Potsdam, Germany - A major exhibition of figures and props from the trilogy of Lord of the Rings movies is to open at a film studio near Berlin on February 1, complete with models of epic characters such as Ringwraiths, Orcs, the Cave Troll and Treebeard.
The show, originally presented in the New Zealand capital Wellington in December 2002, has toured science museums in London, Boston, Singapore, Houston, Indianapolis and Sydney.
Fans of the fantasy series who missed the London showing have already begun booking for the first stop on mainland Europe.
'We've already had reservations for tickets come in from Italy, Spain and Ireland as well as from Netherlands,' said Filmpark chief executive Matthias Voss.
Among the most awe-inspiring figures to go on display at the Babelsberg Film Park in Potsdam, west of Berlin, is the three-metre- tall Cave Troll with its mouth gaping, ready to gobble up hero Frodo.
'He was specially constructed for this show, because the Cave Troll in the films is a computer animation,' explained Az James of the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa who developed the show.
The exhibition arrived in 10 shipping containers from New Zealand where director Peter Jackson filmed the three books by J.R.R. Tolkien using spectacular mountain scenery as a backdrop.
Excerpts from the films are shown at the exhibition along with models of some of the extraordinary architecture including Sauron's citadel.
The show returned last year to New Zealand, where it was enhanced with sculptures of Gollum, a corrupted former Hobbit, and the large- scale 'miniature' of the great fortified city Minas Tirith.
'Naturally the centrepiece of the show is the legendary ring,' said James. The Potsdam exhibition runs until April 29.
The show also reveals how normal-sized actors were made to look like little people - Hobbits - in the film, James said. One display case includes worn-out Hobbit feet and ears: the plastic attachments only lasted for a single day of filming and were then replaced.
Behind-the-scenes footage shows the revival of traditional crafts to create 'authentic' medieval weaponry and armour.
Voss said some of the stars of the film are to visit Potsdam during the exhibition. 'We can't say the dates just yet.'
The Lord of the Rings Motion Picture Trilogy - The Exhibition: February 1 to April 29, Filmpark Babelsberg, Potsdam, Germany. For more information, check the website: www.filmpark.de
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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