‘Lord of the Rings’ turns 20: Hobbit, Sauron and Gollum makeovers in New Zealand

Middle-earth came to life again this week as New Zealand celebrated 20 years since the premiere of the “Lord of the Rings” trilogy with special screenings, costume exhibition and art displays. Friday marked the 20th anniversary of when the first feature film of the J.R.R Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” and “Hobbit” trilogies premiered at Odeon Leicester Square in London on Dec.10, 2001, bringing instant fame to New Zealand’s rolling hills, meadows and forests, which were the backdrop for the mythical Middle-Earth. The hairy feet and pointed-ear Hobbits are set to hit the screens again as Amazon Studios began filming of the “The Lord of the Rings” series in New Zealand last year, a TV show widely tipped to be the most expensive ever made. The series’ success helped New Zealand’s film industry attract some of the biggest Hollywood productions, including James Cameron’s “Avatar” and more recently Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog” and Netflix series such as “Sweet Tooth”.