FIRST LOOK at THE HOBBIT: On the Set in Matamata, New Zealand

Hobbiton, Matamata, New Zealand

I arrived in Matamata, New Zealand on Monday filled with excitement and anticipation at seeing THE HOBBIT movie set.  Unfortunately, Peter Jackson, his crew, and many of the actors starring in THE HOBBIT were in pre-production 250 miles away in Wellington, New Zealand.  Production, which was set to begin this past March, has been delayed by almost a year, due to the director's emergency ulcer surgery in late January 2011.

Having said that, Peter or no, I couldn't have had a better tour guide than Ian Brodie, the official THE LORD OF THE RINGS location guidebooks author.  During our leisurely walk around the Hobbiton set, we discussed the effect of THE LORD OF THE RINGS on the now bustling New Zealand film and film tourism industries and the national economy, as well as the unique talent that is Sir Peter Jackson.  Be advised that as a condition of my visit, I signed a non-disclosure agreement with Warner Bros, which prevents me from publishing the photographs I took within Hobbiton until after the release of the films in 2012 and 2013.

Visitor Information, Matamata

When I first arrived in Matamata it didn't seem possible that I was ten minutes away from the now-famous hobbit 'holes' that served as the key set of the biggest film franchise in history.

Along roadside in front of Hobbiton

The Waikato farming country that surrounds the town of 12,000 residents is indeed quiet, humble and unassuming.  Yet, as I broached the outskirts of town, I encountered the lush country of rolling hills and deep green fields, which struck an emotional chord.  That's when the light bulb went off about, not only how much this land in the middle of the North Island of New Zealand so effortlessly materializes the visual landscape of Middle Earth and the ancient England which Tolkien set down in THE LORD OF THE RINGS and THE HOBBIT, but also that Jackson's cinematic adaption of these books couldn't have been shot anywhere else.

Unsurpassed production values and expert literary materialization aside, the financial success of Jackson's franchise has more than trickled down into local economies throughout New Zealand.  For example, the country's annual tourist influx jumped from 1.7 million in 2000 to 2.4 million in 2009.  Tourism in New Zealand is a $59 million per day industry and, moreover, directly or indirectly employs nearly one in 10 New Zealanders (184,000 total) in full-time equivalent jobs.

The Shire's Rest Cafe

The Wool Shed

Matamata itself has welcomed 200,000 visitors to Hobbiton over the past eight years, with another 45,000 expected by the end of 2011. These guided tours in Matamata and set locations throughout New Zealand are mostly owned and operated by local companies, although, as of six months ago, the official bus and guided tours of Hobbiton are co-owned (50%) by Peter Jackson.  With a tour bus departing from the I-SITE location outside Matamata Visitor Information Center every seventy-five minutes, visitors from all over the world descend upon this small town seven days a week to take two-hour group tours of the movie set, which includes a stop at the Shire's Rest Cafe, hands-on practice shearing sheep, and background information on the site of Hobbiton:  the sheep and Angus beef cattle farm still owned and operated by the Alexander family, which bought the property in 1978.

Roadside in front of Hobbiton

In fact, it was Mr. Alexander whom Peter Jackson approached when his producing partner and wife, Fran Walsh, discovered the valley that was to transform into Hobbiton.  Realizing how closely it materialized Tolkien's vision, the married New Zealand filmmakers already famous for MEET THE FEEBLES and HEAVENLY CREATURES asked Mr. Alexander to allow them to build a movie set on the property which would be used to film the THE LORD OF THE RINGS trilogy.  Although Jackson asked  the patriarch to keep it hush-hush, by that evening, all of the guys kicking one back at the local brewpub caught wind of Jackson's request.  And the rest, as they say, is history.

Hobbiton is also the key set of THE HOBBIT, which is the prequel to THE LORD OF THE RINGS and the story of Bilbo Baggins, whose peaceful life in the Shire is interrupted by a surprise visit from his friend Gandolf the Grey.  Like THE LORD OF THE RINGS, which was filmed back-to-back over 274 days, cost $281 million to make, and used 350 purpose-built sets in more than 150 locations all over New Zealand, THE HOBBIT is similarly expected to shoot for the rafters in terms of budget and production infrastructure and locations.  The two-part 3D prequel is estimated to cost more than $500 million to make, and (it is hoped) will inject a cool $1 billion into the New Zealand economy.

Part of the rationale for the expected success of the upcoming films is the legion of fans Jackson brings with him from THE LORD OF THE RINGS.  The cast of the prequel hasn't changed very much.  Elijah Woods will once again play Frodo with Ian McKellan portraying Gandolf.  Cate Blanchett will reprise her role as Galadriel, with Andy Serkis providing the voice and movement of Gollum.

The Hobbiton set hasn't change much either.  Middle Earth is still lush green rolling hills that house a Party Tree, the Green Dragon, and rows of homes--some small, others smaller yet--with primary-colored circular doors that house our friends Sam Gamgee and Frodo, and the beloved Bilbo, along a curved path from Bagshot Row to Bag End.

Also, the houses along the path are still built to two different scales, so the characters appear to be the appropriate sizes.  Frodo Baggins (as well as the average hobbit) is 3' 6" tall, whereas dwarfs are about 4' 6" and elves are five to six feet.

Some of the quintessential sets within Hobbiton are back in the prequel, including the seesaw and Dun-bee Hive, the watering hole, and the large water-wheel behind the old Mill. Similarly, the vegetable gardens still look lush and vibrant throughout the Shire.  The Hobbiton groundskeepers where on the premises working during my tour, planting flowers and shrubs.  Also extra sheep are grazing the land in preparation for the start of production.

Similarities aside, because THE HOBBIT takes place sixty-five years before THE LORD OF THE RINGS, some set adjustments have been made.  For example, the wood carvings in the edging around the doors and windows of the homes throughout Hobbiton are, at once, expertly detailed and appropriately worn.  Equally well executed are the scaled-to-height mailboxes and trees, the hobbit-style steps built into the hillside, and the thoughtful arrangement of knickknacks assembled behind the transparent stained glass windows.  Even firewood is cut into tiny blocks and assembled into small outdoor enclaves in the front of many Hobbiton houses, as if chopped up and stored by hobbits themselves.

Finally, whether thatched or simply laced, the fences throughout Hobbiton take into account the available materials and level of skills of hobbits who lived 65 years before the time of THE LORD OF THE RINGS.  I was especially in awe of the aged moss glued seamlessly to the fences throughout the Shire.  At every turn, in fact, I was reminded of the painstaking detail with which Jackson and his design team at Weta Workshop create, and the pride they take in bringing Tolkien's vision to the big screen.  I figure they deserve their many accolades and extraordinary box office grosses when a person, such as myself, who makes her living from critically examining the entertainment industries suspends her disbelief long enough to once again become a grateful, gooey-eyed fan of the cinema.

Brodie (l) and York (r), Shire's Rest Cafe

Ian Brodie's THE LORD OF THE RINGS LOCATION GUIDEBOOK (the extended edition) is now available for sale at http://www.ianbrodie.net/books/books.html.  A unique guidebook author, Brodie details the fascinating history of the film and its locations, as well as recommends travel itineraries to fans who want to experience things around and in between the 150 New Zealand location sights.  His book is ranked third "best seller" in New Zealand history.