details and creating a living and breathing world with a rich history in the minds of readers.
Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings movie trilogy
After several acclaimed but moderately successful feature films, New Zealand's Peter Jackson diverted his attention to a new project, one that would consume many years of his life and eventually turn him into a star and one of Hollywood's most sought after directors.
Jackson always had a desire to make an updated film of the Lord of the Rings and often wondered why it hadn't been done earlier. After years of negotiating and revised scripts, Jackson and New Line Cinemas finally agreed to film and release the Lord of the Rings is a trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of The King. Filmed entirely in New Zealand, the films proved to be financial gold mine for both parties with the combined profits of the movies, video games and related merchandise easily heading in to the billions of dollars.
The movies were released to much critical acclaim and while some purists felt that Jackson deviated too far from the book, most agreed that it was both faithful to the book and a spectacular motion picture. The three movies combined for 17 Academy Awards with The Return of the King being the most successful, earning 11 of these, including Best Picture and Best Director for Peter Jackson.
The movies created a huge windfall for New Zealand in terms of publicity, tourism, the movie making industry and the creation of Weta Workshops as a leading special effects design studio. Wellington was even chosen as the destination for the premiere of the final chapter of the trilogy, The Return of the King.
Finding Middle Earth in New Zealand
With the Lord of the Rings thrusting New Zealand's spectacular scenery in to the limelight, it was inevitable that a demand to see it up close and personal would be created. Labelling itself as "Middle Earth", New Zealand's tourism industry gained a much-appreciated boost thanks to thousands of travellers taking part in tours and scenic trips. Immersing themselves in various film locations, ardent Lord of the Rings fans and casual travellers alike could enjoy the wide open spaces of New Zealand knowing that these were where the movies plot twists, dramatic scenes and great battles took place.
Filming took place throughout the country, with areas surrounding Wellington, the lower North Island and Christchurch receiving the most attention. The Canterbury Plains, Southern Alps and Mt Potts high country station serve as particularly beautiful and inspiring areas to see various Lord of the Rings film locations such as Edoras, Helms Deep and the Misty Mountains. All are accessible with tour groups and you'll have the opportunity to meet new friends with similar interests along the way.
J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings story has affected the lives of millions of individuals around the world and none more so than here in New Zealand. His epic tale of courage and honour has not only inspired readers but also helped Peter Jackson create his own masterpiece, opening up a whole new generation to Tolkien's wonderful story. New Zealand's film industry has been taken to a new level with the burgeoning local industry talent allowing other blockbuster films such as the Chronicles of Narnia and King Kong to also be filmed in the country. The benefits spread further into tourism and related areas with many overseas visitors coming to experience New Zealand's special link with the Lord of the Rings.
About the Author
Rene Smith is a travel guru who lives and works in Christchurch, New Zealand.
Visit his Christchurch travel website for information on Lord of the Rings tours, travel articles, reviews and helpful tips on planning a vacation to Christchurch, New Zealand.
Weta Trimaran sailing around Rangitoto, Auckland, New Zealand
 |
 LOTR Sideshow Weta Crown Of King Elessar Aragorn Helm TTT ROTK $44.99 Time Remaining: 22d 15h 9m Buy It Now for only: $44.99 Buy It Now |
 LOTR HELM OF EOMER SCALED PROP REPLICA SIDESHOW WETA MIB $79.95 Time Remaining: 8d 11h 17m Buy It Now for only: $79.95 Buy It Now |
 LOTR Sideshow Weta Orc Helm Of Frodo TTT ROTK $44.99 Time Remaining: 3d 5h 55m Buy It Now for only: $44.99 Buy It Now |
 SIDESHOW WETA LORD OF THE RINGS HELM OF SAURON MINT NIB $150.00 Time Remaining: 17d 10h 24m Buy It Now for only: $150.00 Buy It Now |
 SIDESHOW WETA COLLECTIBLES LORD OF THE RINGS ORC TRAPJAW 1 4 SCALE HELM $39.97 Time Remaining: 17d 9h 19m Buy It Now for only: $39.97 Buy It Now |
 4 LORD OF THE RINGS HELM SET ORC HIDE CROWFACE TRAPJASW SQUINTER SIDESHOW WETA $124.99 Time Remaining: 18d 12h 27m Buy It Now for only: $124.99 Buy It Now |
 Lord of the Ring Isildur Mini Helm - 1/4 Scale Metal Sale Price: $52.00  Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionLord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring Isildur's Helm -1/4 Scale Mini Replica - Sideshow Weta Collectibles From Sideshow Collectibles: Isildur, son of King Elendil, marched into war against the forces of darkness wearing an elegant helmet, trimmed with stars and seabirds' wings, emblems of his people, the Numenoreans of the Second age of Middle-earth...  |
 Sideshow Weta Lotr Gimli Mini Helm - 1/4 Scale Metal Sale Price: $59.99 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product DescriptionLord of the Rings - Fellowship of the Ring Gimli's Helm -1/4 Scale Mini Replica - Sideshow Weta Collectibles From Sideshow Collectibles: Gimli the Dwarf's helm was comprised of interlocking plates of a range of metals and leather, finely crafted with the dependable Dwarven meticulousness for which his people were renown... |
 Sideshow Weta Lord of the Rings Helm of the Mouth of Sauron 1/4 Scale Sale Price: $44.99 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product Description- Sideshow Weta Lord of the Rings Helm of the Mouth of Sauron 1/4 Scale |
 Battle Helm of Eowyn Sale Price: $47.95 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionBattle Helm of Eowyn |
 berserker helm Sale Price: $59.99 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours See Reviews For This Product |
 Sideshow Weta Lord of the Rings Crown of the King of the Dead 1/4 Scale Helm Sale Price: $34.99 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThis 1/4 scale metal helm is fashioned after the rotten and pitted crown of the King of the Dead, as seen in The Return of the King. Sculpted by WETA Workshop artist Dave Tremont, this helm is constructed from durable metal alloys, is hand cast and painted, and includes a polystone base for convenient display... |
 Sauron's Helm from Lord of the Rings Sale Price: $124.99 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 2-3 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionSideshow/ WETA Collectibles Workshop brings you this 1/4 scale replica of Sauron's helmet. This menacing addition to the line of Lord of the Rings 1/4 scale helmets measures approximately 8 inches high, is made from metal and includes a display base. |
 Helm of Eomer From Lord of the Rings Sale Price: $56.95 Eligible for free shipping!Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days See Reviews For This Product DescriptionThe 1/4 scale replica helm, which is sold out and rare, is brand new and sealed in the original display box. Eomer's helm has been expertly crafted in 1:4 scale by Neil Schrader of WETA fame, a perfect copy of the helmet worn by Karl Urban in the films 'The Two Towers' and 'Return of the King... |
Tags: guillermodeltoro, hobbits, newzealand, peterjackson, weta helm, weta helmet, wingnut
This entry was posted on Thursday, May 29th, 2008 at 7:23 am and is filed under Fantasy, Mythical & Magic. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.