thats the movie-locations that I visited in New Zealand

I dedicated some time here in New Zealand to visit some movie-locations from the Lord of the Rings. The locations are from all three movies, of course not all locations but some popular ones that you will identify if you have seen the movie. These pictures are for Carina, my cousine, a big LOR – Fan!

Ok, lets get started! ! !

The first locations that I saw are on a hill, the Deer Park Heights

Here is the reason for the name of this hill…

I walked to the hill and it was very cold. Fortunately I met some Japanese who went up there by car so I could jump in the car. It was snowing on the hill and bl**dy cold

Thats the spot where Aragorn fell down in the battle with the Wargs (kind of wolves) in the Two Towers. many footprints lead to the spot, very popular. of course there is no river underneath where Aragorn fell down…

Before the battle, there is this scene where Legolas does an amazing jump on his horse, that was filmed on this spot…somewhere

And the scene where Gimli fell down from his horse ( i think that was still before this battle) took place here, right where I stand. It looks very different with the snow and the weather was  not really nice but I could still imagine most of the movie locations.

Ok, now a picture that you should be familiar with. The people from Rohan were fleeing to Helms Deep and came along this lake. Thats a picture from the movie:

and now my picture:

In “Return of the King”, Aragorn, Legolas und Gimli go in the path of the dead to ask these dead guys for help. the next picture showes where they come out of this “path of the dead”. We didnt stop because some lamas were just about to attack our car. So I took the photo from inside

Thats the River Anduin. The shots for this River were taken from different locations. One of them was the River where I did my Bungy-jump, just 100m from the BungyBridge. But this photo from River Anduin was still up in the Deer Park Heights.

“By accident” I somehow got to Arrowtown. And “by accident” there were some nice movie locations as well. First there was the River that Arwen crossed on the horse with Frodo, being followed by the Nazghul, I am sure that everyone knows what scene I mean(or y ou havent watched the movie). It was in the first movie

The other spot was not as popular. Its also in the first movie, in the very beginning. The scene is like a prologue. You can see how Isildur cut off Sauron’s hand with the One Ring and instead of destroying it he kept it. But then he gets killed by Orgs and this scene was filmed here in Arrowtown:

Okay, the next spot i have been to was near Glenorchy where I walked the Routebourn Track. They used this wide valley as Isengart. Of course there is no Orthanc-Tower and no Fangorn Forest around, that was all digitally enhanced. I have seen the movie since I saw this spot and the background looks really the same. Check it out:

Last but not least the Fangorn Forest…I saw it on the Routeburn Track….

I looked for Treebeard (“Baumbart”) but I really couldnt find him:)

Alright, now you have seen the most popular movie locations I have been to. I have seen some more but they were only used in minor scenes. If you cant remember the locations its time for you to watch the movies again:)

Here in New Zealand I have seen them at least 3 times. I think its the most popular movie here among backpackers in New Zealand.

Hobbiton was  filmed on the North Island and I only travelled the South Island. Mount Doom (Schicksalsberg) was also shot on the North Island. I have heard that this Mountain is very impressing. But I have seen enough locations. I did not hunt the locations but when I was by accident near a movie-spot I went there. I only saw a very small part of all the locations. Altogether they used a few hundred spots on both islands.

Oh and the movie “The last Samurai” was filmed in New Zealand as well, not in Japan as you might think. That was on the North Island, too. And some parts of KingKong were filmed on the South Island, near Milford Sound. And the Second part of Jurassic parc was also filmed there. It looks really like in that movie down there. You can really imagine the dinosaurs living in the wilderness down there…

Wow, that entry took very long. I hope that many Lord of the Rings-Fans will appreciate it.