At museum, film fans troll for wizardry
The Museum of Science's new exhibit about the making of the ''Lord of the Rings" movie trilogy pulls back the curtain to expose the realities of director Peter Jackson's fantasy filmmaking.
But it was the fans' fantasies that reigned at the exhibit's midnight opening yesterday where many of the hundreds of dedicated ''Rings" followers -- many who had come from across the United States and from other countries -- were dressed as hobbits and elves, displaying their affection for wizardry of all kinds.
''It's a time for kids who couldn't afford to play dress-up when they were a kid," said Mary Crowe of Charleston, S.C., decked out as an elf princess with a silver, flowing gown, tiara, and fake pointed ears. ''Or at least their mamas said 'no.' "
Like many of the dozens of other fantasy buffs wearing costumes, Crowe came to Boston solely to take in the exhibit's only US stop. The multimedia display, which shows how Middle-earth came alive in the Oscar-winning film series through the use of computer animation, camera, and costuming techniques, will be at the Museum of Science until Oct. 24.
The exhibit started in New Zealand, where it was created by some of the ''Rings" filmmaking team, and moved to London and Singapore. From here it moves on to Sydney.
The exhibit opened Saturday to more than 3,000 museum members, but the public opening was yesterday. More than 1,400 tickets for time slots between midnight and 8:45 a.m. were sold for the museum's first-ever opening outside normal business hours, museum officials said.
When Crowe entered the exhibit, from her place at about sixth in line, she gasped at the giant cave troll statue that greeted her. Tossing her long, blond wig-hair over her shoulder, she rushed from display to display of props, set pieces, and explanations about the movie's digital technology.
''It's simply amazing," said Crowe, 53. ''When I first got in I just ran, ran, ran. Now I need to go back through a second time."
Crowe has been an elf fan since 1972, when she read the British author J. R. R. Tolkien's books on which the movies are based. Since then, her interest in the elegant creatures who live in Rivendale (an elfin kingdom in Middle-earth) has taken over nearly every aspect of her life, outside of her job as a computer programmer. Along with reading the series at least once a year, she sews costumes, collects elf-like jewelry, and decorates her home with the earth tones Jackson gave to Rivendale.
There were others who favored the Shire -- Middle-earth's Hobbit-inhabited land. Jennifer Black, of Chicago, was dressed as one of the short, stout, peaceful creatures who never wear shoes on their hairy feet.
''Oh, I just threw together this outfit," she said, of her layered skirts and white peasant blouse. ''This is what I came up with, but I'm wearing sandals because they won't let us go barefoot."
Black largely ignored the videos explaining the computer program used to make the movie and the interactive displays where museum guests can watch themselves onscreen wielding a digital sword, or two people can be made to look the size of a giant or a hobbit. Instead, she furiously drew jewelry and costumes in a black sketch book.
The 26-year-old freelance artist was taking details down for drawings she posts on the Internet. It was her third trip through the exhibit. A friend in her Chicago ''Lord of the Rings" fan club purchased a membership to the museum just so the two could get in as soon as possible.
''Unless you have a really good pause button on your DVD, some of this intricate detail is hard to get," she said, in between examining elf boots and a wizard's ''ring of power."
Only about a quarter of those in attendance early yesterday morning were in costume. Most of those who came were simply avid fans.
''I read all the books in high school, and I've seen the movies 14 times," said Matthew Leger, 20, who brought his girlfriend Laura Little, 20, on what happened to be the Boston College students' three-month anniversary as a couple.
''I show up all the time at her dorm room with the DVD in hand." Leger said. ''Let's put it this way, I skip classes to watch these movies. They are that good."
